2020)

February 1, 2020 — Leave a comment

Before the Howard Jones Acoustic Trio took the stage, the theater manager got on the mic and said, “Welcome to Benaroya Hall. We would like to remind everyone, please no flash photography during this live performance. If you need help turning the flash off of your device, please ask the closest Millenial.” The crowd laughed. The Howard Jones Trio entered. Howard gets on the mic and the first thing he says, “Before we begin, serious question, are there really any millennials in the audience tonight?” Myself and five other people raised our hands. The crowd laughed, while the band smiled.

Tuesday night, I had the opportunity to see Rachael Sage and an acoustic performance from the Howard Jones Trio. Howard Jones is an artist I would hear occasionally when riding in the car with my parents. I don’t think people realize how many of his songs are still in circulation on radio stations that play 80’s hits, or are used random in television shows (pretty sure I heard a song or two of his in Family Guy). I was pretty excited to see him perform live, and the prospect of seeing him play a full acoustic set had me intrigued. I mean c’mon. The guy performed at Live Aid (in 1985). Who wouldn’t be at least a little excited?

Rachael Sage

The night opened with Rachael Sage. Her music style I would describe as a mix of pop, folk, and a little bit of country. Rachael’s piano playing and her collaborator’s skillful violin playing blended well with her snaps and smooth vibrant voice. The whole set was mesmerizing. Her “stage patter” was fun and really made the show more personal. Seeing how willing she was to let the audience know about her past relationship proclivities, or how she was a cancer survivor, really added another layer of expressiveness to her performance. The lyrics of the songs already had feelings and themes of hope and perseverance, but hearing the perspective she was coming from, it was very reflective and if anything more captivating. You could really feel the emotion in her performance.

The Howard Jones Trio

Howard Jones is a seasoned performer. You can tell he and his bandmates have been performing for years. What I love about these acoustic sets, it allows for the performers to be more casual with the audience. Hearing his admiration for Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson, his opinions about Ed Sheeran’s performance at Glastonbury, or how it feels to still make new music today, were just fun. Regarding the music, he performed a handful of songs form his new album, two or three covers, and as a seasoned performer would, he played the hits. Most of Howard’s hits were originally performed on synthesizers or contained some sort of electronic aspect to them, so seeing the creative interpretations of the songs by his acoustic trio really made the songs feel almost new and fresh. I’m sure the audience loved the takes as many took the opportunity to sing along with Howard, which at times even took him by surprise. The other members of the trio, Nick Beggs and Robin Boult, really stood out in their musicianship. Beggs especially continually drew attention with how rapid he would play his instrument. I was sure to pick up Howard’s latest album after the show wrapped.

Overall it was a very enjoyable evening. Speaking from the perspective of one of the six millennials in the audience that night, I recommend checking out The Howard Jones Trio with Rachael Sage. Millenial or not, I feel like there was something for everyone to enjoy at this show.

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The Howard Jones Acoustic Trio – Benaroya Hall – Show 7 – 1/28/2020 #seattle #seattleblogger #seattlemusic #seattlelife #howardjones #thehowardjonestrio #howardjonesmusic #nooneeveristoblame

A post shared by Ryan G (@cakeintherain206) on Jan 29, 2020 at 7:41am PST

Bringing in the New Year with Thunderpussy, BEAR AXE, Constant Lovers, and Trash Fire!

January 3, 2020 — 1 Comment

For the fourth year in a row, I attended the Thunderpussy New Year’s Eve Party at the Showbox. The theme of the night was “The Glow of Neon Sax” and attendees were encouraged to wear their neon best for what was sure to be a memorable night. The lineup was stacked with some of Seattle’s most entertaining performers headlined by the night’s hosts, Thunderpussy. I’ve always loved these Thunderpussy New Year’s Eve shows. They’re always high energy and a great way to welcome the New Year. This year’s show was no exception.

Trash Fire
When I heard Trash Fire was going to open for Thunderpussy, I was excited. This was my fifth time seeing them perform live. Normally their sets are punctuated by some fun onstage antics like grabbing drinks and splashing the crowd with alcohol, using props like inflatable cats or a cash shooter, or the lead singer jumping into the audience to bring the show directly to crowd members. This set had the feel of a classic Trash Fire performance, but a little more toned back. There wasn’t much drink throwing, but there was still the audience engagement. Highlights of the set saw the lead singer give the light up LED shoes directly off his feet to someone in the audience, the lead singer run to the bar during a song, order three shots and proceed to drink shots with the bass player and the lead guitarist, and in a particularly unique moment the lead singer laid down on stage his head going into the hands of nearby audience members, stand up quickly only to get some bracelets stuck in his hair, and rather than pull the bracelets out, he continued the performance with these elastic bracelets hanging from his hair. As always they were fun and spontaneous. If you get the opportunity, I recommend checking out Trash Fire.

Constant Lovers

This was my first time seeing Constant Lovers perform and I was pleasantly surprised. I would describe their set as a dynamic mix of rock and hard rock featuring a lead singer switching between vocals, percussion, and saxophone. The lead singer’s ability to switch between instruments while also providing vocals was impressive. If I didn’t see it live, it’s almost hard to believe how well he was able to pull this off. Constant Lovers more than provided the necessary “Glow of Neon Sax” the night was themed after.

BEAR AXE

If there was any Seattle band I would put money on breaking out of the Seattle music scene within the next year or two, it would be BEAR AXE. I’ve seen BEAR AXE perform four times and all four times, I was left in awe of the performance led primarily by lead vocalist Shaina Shepherd. Her ability to command the stage is one thing, but the power of her vocals will make anyone a fan. The rest of the band are nothing to sleep on as well. The lead guitarist’s ability to play off the driving beat of the bass player and drummer really add a very jazz inspired quality to what I would otherwise describe as a soul/ funk/ hard rock amalgamation. Throughout their set BEAR AXE welcomed several local standouts including Terry Monstrosity and Kathy Moore To join their performance. If you haven’t already, check out BEAR AXE.

Thunderpussy

Personally I’ve seen Thunderpussy perform over twenty plus times. This past New Year’s Eve show the band accomplished to create something that felt new and fresh. When you go to a Thunderpussy show, there’s no question that you’re seeing a Thunderpussy show. There’s going to be hard rock with an emphasis on great musicianship, strong vocals, innate sexiness, and of course high energy. What made this performance stand out was what felt like a real emphasis on staging. The use of lighting, and how their wardrobe can play off that lighting, really added another layer to their performance. It’s because of this lighting and focus on staging, the audience was treated to a performance different from most other Thunderpussy shows. In terms of the set list, I like that they incorporated a lot of new songs into the mix. Hearing songs debut for the first time is one thing, but hearing some of their standards played in a sort of montage mid set as well as hearing the songs featured on their latest EP “Milk It” shows a band that’s willing to let their sound evolve. The set closed with members of the opening bands and several special guests (including Eva Walker from the Black Tones) taking the stage to perform in one massive jam session beginning with a cover of “We Belong” and closing out with a cover of “Jump Into the Fire”.

Overall, I felt very happy bringing in the new year with Thunderpussy. You would think seeing a band perform on New Year’s Eve four years in a row would get kind of stale, but really it’s become a pretty awesome tradition. I always try to bring a friend who’s never been to a Thunderpussy show along with, and every time the freind is blown away looking to snag merch and trying to find out when the next show is. I think that’s why I’ve been a Thunderpussy fan for so long. They have a captivating quality that leaves the audience wanting to see them perform again.

Thanks for the great time, Trash Fire, Constant Lovers, BEAR AXE, and of course, Thunderpussy!

CakeInTheRain206: 10 Favorite Albums of 2019

December 15, 2019 — Leave a comment

10 – [USA] by Anamanaguchi
I heard about this album from an Instagram post by one of my favorite artists, Porter Robinson. I gave it a listen and fell in love. It’s dance music. It’s chiptune. It’s music in the same vein as Kero Kero Bonito, Porter Robinison and Madeon. I’m excited to see them when they come to the Crocodile in March.

9 – WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO by Billie Eilish
It’s hard to describe what makes this album so interesting. It’s like a combination of the best versions of the music tropes of 2019. At times it’s like listening to ASMR, while other times it feels like mumble rap, and then out of no where she’s sampling “The Scarn”. The quality I enjoy most about Billie Eilish is that she credits her brother, Finneas, for co -writing the bulk of her songs. It’s admirable that she lets people know about his contribution.

8 – Four of Arrows by Great Grandpa
When my brother told me that Great Grandpa put out one of the best albums of the year, I was pretty skeptical. I like Great Grandpa (pictured above), I’ve seen them perform at least 4 separate times, but a contender for album of the year? I sat down, listened to the album and was pleasantly surprised. Four of Arrows comes out of no where and can easily contend with the best albums of 2019. It’s a little cliché, but this album sounds like a band coming into their own, and finding their own sound.

7 – Bandana by Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
When it comes to hip hop, I’m not a fan of mumble rap or a lot of modern non lyric/flow driven artists. I like artists that can spit, have a somewhat cohesive message, and have a back beat that folks can get down to. This album is smooth. The beats, samples, and production of Madlib back the great lyrical style of Freddie Gibbs. Bandana stands as one of the best rap albums in recent memory. I highly suggest checking out their NPR Tiny Desk Concert.

6 – On the Line by Jenny Lewis
This album feels personal. It’s as if Jenny Lewis wanted to indirectly send messages to loved ones in relatable songs that feel like a friend reminiscing. The song structures, although fairly simplistic, are generally sweet. The album is really just easy going music that doesn’t feel overwhelmed by production. The lyrics and Lewis’ voice are the showcase here.

5 – Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood
I’ve always been a fan singer songwriters. This album sounds like a 70’s singer songwriter reminiscent of Karen Carpenter or Janis Ian decided to write an album describing being a young adult today and also the direness some of the “crisis” our generation has seemingly grown up with. There are so many songs folks from my generation can relate to while listening to this album. As time goes by, this will be an album folks will point to as a snapshot of what life was like for young adults right now, a mix of burnout and hopefulness.

4 – Champion by Bishop Briggs
I don’t think there is any other way to describe this album than a quote from National Public Radio’s (NPR) All Songs Considered podcast. In a review of the album, the host said “This is a breakup record and there’s kind of two directions you can go with a breakup record – you can go very, very inward or you can go very, very outward. I think she finds a way to do both. She’s able to tap into feelings of hurt and loss and pain, but channel them into these big, very empowerment-focused anthems that just shout from the rafters. She manages to make a very rousing statement out of personal pain.”

3 – Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend
This album feels like a Vampire Weekend reboot 6 years in the making. The album has a lot of nature references, which I don’t recall being as prevalent in their previous albums. The album also feels very future centric, and looking towards what’s next. It serves as an aspirational and a hopeful vision of tomorrow.

2 – Lux Prima by Karen O & Danger Mouse
This album sounds as if Danger Mouse heard there was a new James Bond film coming down the pike, and decided I would love to score that new movie, Karen O can provide vocals, here’s a demo of what we can offer. The production on this album is astounding. It really does sound like high budget film score. This is an album you put on when you want to relax with a cocktail.

1 – Cuz I Love You by Lizzo
You can’t deny how big of a star Lizzo has become in 2019 and this album proves it. The one word I would use to describe this album, positivity. This album is empowering and just brimming with feminist laced positive energy. Lizzo took her life experiences and laid out for listeners how she uses those to drive her forward. It’s a feel good album that has so many danceable hits that I wouldn’t be surprised if we heard songs from this album used commercially in ads and in regular rotation in nightclub mixes for years to come.

Honorable Mentions:
– Devour You by Starcrawler – This album feels like a sample of what it’s like seeing Starcrawler perform live, just youthful controlled sexy rock chaos.
– This Mess is a Place by TacocaT – Only TacocaT can make pointed criticisms seem so danceable and fun. This album feels like a hopeful yet fully aware snapshot of the time we currently live in.
– There Existed an Addiction to Blood by clipping. – You have to show love to clipping. and this audio vampire story released around the Halloween season.
– Dedicated by Carly Rae Jepsen – If you would have told me in 2012 that in 2019, Carly Rae Jepsen would release a better pop album than Taylor Swift, I would have thought you were crazy, but between the two releases, Jepsen’s Dedicated is a better album than Swift’s Lover.
– Of the Deep Mystery by The Comet is Coming – You have to see these guys live. It’s Jazz. It’s Dance Music. It’s rhythm that just doesn’t stop. My favorite track Summon the Fire sounds like if Jazz and Techno had a child in an afro futuristic space station.

(Spotify Playlist with 10 songs from my 10 favorite albums)

Tacocat Halloween 2019!

November 4, 2019 — Leave a comment

Aside from my 7am to 4pm Monday to Friday day job, last week was busy. Monday, after work I went boxing, and then I attended Rhein Haus’ Super Meat Raffle Monday where in the span of a 2 hour period, they not only raffled off deli quality meat, but also raffled off high dollar gift cards. I walked away with $90 in gift cards while a friend walked away with $170 in gift cards. Tuesday was a family member’s birthday dinner. Wednesday, after work I went to a pro wrestling screening at Rhein Haus, followed by Disney Villain Trivia at Optimism Brewery (4th Place), left with a friend for Drag Bingo at The Runaway, and closed out the night with a great concert at Barboza featuring Joza, Claire George, and Maiah Manser.

Maiah Manser (above)/Claire George (below)

As much as I loved that show and would highly recommend all three performers, the highlight of my week was the Tacocat Halloween show on Thursday night. Thursday was Halloween. I was running on maybe four hours of sleep from the night before and decided I would go boxing after work. After boxing I went to Starbucks and the café was rocking with a Halloween soundtrack. The cashier after ringing up my coffee looked at me and said, “I got Cranberries on the brain.” I looked at him confused, but it hit me after a few seconds, “Zombie” by the Cranberries was playing over the speakers. I made my way to Neumos after finishing my coffee, and upon entering the room, I was immediately impressed by the stage set up. The stage had sparkled cowboy boots with skeleton flamingos, a woman praying with heavy goth style makeup, a sparkly background with Tacocat and a spider on it, multiple cauldrons, tombstones, and an area in front of the stage barricaded off with a kiddie pool and tarp.

“Britney Spears Dance Break”

Dog Sister
Dog Sister took the stage a little after 8:30pm to open the show and provide entertaining vignettes between sets throughout the night. Sporting several outfit changes, I found Dog Sister charming and her between set vignettes were fun if not a little manic. The vignettes ranged from performing a spell/dumping leaves on the lead singer of Sundae Crush, to a “Britney Spears Dance Break”. A more memorable vignette came near the end of the night when a mock Jeff Bezos was introduced, ushered into the kiddie pool where he was showered with garbage and eventually hit with a cream pie. The cream pie hit so hard, the cream hit a number of the audience members directly behind him. Dog Sister did a great job as the night’s MC and kept the fun going throughout the show.

Sundae Crush
The first opener of the night was Sundae Crush. From a visual standpoint the band looked great. The whole band was dressed in various costumes, my favorite being Britney Spears from “Oops I Did It Again” video. Of the three acts, Sundae Crush was the act I was the least familiar with, but they definitely made a case to see them perform again. The songs were fun. Not to mention the lip creature who couldn’t navigate the stage and was essentially blind, why wouldn’t you want to check that band out again?

Donormaal (above)/Sundae Crush (below)

Donormaal
I’ll be the first to admit, I was wrong about Donormaal. I’ve seen Donormaal perform at least seven different times in the past three years. She was normally the opening act for a headliner I was excited to see, and like I’ve done since the first show I attended, I make an effort to watch every performance on the card. I always felt Donormaal was a mediocre performer and I didn’t understand why so many publications were giving her so much credit as the future of Northwest hip hop. I saw her twice in 2019, and have to admit, I was wrong. She killed it and I can totally see how she could be seen as the future of Northwest Hip Hop. Donormaal announced she would be leaving Seattle soon, but as long as she performs as well as she did that night, then I know she is going to make splash wherever she ends up.

Tacocat
After a brief Raven Hollywood moment, and the Dog Sister vignette featuring the mock Jeff Bezos, Tacocat took the stage. As they do every year, their costumes were impressive. It’s hard to pick a standout of the group but I would have to lean towards either Emily as a spirit/ghost, or Bree who was the Space Needle. It’s one thing to look impressive, but they both seemed like they were having some difficulty performing in their outfits (Emily with the wig and contacts, Bree kept adjusting her hat and the base of the tower kept hitting decorations). Despite those minor difficulties, if there was a list of currently active Seattle bands that consistently put on solid fun memorable shows, Tacocat has to rank in the top ten, if not top five. The sold out crowd danced and sang along to all the songs presented from the opening cover of “Zombie” by the Cranberries, to the various hits from their latest album “This Mess is a Place”. It’s hard to pick single songs that jumped out from this set because the crowd was engaged the entire performance. The “Zombie” cover was special. Seeing how hard Lelah would bang on those drums on “New World” was memorable. During “Bridge to Hawaii” there was an inflatable surf board, crowd surfed around the audience. Seeing how much the songs from the latest album blended so well with the regular canon was impressive.

Tacocat

Overall, that night was a lot of fun and energizing. I did my best to get to sleep but still only got maybe four hours in before I had to get up for work the next morning. Friday was my rest day. Other than going to my day job and the gym, I stayed in Friday night and caught up on my sleep. I feel like I did Halloween week right, and in large part I have to thank Tacocat and the other performers I saw that night. I may have only gotten eight hours of sleep in two nights, but to see that level of talent two nights in a row, it’s hard to say that it wasn’t worth it.

For Photos and Videos of this performance, check out my Instagram: Cakeintherain206

My Experience at Bumbershoot 49: The Bear Essential Bumbershoot

September 8, 2019 — Leave a comment

My favorite set at this year’s Bumbershoot was The Lumineers (above)

One week ago was Bumbershoot 49. The reviews are in. For every even handed review, you have a review where the reviewer wants you to know Bumbershoot was expensive, different from their favorite Bumbershoot a decade or two ago, and they felt old in the young crowd. I always love reading those reviews. They read like a high school student who was required to go to a play for his art class. The person writes as if they were forced to go, coupled with a lot of padded paragraphs concerning the periphery of the event like history and critiques of transplants, and then like 2 or 3 paragraphs of their experience. They’re pretty funny.

Jai Wolf at the main stage, Day 3

I attended Bumbershoot 49. I grew up in Seattle and this was my 8th consecutive Bumbershoot. I did what I try to do every year at Bumbershoot. I tried to have a great time. I went out and met people. If I ran into artists, I complimented them on their sets. I danced. I drank. I tried to hear new music objectively. I tried to put out a positive vibe and hoped I would get that energy back.

ReignWolf, Day 3

Speaking from experience this year’s Bumbershoot felt “less”. There were at least 3 less stages. With less stages, there were less slots for performers, so there was less performances to check out. There was no “Flatstock”. There was no dance arts stage. There was no KEXP presence. There was no Sub Pop or other branded pop up shop. The ticket price remained as high as ever. The film selection at SIFF cinema was lacking. The SIFF programming was 2 documentaries about the space needle that took up a one hour block, followed by a 4 hour block of music videos. The whole festival on paper felt like a group got together, decided to throw a “Bumbershoot”, and the first thought at the pitch meeting was, “We don’t want to spend too much money but we also want to give people the “Bumbershoot experience”, what’re the bear essentials of Bumbershoot?”.

Posters for Bumbershoot 2019 (left) and Bumbershoot 2012 (right). The reductions are pretty obvious.

As harsh as that critique may seem, that was all information that could have been gleaned from one review of the schedule, map, or lineup prior to the event. I usually purchase my tickets before they announce the lineup because I expect Bumbershoot to be Bumbershoot. It’s a local tradition. If you still bought tickets even after researching that information, then it’s on you for purchasing tickets for an obviously reduced event. Despite all of this, the actual mood of the event was positive. It felt like more people had attended this year’s Bumbershoot, than last year’s Bumbershoot. Maybe the reduced experiences, caused more people to congregate at stages in heavier volumes, but it definitely felt like the crowds were heavier than they were in 2018. Folks were lined up for laser light shows at Pacific Science Center, half an hour before the show, only to fill the room to capacity. Every stage had pretty sizeable audience turnouts. I hate to bring this up, but the Jai Wolf crowd, broke the barrier on Saturday night and other than being emblematic of an enthusiastic crowd it’s also emblematic of a well attended set.

Longtime Bumbershoot fans getting things started on Day 1

Chatting with folks around the festival, everyone seemed to be excited. One of the first bands I saw on Day 1 were the School of Rock kids. Prior to their set, a group of long time Bumbershoot fans had congregated at the Fischer Green stage (where they would be most of the weekend), and had already begun dancing even before the band took the stage. One of the couples told me about how they were in their 70’s and had been to every Bumbershoot except for one. When asked who they were looking forward to seeing that weekend, the gentleman in the couple said, “The Dip and Rezz.” I went to see The Dip later that night. I stacked up as close as I could to the barricade. A younger fan and her dad stood next to me. I asked the younger fan if she was enjoying her day? She told me about how she was 12, this was her first Bumbershoot, and she was having a great time. I told her about how I was impressed that she would get this close to the stage to see The Dip. It’s stuff like that that makes me happy. It’s reminiscent of the family heavy crowd that attended Reignwolf on Day 2 (the following day). I didn’t think it would be appropriate to mosh at Reignwolf seeing how many children were with their parents in the audience. Those kids are going to go to their first days of school and be able to brag to the other kids how they went to a music festival and were front row for The Dip, or were on their dad’s shoulders for Reignwolf. It’s just so cool.

Sol, Day 1

As great as it was to meet an experienced Bumbershoot couple and a first time fest fan, I think getting to interact with artists is one of the bigger appeals of Bumbershoot. Other than nodding up to Sol when I would run into him at random stages, or standing next to Nestra for a song or two as he yelled at Pink Sweat$ (who was wearing literal pink sweats in direct sunlight), “Isn’t it hot?!”, my favorite Bumbershoot 49 artist run in was during the Kolars set on Day 3. I had stacked up at the front of the stage. Yogashoot hadn’t wrapped yet, but Kolars had already took the stage and were ready to begin their set. A dad and his kids had posted up right next to me. I chatted with this couple on my other side, but I glanced over at this dad every now and again and mentioned how great this next band was and how we were all looking forward to this set. As Kolars began to perform, two songs in, the lead singer dedicated a song to that dad next to us, “This next song is for Mike.” It didn’t take me too long to realize, Oh wow, that’s Mike McCready from Pearl Jam. The dead giveaway was when he took out his Polaroid camera and began taking shots of the band. All I could think was I have his book “Of Potato Heads and Polaroids” at home, how cool is it that he still takes Polaroids at shows? haha. Realizing he was on family time, I didn’t ask him for a photo, I just thought it was a cool Bumbershoot moment. I got to watch Kolars next to Mike McCready.

Kolars, Day 3

The performances I saw were fabulous. After seeing their sets at Bumbershoot, I immediately went out and downloaded albums from both Donna Missal and Bryce Vine. Their sets had me chanting as if I were at a pro wrestling show, “Please come back!”. Carly Rae Jepsen proved why her latest album “Dedicated” should be up their as one of the top releases of 2019. LP delivered a memorable set. The Lumineers’ performance on Day 2 made me put away my camera and just be there in the moment. Something about hearing the song “Cleopatra” and dancing and singing with the strangers around me, made me realize I want to just be “here” now. Taking Back Sunday on Day 3 brought me back to high school. It was a special performance for a number of reasons, but the lead singer being unable to climb back on stage mid set and making the executive decision to just wander the crowd while singing, hugging and dancing with everyone was something myself and fans who were there won’t forget.

Taking Back Sunday, Day 3

Finally, Rezz closing out the festival was just fun. I normally go to festivals alone and just meet up with freinds at sets we all mutually want to see. Rezz was a performer all my friends who attended Bumbershoot wanted to see. Being able to spend time dancing with them in that crowd felt special. At one point I disappeared for a bit, in order to eat a lobster sushi burrito. I got closer to one side of the stage so I could dance and chow down. Randomly a member of one of the bands (no joke, I think it was one of the DJs from Louis the Child) tried chatting with me about how he had eaten a lot of food at catering and how I, dancing while eating during Rezz, was “Living the best life”. All I could think of while dancing, eating, and chatting to this musician was, no one else is probably having a Bumbershoot experience like mine.

Rezz, Day 3

On paper, this will probably go down as one of the most lackluster Bumbershoots, but for me and a lot of those who attended I can’t say it was a negative experience. I felt like I had a great time, met some awesome people, danced, heard some great artists, and made some great memories. Where it stacks against my prior Bumbershoot experiences, I can’t say it was one of the best, but no where near my worst. I feel like everyone I spoke to after the event have had similar opinions as well. It wasn’t a terrible Bumbershoot, but also was no where near noteworthy. If I were to give a straight no non sense opinion about Bumbershoot 49, it made me excited for next year. =)

Carly Rae Jepsen, Day 2

See ya next year, Bumbershoot! I hope Bumbershoot 50 is something special.

(All photos were taken by me. Check out my Instagram at: Cakeintherain206)

“We all turn to our communities in darker times and making art feels healing and more important than ever.”: 7 Questions with Moon Palace

August 23, 2019 — Leave a comment

Shadowcast

Recently, I was given the opportunity to preview the latest album “Shadowcast” from Seattle indie rock band, Moon Palace. Twin sisters Cat and Carrie Biell alongside bandmates, Jude Miqueli, and Darcey Zoller create a psychedelia tinged, dusky, 41 minute kind of dream landscape that’s simply captivating.

The album was like the progression of a day in that songs at the beginning of the album like “Bold” and “Gamma Ray” were energetic, but eventually the album faded into this meditative reflection, culminating in more subdued songs like “Embers” which felt like gathering around a fire at night. If there was any other way I would describe “Shadowcast”, it felt like the soundtrack to a long drive outside of the city. Like I got in my car in the morning, watched my landscape change around me, and eventually, I’m night driving. I started kind of hyped for this drive, but eventually, it’s just me and my thoughts. That’s what this album does, it provides a space to reflect.

“Shadowcast” by Moon Palace will be released on August 23rd. In anticipation of the album’s release I was fortunate enough to be given the chance to ask the band a few questions. Here’s my short interview with Moon Palace.

1.) What was the inspiration for “Shadowcast”? Was there a particular vibe you were trying to create?
Jude: We made it over the course of a year. Each week we would open ourselves up to what sounds were coming through. I think the record evolved with the changing seasons. For much of the year, Seattle is dark and partly cloudy so that may be why there is a bit of an ominous presence. Once summer hit we wanted to make brighter songs and that’s when “Gamma Ray” emerged. On practice days I’d listen to music on the way to work while riding the bus at 6 AM when it was dark out and text the group what I was listening to. They would text tracks back throughout the workday. Later that night we’d get together, talk about the sounds we wanted to make and get creative. “Shadowcast” was Talking Heads influenced, “Stop When It Hurts” was Sonic Youth, “On the Level” was The Cure, “Bold” was influenced by The Gossip. In the end, I don’t think the songs sound like any of those bands because we weren’t trying to replicate what they were doing even though they were heavy influences. With each song, I want to grow as a drummer so I try new styles or techniques and one way of learning those is by listening to other drummers.

I read an interview in City Arts Magazine, that one of the main things that drew members of the group to Seattle was how queer-friendly the city was. A quote in the article said that you like how Seattle is a “sanctuary city” and that the band was making “sanctuary music”.
2. I like the idea of “sanctuary music”, but would you mind expanding on that? How would you define “sanctuary music”?
Jude: A sanctuary is a place of refuge or safety. It immediately brings up the idea of church which can be triggering for queers due to having been shamed by religion. But a bird sanctuary can also bring up ideas of a nature reserve and I think our band finds solace in nature. I came here in 2006 after researching where there was queer community on the internet. At that time Seattle had anti-discrimination laws protecting workers based on gender and sexual orientation and where I was from didn’t. I think sanctuary music can be anything that makes you feel safe in a space. Growing up as a teenager in the 90’s for me that was Bratmobile, Bikini Kill, Team Dresch, and Sleater-Kinney. Now when I listen to music at home I’m mostly playing jazz.

Carrie: Cat and I lived in more homogenous suburban area like 20 mins outside of Seattle. As out, queer teenagers, we would drive out to Seattle multiple times a week to be with the community we identified with and who supported us the most. Seattle did feel like a sanctuary in that way at the time. Nowadays it feels like making music in our band is a sanctuary from the current climate in America where hate crimes are on the rise and bigots feel more emboldened. We all turn to our communities in darker times and making art feels healing and more important than ever.

The music video for the song “Hunt and Gather” is amazing. Not only because the song is so good, but visually the video watches more like a high production short film with vibrant cuts and great use of light and shadow which really bring more attention to physical elements of the performers.
3. Was the concept for this video inspired by the song, or did you have this idea of what you wanted the visual to be like as this song was being created and then created a video to best reflect that visual?
Cat: The concept for the video was inspired by the song. An epic song deserved an epic video. The video reflects the process of creating peace with the wounded and unintegrated parts of ourselves. By integrating the ego, the wounded child, the wild one in all of us, we each move through our individual journey of reflection and transformation.

(These next 3 questions were provided by my last interview, the band “Tangerine”.)
4. What’s the last book you read?
Jude: Currently Reading Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Maree Brown
Carrie: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou

5. What was the most stressed you have been on tour and why?
Jude: When I went on a summer tour with a band called Scarves we were in an overheating van driving down I5 while California was burning. None of us had any mechanic skills which is why it was stressful. After a long drive and a mediocre show, we slept on a concrete floor in some dude’s apartment. In the end, we made it down the coast and back, had fun at the beach, and played better shows so it ended up being a good time!

Carrie: I did a west coast tour with my solo project joined by my backing band. We had great shows throughout the tour, but our show in Eugene ended up being really strange. The venue didn’t provide a PA that night and there was very little sound equipment ready even though there were four bands on this bill. One of the local bands ended up running around piecing together a sound system, which I was grateful for. After the show, some of the band members from the other bands invited all of us to some big mansion to party at because somebody was house sitting there. We wanted to take them up on the offer at first because it was a free spot to crash for the night. I felt somewhat reluctant because I was the only woman on the whole lineup of musicians that night and I didn’t see many other women around. We were about to go to the mansion, but then it turned out to be a bunch of drunk dudes all wanting us to get in a hot tub with them. Luckily the guys in my band always looked out for me and we all ended up sort of sneaking away and getting a hotel room for the night instead. I’m grateful to be playing music with more women and genderqueer folks these days 🙂

6. What were some rejected band names you almost had?
Carrie:
Desert Hearts
Wild Embers
Twin Shadow (Already Taken)
Carpet Ride (Too punk rock LOL)

7.) As a final question, I read that each of you are from other parts of the country and have performed in other groups, do you have any advice for other transplants trying to enter the Seattle music scene?
Carrie: I always think it’s a good idea to attend lots of shows and get a feel for the kind of bands and venues that our out here. Try to make friends with other bands and musicians and build a network of supportive fellow musicians who either want to play with you or book shows together. Bookers at venues don’t do as much building of bills anymore so it helps to approach some of the venues with a complete lineup or at least one other band that will bring out people. There are so many musicians and bands here so it can feel daunting to try and get out here, but if you have a few other bands or artists in your corner it really helps.

I also think it’s a great idea to make a professional recording and press them in a professional way so you have a better chance of getting on radio stations like KEXP. KEXP is awesome at supporting local bands and their reach is far and wide. It can be hard to get on their airways since they get tons of submissions, but showing up to the station or mailing an actual professional hard copy of the songs with a radio one-sheet really helps the chances of getting airplay.

I have to thank Moon Palace for providing such great answers. Check out “Shadowcast” available August 23rd, and catch Moon Palace at Clock-Out Lounge on Friday, September 20th.