Now through May 11th you have the chance to download The Tsurumi Sampler (10 tracks that give you a taste of Seattle’s Tsurumi Records’ catalogue) for FREE. This offer goes until the release of their 5th album: Fonzarelli’s Last Chance Summer Dance.
The Beautiful Mothers, The Second Academy, Golden and Fonzarelli are some of the bands Tsurumi Records is currently working with and the sampler is the perfect way to check them out if you haven’t listened already. Turns out Tsurumi Records is not only dedicated to bringing us good music, but they also love vinyl, score!
Visit Tsurumi Records‘ website to learn more about the label, it’s music and to download the free sampler.
I have a feeling tonight’s show at Neumos is going to be pretty epic – The Maldives, The Horde and the Harem and Lemolo, don’t miss it! Check out the questions the bands had for each other and how you can win their albums through The Vinyl District below.
You can buy your tickets to tonight’s show online or at the door at 8pm.
Headlining tonight’s Neumos show will be The Maldives! By the time you have watched Lemolo and The Horde and the Harem I’m positive that you will be sticking around for more. Here are some of the questions that Lemolo had for The Maldives:
Lemolo: What is the best restaurant you have stopped at on tour?
TM: Well, the best meal we had on tour was when we were stuck in a blizzard just outside of Denver, in a little town called Watkins, Colorado. We ran through the snow and piled into a roadhouse called Lulu’s Inn. We all ordered steaks, except for Chris Warner, who is, sadly, a vegetarian, and drank bourbon and played pool. And commandeered the jukebox. It was a cold and magic night. Other than that, we love Pilot Truck stops, and one Cracker Barrel in Utah, where, in either case, I can’t eat a goddamned thing on the menu.
Lemolo: If you were a metal band, what would your band name be?
TM: “Metal Steel.” Which is a riff on “pedal steel.” That came from our friend Tim, in Or, The Whale. Even though we don’t even have pedal steel in the band anymore. Maybe just “Hesher.” Or “The Fubards.”
Lemolo: What’s the best thing someone in the crowd has yelled during a show?
TM: I always liked, “Wrangler butts drive me nuts!” Though, “More banjo!” is a close second.
Lemolo: If you could have a hot tub party with three musicians, dead or alive, who would you invite?
TM: Oh, I dunno. Francoise Hardy. And those two gals from Lemolo.
Lemolo: What is one of your favorite pre-show rituals?
TM: To be honest, we don’t really have any! I do spend a lot of time before shows trying not to drink too much. But I wouldn’t really call that one of my “favorite” things to do.
The Maldives – “Come On, Come On”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWmMTJ3guh8
Comment on this post with the song you are most excited for The Maldives to play tonight at the Neumos for a chance to win their CD!
The Horde and the Harem will be playing after Lemolo tonight, another live performance that you can’t miss! I had The Maldives ask The Horde and the Harem some questions and here’s what they came up with:
TM: What is your favorite road snack to eat while you are drinking in the van on tour?
HATH (Ryan): Gatorade for me. Nas for others. Green tea for Aura. Nature Valley bars!
TM: Do you ever play MadLibs? And if so, what is your favorite line you came up with?
HATH (Ryan): No MadLibs…lots of chess and Scrabble.
TM: Do you feel that American is, in fact, a dying empire?
HATH (Ryan): Yes I do, it has misplaced priorities and a loss of spiritual self.
TM: Is it intentional that you have the same band initials as The Head and the Heart?
HATH (Ryan): No, we came out at the same time…fun how we have the same acronym. They are an awesome band.
The Horde and the Harem – “Gold Rush”
Comment on this post with the song you are most excited for The Horde and the Harem to play tonight and you will have a chance to win their album!
For more information on The Horde and the Harem check out their website and Facebook page.
I had The Horde and the Harem come up with some questions for Lemolo who will be playing first tonight at Neumos (doors at 8pm). Be sure to get to the show early because you don’t want to miss them!
HATH: Who is your biggest influence?
Lemolo: It is too hard to name just one, but a list of our top few influences would have to include Cat Power, Radiohead, Elliot Smith, St. Vincent, Emily Haines, Wye Oak, Beach House and Warpaint.
HATH: What is your favorite candy bar?
Lemolo (Meagan): My favorite candy bar is the delicious but elusive Cup-O-Gold.
Lemolo (Kendra): I’m a really big fan of the Charleston Chew, especially when it has been in the freezer for a while.
HATH: Why the name Lemolo?
Lemolo:Lemolo Shore Drive is the name of our favorite road in our hometown of Poulsbo. We have shared many a memory there, and it is captivatingly beautiful. We later learned that “Lemolo” is also a word in Chinook Jargon meaning “wild and untamed”.
HATH: What’s been your favorite show you have played in the last year?
Lemolo (Kendra): We have played a lot of shows in this last year that have been really wonderful, but I would have to say that playing at Neumos with The Head and The Heart and Curtains For You this past January was a blast. We’re really excited to be playing there again!
HATH: What is the inspiration behind “Whale Song?”
Lemolo (Meagan): “Whale Song” was inspired by my six year old neighbor friend, Isabella. The lyrics include a combination of references to both Isabella and memories from my own childhood. In a way it serves as a reminder for me to try not to take things too seriously.
Lemolo – “Open Air”
Comment on this post with the Lemolo song you are looking forward to hearing tonight at Neumos and you’ll have a chance of winning their album.
There aren’t many bands in the Seattle area, or anywhere else that I know of, that are doing what Wild Orchid Children are doing. What is it that they are doing exactly? It’s difficult to put into words. It sounds something along the lines of old school Beastie Boys vocals meets The Mars Volta in the midst of a chaotic acid trip involving a drum circle. As I said, it’s difficult to put into words. Wild Orchid Children are a band you truly have to hear to fully understand.
Kirk Huffman, also of Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, fronts the group but to say he is the band’s front man is a stretch. There is approximately seven members of Wild Orchid Children, but honestly it’s hard to keep track with everyone flying around on stage during their mid-song breakdowns. There could be seven, there could be 20, and one of them may or may not be a cougar. After nine minutes of intense percussion and organ, along with Hunter Thomas’ face melting guitar riffs, it’s hard to tell. The band’s live performance can captivate a crowd, as well as work them into a crazed frenzy.
Wild Orchid Children are truly something to bare witness to. Your next chance is this Saturday, April 16th at The Vera Project with the Pharmacy, and Kids & Animals. If you already have Record Store Day plans, you can catch them at Chop Suey on June 17th with Spac3man, SuperFire, and Hushd Puppies.
Check out this awesome cover of Rebecca Black’s “Friday” brought to you by Hollis from Seattle hip-hop group Canary Sing and Saba from Dyno Jamz. Its Friday! Fun, fun, fun!
“That’s my cat!” said the girl who ran up to a partially alive, but mostly dead cat that Fox and the Law happened to come across just when they thought things couldn’t get any worse. Before I started my interview with the band they wanted to tell a good Fox and the Law story. I thought it was definitely one worth sharing:
After multiple disappointing shows and cancellations the band ended up stuck mid-tour in Denver. One morning they collected just enough money to treat themselves to a coffee (a big deal at the time). Just when Fox and the Law thought they had hit rock bottom, they came across the dying cat in the road that I mentioned earlier. Not surprisingly, after the little girl came running up to the scene, they were no longer in the mood for treating themselves to a coffee. One blood bank donation attempt and one depressing pawn shop stop later – they had hope they would finally get out of Denver. However they probably weren’t too surprised by the disappointment they experienced next when they got to the venue only to find it was more of a diner than an actual music venue.
Guy explains at this point that they “all split up and went to get food and [he] knew the night had taken a good turn because some guy from New Belgium was handing out free beer tokens so [they] all got lots of free beer.” Soon enough the once empty diner was filling up with drunk people that had just left the Rockies game. This is when they realized it was going to be a good show and they ended up making enough money to get back home. “At the start of the day we were residents of Denver with absolutely no expectations and we ended up playing the best show of whole tour.”
Things have definitely been looking up for Fox and the Law since their experience in Denver. In fact, the local Seattle rock group recently won the Hard Rock Seattle Battle of the Bands and could be on their way to London if they continue to progress in the contest. I had the chance to hang out with Guy Keltner (guitar/vocals) and Ryan Granger (guitar) and had a good time chatting about various things including music, 90’s fads and sausages. Here is part of the interview, enjoy!
TVD: Were you influenced by an artist or album growing up that really changed the way you looked at music?
Ryan: “Purple Haze” – I remember being 12 and listening to that and thinking “I want to play electric guitar.”
Guy: My dad was a big classic rock fan so he used to bring me to a lot of shows. He also used to wake me up at night and make me listen to something like “Texas Flood” or something that was played all the time just so I could listen to it since I was learning to play guitar. Also I remember I put Eric Clapton’s Rainbow album in a pile of stuff to get rid of. I got grounded for 6 hours or something and was stuck in my room and ended up listening to that and the Band of Gypsys album that were thrown in the corner because they were “stupid” just because my dad gave them to me.
Ryan: I think from the time I was 10-12 years old I listened to Marty Robbins on cassette every night before I went to bed. I also went through a period where I used to listen to a lot of rap. Coolio, Biggie. Chronic is still a good album.
Here’s a few of the things headed to Seattle this week!
Thursday April 7th – Ravenna Woods, Drew Grow and The Pastors’ Wives, and Big Sur at Neumos
THEESatisfaction with Helladope & OC Notes at the Crocodile
If you can’t choose which show to go to, you could always go see Ice Cube who will be at Showbox at the Market
Friday April 8th – Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter, Mimicking Birds, Eugene Wendell & The Demon Rind at Tractor Tavern
Sunday April 10th – NoRey, James Germain & The Grey Gray Days, The Springboards, Surrealized at Neumos
Also this week: Chop Suey, KEXP, The Stranger, & S.I.R. Seattle present Seattle 4 Japan – an earthquake and tsunami benefit. The benefit will be three days worth of shows (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) at Chop Suey so be sure to check out the venue’s website for the lineups and more information.
There’s nothing better than going to a show to see a band you’ve never heard before and being totally blown away. Two years ago I attended EMP’s Sound Off! with no big expectations but instead had Dyno Jamz completely win me (along with the rest of the city) over and watched them walk away the new winners of the biggest underage battle of the bands competition in Seattle. Dyno Jamz perfectly blends hip hop, jazz and catchy beats into music that sounds good in any setting. With a good band name, trumpets, trombones, passionate musicians and a charming MC, how could you not love them.
I’ve been hearing about Dyno Jamz ever since. The band has definitely been staying busy over the past couple of years, playing some of Seattle’s biggest music festivals and receiving plenty of well-deserved attention. I was lucky enough to sit down with them before their practice earlier this week to ask them a few questions.
Before I share, let me begin with a disclaimer: I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to interview a band with 9 members, each with their own opinion and answer to my questions. While this was obviously normal for them, I found it to be hilarious. I don’t know what would happen if you tried to herd dinosaurs, but if its anything like herding cats then their name is fitting.
TVD: How have things have changed since winning Sound Off! 2 years ago?
DJ (Zac Millan, MC): We work as a group better now and have discovered our sound more. Before Sound Off! we were only together for about three months and now we are locking in what we want our music to sound like. Our next project will be a better representation of the evolution of Dyno Jamz (no pun intended).
TVD: What has been your favorite show you’ve played so far?
DJ (Nick Simmons, bass) : Folklife was cool because we were able to actually look out over the crowd without all the lights in our faces.
DJ (Colin Pulkrabek, trombone): The crowd was sitting when we started and by the end of the show everyone was dancing.
DJ (Zac): I’m more excited about the future. I think it’s more about what’s to come and what we have to look forward to. We have some potential shows coming up that should be pretty memorable.
TVD: If your music was to take the form of an animal, what do you think it would be?
DJ: A chimera.
Note: If you don’t know what a chimera is, neither did I. I guess I need to brush up on my knowledge of mythological creatures. Also, don’t be fooled…it took the band a while to come to this answer, they started with a platypus and also discussed the hydra.
TVD: What would be your dream venue to play?
DJ: Central Park, Safeco Field, The Paramount, Sydney Opera House, Jazz Alley, the main stage at Capitol Hill Block Party, Hyde Park, in the reservoir on a floating stage.
Note: Those were some of the many ideas that were shouted out but they told me I could come up with the final answer to this one…so I’m going to say I’d like to see Dyno Jamz play in a giant glass snow globe…underwater?
TVD: What are you listening to now?
DJ (Zac): People Under The Stairs
DJ (Colin): Nujabes
DJ (Nick): AgesandAges
I wanted to know what would be in Dyno Jamz’ dream green room. Bear with me while I do my best to create a compilation of the long list of things that were suggested. Their dream green room would be a cabin in the woods. The interior of the cabin would be “not dirty” and tranquil, with a mini waterfall and a bridge. They would be offered massages, bourbon, and lets not forget the chocolate fondu fountain. When it was time for them to play, they would be airlifted to the show…at lightspeed. Another option they mentioned: 9 separate green rooms.
I asked the band if they had any music guilty pleasures. I really liked their final answer which was that there “isn’t really any guilty pleasures in music.” Before they agreed on this answer Lady Gaga, Bonnie Raitt, “Whip My Hair” by Willow Smith, and Rebecca Black were all mentioned (naturally).
My final question for Dyno Jamz was what one musician (dead or alive) they would choose to spend the day with…but the catch was that they had to agree on one person. When I used the word “agree” their immediate response was “uh oh..” but they finally settled on Quincy Jones (honorable mentions: Mos Def, Tom Waits, Miles Davis and Mr. Rodgers).
Although my time with the band was short, there was something about the interview that stuck with me that I feel couldn’t be translated to text very well. It might be easier to understand what I mean by listening to their music because it will make your soul smile. Nothing makes me feel more energized than interacting with passionate people and this interview was a prime example.
When I asked them what was in the future for Dyno Jamz they explained to me that they really like the music they make and want to keep doing it regardless of the interest they are receiving from the industry. They are very wary of “the big break” and have no interest in trying to get big quick. Dyno Jamz is composed of extremely down to earth people who aren’t trying to take the fast track to the top, but are more interested in enjoying the process. Why? Because they love making music. I think this is perfectly put in “Lunar Ops” when Zac conversationally explains at the end of the song that “whether [he’s] affecting one person or one million, [he] can still keep [his] head high and that’s what’s real.”
Dyno Jamz will be playing at the Hard Rock Seattle on April 9th with Theoretics. In addition to the night of good music you will experience if you attend, you will also score the Theoretics’ debut CD for free!
If you can’t make it to the April 9th Hard Rock show, you’ll have another chance to catch them at the Showbox SoDo on April 14th with Living Proof and Kung Foo Grip (tickets on sale soon).
You can buy their Dyno Jamz‘ self-titled album on their website and check out their Facebook for more information.
So many things going on with these guys! Tonight at Feedback Lounge in West Seattle there will be a party to celebrate the re-release of Vs. and Vitalogy. Easy Street Records will be there to offer both albums (including new bonus tracks) as a box set before they go on sale nationally tomorrow. Record Store Day will give us the opportunity to snag these revamped albums in vinyl editions on April 16th. If you are a Pearl Jam fan, I have a feeling tonight will be a good time.
It was announced last week that Eddie Vedder will be hitting the road once again, but this time it’ll just be him and his ukulele. The tour will be in support of his solo album, Ukulele Songs, that will be released on May 31st along with a new live-concert DVD “Water on the Road.” He’ll be wrapping up his tour here at home in the beautiful Benaroya Hall on July 15th.
For more information on Pearl Jam and Vedder’s new album check out the website.
Nectar felt like the Twilight Zone last night as I watched Trevor Hall bring sunshine (or something like it) to Seattle. It felt like we had been transported to somewhere in California and that if we were to open Nectar’s garage doors we would be able to walk right out onto the beach.
In reality, I had just made it through the typical Seattle drizzle to catch the last half of Cas Haley‘s set. Right when I walked in the doors I was very surprised by what I was hearing. The overcast day had not prepared me for the music that was about to come. I must admit this was the first reggae show I’ve ever attended and I was very impressed. The way Cas Haley and Trevor Hall (along with the help of their enthusiastic crowd) were able to create such positive vibes made me quickly realize why the venue was packed. Overall it was a really fun show that put me in a really good mood. Next time you feel deprived of Vitamin D, just turn on some Trevor Hall and I think it will do the trick.
Trevor Hall is on his way to play Portland next, be sure to check him out! For more information on Trevor Hall check out his website and Facebook.
When I try to imagine Seattle’s musical network materializing it looks something like a massive, intricately crocheted, tangled web. Not the best visual, I know.
Luckily, with the help of Rachel Ratner‘s genius creation of the Seattle Band Map, I can ditch my lame mental image. The Seattle Band Map was brought to my attention by this great article by Caleb Garling of The Underwire. Ratner successfully tackled the daunting (and never-ending) task of mapping out how all of Seattle’s music players have connected with each another over the years.
As explained in the Garling’s article, the once physical Seattle Band Map outgrew it’s original paper home and has now been converted to an online project. I have a bit of an idea of how complicated this project must have been from past experience trying to write a massive research paper on the media’s influence on Seattle’s grunge music. This was hands down the most complicated research journey I’ve ever embarked on. Seattle bands in the 90’s were swapping members like they were trading cards. Ratner’s Seattle Band Map would have been extremely helpful to say the least. I’m glad this is finally being documented once and for all and I wish her luck!
