Showbox sold to the Devil

OK, remember when a big bad national “entertainment” group (and I use that VERY lightly) AEG swooped in and peed all over Bumbershoot this year? Well, get ready for the Showbox Clubs to start reeking of that same tangy subway smell.

AEG, those geniuses that thought Fergie was viable as a performer - let alone HEADLINE Seattle’s largest music festival, struck a deal on Tuesday Dec 11th with Jeff Steichen, longtime owner of the Showbox for the purchawse of the Showbox Clubs (SoDo and Market) If you take a second and check out the AEG website, you’ll see that they are resting on the laurels of booking some “huge” names such as Justin Timberlake, Bon Jovi, Prince, Christina Aguilera, Kenny Chesney and Paul McCartney. Let’s not forget Celine Dion and Yanni. Barf.

At least they are retaining Jeff Steichen and Chad Queirolo as General Manager and Talent Buyer/Manager, respectively, so there should be some local influence, but the possibility of Celine playing the Showbox… EVER… kinda makes me wish it was getting turned into condos…

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2007 Reviewed: Brits, Tango, Music to Drink Beer to (and possibly makeout to) & More

The New Year is nearly here so that means it’s time to review the big happenings of 2007. And since this is a music blog, that means music happenings (as it relates to my life of course) of 2007. I’m always torn on what to share here b/c I am more, how shall I put it, “mainstream” than my counterparts on NWmusicblog and probably its readers too. And I say “mainstream” in the sense that I mostly rely on KEXP for the music I listen to. However KEXP isn’t very mainstream in the larger scheme of radio. So I don’t really know where I’m going with that… Ok, here goes…

Oh, and I’m not going to do a top 10 or anything, god forbid I rank anything b/c all below are #1s in my book.

Let’s start with the easiest…

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Feral Children Go Wild For Yule Benefit, Yeasayer Lights Scented Candles

I’ll be honest, I was a bit under whelmed by a few of the performances during the KEXP Yule Benefit this past Saturday night (12/8).  The 5th annual installment of the holiday show took place at the Showbox after three consecutive years of being held at Neumos; and frankly, the venue might have been a bit too large for the lineup the listener-powered radio station chose to feature.  Either that, or they botched it by not booking Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings (who sold out up the hill at Neumos the same night).  And for all the brazen self-promotion listener-powered KEXP continuously doles out over the airwaves (seriously, do they have to push Live At KEXP during every freakin’ airbreak?), you’d think they could at least drum up a bigger headliner. 

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TONIGHT: Lake of Falcons, the Whore Moans, & the Hands

Not quite sure how I missed this in my December shows post earlier this week, but this great lineup takes place tonight (12/7), 8pm at the……….Healthy Times Fun Club! Yeah, not sure where that is either, but LoF has suggested sending them an email for directions. I’ll let you know when I get a response.

These are great local bands, and the price of admission is “suggested donation.” Soooooo, technically, you could pay nothing, but that’s no way to support local music, now is it?

Dude, UPDATE: So, apparently the Healthy Times Fun Club is a good ol’ fashioned house party-type venue. Literally. According to a post on KEXP’s blog, the HTFC is the basement of a local Seattle couple willing to have their home invaded and rawked by various musical outfits. For directions, their myspace says to send ‘em an email. If you’s is into the loud shit, electronic-mail yo’ ass over there. PRONTO.

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Best Picks for Seattle New Years Eve 2008

I’ve been keeping an eye out for the biggest and best events happening for New Years 2008. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the best things going down in the Seattle area.

(All events happen Dec 31st)

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Oh, how I love the Thermals (More Coconut!)

In case you didn’t notice, WinterStorm Seattle 2007 hit like a pound of bricks this past weekend (12/1), bringing a welcome flurry of soggy snow to the greater Seattle area. Turns out the Thermals took exception to this environmental upstaging and hit the Neumos crowd like a TON of bricks, complete with jagged mortar. Take that, Mother Nature. While the melodious antics of these Portland-based power-punks are nothing new to anyone not living under a rock, the positive effect their music has on any crowd is undeniable, profound, and certainly guaranteed. Hutch Harris has solidified himself as one of the best punk lyricists of today, tackling church and state issues near and dear to his once-Christian heart, coupling them with wickedly catchy guitar licks. Of course, the triumph would not be complete without the fervent bass-playing of the springy-haired Kathy Foster and the drum-pounding proficiency of Lorin Coleman. How these three slight humans make such an enormously beautiful racket is beyond me; but that’s neither here nor there (well, it might be there, but that’s neither…never mind), I’m just glad they keep coming north.

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Even BETTER Bets for Dec Shows (Oooooo, burn!)

Hey, just wanted to trump the other lame “blogger” who did the first round of recommended December shows (I kid, I kid). Keep an eye or an onion peeled for these bands playing around in the next four weeks—I DARE you:

Partman Parthorse @ Wild Rose 12/7 with the Intelligence - We’ve kinda beaten this horse (heh, heh) to death, but who knew they were having shows at Seattle’s one-and-only lesbian bar? (what’s up with that sitch, anyway?) I didn’t, and I’m usually behind the curve. So it makes sense. Anyway, these guys rock.

Juhu Beach (w/ American School of Warsaw & the Oswald Effect) - I’m a new convert to the fandom of this band, and I’ve heard the Blue Moon isn’t quite the urine-scented dog kennel it used to be. Don’t know much about the other two bands, but hey, if you can’t get into the Yule Benefit (or refuse to get into it), this might be worth yer nickel. Actual price may vary. Saturday, 12/8 @ the Blue Moon Tavern.

Voyager One - Big lineup for the Loveless Records Holiday Party also happening Saturday Dec. 8th @ the High Dive: Other bands include local darling Carrie Akre, electroclashers The Girls (no girls in group!), the Blank Stares, & the Beltholes. I’m pushing for Voyager One on this one, who’ve made their living locally playing amazing ambient rock, while mesmerizing their audience with a dizzying array of video projections. And how.

The Purrs - Local psych-poppers the Purrs are celebrating their second record, The Chemistry That Keeps Us Together, steeped in 60’s guitar nostalgia and twangy self-deprecation. While I haven’t heard the entire disc, the tunes they’ve made available are pretty right-on, and their debut album was superb. For fans of Velvet Underground, Luna, & the Flaming Lips (Lady!). @ the High Dive, Dec. 14th with Brent Amaker & the Rodeo.

Pleasureboaters - I’ve only seen this band once, and I thought it was tremendously radical. Enough so to recommend a night with them @ the High Dive 12/20 with PWRFL POWER (!). Apparently, the High Dive is the place to be this month.

The Heavy Hearts (w/ the Whore Moans, Boss Martians & Wir) - The Comet Tavern hosts a Christmas Bash with one of my favorite local rock bands in existence: the Heavy Hearts. They bring the rawk with slicing guitar, in-yer-face-bass, and call-response dual vox. Since they’re dropping a new album in early ‘08, new songs are sure to abound. The Whore Moans will be in rock attendance as well. December 22nd @ the Comet!

Feral Children & the Trucks - Wow, the Comet hosts another bad-ass show on New Year’s Eve. Local buzz band (worth it) Feral Children play with electro-brats the Trucks, who always put on a great show. If you can’t catch FC at the Showbox on the 8th, be sure to show up for this one. Additional guest TBA.

That is all.

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“We, like, heart U, Seattle”: Les Savy Fav Show the Emerald City Some Love

Brooklyn legends—yes LEGENDS—Les Savy Fav made an inconspicuous appearance at Neumo’s this past Friday night (11/30)…oh wait, it wasn’t inconspicuous at all. Not only was the show sold out, but other bands with shows that night (Fleet Foxes, I’m talking to you) were proposing an exodus to the LSF set following their very own. And, of course, front-freak Tim Harrington put on his usual ridiculously entertaining spectacle. I hate to say ‘usual’ because it implies a humdrum quality, but the result is quite the contrary: what he may lack in vocal or lyrical clarity during a live performance, he more than makes up for in animated high jinks, silly, sometimes unintelligible banter, and a flair for dress-up beyond anyone’s good expectations.

Exhibit A (god, I wish I had a picture): As the band opens with “The Equestrian,” Harrington, donned in a cape and striped shirt, snakes his way through the crowd and hops up on stage to reveal a unicorn for a head. A UNICORN.

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