The Upsidedown and Spindrift blow the doors off Tacoma, prepare for Seattle (3/8, The Comet Tavern @ 4:00pm)

Jsun Atoms of The Upsidedown has a smile that charms for miles, and it’s widely visable as he strides into the room to greet me. A handshake and man-hug later, we find ourselves on a cozy couch backstage at the Roseland Lounge. Upstairs, The Rebel Drones are cranking out their trademark sound, and Sleepy Sun is rallying in the next room as they take the stage next.

Jsun wastes no time catching me up on the happenings with the Upsidedown. “Human Destination, our new album is available on iTunes, eMusic, and iTunes International. We are also headed out on tour with our label mates Spindrift, hitting Tacoma on March 5th, and Seattle on the 8th. [@ The Comet Tavern near Pike & Broadway at 4 pm]”
That’s just the first leg of the tour. They are headed down to SXSW, taking the scenic route and playing gigs on the way at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco (March 10) and the Black Angels Psych Fest 2009 in Austin (March 15th). Jsun emplains that the positive reception from touring with The Dandy Warhols and Darker My Love this fall, as well as the support for our new album from fans has really given them some inspiration to move forward. “We have about 12 new songs right now, and we are starting to play some of them, like ‘Spaceship’, live. We’d love to have the fans in Tacoma and Seattle come out and see us before we head out to the festivals”

Well, in Tacoma the fans responded. March 5th met with a few surprises at the old Java Jive – first, new act 1776 from Kelso, Washington, lit up the stage with their electrifying performance, even playing one of their tunes twice at the behest of surprise guest Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols. “Fuck yeah, man! We played Junkie 4 times in Germany once! Play it again!” he yelled over the crowd’s affirming calls.

Following them on the big stage at the World Famous Bob’s Java Jive was local Tacoma band The Drug Purse, who rarely disappoint, as the crowd dances their way through a well performed and catchy set.

Finally, The Upsidedown takes the stage, and Matt Moore steps forward wielding a harmonica, and with a driving beat from drummer Bob Mild, and supporting claps from the rest of the band and crowd, he proclaims that the following is for Rock, and Love, blistering through meaty harmonica hooks, complete with a segment of sparks flying magically off the harmonica in the dark. The crowd starts to really get into it now. By the time the intro is over and Guitarist Brett Kron launches into Silver Wind’s opening measures, the dance floor is already starting to move full tilt. Even the guy with black hair down to his waist playing pool is really jammin’ as he makes his shot in the corner pocket.

The set continues with no less energy than at the start, band vixens Tristan Evans (bass, vocals) and Sarah Jane (keyboards, percussion, vocals) grooving away, with guitarists Matt, Jsun, and Brett adding to the layered sound of The Upsidedown with steady and unique beats blazing out drum kit of the former 1st snare at the University of Missouri, Bob Mild.

Back downstairs at the Roseland, two weeks prior to the Java Jive show, Jsun mentions that success for the band means making meaningful music and art for themselves, and hopes that the general public avails themselves to it as well. For Jsun the music is truly about love, and life, and how those two blend together on our plain of reality. The current mixture in their music continues to move and groove the crowd with the lush soundscapes offered by The Upsidedown, and they appear to show no signs of slowing down, as worldwide listeners are really beginning to accelerate in the rate at which the hit the website. A recent video on YouTube indicates views in France, Malta, Canada, and Sri Lanka increasing as well. Jsun is well aware – “We are working on something in Europe in the near future, but nothing is solid yet.”

The Upsidedown are wrapping up at the Jive, ripping through ‘Airplane Eyes’ off their 2004 debut album ‘Trust Electricity’. Courtney Taylor-Taylor is at the front of the dance floor rocking out, dancing to the beat, celebrating with Sarah Jane of the Upsidedown with a toast as the set comes to a close. Up next are Psych-Country rockers Spindrift.

Spindrift had largely been unoticed by my eyes and ears until November of last year. After seeing a show, then meditating with their three albums and one movie (The Legend of God’s Gun, directed by Mike Bruce) over the past couple of months, Spindrift has really hit on an area that has been missing – Country Rock with a surreal feel. The West, their new album has recently come into the running for favorite country rock album, battling The Eagles ‘Desperado” in what is sure to be an eternal internal struggle in my head.

Part Blues, Honky-Tonk, Country, and Psychedelic Rock, Spindrift captures surreal thoughts and pictures in a desert mentaility and setting. Occasionally heavy, occasionally soft, but always with wonderful melodic qualities, Spindrift rocks the Jive into a quivering pile of half deaf music fanatics. To learn more about their performance, join them, The Upsidedown, and Hypatia Lake at the Comet Tavern on Capitol Hill in Seattle tomorrow, Sunday, March 6th at 4pm Pacific time. Even if you have to go to work in the morning, it’s a matinee show! Come check out a few great and new-to-you bands.

If you can’t make it, you will just have to wait on my review of Spindrift coming soon. Until then, here is some video from the Jive on Thursday night.