I know, as a Portland based blog we should really be promoting the PDX-POP NOW festival going on this weekend at Rotture, but I just can’t deny the superiority of Seattle’s Capitol Hill Block Party. Not only does it contain some of Portland’s biggest bands (The Thermals, The Gossip), but even those artists making big waves elsewhere! For instance, the headliners consist of The Jesus Lizard, Sonic Youth, Mika Miko and The Noisettes; and although big ones, these bands hardly cast a shadow on the rest of the line-up. Girls, Past Lives, Flexions, Deerhunter, Earth and Awesome Color make up only another fraction of the party. So consider spending the early part of the weekend in Seattle. Hell, you can still make it back for PDX-Pop’s final day Sunday which brings the likes of Grouper, Menomena and Guidance Counselor.
Posted By David Hutchinson
Past Lives play Portland more often than even some local bands, and each time I’m right there watching. If you haven’t noticed, Past Lives are my very favorite band to rise from the ashes of the Blood Brothers and projects past. Everytime they play, they put on a show which embodies the best elements of their Strange Symmetry EP, and all the influences within it. One can’t help but draw similarities between lead singer Jordan Billie and the very weathered Mick Jagger (especially when he spells it out for you…). Live, Past lives are louder than their record might have you believe. It is this restraint on their record which makes Past Lives so interesting, and so much more than just an aside to their abrasive prior triumphs. They are worth catching if only to see guitarist Devin Welch, who I solumnly swear will go down in history as being one of the greats. Here’s to hoping they come again next month; and just a suggestion: open for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!
More photos after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted By David Hutchinson
To know me well is to know I wouldn’t miss a dubstep show for the world; but as it just so happens, the entire world is getting together to play with Parenthetical Girls for their record release party tonight. Ok so 20 people isn’t the world, but if 230,000+ will get excited for a 9-piece band, surely we can double that in attendance tonight at 240 E Broadway, where Parenthetical Girls will play with 11 more.
In listening to the excellent new album, Entanglements, it becomes painfully clear that this could never be fully recreated live. Parenthetical Girls look to refute that claim by playing with 20 people to bring every piece of record to life. Morgan Henderson lent his bass clarinet talents to the record, and as he played last night in Portland with Past Lives, it isn’t hard to imagine he’ll be a part of this event.
It should be noted as well that this is going to be Please Step Out Of the Vehicle’s last show ever, so you can bet Alan Singley will be there. A star studded event like this is not to be missed.
8$ for PICA memberz
10$ for everyone else
240 N Broadway @ 9:30 PM
Posted By David Hutchinson
Starting today, and throughout the week I’ll be posting to the calendar shows you should probably be going to that correspond to this years MusicFestNW, along with MP3’s so you can preview the artists before the shows. At $50 for 4 days, there is no good reason not to make it out.
After the jump check out the list of performers as well as how to get into Ratatat, Les Savy Fav, Britt Daniel, No Age, Built To Spill and Battles free of charge.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted By David Hutchinson
Prior to their set at the always smokey Situations, I spent some time in a tour van talking to Jordan Billie and Devin Welch of Past Lives about everything from the demise of The Blood Brothers (and the difference between projects) to the absurdity of pop music & Lil’ Wayne.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted By David Hutchinson
I wish I could make one of those web things describing the way in which all of Seattle’s best bands connect. If you ‘Continue Reading’, please be prepared for your head to explode, not just because what i am going to describe is very confusing, but also because the music contained within this post has been known to do that. This, of course, is all in celebration (Read: Promotion) of the fact that Past Lives is playing Situations on August 2nd. Nathan’s Myspace bulletin said “(ex-Blood Brothers/Shoplifting)” but I didn’t feel like that did Past Lives justice.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted By David Hutchinson
