Ryan Purcell writes songs that are evocative of the places Jason Aldean sings about in his self-explanatory Middle American anthem "Fly Over States." Yet Purcell is an artist based in very non-flyover Seattle whose tunes make you want to guzzle Oly and refurbish an abandoned Nalley Valley... More >>

Vashon Island's hottest rock band has already had a busy 2012, releasing the raucous Dig Your Grave EP in February, filming two music videos, touring across the country, and having their groupie loving and hard-partying ways touted by The New Yorker. And they're just getting started: in July,... More >>

Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart sings in a never-quite-breaking tremble, the sort of delivery that, say, early Bright Eyes used to telegraph emotional distress. But Stewart takes things to even more gut-wracking and theatrically messy extremes, plumbing depths of self-loathing oversharing that... More >>

Mixed format DJ nights are one of the pillars of most any healthy hip-hop scene. The usually artist-rich crowd creates an environment that's not only a haven for dancing, but networking, collaborating, and educating. Locally, current in-crowd hangouts like the Capitol Club's Jet Set have... More >>

Blair Waldorf's wild adventures in romance on season 5 of Gossip Girl have finally wound down, but that doesn't mean GG star Leighton Meester is taking any breaks. Meester's dabbled in music for years, making pop songs that were a thousand times better than The Roommate but still not noteworthy... More >>

This dingy bar in the Admiral Junction represents the roots of karaoke. The Japanese may have invented it, but back in its early days (the mid-80's) here in the states, it was the Chinese restaurant lounges that gave the art form its first home, providing it for drunken crooners seven nights a... More >>

The appeal of Lower Queen Anne is the idea of something for everyone. It doesn't matter if you're a barely legal frat brother or a 70-year-old karaoke nut, you're either going home with someone's digits, a beautiful stranger, or, at the very least, a good story. Karaoke enthusiasts flock every... More >>

Private karaoke rooms should always be dark and dirty—stained cushions and rickety tables make screaming off-key into a microphone seem perfectly natural. Which is why Venus Karaoke in the International District is the perfect setting for your next songfest. Sure, their equipment crashes... More >>

The Rickshaw Restaurant & Lounge serves greasy Chinese food and American fare, but nobody ever goes there to eat. The establishment is much better known for satisfying folks who’ve got an insatiable appetite for karaoke. It’s packed with singers until closing every night of the... More >>

One of the best local metal bands around, Skelator coalesces wailing vocals, killer guitar riffs, and monstrous drums and bass into one big eargasm. With Watcher's Eye, Phalgeron, Tanagra. LAURA SWARTZ More >>

The pop-rock quintet Learning Team, one of Bellingham's most notable current players, has released three FreePs via Bandcamp since their inception in 2011, the most recent being this March's Daypack. The five-track EP contains such tasty offerings as "Oreo" and "Iced Coffee," sweet and... More >>

There's no doubt that Michael Monroe, the flamboyant former vocalist of the Finland glam band Hanoi Rocks, is one of the glammest guys in rock 'n' roll history, and these days he is still rocking out in the leather attire and big hair he was known for in the 1980s. His latest solo album, last... More >>

On his latest release El Sonido Nuevo, this Austin songwriter showcases his unique ability to apply '60s inspired pop hooks to the traditional alternative country format. With Wheeler Brothers, Redwood Son. MA'CHELL DUMA LAVASSAR More >>

Ray Wylie Hubbard’s career began in 1965 and has seen him fly under the mainstream spotlight that’s illuminated his Lone Star contemporaries like Willie, Waylon and Jerry Jeff. This may have more to do with his subject matter than anything else. Hubbard takes his cues from Muddy... More >>

Here's a fun and slightly disturbing factoid: Stefan and Skyler Gordy, poetically known as Redfoo and SkyBlu, collectively known as the super-selling LMFAO, were R&B royalty before they even recorded a single song. SkyBlu is Redfoo's nephew; his grandfather and Redfoo's father is the legendary... More >>

The Northwest's favorite pop-punkers, whose last release was 2010's Personal Life LP, headline this sure-to-be-popular Noise for the Needy Benefit. With Little Cuts. ERIN K. THOMPSON More >>

If Merle Haggard were to engage in a barroom confrontation with the metrosexual country trio Rascal Flatts, Haggard wouldn't even have to throw a punch. Rather, he would simply stare at each Rascal, at which point they would crumple to the ground and contract vocal chord diseases that rendered... More >>

It’s a shame Dante’s in the U-District only offers karaoke on Monday nights, because they have the best stage for crooners in town. There are two levels that open up to the bottom floor where the mic is set up - singing your favorite tune on a packed night with people from all sides... More >>

The Crescent is easily the most popular karaoke bar on Capitol Hill. Drag queens, dykes, and hipsters squeeze into the claustrophobic space like sardines on any given night, and by 12 a.m. there’s usually standing room only. The booze is dirt cheap ($3 wells, $4 pitchers), the bathrooms... More >>

The Tug Inn unleashed karaoke on its regulars and the neighborhood on Sunday nights over half a year ago. That night exploded so much that within a month, it demanded a second night (Wednesday). I’ve been there twice on the Sundays, and both nights were like raucous Fridays in there. The... More >>

88 Keys is better known for its dueling piano action than for its Monday and Tuesday karaoke nights. And that’s why it’s ideal for musically challenged crooners to sing their hearts out. Unlike some karaoke joints, the crowd here is forgiving. Nobody takes themselves too seriously.... More >>

Selena's Guadalajara is a small Mexican restaurant that’s easy to overlook as you're driving past on 45th Street. If you haven’t eaten there, you’re not really missing much. But if you like salsa dancing and you haven’t been there, you should remedy the situation... More >>

Baffling web presence aside ("formulated as a response borne of multidisciplinary generational precedent"), Mahogany seem to be a clever little avant-garde orchestral pop thing—hooking them up with go-to local audio wizard Erik Blood seems like a smart fit. With USF. ERIC GRANDY More >>

DJ Tony B is not to be confused with the KUBE 93 radio personality with whom he shares his namesake. No, West Seattle has its very own Tony, a man who works as a Microsoft operations program manager by day and lets loose on the turntables at night – he spins every Friday and Saturday night... More >>

Outrageous behavior is encouraged at Neighbours. Just ask Richard J. Dalton, the popular C89.5 on-air personality who hosts the Ultimate Dance Party at the Capitol Hill club every Friday night. He typically rocks a feather boa and animal hat of some sort as he spins an eclectic mix of what he... More >>