Suuns Photos by Matthew Thompson Following the smoky energy of Rose Windows, the Yeti stage was taken over by Secret Canadian's Suuns . The crowd swelled as they dove into their set. At times the trio went into nearly ambient jams, reverb heavy and almost ominous. But mostly the set was rhythm heavy, the audience waving their hands in the air while swaying and dancing along. Nearing the end of the set they reached that I consider the highlight - a drawn out and almost eerie rendition of "Edie's Dream". Vocalist/guitarist Ben Shemie seemed to [...]
photos by Matthew Thompson Day two started off cool and got warm - and at the sun drenched Yeti Stage, Rose Windows started the day with their deep psychedelic mystic rock. Singer Rabia Qazi's voice rumbled high and low as the Seattle band played through most of what we can assume comes from their upcoming album, The Sun Dogs . The only way to see Rose Windows that would be better than with the red cliffs of the Eastern Washington would be to see them in the desert, dancing and drifting through the [...]
photos by Morgen Schuler As was made our way to the mainstage for Built to Spill , slow drops of rain began to fall. The rain would never become hard or steady, instead lending the stage a golden glitter - the sun setting came in beams across the stage as Doug Martsch carefully but effortlessly lead the way through classic after classic song. My personal favorites included "Else" as well as "You Were Right". They performed with a quiet exuberance, a confidence that comes with having written songs that will always be honest and relevant [...]
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis headline / photo by Morgen Schuler by Tara Kelly Kearns The first day of Sasquatch greeted me with lots of good vibes. From high-fives to hugs, and signs saying “You’re looking good” to crowd sign-a-longs, people are here not only to have a good time, but to share it with strangers and friends. Even despite the age range -- young teens to people pushing mid-40s -- the crowds blended together seamlessly, never seeming imbalanced nor tense. I pulled into the campgrounds during the [...]
photos by Matthew Thompson As night came over the Gorge, people began to flock one of two ways - towards mainstage to try and catch good views for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis , or toward the Bigfoot Stage to squeeze a place in for Vampire Weekend. I chose Vampire Weekend almost strictly as a guilty pleasure - though they may come across to some as self-assured, their songs reminded me of the desire to move but not being able to, of young love during college days, of fun on the beach with a [...]
photos by Morgen Schuler After Red Fang had totally shredded the Bigfoot Stage, punk rock Vancouver-based duo Japandroids jumped on stage and after fairly minimal sound checking, started their sweaty and awesome set. Though the sound was a bit strange (it would later cut out during a Vampire Weekend song), their energy was sweaty and happy. They barreled through crowd pleasers like "Fire's Highway", "Younger Us", and "The Night of Wine and Roses" before rain on the horizon began to be rain on the stage - to which they prompty responded that mother nature [...]
Her Aim Is True (Directed by Karen Whitehead, USA, 2013, 70 minutes) Festival screenings: Sunday, May 26, at 4:00 PM at Harvard Exit Monday, May 27, at 2:00 PM at Harvard Exit She’s 93, living in Seattle, and at the end of the biographical documentary, Her Aim Is True , photographer Jini Dellaccio is still creating images of musicians with her shots that sweep and gloam with love. In this case, it’s the Moondoggies at the Crocodile; when she meets Kevin from the band there, she [...]
photos by Matthew Thompson Today was spent traveling the winding road through the still snow spotted mountains, before breaking out into beautiful, cloud filled endless sky and the growing feeling of excitement. After much ado finding and pitching our tents, and a surprisingly short wait to enter into the grounds, I walked in to Sea Wolf playing right next to the entrance, and quite close to our own booth! After wandering around, getting my bearings, photographing the line-up (they ran out of fliers!), I caught Red Fang slaying the stage with their [...]
all photos by Brittany Brassell Yes, that is a real bill. Electronic genre-blending genius Flying Lotus (Steven Ellison) brought some of his closest associates along with him on his second trip through Seattle in support of excellent new record, Until The Quiet Comes . Thundercat has been a long time collaborator, playing all of the jaw-dropping bass lines you heard ripping through tracks on Cosmogramma and the new record. Teebs fits right along with those [...]
photo by KEXP Brooklyn rockers, Grizzly Bear , stopped by The Ellen Degenerous Show back in April to promote their album, Shields , and the performance finally aired yesterday. The track "Yet Again" is a definite highlight of the album and apparently they are one of Ellen's favorite bands. Watch the performance below. [ Pitchfork ] video platform video management video solutions video player [...]
Peaches Does Herself (Directed by Peaches, Germany 2012, 80 minutes) Festival Screenings: Saturday, May 25 9:30 PM at the Egyptian Theater Monday, May 27 9:00 PM at the Egyptian Theater I remember the first time I heard “Fuck The Pain Away” at a bar on Cap Hill in 2000. It jolted me as much as the moment I discovered “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division in West Hollywood twenty years before. Maybe it was the candor in which the singer reveals their frustrated desire and [...]
photo by Brittney Bollay It’s time again for Friday on My Mind , our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News. It’s finally here: Sasquatch 2013. This festival has grown to be one of the premier festivals not just in the Northwest, but throughout the world. This year’s amazing edition kicks off today out at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA, and will run through Memorial Day this Monday. Have you already made your lists of [...]
As record companies continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosphere hopes to pull back the curtain on a wealth of sights and sound from luminaries such as Robedoor . Brought back to life more times than Kenny, we stare once again into the evolving abyss that is Robedoor and like the cartoon boy [...]
Shake Some Action! with Cheryl Waters in 2007 / photo by Dana Bos Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription . This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, selected by Midday Show host Cheryl Waters, is “The Girl With The Sun In Her Eyes” by Seattle band Shake Some Action! , from their 2013 self-released album, Full Fathom Five . [...]
photo by David Lichterman May has been a big month for Mary Lambert . In the wake of the success of " Same Love " - her 2012 collaboration with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis that served as a rallying cry to same-sex couples worldwide - the Seattle-based singer/songwriter has been writing new songs, playing a series of local shows, and prepping for her biggest concert yet, making an appearance at Macklemore's headlining set at Sasquatch! this weekend. That's a lot to take in, but when she stopped by KEXP's studios for her first live session [...]
Elusive electronic duo Boards of Canada are set to release their first album, Tomorrow's Harvest , in eight years on June 5th. After having to track down specific six digit codes throughout the internet and on a record store day vinyl release to reach the online video announcement of the LP, the band has gone with the very un-challenging soundcloud route to share their single "Reach for the Dead". Check out the song and its video below. [ CoS ] [...]
I covered a Robyn Hitchcock in this space a while back , but this is the first time we've looked at an album from The Soft Boys, the band that first brought him to the attention of college radio nerds across the globe. The band was rather short-lived, breaking up shortly after the relatively unsuccessful release of this here album. Perhaps the fact that KCMU didn't get a copy until four years after its release is emblematic of the poor reception this album, now considered a classic, initially received. Four years of perspective was all the good people at [...]
The Punk Singer Directed by Sini Anderson (USA, 2013, 80 minutes) Festival Screenings: Friday, May 24, 9:30 PM at Harvard Exit Sunday, May 26, 1:30 PM at Harvard Exit The Punk Singer , director Sini Anderson's first feature-length film, is based on stories of Kathleen Hanna, feminist, activist, multimedia artist and performer, and band member of Northwest punk groups Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. Unsurprisingly, the movie features a great soundtrack and incredible, hi-tension live footage, complete with [...]
The 42nd Annual Folklife Festival will commence Friday, May 24th (that's tomorrow) at Seattle Center and is sure to be packed – as audiences have come to expect – with musicians, artists and a wide variety of delicious food options. Some musical highlights for this year’s event include the Fin Records Showcase , featuring The Lures and Red Jacket Mine on Friday from 6-9pm on the Fountain Lawn Stage; a Bollywood dance performance on Friday from 7-8pm at the International Dance Stage at the Ex Hall; a Jimi Hendrix tribute on [...]
photo by Renata Steiner Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, selected by Midday Show host Cheryl Waters, "Twin Peaks" by British soul singer Alice Russell from her new album, To Dust , on Tru Thoughts . Alice Russell - Twin Peaks ( MP3 ) [...]
KEXP Blog
Boards of Canada – Reach For The Dead
Black Hippy - U.O.E.N.O.
HAERTS: “All The Days”
DANCE BITCH DANCE: disclosure - when a fire starts to burn
