Cozell Wilson

​​This post is part of a series in which we review bands playing around town on Tuesday nights.

Western Haunts
The Rendezvous
Tuesday, Nov. 15

Ever wonder what life would be like if Band of Horses had stayed good after Everything All the Time? Look no further. The band you need, Western Haunts, played the Rendezvous last night, bringing a full-throttle show to a sparsely-populated room that seemed more suitable to the Showbox or even the Paramount.

Having listened to their albums (released under their old name, SilOHs) and the recent Utøya EP, the muscle they demonstrated was something of a surprise. On record, songwriter Jake Witt's soothing vocals and the meticulous multi-part arrangements remind more of another bearded Seattle Sub Pop act. Live, they cast aside delicacy for volume, with compelling results. Plus, it's doubtful Mr. Pecknold would ever play a blue-glitter electric guitar.

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Cozell Wilson

​This post is part of a series in which we review bands playing around town on Tuesday nights.

Still Corners
The Sunset
Tuesday, Nov. 1

It's always exciting when a band comes across the pond for the first time, be it The Beatles or, well, Still Corners. The London-based four-piece was part of a rash of international Sub Pop signings back in March, so yesterday marked their first visit to the city their label calls home. Their dark dream pop is a good look for a label that has increasingly diversified its roster recently. But singer Tessa Murray (the only one onstage with a mic) didn't have much to say about this momentous occasion-- "It's our first visit to Seattle. I wish we could stay longer," she offered, in a charming accent, of course.

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Cozell Wilson

​This post is part of a series in which we review bands playing around town on Tuesday nights.

Gardens & Villa
The Sunset
Tuesday, Oct. 11

There must be something in the water at Gardens & Villa's fabled group house in Santa Barbara (from which they take their name). Their aesthetic is hard to put a finger on-- part '80s, part post-punk, and part SoCal hippie. It's quite a blend, but one that allowed them to produce their soothing, mystical debut and, last night at the Sunset, to play a set that was funky without being cloying and danceable without being over the top. A tired Tuesday-night crowd started complacent and happy to stand and ended the night dancing and cheering for one more song.

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Liz Devine

The Devil Whale. Yes, they wore hats. Actually, the guy on the left wore that same shirt.

​This post is part of a series in which we review bands playing around town on Tuesday nights.

Cumulus, The Devil Whale
Tractor Tavern
Tuesday, Aug. 23

When last you heard about Cumulus, we were extolling the virtues of songs perfect for summer sun. We'd like to revise that earlier statement. Upon repeated listening, the songs on Alexandra Niedzialkowski's self-titled EP reveal their melancholy nature, with wistful lyrics about lost loves and broken promises.

But if you've listened to the EP or seen Niedzialkowski play anytime prior to the past few months, you're in for a surprise. Formerly a solo act, Cumulus is now a full band, and the delicate songs have been transformed into rockin' numbers replete with tambourine-topped hi-hat and distorted guitars. With its reverb-drenched lines, opener "Do You Remember" is now a meaty, almost surf-y rock song, while the once-innocent "Morning Coffee" benefits from a melting solo played by The Oregon Donor's Lance Umble.

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​The McTuff Trio
SeaMonster Lounge
Tuesday, June 28

It was a quiet scene when I arrived at the SeaMonster last night for funk group the McTuff Trio's weekly Tuesday-night session. The band was setting up long past their slated set time of 10 p.m. (most of that was because frontman and Hammond organist Joe Doria was assembling his oversized instrument and chatting with a handful of inquiring attendees), and a grim few lounged on couches scattered throughout the narrow space. By the time Doria started the set just before 11 p.m., the vibe had changed completely and a sizable crowd had filled the back room.

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​This post is part of a series in which we review bands playing around town on Tuesday nights.

The Hoot Hoots
Tuesday, June 21
High Dive

"I don't know how I'll get things done today, when all I want to do is go outside and play," sang Adam Prairie of the Hoot Hoots last night at the High Dive. It was an easy thought to sympathize with--on a beautiful, sunny day the last thing anyone wants to do is go into a windowless venue and see a show. Luckily for the audience, the Hoot Hoots are cheerful and engaging enough to make missing a few rays of precious Northwest sunshine seem trivial. Besides, even though it was the longest day of the year, it was finally dark when the Hoot Hoots started to play.

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Damon, Naomi, and a man with a tiny saxophone.

​Damon and Naomi, Amor de Dias
The Tractor
Tuesday, May 31

If it works, don't change it. That's the strategy Damon and Naomi of Galaxie 500 have employed in their career, which has spanned eight albums and more than 20 years. Fortunately, their standard fare of melancholy, well-constructed pop meditations still sounds fresh and relevant, even prescient.

The Tractor starts shows blessedly early during the week, so second openers Amor de Dias set up at nine. Alistair MacLean (of the popular British indie-pop band The Clientele) and Lupe Núñez-Fernández took the stage carrying classical guitars, using them, Rodrigo y Gabriela style, to create layered melodies that would not sound out of place in a courtyard cafe. Accompanied by cello, alternately plucked and bowed, Núñez-Fernández whisper-sang in Spanish, her breathy vocals reminiscent of Isobel Campbell's or Astrud Gilberto's. MacLean's latest batch of songs treats mainly the seasons and nature, in an attempt at Nick Drake-style transcendence. His voice is lovely, in the vein of old-school British songwriters like Richard Thompson, but the songs, as laid out in a recent Pitchfork review, aren't very compelling. It's the perfect soundtrack for a nursery or dentist's office.

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Singing drummer, y'all. Loved the stripey drumkit.

​This post is part of a series in which we review bands playing around town on Tuesday nights.

Follow the Kites
Nectar
Tuesday, May 17

Is there anything sadder than a rock show with nobody there? Nectar seemed frighteningly empty as Tacoma band Follow the Kites played their first song of new wave-ish, spacey rock. Twelve people in an audience is enough to make any band dejected, but Follow the Kites seemed oblivious, if somewhat less than gregarious (drummer/singer Peter Tietjen's only comment: "This song is about Spanaway").

With an interesting mix of instrumentation--singing drummer Tietjen, bass, and synths--and a deliciously candy-striped drum kit, Follow the Kites definitely has something different going on than the folk-dominated Seattle sound. It's a little '80s, with Tietjen's vocals muffled behind reverb, and a little proggy (peep the psychedelic spiral on bassist Steve Tippon's amp). You can even hear some kraut-rock influences in the driving rhythms and uncluttered song structure.

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​In Reverb's tireless quest to bring you the latest report on Seattle's Tuesday scene, last night I trekked to the relocated Can Can (it's upstairs now!) to hear the sounds of Young Lions and Tony Kevin Jr. Inside, waves of maroon fabric and red lighting gave the space an almost womb-like vibe. When I walked in, Young Lions were starting their set. In their plaid flannel (yes) and loose-fitting jeans, the four members looked like the guy you might see sitting next to you at your "hip" desk job. Frontman Joshua Phillips sings in a Garth Brooksian twang, his voice incongruously deep (if I closed my eyes, I was reminded a bit of current Idol hopeful Scotty McCreery). The songs themselves sound more rock than country, and were quite likable, especially the less "sad bastard" numbers. Add some pleasant stage banter (keyboardist: "I know I shouldn't tell a Laffy Taffy joke, but this one is just too good. Why did the tomato blush?" Audience: "Because she saw the salad dressing!") and you've got yourself a pretty charming act.

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Julia Mullen Gordon

The Lonely Forest

​The Lonely Forest, The Joy Formidable
The Crocodile
Tuesday, April 12

It was "arena ready" night at the Croc yesterday, as two bands who know the ins and outs of rock hooks and stagecraft played a sold-out show in a venue about 1/50th the size of your average stadium. First up were Anacortes stalwarts The Lonely Forest, playing songs off their recently released major-label debut, Arrows. The Forest usually plays all-ages venues when they're in town (they did an in-store earlier in the day for their underage fans, showing once again their commitment to the all-ages scene), but the many gray-haired folks in the audience shows a new draw. With frontman John Van Deusen's songs managing to combine catchiness and substance, it's understandable they would appeal to kids and grown-ups alike.

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