Tacoma Hempfest Issues Call for Performing Entertainers

Tacoma Hempfest and Shock Treatment Management are pleased to announce an open call for entertainers for the 2nd Annual Tacoma Hempfest to be held June 25, 2011. Tacoma Hempfest is a Washington State non-profit corporation which stages an annual full day celebration of the extensive utility of cannabis or hemp, and the social cost of hemp prohibition. The first Tacoma Hempfest in 2010 generated a peaceful crowd of 5,000 in Wright Park, Tacoma on the last weekend in June.

Musical performers of all genres are invited to submit Electronic Press Kits or links to social/musician sites with a selection of sample music.

Variety performers will work in a number of areas throughout the festival site including family, artist and holistic medical areas. Variety performers are invited to send an email of interest, brief description of talent and sample of past work, references, website or other appropriate details. We can imagine face painters, magicians, dance troupes, acrobats, stilt walkers, some of whom would work during stage entertainment, some of whom would provide spontaneous in crowd entertainment during breaks.

Above all, Tacoma Hempfest wishes to portray and include the diversity of cannabis culture. This includes not only arts and entertainment, but also food and merchandise vendors, outreach organizations, healing arts, and industry.

Submission may be sent to Cat@ShockTreatmentManagement.com or Kevin@ShockTreatmentManagement.com. Submissions close on March 24, 2011. Entertainment line-up will be announced April 20, 2011.

Vending information may be found at www.TacomaHempfest.com in the near future.

Northwest Convergence Zone launches regional music fueled NWCZRadio.com

Northwest Convergence Zone Radio (http://nwczradio.com) will officially hit the web at 5pm today, Friday, Feb 18th! They are looking to bring listeners the best northwest artists, local music news, and great, fun programs!

From NWCZ:
If you are a northwest independent artists (solo, band, etc.) or know some, have them contact us at nwczradio@gmail.com. We’ll let them know how to get their tracks to us so we can get them out there for all of you!

Everyone welcome Raymond Hayden to the NWCZradio fold. Raymond will be hosting a one hour program focusing on the coffee house, open mic and lighter side of northwest independent music. His program will start Tuesday, March 1st at 7:00 pm. Raymond is the head honcho behind Maurice The Fish Records! Welcome Kingfish!!!!

It’s official! The Northwest Music Scene show is coming to NWCZ Radio on Thursday, March 3rd at 7pm. Hosted by Glen, Brian and Shawn…They will be bringing you music and all things northwest music related every Thursday night live from 7 – 9 pm!

Everyone welcome Dave Samson, veteran of KBCS and The Mountain 103.7 to NWCZradio! Dave will be hosting a blues show every Monday night from 7 – 10pm beginning Feb. 21st!!!! Be sure to tune in for the best in northwest blues every Monday night!!!

Everyone welcome Q-Dot to NWCZradio! He will be spinning the best in northwest rap and hip hop on Fridays 6 – 7 beginning March 4th! Guaranteed good times with Q-Dot!!

More shows to be announced soon!

http://www.nwczradio.com/

http://www.facebook.com/nwczradio

http://twitter.com/nwczradio

We are gonna blow the top of off Northwest Radio!

@funpolicemusic playing tonight @omalleystacoma – Saint Patrick’s Day, Tacoma-style

Tacoma’s own musical Fun Police will be patrolling the St Paddy’s Day merriment at 8 PM along with special guests 10 Miles of Bad Road at O’Malley’s Irish Pub (Google Maps link). The Fun Police, bullies in blue, who are known for delivering energetic give-it-all-you’ve-got, genre-bending performance on any given night, promise an over the top show tonight including a traditional Irish set and an extended set of Fun Police favorites. Enjoy the luck of the Irish with some slow-cooked, corned beef and cabbage along with some Fun Police hijinks for St. Paddy’s Day this year.

The Fun Police have been playing the South Sound for approximately two years, released 2 EPs and a CD, and are currently in the studio. They are well known locally for their energetic stage presence and musical variety including fusion styles of blues, reggae, folk, punk and more. Their 3 song Spring Break EP is available as a free download here.

www.thefunpolicemusic.com

Poland CD release party @ The Reandezvous Jewelbox Theater

http://www.myspace.com/polandmusic

Band Members: Mark Bombara (guitar)
Mark Romanowski (guitar, voice)
Shane Peck  (drums, voice)
Noah Wilson  (bass)
Lydia Nor  (voice)
Janet Utterback-Peck  (violin)
Karen Halliburton (violin)
Brianna Atwell  (viola).

They have just released a new cd on Series Two Records, “Most of them are Clockwork”.
The cd release party is at the Rendezvous, Jewelbox Theater on Saturday, February 7th at 7pm..
Special Guests, Alligators will open the show.

Doors at 6:30pm
Price: $5.00

Rendezvous,
2322 2nd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121

Spoils, Wah Wah Exit Wound, Friday January 18th, Blue Moon Tavern, FREE

SPOILS

The best rock & roll qua rock & roll band in Seattle. Existing in a realm void of the pre-requisite irony or blaspheming idolatory of which infects current popular music propagation.

Extracting themselves from their various other constituencies (Master Musicians of Bukkake, Earth, Asva), Milky Burgess, Diamond Vincent, and Don McGreevy rock free.

Primordial electric finger-picking, supergruv rhythm section, and vocalizations emanating from some being’s core.

Doped-up, sexed-up, and fog-imposed tributes to the pure romance of the hedonsitic side of things.

WAH WAH EXIT WOUND

The naysayers of progressive rock only indicate their unprogressive minds. Progenitors of progressive rock who use the term should operate with caution as well to avoid semantic pitfalls.

Compositions designed to frighten and challenge within pre-existing languages. Presented from the realms of ADD denial and dreams of schizophrenic absolution.

Funk in 9, drunken pirate sing-alongs, odes to solary ocular organs, and a complete musical thesis on one interpretation of Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations.

“Her eyes were the color of the sun!”

As always, the show is free. Because the Blue Moon is a free venue. And bands still get paid. Funny how that works. Required attendance for anyone who claims to have interest in the archaic musical tool known as “guitar.” Phenomenological demonstrations of various methods.

Only two bands on the bill so everyone gets to open up a little bit.

10 p.m.

Bee Simonds has got the Skillz

In the plethora of male dominated performing artists here in Seattle, there are only a handful of female performers on the scene. And even though by ratio there are far more impressive female musical artists than male, good looks don’t always make up for talent. Lucky for Bee Simonds, she has both.

Her performance at Neumos last Friday night was nothing less than pro. One would think that an opening slot to a full house would create a flinch of nerves or doubt in the rising artist but that’s not the case. Her Linda Perry approach to vocals and aggressively confident guitaring stole the night as she commanded the crowd smoothly from song to song. Even if you had never heard her songs before she instantly made you a believer of her life trials through her soulful vocal delivery. Her backing band was solid to say the least and emanated her already charismatic energy throughout the set.

And after the show, you didn’t find her in the greenroom with all the other bands that played that night, you found her at her merch table chatting it up with the people who like me, were so impressed with her show.

Her next gig is at The Nectar Lounge in Freemont on the 27th of January and if you haven’t heard of Bee Simonds, well neither had I. But if she continues to put on shows like the one last Friday she’s guaranteed to be a name everyone will know soon.

NWMB Recommends: Seattle Shows for January 2008

This month, the choices range from tributes for the “King’s” birthday to experimental rock at the Sunset. The highlights come from the High Dive in Freemont. The weekend of the 11-12, the High Dive stretches it’s musical range with 2 great lineups. 1 Hip Hop 1 Alt country. Jan 16th at the Funhouse smashes 4 worthwile bands into one night for a measly $5
(NOTE: New Years Eve recommendations can be found by clicking here. For the rest of the month follow the link below..)

Unscrew The Crocodile Employees Benefit Show – Sun Dec 30th

As you may have already read, Crocodile Cafe owner Stephanie Dorgan closed the club a week before Christmas, leaving all her employees a voice mail telling them, in a way as gentle as getting bent over a keg in the back, that they were all jobless-and thus “screwed”.

The local music community is rallying to support them. Former Croc booker Pete Greenberg (now booking Chop Suey) has put together an incredible bill to benefit the former Croc employees with performances by members of
Fleet Foxes,
Peter Parker,
the Pale Pacific,
Siberian,
Triumph of Lethargy
Skinned Alive To Death,
Dave Terry (of Aqueduct),
Siberian,
Pleasureboaters,
J.Tillman,
Damien Jurado,
and David Bazan.
With DJs Kristoffer K and Roy (Rooha-that’s Canuk for Roy…).

This is a chance to hear some great local music and support the team that brought us so many nights of debauchery.

Chop Suey–1325 E. Madison St.

Sun-Dec 30th
7pm $10 21+

Helms Alee at the Comet on 12/28 (tomorrow!)

This is a slow time of year for good shows, but tomorrow night at the Comet is a show that is not to be missed. Helms Alee is easily my favorite new band of 2007. They are loud, heavy and intense. They sound like sledgehammers in a thunderstorm, but still remain beautifully melodic.

Win Tix for New Years Bash w/ The Blakes and The Saturday Knights

The Seattle Wolves FC, kick off New Years with an all-star line up. The quickly expanding Football Club is throwing down on their home turf at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. The evening features local Seattle hip hop stars the Saturday Knights opening for NWMusicblog favorites, the Blakes (PDX).

Tickets for the New Year’s Party start at $35 and are available through www.SeattleWolvesFC.com. A limited number of hotel and VIP packages are available for the event as well. Event happens at Starfire Sports and Entertainment Complex, 14800 Starfire Way, Tukwila, WA 98188

To Win 2 Tix on the Guest List email us here with your full name.
Winner will be selected randomly and announced Friday Dec 21st

FREE SHOW – These Arms are Snakes, Thurs 11-29

For those of you who were on the fence about checking out the TAAS show, this past Wed the 14th, those who just plain missed it or more deserving, those who loved the show and want more… I’ve got a treat for you.

MORE Recommended Nov ‘07 Shows

While Kevin did a fantabulous job with this month’s upcoming shows, there were a few more that I wanted to call out:

The Ponys – I know, I know, this was already included, but for the love of god, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE support this band!  They’ve put out three (3) solid albums to date and their infectious garage rock—embellished with pop sensibilities—is sure to please.  Their latest release Turn The Lights Out is awesome, but check out the previous LP, Celebration Castle, for the real goods.  TONIGHT @ THE CROCODILE ($10).

Grand Archives (w/ Helio Sequence & Minus the Bear) – This show goes down at the Showbox (ugh, “at the Market”) Saturday Nov. 10th.  With three solid local bands on the bill, this will no doubt be good.  While Helio Sequence and Minus the Bear have received plenty of high marks before (and rightly so), it’s Grand Archives that whets my whistle.  Mat Brooke (of Band of Horses and Carissa’s Wierd fame) fronts this recently signed Sub Popper. $16 Adv / $18 DOS All Ages

These Arms Are Snakes – This band is so awesome, not even the fact that their name is just the 2nd most awesomest band name ever can diminish their awesomeness.  For fans of local post-hardcore (that just means it’s LOUD and AWESOME).  Part of ISIS’s 10-Year Anniversary Tour.  Wednesday Nov. 14th @ Neumo’s;$15 Adv All Ages.

Lake of Falcons – So, in case you were wondering, this is the band with the best name ever.  EVER.  Just think about it: A lake…of FALCONS.  Fashioning a “throwback” grungy sound with crunchy monster-guitars and dual vocals, it’s a pleasure to see them still booking shows.  They’ve been around on fantastic DIY label Beep Repaired for some time, but haven’t got their proper due.  A great chance to support the hard-hats of the local scene: Wednesday Nov 21st @ the Crocodile ($6).

Les Savy Fav – This is another of my favorites…Art-rockers from Brooklyn celebrate their first release in three years.  The bass lines will slice you into pieces, the guitars will make you squeal and you just might get some sort of ambiguous liquid thrown on you by satiric frontman Tim Harrington.  I love this band.  Friday Nov. 30th @ Neumo’s ($18 Adv)

The Cave Singers with Fleet Foxes - Can’t say enough about the beautiful, macabre folk of Seattle’s Cave Singers and the 70s AM radio-inspired musings of Fleet Foxes.  Check them out while they’re still under the radar. Friday Nov. 30th @ the Crocodile ($10)

That is all.

Partman Parthorse Rocks Comet, Infuriates Inept Centaurs

Caution! Inaugural post–read at your own risk…or something…

In eager anticipation for the past few weeks, the lady and I met up with some fellow audiophiles at The Comet Tavern this past Saturday night (11/3) to check out local sex-punks, Partman Parthorse.  Oh sure, they were the third act of a quadruple bill, but who were we kidding?  It was PMPH that truly piqued our interest.  The band’s fractured funk, augmented by the stage theatrics of front-dude Gary Smith, are not necessarily new to Seattleites with a keen ear and a Wednesday night at the Funhouse to kill.  They’ve been on the scene since 2006 (I was only introduced to them several months ago, after being blown away at the Funhouse and subsequently again during a High Dive set), so I will admit that I expected a slightly larger turnout for a balmy Saturday evening with an extra hour.   I suppose this poor showing might have been a function of the venue–while steeped in the tradition of local dive-bar-badassery, as an audience member the Comet leaves a bit to be desired.  Didn’t stop us, though.  Seven pints of High Life and one twisted ankle later, LeDon’t was totally into it.

In any event, it was Smith’s red underoos and the frenetic tempos of bassist/keyboardist Rachel Ratner that made the mostly female crowd’s hips quiver.  Not to mention the steady percussion of Lisa Smith and the angular stylings of guitarist Marshal Nall.  The real treat, however, came when said underoos were dutifully put on display two songs into the set, after which Smith could only be seen three quarters-naked, holding his monitor aloft as if it were a boombox and he was strollin’ through a SoCal (neighbor) hood.   I’m sure you can probably YouTube it.

I was mildly disappointed that only a few (“Partman Parthorse”, “Bang!”, “High Five Heaven”) of the seven or eight songs they played were from their lone LP, but the new tunes definitely sounded slick and the band was eager to exhibit.  I welcomed them unconditionally.

I would advise anyone itching for a radical sound and a unique spectacle to not look any further.  Just check out their next show, for chrissake:  Thursday, Nov. 8th with Pwrfl Pwr at temporary venue Pony (former space of the Cha Cha Lounge).  You can also catch them at the Wild Rose with The Intelligence Dec. 7th.  Be there or be square.

Recommended shows for November 2007

November is pulling the grey blanket over the city once again and it’s the perfect time to turn your attention back to the concert scene. So throw away your shades (cuz you KNOW you ain’t gunna find them in the spring anyway) and don the rain slicker. It’s showtime!

Click here to check out recommended shows..

Kinski @ COMET Friday Nov 23rd

KINSKI, THE HACKS, SEX VID play the teeny tiny Comet Tavern on Capitol Hill. This is a show not to be missed. Kinski is gunna blow the fuckin windows out of the place!

Post Harbor and Born Anchors @ Comet Fri 10/20

This ain’t no sea shanty show.

The Comet Tavern on Capitol hill is quickly becoming my favorite spot to catch local music. Just the other night when I was immersed in the audio ocean that is JUSTICE, I stepped outside for a breath and found myself wandering over from Neumos to the Comet just to have a listen to the band playing in there. It’s a small, seedy, cash-only venue with decades of signatures and graffiti carved into the tables and honestly the PERFECT place to see some local rock.

If you haven’t been, this Sat night Oct 20th could be a good one to bust your cherry. Local bands Post Harbor and Born Anchors play with Soft Lights and You May Die in the Desert.

Post Harbor is generally referred to as having a sound akin to Sunny Day Real Estate. There has been a lot of positive press about their album and their recent touring. From what what I’ve heard, I’d have to agree on all counts.

http://www.myspace.com/postharbor

Born Anchors formed in March this year and have already had the cohesive vision put out an EP. Their sound is heavy and tight and bound to make thewalls of the Comet ring. Check them out.

http://www.myspace.com/bornanchors

Blakes and Cops @ Croc Oct 5th

I think I may have discovered the best thing this year. Yes, something even better than a statuette of Jesus teaching kids how to kick ass in the name of the lord. How can it be you ask. Such a statuette would be inspiring as well as elegant.

Well, before you pu-pu my claims, let me explain. 2 local sensations, the Blakes, and the Cops are billed to play TOGETHER at the Crocodile on Friday, October 5th. Yes, my friends, the thing that puts it over the top.. it’s not even a school night. Praise be to little 9lb 5oz baby Jesus!

Hi-YA!

Both of these bands are known for their live performances, and this is slated to be the release party for the Blakes new CD, which-if it even remotely compares to the last one-should be fantastic.

So it looks like you can grab tix at Sonic Boom, or your favorite rip-off online joint for $8 (+ripoff)

Go forth and rock. See ya there.
I’ll be the one with the halo.

FREE SHOW – These Arms Are Snakes @ Neumos Thurs 8-9-07

Local post-hardcore rockers These Arms are Snakes to team up with The Sound Team and The Clutters to play a free show this Thursday at Neumos. Doors open at 9:00 and did I mention it’s free!?!

TAAS are notorious for their extremely tight style, intertwining riffs and experimental sound. They are formed from late locals Botch and Kill Sadie. Their latest album Easter, was labeled as “meant to hurt you. ” It’s a good hurt I’m sure.

Check out their sound here.