Too Wiped Out from REVERB to Catch Bob Dylan Last Night?

Posted Oct. 5 at 2:15 pm by Mike Seely

​If so (hell, we were), then Travis Hay has a nice summary of of the proceedings over at Crosscut.

Topics: Concert Reviews and REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: THEESatisfaction Are More Loved in Seattle Than They Realize

Posted Oct. 4 at 6:10 pm by Jonathan Cunningham

Who: THEESatisfaction
Where: New York Fashion Academy
When: 10: p.m.

A couple of weeks ago, THEESatisfaction were stationed in Southern California and partially contemplating a move out of Seattle. Even though there was plenty of chatter about them moving away for good, between the two of them, they simply wanted to explore another state for awhile and weren't as gung-ho about moving as everyone thought. Still, when they returned to play REVERB last night, the crowd on hand to greet them was one of the biggest and most enthusiastic that I've ever seen them draw on their own. Folks were eager to hear them play and were noticeably singing along to their raps while they performed. Cat and Stasia, the two MCs of the group, looked presently stunned and surprised at the reaction they got. It only helped them bounce around the stage with more energy while rapping some of their older material and songs from the Snow Motion mixtape. If the reception they got is any indication; Seattle is by no means ready for them to leave and hopefully they'll stay here a little while longer before they go off into the world and become proper music stars.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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Seattle People: The Faces, Teeth, and Tongues of REVERB 2009

Posted Oct. 4 at 10:34 pm by Chris Kornelis

Jenny Jimenez

Watch a slideshow featuring a few of the sights and performers not seen on stage at REVERB 2009.

​Yes, there were more than 60 bands performing on 10 stages around Ballard, Saturday, for Seattle Weekly's Reverb Festival. But some of the best scenes of the day came from paying customers, the folks who were working in support of the artists and venues. All photos by Jenny Jimenez.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: The Lonely H(earts) Club Band

Posted Oct. 4 at 7:40 pm by Chris Kornelis

Justin Dylan Renney

The Lonely H played The Salmon Bay Eagles, Saturday, as part of Seattle Weekly's REVERB Festival. Click around here for complete coverage of REVERB 2009.

​Who: The Loney H
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Salmon Bay Eagles

It's tough to be cynical about a young, grinning band like The Lonely H, who aren't afraid to wear their long hair and Steppenwolf roots in their full glory. Perhaps a couple more years, and a few more tall cans of Pabst will give them the confidence to crank it up a bit more and go let loose on a guitar solo or two. Wielding the latter with any proficiency would set them apart from their local peers in a heartbeat.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: Cute Lepers, You Are Absolutely Adorable

Posted Oct. 4 at 6:07 pm by Erika Hobart

Who: Cute Lepers
When: 9:00 p.m.
Where: Salmon Bay Eagles

"No, you cannot take a smoke break. You're scheduled to go on in two minutes," an exasperated REVERB staffer told the Cute Lepers when one of its members asked if there was time for a pre-show cigarette. There were sighs and murmurs, but the band relented and after tinkering with their equipment for exactly two minutes, launched into a bouncy rendition of the infectious Ramones-esque song "Fall to Pieces." What followed were several more pop-infused songs that had fans both young and old dancing up a storm. Cute Lepers are a delight to see live because there are indeed cute, and more importantly, they always look thrilled to be playing music onstage, even if they don't get a good nicotine buzz beforehand.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: Grynch Has Got the Prose to Back up the Pose

Posted Oct. 4 at 5:48 pm by Erika Hobart

​Who: Grynch
When: 4:30 p.m.
Where: New York Fashion Academy

Grynch (John Overlie) has a lot of hype to live up to these days. The young emcee—often hailed by his peers and fans as the "King of Ballard"—was recently featured in Billboard Magazine and has received nothing short of an outpour of praise for his EP Chemistry. He performed a short and sweet set early on in the evening that showcased his quick wit and savvy lyrics. And the crowd, enthusiastic albeit small, cheered when he closed with the catchy ode to his car "My Volvo" featuring the amusing admission, "This is the realest shit I ever wrote/ You wanna hear about my Bentley? I probably never get one, yo."

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Audio: Joe Mallahan, Mike McGinn, and a Mayoral Debate That Won't Put You to Sleep, But Might Get You Buzzed

Posted Oct. 4 at 4:49 pm by Chris Kornelis

Justin Dylan Renney

Watch a slideshow of what it looks like when you feed whiskey to mayoral candidates. Complete coverage of Seattle Weekly's REVERB Festival is right here on our Reverb blog.

​Seattle Weekly Managing Editor Mike Seely and our good friend/Long Winters frontman John Roderick hosted a mayoral debate at Conor Byrne between acts at last night's REVERB Festival. On the one hand, the debate was fairly standard: Candidates were asked questions of concern to local voters and were given a minute to answer. On the other, candidates were allowed to purchase an additional minute of response by taking a shot of whiskey. By the time the debate was over, Average Joe Mallahan had taken three shots, Mike "The Bike" McGinn had downed one, and both candidates had a chance to talk to voters about important issues like that new soccer field next to Quest, the revival of the waterfront streetcar, and the legacy of Chief Seattle.

Listen here to the entire debate, or you can download it. Please forgive a few audio flubs at the beginning.

REVERB Festival Mayoral Debate by ckornelis

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: Fatal Lucciauno and Spaceman Should Start a Group

Posted Oct. 4 at 4:44 pm by Jonathan Cunningham

Who: Fatal Lucciauno and Spaceman
Where: New York Fashion Academy
When:7:30 p.m.

There's a reason why Fatal Lucciauno is the most toted street rapper in Seattle. He's got the presence and the braggadocio to match most wannabe "gangster" rappers in the country, and actually has the background to back it up. His labelmate and partner in rhyme, Spaceman, has the same thing going for him, and while I like the two of them doing solo shows, it hit me for the first time at REVERB that they would actually sound just as good if not better as a group. During Fatal's high energy set at New York Fashion Academy, Spaceman was on stage the entire time, basically being his 'hypeman." But their connection is so tight that Spaceman looked awkward only throwing in adlibs and echoes during Fatal's raps. These guys should be a duo, even if it only lasts for one EP or album, and hopefully they take this advice to heart. I overheard a couple of people murmuring something to the same effect. The two are practically brothers offstage and it showed. All they need to do now is think of a group name and they will be all set.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: The Maldives Should Probably Start Playing Bigger Venues

Posted Oct. 4 at 4:42 pm by Sara Brickner

Jenny Jimenez

The author, center, getting ready to introduce The Maldives. Click around here for all our coverage of REVERB 2009.

​Who: The Maldives
Where: The Tractor Tavern
When: Midnight

Last night's set made me really glad I attended the Maldives' second CD release show, not just because it was one of the most fun shows I've seen in Seattle or otherwise, but because I have never seen the Tractor so packed. And that's saying something, because the previous show I attended at the Tractor was sold out. Last night, though, the band set a new record. Not only was the place totally and utterly stuffed to the gills with people, but the line of people hoping to get in stretched out the door and around the block. But then again, this band just released one of the best local records of this year and put on one of the best live shows in the whole city. It's no surprise that more people are catching on. The band opened with Jason Dodson's favorite song, "Walk Away," and proceeded to regale the crowd with mostly new songs from the record (in fact, the set list looked suspiciously familiar to me). But I couldn't hack it. After a few songs, I had to get out of there. It's one thing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with your friends and resign yourself to not moving more than two inches in one direction until the set concludes. It's quite another when you have to stand on one foot like a tipsy flamingo because there's nowhere to put your other foot. Time to start booking the Showbox, Maldives. You've officially outgrown the Tractor. Congratulations.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: Unnatural Helpers Find Their Libations Unhelpful

Posted Oct. 4 at 4:29 pm by Sara Brickner

Laura Musselman

Unnatural Helpers performed at the Sunset Tavern, Saturday, as part of Seattle Weekly's REVERB Festival. Click around for complete coverage of REVERB 2009.

​Who: Unnatural Helpers
When: 10:30 p.m.
Where: Sunset Tavern

Unnatural Helpers' songs are catchy little pop ditties that are the soft center of the band's hard, rough-hewn, '60s garage-rock shell — the stuff you're really going for when you're working away at that rock and roll Tootsie Pop. But these guys party like punks, which became evident when they started to play a song, then stopped three bars in because someone in the band (I think it was the drummer and lead vocalist, but I couldn't see over so many tall men) said, "No, stop. I'm too drunk to play that song." If they hadn't said anything, though, we wouldn't have known how drunk they were (or cared). Especially this one gentleman, who out-enthused everyone else at the show. He was easily in his forties (his hair was more salt than pepper), but he had forgotten his ID and had to argue his way in the door. Fortunately, he'd hit upon a rare thing in Washington State: a bouncer who hears reason. The man proceeded to shove his way to the front and rock out harder than any of the people around him — all of whom must've been at least a decade his junior. If I was in a band, I'd hire that guy to come to all my shows — but then again, you just can't fake enthusiasm like that.

Topics: Happenings and REVERB 2009

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Photos: People at REVERB Know How to Use Their Tongues

Posted Oct. 4 at 3:10 pm by Chris Kornelis

Jenny Jimenez

Lovers at the Sunset make out during Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground's set. Be sure to check out all our REVERB 2009 coverage of 60+ bands in Ballard, Saturday night.

​

Continue reading "Photos: People at REVERB Know How to Use Their Tongues"

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: Washington Middle School's Swingers and Stringers Make Your Martini Taste Better

Posted Oct. 4 at 11:59 am by Chris Kornelis

Chris Kornelis

Walk! Don't run! The WMS Jazz Combo and String Ensemble played Voterra's Drawing Room Saturday evening as part of Seattle Weekly's REVERB Festival.

​Who: Washington Middle School Jazz Quartet and String Ensemble
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Volterra Drawing Room
NOTE: WMS's music program is funded by Friends of Washington Music, the non-profit beneficiary of REVERB 09 that received five percent of event's proceeds.

Watching the Washington Middle School Jazz Combo and String Ensemble took me back to my awkward junior high days. Oh, to be young and self-conscious, rather than old and self-conscious. What we saw last night were some serious, inspirational players exceeding pay grade by a few notches. (We also saw some of the sharpest bow tie/cummerbund ensembles I've seen this side of high school.) The musicians demonstrated a keen understanding of the music on paper, and exhibited some impressive moments of improvisation.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: May SK Be A Lesson To All You Rappers

Posted Oct. 4 at 12:15 pm by Hollis Wong-Wear

Who: SK
When: 6:48 PM
Where: NY Fashion Academy

It's not that SK was bad: one of the newest members of the Sportin' Life family, SK possessed a mature and natural stage presence as he ran through his set last night, compelling the audience as close to the stage as he could and displaying fine showmanship and lyrical talent. SK was a memorable performer, and it's too bad that there was barely anybody there to see him. SK started his set twenty-five minutes late, and the small crowd that had gathered right at 6:30 to see him perform had vanished by the time SK took the stage. May this serve as a lesson to emerging artists featuring at festivals: start your set when the schedule says you're going to. While we may be used to musicians going on late at regular shows— a particular tradition at hip-hop events— festival attendees map out their minutes precisely, and there is little mercy for a performer who isn't prompt.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: GMK Gets The Kids Moving

Posted Oct. 4 at 12:15 pm by Hollis Wong-Wear

Katrina Herzog

GMK played Ballard's New York Fashion Academy, Saturday, as part of Seattle Weekly's REVERB Festival. Click around for complete coverage of REVERB 2009.

​Who: GMK
When: 5:30 p.m.
Where: NY Fashion Academy

It is GMK's sincerity that wins over his crowds; although there were only a handful of people to greet him at the beginning of his set, audience members were pulled in not only by GMK's electro-charged, experimental beats but also by the attentiveness he exuded as he rapped. By the end of his set, as he performed singles like the hypnotic "Music Swinger," allusion-filled "Adult Swim" and his optimistic closing number which got the crowd chanting "let it go," GMK warmed the space with clear and confident flows. The biggest testament to his ebullient energy was his youngest audience; almost a dozen kids under the age of eight were leaping, grooving and breakdancing to the best of their abilities during his set. It was the third to last show he played in Seattle before heading down to the City of Angels, and his graciousness— along with his smart, catchy tunes— should serve him well as he branches out.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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REVERB Review: Dear The Basements: Please Please Make This Band Thing a Habit

Posted Oct. 4 at 1:47 am by Chris Kornelis

Chris Kornelis

Kurt Bloch played in The Basements at The Bit Saloon. For all our coverage of REVERB vist SeattleWeekly.com/reverbfestival.

​Who: The Basements
When: 6 p.m.ish
Where: The Bit Saloon
Yes: They played "The Mess Around" and "Perhaps, Perhaps" en Espanol.

Jangle rock concern The Basements have the genre in a sleeper hold and won't let go. It's up to them if they'll continue their dominance. Having played only one show — that would be to last night's capacity crowd at The Bit Saloon — they have their choice of avenues to pursue. I, for one, hope it involves many stops, including one in a local recording studio. This Kurt Bloch (drums) project has legs.

Topics: REVERB 2009

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