Bumbershoot: It's Not The Only Thing Going On This Weekend

Maybe you hate crowds. Maybe you've got to work during the day. Or maybe, at 40 bucks a pop, tickets to Bumbershoot are too rich for your blood (and I tell you what: without a press pass, they'd be too rich for mine). Here are some other shows happening this weekend that we recommend:

Tonight

Orbitron, who's performing at the Asian Hip Hop Summit

The Asian Hip Hop Summit, featuring Dumbfounded, Lyraflyp, Chosen 1, Youthinasia, DJ Dstrukt, Sonny Bonoho, Orbitron, Know Choice, DJ Rise, Daichi Diez, DJ Soul One, L-Brother, Rob Nice, DJ B-Girl

Nectar Lounge, 9 p.m., $5

I wrote about it in this week's Short List. I urged you all to attend. Now, I'm just repeating myself. Some of the West Coast's finest up-and-coming emcees will perform at this show, for a measly five smackers. At the very least, it's worth going to see Orbitron if you haven't managed to catch him live yet.

Black Crabs CD release jam

Slim's Last Chance Chili Shack & Watering Hole, 8 p.m. probably cheap, if not free

Even if you don't dress like an extra from the set of Grease, rockabilly outfit the Black Crabs will show you a good time anyway. (what is it with the color "black" at the helm of every other band name nowadays?)

The Pharmacy with Mattress, Stabbings, and Yes, Oh Yes

Comet Tavern, 9 p.m. (i think) $6

The Pharmacy do a psychedelic garage pop type thing, which they offer to the public via Don't Stop Believin' Records, a label that also hosts the likes of Tacocat, Yes, Oh Yes (who are, as you probably noticed, on tonight's bill and also lots of fun) and recently, See Me River for a split release, Time Machine, with Aviation Records. The Pharmacy are going on tour soon, and this is their second-to-last show before that happens.

The Whore Moans, Wallpaper

Sunset Tavern, 10 p.m., $7

The Whore Moans play thrash punk, while Wallpaper is an up 'n comin' K Records band with a '60s garage shtik that's a little less loud, but just as awesome. Trust us. You'll dig it, if you don't already.

The rest of our weekend picks, coming right up after the jump!

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Topics: Happenings

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Flower Travellin' Band

Spurred by a discussion about the undeniable awesomeness that is Boris, the lovely and newly psych-obsessed Jesse Sykes recently turned me on to this almost unclassifiable Japanese band from the late '60s and early '70s called Flower Travellin Band. Words are pretty insufficient when it comes to art this out there, so just check out the old 8mm footage for yourself and marvel:

Topics: Music Video

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Sheryl Crow Venue Correction

Sheryl Crow's not playing White River on Saturday, she's playing Marymoor Park. Somehow, we managed to fuck this up in this week's Shortlist. Sorry, Ms. Crow. (Update: the venue has since been properly switched on the online Shortlist, but remains errant in print.)

Topics: Concert News

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Best-selling Albums Of The Week

The top 10 bestselling albums of the week, first from Billboard, then Sonic Boom Records in Ballard.

10. Shwayze - Shwayze

10. Dandy Warhols - Earth to Dandy Warhols

9. Camp Rock film soundtrack

9. Dutchess & the Duke - She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke

8. Sugarland - Love On The Inside

8. Jaguar Love - Take Me To The Sea

7. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

7. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst

6. Miley Cyrus - Breakout

6. Ratatat - LP3

5. Ice Cube - Raw Footage

5. Beck - Modern Guilt

4. Mamma Mia! soundtrack

4. Walkmen - You & Me

3. Staind - The Illusion of Progress

3. Stereolab - Chemical Chords

2. Kid Rock - Rock N Roll Jesus

2. Moondoggies - Don't Be A Stranger

1. Jonas Brothers - A Little Bit Longer

1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Topics: News

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Davanos Name Shikany's Replacement

Just received word from Jerry Battista that one of the bands he plays in, the Davanos (Battista also plays in the Dusty 45s), will be replacing the late, great Joe Shikany (pictured above with his first guitar) with bassist Dana Brown. You can catch the Davanos every Wednesday night at the Rimrock on Lake City Way.

Topics: Rock Star Deaths

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REVERBfest '08 additions: Boat, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, Madraso

Unfortunately, Boss Martians and Coffin Break can't make it. But guess who can? Effin' Boat, and Brothers of the Sonic Cloth (!!!!), Madraso, and as of this morning, Kim Virant.

For the rest of the line-up, read my earlier post.

Topics: REVERBfest 2008

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Nada Surf Bassist on the DL for the 'Shoot

Nada Surf bassist Daniel Lorca announced yesterday that he won't be able to play Bumbershoot due to a knee injury, presumably suffered while shooting his board through the crystal cathedral off the coast of Micronesia, where he reportedly made thyme-infused whole wheat pasta for everyone. Get well, Dan-O; we already miss your dreads, bra.

Topics: Bumbershoot 2008

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Last Night: Louis Logic and The Let Go CD release

Type of the Let Go, performing at Nectar last night

Kublakai of the Let Go

Captain Midnite of the Let Go

I showed up to Nectar last night expecting great things from Louis Logic and The Let Go, and even though it's tough to get out on a Wednesday, I wasn't disappointed, even though Animal Farm couldn't make it up.

I arrived in time for Murder Dice, who accompanied Louis Logic and The Let Go on their tour. Murder Dice makes party jams that mix up all the good parts of all your favorite guilty-pleasure Top 40 gangsta rap and reggaeton jams, effectively polishing up all those turds until they sparkle. But even though our man wore a bow tie, a fuzzy hat with a bear face on it and was stage-falling and crawling and hopping all over the stage, he was also difficult to understand (except for the blap! blap! parts and the chorus to one jam, "fuck all day, fuck all night! on repeat), and the crowd didn't seem that into it. Maybe that's why the set ended after something like five songs.

Up next were the Let Go, and that's when the tide turned. The Let Go is Kublakai, Type and producer Captain Midnite. They performed jams from their debut album, Tomorrow Handles That, which was also the reason for all the celebration. I haven't had a chance to listen to it recorded yet, but I heard it last night, and these boys have something to be proud of; Tomorrow Handles That is a solid hip hop album. Not that I didn't expect it to be. For a Wednesday, Nectar was pretty hopping. And I'll tell you why: unlike most underground hip hop shows I've been to, this show was, in fact, NOT a total sausagefest or rapper symposium (Grynch was there, though). It was almost disappointing: I'm used to being one of the only ladies at the show, let alone a lady who's not just there because of her boyfriend (of course, the bigger the act, the more women there are. Not that I have any empirical data to back this gross generalization up or anything crazy like that.) The point is, at this show, there were a respectable number of ladies who had obviously come to party, and I hope the trend continues, because I have a feeling those women are solely responsible for the crowd's energy and the big cluster of dancers up front. When was the last time you saw a dude start the dance party? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Photos and Louis Logic after the jump...

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Topics: The Morning After

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Last Night: The Wombats at Neumos

Sporting a "Seattle Hearts You" tee, bassist and backup vocalist Tord Øverland-Knudsen’s coos onstage at Neumos on Wednesday, August 27. Check out a slideshow of photos from the show here.

When I previewed this show, I wrote about how after listening to The Wombats’ debut album “The Wombats Proudly Present... A Guide To Love, Loss and Desperation” for just a few minutes I was on the ‘net looking for a plane ticket to Liverpool. Well, seeing them live only made me want to go more.

I’ve been to a lot of shows this summer — and had some great times — but when the band broke into “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” it was probably the best music moment I’ve had since the Sasquatch! Festival. Pure indie-rock energy washed over the crowd, and for a few minutes it was total bliss. The beaming smiles made it clear the trio was having a great time, and the lyrics felt even more honest and perfectly poetic in person than they do on the album.

Being one of 107.7 The End’s “Are You On The List?” concert, I was curious what the show’s dynamic would be like. (To clarify that means that the show was free, but the only people allowed in are winners of phone-in contests that put them “on the list.”) Really, it wasn’t much different than other shows I’ve seen at Neumos — just a little smaller, and a little younger.

Frontman Matthew Murphy takes a break from lead vocals to play guitar.

There were a few things about the set that I found especially interesting. Though they don’t have a huge repertoire, the Wombats played a full set by performing literally every song off their album. What was great about that is that there really isn’t a bad song on it, or at least one that isn’t fun to hear live and dance to.

Another is the fact that all three band members participated in the vocals throughout the show. In fact, the opening song (an a cappella harmony titled “Tales of Girls, Boys and Marsupials”) was one of my favorite parts of the show.

And, of course, the three are jokesters; just before leaving the stage, one of them — I didn’t see who — set the keys to loop “Yankee Doodle.” Damn Brits!

Topics: The Morning After

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What's Up With U.S.? I Need YOU!

Duff McKagan, formerly of Guns N' Roses, plays bass in Velvet Revolver. His column appears every Thursday on Reverb.

In September of ’04, I had just finished up a stint as a student at the most excellent Seattle University and found myself headed to Europe to do a two-week press tour for the first Velvet Revolver record. On a press tour, you usually have a pretty tight schedule of print, radio, and TV interviews about—as was my case—your latest musical project. What was almost universally different this time, however, was the fact that I was being asked one extra question at every interview: “Do you think Kerry will beat Bush in the upcoming election?”

There seemed to be an almost all-enveloping fear in Europe that September that Bush would indeed get another four years. The thought was that perhaps Kerry may have the peaceful solution and that the Iraq occupation, er. . . War would see some near-future end with him in office. Our bellicose administration seemed to be taking its collective toll on the well-being of the everyday European, and I was now being put in the hot seat.

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Topics: Duff McKagan

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Photos: Oasis, Ryan Adams @ WAMU

All Photos By Laura Musselman

Who: Ryan Adams, Oasis
Where: WAMU Theater
When: Tuesday, August 26

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Topics: The Morning After

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Beg, Shout, Scream...It's Bumbershoot Time!

What?!? It's Bumbershoot already?

Yes, indeed. Its the time of year the old-timers say things like "I remember when it was free!" and "It's a helluva lot more crowded than it used to be!" And it's the time of year newcomers to city say: "What the hell is a Bumbershoot?"

It's also the time of year we here at Seattle Weekly pull our hair out while aiming for comprehensive and original coverage of one of the country's most diverse music and arts festivals. What did we do this year? Heck, we went all out and asked Daniel Lorca (bassist for Nada Surf, also know as "white guy with dreads") to help guide us along. We even found out that Seattle Center employees aren't cool with you clogging the Center House toilets every year. Also included are the tools (map, daily schedule) necessary in helping you figure out where the hell you're going and what acts you want to see.

So, pick up the print edition of SW this week for the lovely and eye-catching pullout guide. And continue to check our website for up-to-date info, reviews, and loads of other goodies.

Topics: Bumbershoot 2008

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Edwin McCain gets upstaged.

I am officially an an idiot. Last week, I was browsing my mail and came across Meghan Coffee's "Songs to Sail By." My first thought: Great, yet another so-called singer-songwriter with an ordinary-yet-slightly-quirky-sort-of name. So I tossed her on top of the hideous mess I call my desk.

Had I been smart, the first thing I would have done was grab the CD and import the tracks onto my iTunes. "Songs to Sail By" is one of the most gorgeous, intelligent sounding albums I've heard in awhile. Coffee opened for Edwin McCain (yes, the dude who sings "I'll Be) at the Triple Door last night and as talented a singer as McCain is, I kind of just wanted Coffee to stay onstage. Was anyone else there last night? Is this lady kick ass or what?

Of course, now that I realize I'm an idiot,Coffee's CD is nowhere to be found on my desk. Now I keep skulking around our music and club editors' desks trying to see if they stole it or perhaps have additional copies that I can listen to.

Check Meghan Cofee out. I was so impressed (and such a dweeb) that I added her as a Facebook friend.

Topics: I Heard This

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Chris Walla: DNC is Like SXSW With (More) Snipers

Chris Walla at Sasquatch! 2008. Photo by Renee McMahon.

Finding the political blogosphere simply to irresistible to pass up this week, Death Cab's Chris Walla is penning a blog for Rolling Stone from Denver. In his first entry, posted yesterday, he compared the DNC to the indie rock day camp, but that it's easier to get free beer at the Denver shindig. And we thought Austin had the franchise on world's cheapest buzz.

Topics: Blog Watch

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Farewell, Mr. Ayers

Calling Dr. Love

Sonic Boom co-founder, Control Group mastermind, and Long Winters drummer Nabil Ayers was married a couple of weeks ago and is now moving to New York City with his new wife. I'm happy for Nabil, but man, I hate to see the guy go. Aside from being one of my favorite people to bullshit with about metal (we have an ongoing KISS argument as old as the hills), he's also in possession of that rare quality among music industry veterans: perpetual fan status. Ayers is a huge music fan who still geeks out like a 16-year old, whether it's over Marilyn Manson's stage show or a new local band he loves, like Lonely H. He's a good egg, and many people will miss him. You can say good-bye to him tonight after 9 p.m. at the Hazlewood in Ballard, where his Sonic Boom family is throwing him what will surely be a boozy and misty-eyed bon voyage.

Topics: Love

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