Halloween is here and Seattle is ready to celebrate! Hopefully if you’re celebrating, you were smart enough to have gotten comfy shoes to go with the bunny ears or banana suit I’m sure you’ll all be rockin’ this pre-holiday weekend…because you know you won’t be doing any sitting! However, if you find yourself dissatisfied with the standard Halloween pub crawls and costume contests that litter the city every year this weekend, here are the picks for the best shows to catch instead.
Friday, 10/26 – Cadence Weapon at Barboza | After being nominated for a Polar Music Prize for his albums, Breaking Kayfabe and Afterparty Babies, Candance Weapon (Rollie Pemberton) is learning how to be a true rap artist. His beats are fresh and his lyrics are well-written and at the age 25, his maturity shines through his newest album, Hope in Dirt City.
He’s in a evolution phase with this album. Pemberton has ditched some of the electronic backing he used on previous records and leans on different genres of music for his backboard through Hope in the Dirt City. Witnessing Pembertons’ musical evolution is worthy of the $10 ticket for this early show at Capitol Hill’s Barboza. Secret Weapons will be opening for Candance Weapon at the 21+ show. Doors open at 7PM.
Saturday, 10/27 – Mash Halloween: Don’t Talk to the Cops, Sports at Rendezvous | Don’t Talk to the Cops smashed on the Seattle scene in 2010 with their electrorap sound that consists of mash-ups, female vocals from Emecks, and well, pure randomness. At times, the songs are hard to follow because each second has a different beat, noise, or vocal mix, but any electronic-rap fan can appreciate it for the pure genius-ness of it.
The unpredictable nature of their most recent album, Let’s Quit, shows the band’s talent for making a jumble out of each song without destroying it. DTTTC songs provoke body movement and dance from an audience, without asking them to understand exactly where they’re headed. They’re the ideal band to build you up for everyone’s favorite holiday, Halloween. SPORTS will be opening up for the band at Rendezvous’ Mash Halloween. The FREE and 21+ show starts at 10PM.
Sunday, 10/28 – Husky at Tractor Tavern | Straight from Australia comes folk-rock band, Husky. Fronted by Husky Gawenda himself, Husky is the four-piece band that sings melodic songs where each lyric is matched with the next line in a peaceful, soul-searching way. Released on Seattle’s own Sub Pop Records, their latest album, Forever So, is a captivating tale of love weaved through each song.
It is a breakup album at its finest where you almost wish that each part of the story was a tangible thing you could reach out and hold. Gawenda opens himself up through his writing, his voice, and the unison of each song. To say it goes unnoticed or unappreciated would be a lie. Catch the band at the folk-inspired, Ballard venue, Tractor Tavern this Sunday. Canadian pop-rock musician, Hannah Georgas, will open for Husky for the 21+ show. Advance tickets are $12.
