The Jesus Lizard to Play the Capitol Hill Block Party

Just like that Jesus in the bible, The Jesus Lizard have returned and are hitting the road.  They will be in Seattle on July 24th and will be headlining the main stage of the Capitol Hill Block Party.  It’s an Easter miracle.  Start rubbin’ your nub.  (personally, I’d rather see them at the Showbox, but I’m stoked I will see them at all.  The Scratch Acid reunion show in 2006 was epic.)

The Jesus Lizard

UPDATE:  Does this mean the ban has been lifted?

Matt and Kim Tonite @ Chop Suey

Matt and Kim are very good; this comes highly recommended.

Photo: Capitol Hill Block Party 2007

Friday January 30th
PORTLAND OR
@ Backspace
115 NW 5th Avenue
w/ CHAMPAGNE CHAMPAGNE – RECORD RELEASE TOUR
$10

Saturday January 31st
EUGENE OR
@ Agate Hall
1787 Agate St
Free and open to public – RECORD RELEASE TOUR

Notes from the Capitol Hill Block Party

[NWMB reader Jill sent this in for our edification with a sticky note labeled 'better late than never' -- Matt]

Friday

PWRFL Power was fun.  One guy, one guitar, good times.  While I don’t know that I would ever buy an album, I would definitly pay to see him live again.  But I’m a pushover for witty song writing.

Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head was a highlight.  They were one of the bands that I was really looking forward to seeing, and the show didn’t disappoint.  I’m very impressed with the charisma of these kids.  One of the better performances I’ve seen in a while, in addition to the music (which is super fun and danceable).  And I think some of their parents were there – how freakin’ cute is that?  [pix]

Saturday

Chromeo: So, apparently I live in a dark cave in the middle of nowhere.  I had never heard of Chromeo prior to seeing the block party line up, but I love the name.  This is how I pick my music.  Friends had good things to say as well, so I made sure to catch their set.  The music was a little more electronic than what I usually listen to, but still good.  There appeared to be slight choreography, which is never a bad thing, and they seemed to be having a good time on stage.

[Jill would also like you to know, sans sticky note, that Rod Stewart's Every Picture Tells a Story is $2 for the MP3 album download today at Amazon -- Matt]

Block Party Extras

This weekend (Friday and Saturday) is the Capitol Hill Block Party.  Along with the official line-up, there are some added bonuses happening inside the fesival gates.

Half a block from the mainstage, the Cha Cha Lounge will host bands on both days.

Friday July 25th

Fences    5:45 pm

TacocaT     6:45 pm

Yes, Oh Yes     7:45 pm

T.V. Coahran     8:45 pm

Das Llamas     9:45 pm

Saturday July 26th

Kaylee Cole     5:45 pm

See Me River     6:45  pm

Weirdlords    7:45 pm

Triumph of Lethargy     8:45 pm

Wild Orchid Children     9:45

Around the time the main stage and Vera stage shut down, the Comet Tavern will get very loud.  Around 11 pm, the Comet will also host bands…

Friday July 25th

COCK BLOCK PARTY EXTRAVAGANZA -W/THE GIRLS , THE VALKYRIES -FREE!!!

Saturday July 26th

COCK BLOCK PARTY W/CHEAP TIME (NASHVILLE), THE UPSIDE DOWN (PDX) FREE!!!

Both venues are 21+ and will have free admission for all Block Party attendees.

Capitol Hill Block Party Tickets

First NWMB reader to contact us through the Contact page gets a free pair of 2-day passes to the Capitol Hill Block Party! First/Last/Email/Phone please.

Blaine D is our ticket winner! Congratulations, Blaine.

Block Party Ticket Give Away Next Week

NWMB has a pair of 2-day passes to give away. We’re going to unload these beauties on a lucky reader next week, but not before Monday. Stay tuned.

Jump the break for the lineup.

Disregard the name: Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head a Glistening Pleasure to listen to

July 15, 2008. Put it in the calendar. Or on the back of your hand (just don’t let it fade in the shower). Go out and buy the cd. And dance. And laugh. Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head releases their debut album Glistening Pleasure, and it is GOOD! From the first track “Me + Yr Daughter” to the short “Sophisticated Side Ponytail” they make you dance. And dance. Personal favorite track: “Beard Lust”

There will be a cd-release show at Easy Street Records on the 15th of July, so go out and support them. Or you can catch them at the Capitol Hill Block Party on 7/25 an the Vera Stage.

2008 Seattle Festival Guide

Sasshoot?  Bumberfest?  Sub Pop Block Party?  There are so many music festivals in and around Seattle, it can be pretty easy to get them all mixed up.  Here is a handy guide with dates, locations and links so that you can plan your summer.

Sasquatch:  When:  May 24-26  Where:  the Gorge Amphitheatre  Line-up Highlights:  Modest Mouse, R.E.M., The New Pornographers, M.I.A., The Breeders, Grand Archives, The Cure, Death Cab for Cutie, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, The Blakes, Sera Cahoone, The Cops, The Flaming Lips, The Mars Volta, Built to Spill, The Cave Singers, Kinski  My thoughts:  A very impressive line-up.  Plus many of these artists have not revealed plans to get any closer to Seattle than this.  More info:  http://sasquatchfestival.com/2008/

Noise for the Needy:  When:  June 11-15  Where:  Various clubs around Seattle  Line-up Highlights:  The Black Angels, Peter Parker, The Heavy Hearts, Math & Physics Club, New Faces, Lonesome Rhoads & the Good Company, Past Lives, Partman Parthorse, Amateur Radio Operator, Feral Children, Common Market  My thoughts:  Lots of great shows happening all over town.  Proceeds this year will benefit Urban Rest Stop.  More info:  http://www.noisefortheneedy.org/2008/index.php

Georgetown Music Fest:  When:  June 13-14  Where:  Georgetown neighborhood  Line-up Highlights:  Helmet, The Hands, Slender Means, Carrie Akre, The Lashes, Skullbot, Helms Alee, and more  My thoughts:  Last year’s best festival has once again assembled a great line-up of mostly local bands.  While you’re in the neighborhood, grab some pizza at Stellar Pizza and a drink at the 9 lb. Hammer.  More info:  http://www.georgetownmusicfest.com/

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: Get In Where You Fit In

Aaaaaah, yeah boooooooyyyyys and girlz, the lineup for this year’s installment of the Capitol Hill Block Party has officially been announced (my thanks to the Lady for the scoop). And it’s a doozy. Always a clever mix of local and national acts, this year is no different. The ever-popular Vampire Weekend will headline Friday’s show and the Hold Steady is the current front-runner for Saturday—soon to be usurped by a suprise (!) guest. Who that will be? Your guess is as good as mine, Nostradamus.

Here’s the current lineup, with over 30 more bands and DJs soon to be announced:

Friday July 25
Vampire Weekend
Les Savy Fav
Girl Talk
USE
The Dodos
Jay Reatard
Akimbo
Pwrfl Power
Past Lives
Black Eyes And Neck Ties
Champagne Champagne

Saturday July 26
Surprise guest!!
The Hold Steady
Chromeo
Kimya Dawson
Darker My Love
The Butchers And The Builders
The Hands
Vallela Vallela
The Physics
Man Plus
Little Party And Bad Business

Some personal highlights: Les Savy Fav is a really awesome band to be playing this festival, Girl Talk makes a second straight appearance, ex-Blood Brothers bands Past Lives and Champagne Champagne just keep getting better, Man Plus just released an excellent sophomore album, and Chromeo will certainly get the booty shakers out. Forget about your hang ups with the crowd and their fashion sense, the CHBP is always a tremendous place to hear new and interesting bands.

Presale starts THIS MORNING AT 10 AM (password is BLOCKPARTY). One day prices are a reasonable $18 (though they seem to increase every year) and two-day passes are $34. See below for your ticket buying preference, but note that the links won’t work until 10am, so hold your horses. And check out the Stranger for more info, yo.

Click to buy advance tickets for Friday.
Click to buy advance tickets for Saturday.
Click to buy a two-day pass.

Hipsters around the block unite!

It almost felt like everyone made a stop at Urban Outfitters before showing up at the Capitol Hill Block Party on Saturday, July 28th. Lemme tell ya, premo people watching for the year happened here. And I have to say, all was pretty much a good time except the big clusterfuck of a crowd in the beer garden by the stage while Spoon was on. Never in my 15+ years of concert going have I been in such a messy crowd of people shoving, grabbing and being downright mean just to get out of the crowd. It was very uncomfortable. Ok, ’nuff said about that. John Vanderslice was a highlight playing his indie-pop tunes. He came out at the perfect time, late afternoon with sun shining and the crowd pretty much non-existent. Britt Daniel was spotted many times (by my friends as well as myself) meandering thru the beer garden and into Caffe Vita. Next up on stage was Aesop Rock. Not my cup of tea so headed into the Comet for some PBR tall boys then out for some food at the Six Arms afterwards. Made it back for Spoon where we ran into the aforementioned crowd of unpleasantness.

Block Party pics

>>>>>Here<<<<<

Photo sequence goes something like this: (sorry they’re not labeled)

The Blakes, Matt and Kim, Blood Brother Cody Votolato(?), View from the Comet, Blood Brothers, Matt and Kim, Things, Things, Things, Stuff, Blue Scholars, Stuff

On a Scale of One to Ten

…I give the Capitol Hill Block Party organizers a middle finger.

The last act, Girl Talk, couldn’t be seen by (at least) several hundred people who got to Neumos before it started (midnight). Doors were jammed, fan-security pushing matches broke out, and general ill-feeling and non-communication ruled. A girl had a terrible, screaming claustrophobia attack near one of the doorways, an area that was shoulder to shoulder for 30+ minutes.

Why pump Girl Talk (I’m looking at you, KEXP) as one of the headliners for the past month, and put him in Neumos and not on the main stage?

If you don’t want headliner, last-act-of-the-night crowds, don’t put it in the smaller venue. How hard is that?

Twenty dollars (with all the “service” charges) is a lot to pay for a block party. Going to see the act I’ve pimped for over a month on these very pages, and not being able to get in is a fucking cockpunch. I had a joint rolled for it and everything.

Capitol Hill Block Party Must See’s, Friday

4:00pm – The Saturday Knights

5:00pm – Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head

5:15pm – The Blakes

8:00pm – Blue Scholars

9:00pm – Viva Voce

9:45pm – Silversun Pickups

12:00am – Girl Talk

Girl Talk Playing Cap Hill Block Party

Girl Talk plays at midnight on Friday, July 27 at Neumos as part of the Capitol Hill Block Party. I suggest this show even if you don’t like dance music. The electricity I caught off his show in May was nothing short of stunning.

Read a review of his album Night Ripper.

Tickets for $15 are at Neumo’s box office and at Seattle Urban Outfitters… no service charge.

The Festive Season

Summer is coming to Seattle.  Well, if not what most people would consider summer, at least the chance of a few rain free days in succession are headed our way.  And with the summer come the music fests, street fairs, block parties and so on.  Personally, I’m not a huge fan of outdoor stages.  I prefer my live music without the sunburns and baby strollers.  I feel if rock was meant to be played outside, guitar amps would plug into trees.  Rock is born in dark basements and in bedrooms late at night.  Music sounds best, to me, when it entirely fills a small, awkward space.  But I know most people enjoy huge outdoor concerts.  And here in Seattle, we put on some pretty great music festivals.  And while, it isn’t my favorite way to see bands, I still go.  I get pretty excited when the line-up announcements start coming in.  So here are the some highlights of this year’s festival season…