SXSW 2016 Recap

Another SXSW has passed and left me with lots of memories way different from previous years. Funny thing is we didn’t focus on bands as much this go-around. In the early years, I attended solo and ran from venue to venue on my own schedule trying to pack in as much new music as possible. Each year since, more friends join us and it was more chill in general and still a great time as always! I saw 23 artists this year over 3 days compared to 53 artists last year over 4 days. Let’s see what next year will bring!

The STELLAR // Aloa Input at The Townsend!!! I haven’t put their 2015 album down yet and my mad crush on Marcus Grassl isn’t going away any time soon // Sets from Yung, Aurora, Mal Blum, Bye Bye BadmanDeclan McKenna // Whataburger + Topo Chico! // Meeting Matt Pinfield, my favorite MTV VJ of all time and former host of 120 Minutes // Sharing SXSW fun with lots of friends and family!

The BAD // A bunch of my top picks dropped out of the fest // Tasteless hot dogs and poopy service at Frank

The MEH // Jester King brewery was not at good as I thought it would be… perhaps the yeasties of the PNW are better than the south

SXSW Past: 2015 // 2014 // 2013 // 2012 // 2011 // 2010

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SXSW 2016 Music Tips

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A few more weeks until my favorite music fest starts up! This year will be my 8th SXSW and the tools and tips floating around online can help any noob maneuver around town like a champ. Check out my updated tips below and previous year’s tips- 2015, 2014, 2011. See you in Austin!

1. Make a Twitter list of the artists you want to see. Create your list now so you’re prepared for on-the-go news and updates. Set times change A LOT during SX and the best place to get info is direct from the artists. If you tweet at a band, they are likely to respond. Before doing this, read through their feed first to see if the info you need is already posted.Screen Shot 2016-02-25 at 10.10.45 AM

2. Go see an Austin Sofar Sounds show on the 16th or 19th. You have to RSVP and you *might* get chosen due to very limited space. It’s a great time but I might be bias cuz I run the Seattle Sofar Sounds group. Last year included Fantastic Negrito who won NPR Music’s 2015 Tiny Desk Contest (pictured).

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3. Don’t bother with RSVPs unless it’s for the annoying and overcrowded Fader Fart OR the awwwwsome Spotify House. Guest Pass gets you some minor perks (not sure what exactly) and I’m not sure about the SPIN parties as I never waste time standing in line for 5 hours.

4. If you do RSVP, create an alias email specifically for SXSW. Or else you’ll be hitting the unsubscribe button on all kinds of unwanted emails the months after the fest.

5. The Convention Center has cool stuff! Check out Flatstock 53 and you can meet the artists too. They also showcase free day shows on the Flatstock stage. We were thoroughly wow’d by Roger Sellers set last year. Flatstock hours:

Thursday, March 17 | 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Friday, March 18 | 11:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday, March 19 | 11:00am-6:00pm

6. One of my favorite spots when I lived in Austin was Continental Club. It’s a great little bar/music venue on Congress with so much charm (and country music) that you won’t want to leave.

7. Beer! Mmmmmm beer… I love me some Lone Star but there are lots of local breweries to check out between bands. I love Hops and Grain but we’ll likely take some time out to visit Jester King.

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8. Hydrate. Duh.

9. Eat as much BBQ and/or Mexican food as humanly possible.

10. Be safe! Take care of yourself and your friends. Austin PD does a good job but they can’t be everywhere.

 

 

15 Favorite Live Shows of 2015

2015 brought some fantastic performances from newly discovered artists and a few old favorites. I’m always on the hunt for new sounds and several artists on this list have exactly that! My favorite part of this past year is finally seeing larger acts that I’ve been missing for decades… The Rentals, Social Distortion, Belle and Sebastian, The Decemberists, and GusGus. 2016 is going to be an even bigger year and I can’t wait for new discoveries.

2015 Breakdown: 271+ live artists // Loudest month: March (61) // Most quiet month(s): Feb (4) & Dec (4)

wackdelly_auroraAurora (NO) @ Reykjavík Art Museum for Iceland Airwaves: The incredible voice radiating from this tiny 19-year old absolutely blew me away.

wackdelly_axelflovent.jpgAxel Flóvent (IS) @ Iceland Airwaves: It’s just a matter of time until Axel becomes huge. I know this to be true.

wackdelly_balthazarBalthazar (BE) @ Tractor Tavern: I’ve been following these Belgians since 2011 and finally saw them for the first time in 2012. They did a mini west coast US tour that included several performances at CMJ. There was barely anyone at this Monday night Tractor Tavern show and I have no idea why as overseas shows are sold out.

BrianaMarelaBriana Marela @ Neumos: Captivating! This chick radiates talent. (Photo source: 107.7 The End)

BRNSBRNS (BE) @ Iðnó for Iceland Airwaves: Equally vibrant beats and haunting ambience. (Photo source: BRNS fb)

DIIVDIIV @ Neumos: I could not miss this show and dragged my sleepy self out on a Monday night with pajamas under my raincoat. Nothing I love more than zoning out to a band that can perfect that shoegaze/dream pop in my ears. (Photo source: AMBY)

wackdelly_hikesHikes @ Spider House: Folk, nature-inspired math rock from a bunch of Austin youngins. Tryin to get them up to Seattle soon!

wackdelly_jeffthebrotherhoodJEFF The Brotherhood @ Crocodile: Rad. That is all.

wackdelly_joycut JoyCut (IT) @ Gaukurinn for Iceland Airwaves: I scouted out this band prior to SXSW and loved them so much I had partake again at Airwaves. Nice guys too.

StrandofOaks  Strand of Oaks @ Sasquatch: I’ve been following Timothy Showalter for years. After every one of his shows, I reach in my bag for a cigarette only to realize I don’t even smoke. Incredible live. (Photo source: Brittany Bollay // KEXP Blog)

TheBotsThe Bots @ Bumbershoot: These brothers stole the whole festival for me! (Photo source: The Bots)

wackdelly_therentalsThe Rentals @ Crocodile: Matt Sharp forever! Guy still has so much energy.

wackdelly_victimmentalityVictim Mentality @ SXSW: Listening to Victim Mentality, you will wonder if it’s for real. Yup, Korean glam metal at it’s finest! Don’t miss them at SXSW 2016!

WevalWeval (NL) @ Iceland Airwaves: Trip-hop greatness. (Photo source: Weval Fb)

wackdelly_yellerkinYellerkin @ SXSW: Eric and Wild Honey Pie always curate the best SXSW shows and Yellerkin was the cherry on top for me.

**Photos by Annie unless otherwise noted**
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2015 list

AAN, Ab-Soul, Acapulco Lips, Acid Tongue, Action Bronson, Airplane + Spaceship, Alcest, Alki, Allelujah Choir, Amina, Arthur James, Asonat, Atmosphere, Audur, Aurora, Axel Flóvent, Balthazar, Battles, Beirut (2), Belle and Sebastian, Big Data, Big Phony, Big Scary, Big Wild, Black Pistol Fire, Black Whales, BØRNS (2), Boyfrndz, Brand New, Brenda Xu, Brian O’Brien, Briana Marela, BRNS (2), Calliope Musicals, Cardiknox, Cell7, Chimurenga Renaissance, Chris Staples, Classixx, Cloud Nothings (2), Colony House, Courtney Barnett, Crater, Cuff Lynx, Dad Rocks!, Daktyl, Dan Bejar, Dances!, Danielson & The Nine Fruit Tree, Dear Boy, Death Cab for Cutie, Devotchka, DIIV (2), Dotan, Dude York, East India Youth, Edmund Wayne, Eliot Sumner, Elle King, Emily Donohue, Emma Ruth Rundle, Eugene Munro, Ex-Cops, Ex-Cult, Fantastic Negrito, Father John Misty, Fauna Shade, Five Iron Frenzy, Flosstradamus, Flume, For A Minor Reflection, Foxing, French for Rabbits, Gabriel Wolfchild, Gardens & Villa, Gateway Drugs, Girl Pool, Grave Babies (2), Grayson Erhard, Great Caesar, Great Mountain Fire, Group of the Altos, Gruska Babuska, Gunnar Jonsson Collider, GusGus, Health, Heather Maloney, Helado Negro, Helka, Heo, Hey Marseilles, Hikes, HimeHime, Hooves and Beak, Hunter Hunted, Icky Blossoms, Iska Dhaaf, Jacco Gardner, Jack Garratt, Jared and The Mill, JEFF The Brotherhood, Jenny Lewis, Jesse Macht, Jose Gonzalez, JoyCut (2), Jungle, Junius Meyvant, Kate Tempest, Kiasmos, Kim & Ryan of Smokey Brights, Kite String Tangle, Kris Orlowski, La Luz, La Priest, Lady Lamb, Lana Del Rey, Las Rosas, Lighthouse and the Whaler, LITE, Lonesome Shack, Lucy Rose, Mammut, Manatee Commune (2), Mansionair, Metalachi, Mia Dyson, Michael Lind, Midday Veil, Milky Chance, Milkywhale, Milo Greene, Minus The Bear, Modest Mouse, Moon Hooch, Morning Bear (2), Mother Mother, Murder Vibes (2), MXPX, Nahko And Medicine for the People, Newaxeyes, No Joy, Of Monsters and Men (2), On An On, Orla Gartland, Ought, Phox, Pictureplane, Pink Street Boys, Plain White T’s, Positive Disturbance, Public Service Broadcasting, Punch Brothers, Purfume Genius, Radiation City, Ratatat, Real Estate, Rey Pila, Reykjavikurdaetur, Roger Sellers, Royal Blood, Runaway Symphony, Ryn Weaver, Said The Whale, Sam Slater, San Cisco, San Fermin, San Juan, Sassyblack, Sekouia, Shana Cleveland & The Sandcastles, Shannon & The Clams, Shovels and Rope, Sin Fang, Siomha Brock, Sisters, Skylar Spence, Sleep Over, Slow Bird, Small Pools, Smokey Brights, Snooze Infinity, SOAK, Social Distortion, Soft Sleep, Song Sparrow Research, Spencer Glenn, SSDD, Stafreann Hakon, Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil, Strand of Oaks, Sufjan Stevens, Summer Heart, Swervedriver, Sylvan Esso, Talk in Tongues, Tallest Man on Earth, Teitur Magnusson, Temples, The Acorn, The Belle Game, The Bots, The Broods, The Cave Singers, The Decemberists, The DØ, The Ghosts, The Knocks, The Mighty Oaks, The Native Sibling, The Rentals, The Thoughts (3), The Velvet Teen, The White Buffalo, The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, The Zoltars, Thee Oh Sees, Thunderpussy, Timbre Barons, Tinnarose, Toe, Tomo Nakayama (2), Tonik Ensemble, Tracksuit Wedding, TTNG, Turbo Fruits, Twin Forks, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Until the Ribbon Breaks, Verite, Victim Mentality, Viet Cong, Vox Mod, Waxahatchee, We Are The Willows, Weaves, Wesen, Weval, Whitney Flinn (2), Wild Child, Will Butler, WMD, Wolf Alice, Woodpigeon, Woods, Yellerkin, Yolawolf, Young Buffalo, Yumi Zouma, Þórir Georg, Þórunn Antonía og Bjarni, other unknown artists (6)

Previous years: 2014 / 2013 / 2012 / 2011 / 2010

GABF 2015 Recap

The 2015 Great American Beer Fest has come and gone and has left me thirsty for next year. Our second year in attendance was pretty rad and we learned a lot from 2014. This year, we attended both Saturday sessions and did it smartly. I tasted and rated 113 brews out of over 3,700+ beers. We focused on new breweries and brews we can’t get in Seattle (looking at you Texas) and hit up a few old faithfuls like Firestone Walker (XVIII) and Ska Brewing (20th Anniversary Beer).

We were semi-unorganized newbies for GABF 2014 and filled that night with high ABV beers. This year we partied with mostly Sours, Saisons, Grisettes with the occasional Bourbon Barrel-aged something to the unique CBD infused IPA (kudos Dads & Dudes!).

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A few of the most memorable beers of the weekend:

  • Lake Tahoe Brewing Co (Carson City NV) – Fossy Fussy: 100% Brett fermented farmhouse style dry-hopped and aged with fresh ginger, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe and hibiscus. It was as tasty as it sounds!
  • Panther Island Brewing (Ft Worth TX) – Allergeez: We chatted with friendly Joe Chapa for a bit about this relatively new brewery and the booming brew bust of North Texas. This spiced delight won Silver in the ‘Herb & Spice’ category and a 4-star rating from me!
  • Ratio Beerworks (Denver CO) – Wicked Grin: We actually hit up this brewery on Friday night and they have a stellar line-up of saisons. My favorite being the plum saison. The lime gose is also great as we brought a bottle home with us. Still kicking myself for not buying two more.
  • Shorts Brewing (Bellaire MI) – Melt My Brain: One of my all-time favorite cocktails is a simple gin and tonic and this was on point with heavy juniper and slight gin.
  • Six Rivers Brewery (Mckinleyville CA) – Macadamia Nut Porter: This porter captured the essence of the macadamia beautifully! 4 STARS!
  • The Rare Barrel (Berkeley CA): We got back into this line 4 times to try them all, my favorites being the Home, Sour Home and Another World.
  • Zwanzigz Brewing (Columbus IN) – The Ticket Chocolate Beer: If it looks like a cow, but barks… is it really a cow? This is the lightest colored AND most chocolate-ly beer I ever tasted. I also love that the brewer named the Nvllivs In Verba brew after an episode of Cosmos.
  • 10 Barrel Brewing (Bend OR) – Cucumber Crush: Very refreshing Berliner Weisse with lots of cucumbers!

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A trip to Denver is never complete without a stop at Crooked Stave… Sunday’s tapping of the Nightmare on Brett in Port Barrels was excellent! A few tasties we brought home.

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SXSW 2015 Recap

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Always late to the party and this post is no different. Finally posting the South by Southwest 2015 recap. The whole vibe was very different this year but in a good way. The festival felt safer this year with added security (Thanks Austin PD!) and the people attending shows seemed like they really wanted to be there. While at the same time, people acted way more guarded. Good year overall though.

Over the course of 6 days and nights, I saw a total of 53 bands live (the Mr seeing 54 total). My favorite performances of the week were Hikes, Yellerkin, LITE, Fantastic Negrito, Mansionair and the Icky Blossoms (although I’ve seen lots, I can’t pass ’em up).

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THE GOOD // Way less people then last year clogging the streets // Bar owner (Matt, I think) let us in badge-less and for free to check out Cloud Nothings // The Wild Honey Pie showcases the best artists // Chips & spicy cream dip at // Rad staff and solid drinks at Rio Rita // Stellar dinner at Swift’s Attic // The Pale Dog with Simcoe Hops at Hops & Grain Brewing // Attending an Austin Sofar show and meeting fellow city coordinators // Roger Sellers‘ mustache

THE BAD // Ryn Weaver at Spotify House – unprofessional, needs hand-holding to work her equipment, possibly drunk, 20 minutes late to the stage while band was waiting. Girl needs to grow-up. // No Tyson’s Tacos, Bill Miller BBQ, or Whataburger for me this time around // Walking 20 blocks in Friday’s downpour just to completely miss a band that went on one hour before scheduled // Late night Cheetos pizza creation // And as always, missing sets from Cold Mailman, Be Forest, Quiet Kids, The Lighthouse and the Whaler, VIMES, Until the Ribbon Breaks and the other 100+ selections, but hopefully will see them in Seattle in the future!

THE MEH // Missing our reservation at Qui. Twice. // Flying back home on Saturday night, BUT it was nice to recoup all day Sunday!

Until next year SXSW…

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SXSW Past: 2014 // 2013 // 2012 // 2011 // 2010

SXSW 2015 Music Tips

It’s SXSW time and the months of preparing are now coming together oh so nicely! There are many friendly people sharing tips on twitter and music blogs that definitely should not be ignored. While I’m going on my 7th SXSW, it would have been nice to have tips at the very beginning. I’ve learned lots over the years, through trial and error and watching others mistakes. Here are a few more tips that I haven’t seen floating around.

Check out my 2011 and 2014 tips for the SXSW music portion too. See you there!

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1 :: Eat a hearty breakfast (or lunch depending on your wake-up time) to start the day. More days than not, breakfast is the only meal consumed as running around doesn’t lend much time to stop and eat. Also, a good breakfast base is key for the day and night of drinking ahead. I do carry almonds in my bag to get me through until a random taco truck appears.

2 :: Be prepared with stuff you foresee needing. A jacket for the bipolar Texas weather, sunscreen to keep those tattoos bright, and travel Kleenex for the ladies. I don’t think toilet paper exists at SXSW.

3 :: Watch your drinks. You don’t want to be slipped something unpleasant. It happened to me once (not at SXSW) and sucks big time.

4 :: Earplugs! EarPLUGS! EARPLUGS! I’ve been into live music for over half my existence and just started wearing earplugs in my early 30’s. Protect your hearing now, kids! [end of PSA]

5 :: I state this a lot, but here goes again… do not see the huge acts! This is one of the reasons why I avoid Fader Fort and stages shaped like vending machines like the plague.

6 :: Be weird and have fun. Follow Bill Murray into that elevator. Hang out with those DJs in the park at 3am. Flirt with that door guy to get into a badge only showcase. Make forever friends. Whatever.

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All photos by Annie ~ more photos here

SXSW 2015 Music Selections, part 3 :: Seattle

I love seeing Seattle bands make the trek down to Austin for SXSW. Here are a handful of my local favorites that you should check out!

Hey Marseilles, La Luz, Manatee Commune, Motopony, Odesza, THEESatisfaction

 

 

 

SXSW 2015 Music Selections, part 2

While checking out almost all of the showcasing artists, sometimes you stumble on a great 80’s glam-metal band from South Korea that you put on your SXSW list purely just to see to believe… Victim Mentality.

SXSW 2015 Music Selections, part 1

It’s that time of year! We have been listening and enjoying fresh new bands since the first lineup announcements last Fall. This is only a handful of the bands in our ‘yes’ column. If you enjoy the artists, be sure to check em out at SXSW or touring in your town soon. Adding more artists daily, or when I remember!

 

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SXSW 2014 :: SXSW 2012 :: SXSW 2011

Wackdelly’s 14 Favorite Live Shows of 2014

Another year, another reflection on the past year of exploring new bands and artists.

2014 Breakdown :: at least 232 live bands :: est annual cost of $936 :: March was the loudest month (48) :: December was the most quiet month (3)

Jungle @ Spotify House (Austin – SXSW) 3/11/14

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Mutual Benefit @ Spotify House (Austin – SXSW) 3/12/14

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Team Me @ Cheers Shot Bar Rooftop (Austin – SXSW) 3/12/14

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Public Service Broadcasting @ Latitude 30 (Austin – SXSW) 3/13/14

Coldair @ Sunset Tavern – Seattle 4/1/14

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The Melodic @ Sunset Tavern – Seattle 4/14/14

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Washed Out @ Sasquatch – Quincy WA 5/24/14

The Notwist @ Neumos – Seattle 7/5/14

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Brothertiger @ Sunset Tavern – Seattle 7/17/14

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Manatee Commune @ Neumos (Seattle – CHBP) 7/27/14

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Valley Maker @ Neumos (Seattle – CHBP) 7/27/14

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Jacco Gardner @ Bumbershoot – Seattle 9/1/14

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Tomo Nakayama @ Hairstream – Seattle 11/4/14

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Nils Frahm @ Mississippi Studios – Portland 11/9/14

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2014 Bands

Air Traffic Controller, American Football, Bad Things, BADBADNOTSOGOOD, Barcelona, Bearcubbin’ (x2), Bellamaine, Beverly, Big Phony, Black Violin, Boyfrndz (x2), Brothertiger, Cabana, Capital Cities, Cataldo (x2), Chance the Rapper, Chet Faker, Chris Brokaw, Chris Staples, Christopher Paul Stelling, Chromeo, City and Colour, Classixx, Cleanup, Cloud Control, COHO, Cold Specks, Coldair, Craft Spells, Crystal Fighters, Cumulus, Cymbals, Dads, Damien Jurado, Dana Buoy, Dark Rooms, DEMS, Douglas Dare, Dresses, The Drums, Dub FX, Dude York, Each & All, Edmund Wayne, Emery, Emma Ruth Rundle, Falls, Fenster, First Aid Kit, Fly Moon Royalty (x2), Foster the People, Foy Vance, Gentlemen Hall, Gold & Youth, Golden Gardens, Goodbye Heart, Great Good Fine Ok, Haim, Hand of the Hills, Hermigervill, Hey Marseilles, Highdrops, Hip Hatchet, Holychild, How Sad, Hozier (x2), Hundred Waters, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Iska Dhaaf, Jacco Gardner, Jel, Jesse Morrow, Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas, Julianna Barwick, Julie Byrne, Jungle, Junius Meyvant, Kins, Kishi Bashi (x2), La Luz, Lemolo, Liiight, Lonesome Shack, M.I.A., Manatee Commune (x2), Marmalakes, Matt & Kim, mewithoutYou (x2), Mission of Burma, MØ, Mogwai, Mr Little Jeans, Mutual Benefit (x2), Mylets, Nada Surf (x2), Neon Trees, Neutral Milk Hotel, Night Beats, Nils Frahm (x2), Oberhofer, Odesza, Of the City, Owl Eyes, Panda Bear, Papa, Parquet Courts, Phosphorescent, Plume Giant, Polka, Poolside, Portugal. The Man, Public Service Broadcasting, Pure Bathing Culture, Queens of the Stone Age, RA Scion, RAC, Rainbow Wolves, Ravenna Woods, Real Estate, Rhett Miller, Robert DeLong, Rodriguez, Rose Windows, Rufus Du Sol, San Fermin (x2), Sandrider, Say Hi, Scarves, Seattle Rock Orchestra (String Quintet), Seekae, Shakey Graves (x2), Shannon Stephens, Sin Fang, Sir Sly, Sisters, Slow Bird, Slow Magic, Small Black (x2), Smokey Brights, SOHN (x2), SOL, Soley, Son Lux, Sondre Lerche, Sour Notes, Spoon, Spring Standards, St Paul De Vence, Star Slinger, Streets of Laredo, Sun Club, Syd Arthur, Sylvan Esso (x2), Tangerine, Tanlines, Team Me, Tei Shi, Telekinesis, The Both, The Cave Singers, The Chain Gang of 1974, The Classic Crime, The Colourist, The Comettes, The Dismemberment Plan, The Domestics, The Flavr Blue, The Griswolds, The Hoot Hoots, The Lonely Forest (x2), The Melodic, The Notwist, The Replacements, The Waylayers, The World is a Dark Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die, The Wytches, Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra, Tiny Moving Parts, Tokimonsta, Tomo Nakayama (x3), Tomten, Torres, Touche Amore, Tourist, Tove Lo, TTNG, TV Girl, Twin Shadow, Tyler the Creator, USF, Valerie June, Valley Maker (x3), Violent Femmes, Walk The Moon, Washed Out, Watsky, Waxahatchee, We Are Scientists, Western Haunts, Wet (x2), White Lightning, Wild Ones (x2), Wrinkles, X Suns, xxyyxx, Yellow Ostrich, Zachary Meyers

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Previous years

2013 :: 2012 :: 2011 :: 2010

Q&A: Tomo Nakayama Talks New Solo Album and the Importance of Community in Seattle

A staple in the Seattle music scene, multi-instrumentalist Tomo Nakayama, emerges with a solo album after several successful years leading chamber pop band, Grand Hallway. I interviewed Tomo for a music writing class and decided to share it with the release of his first solo album, Fog On The Lens, out today! Buy it here or see him live at one (or more) of his 14 shows in one day.

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How did your approach to the upcoming album, Fog On The Lens, differ from previous Grand Hallway recordings?

I played all the instruments myself and my friend, Yuuki Matthews of the Shins, added some keyboards and synthesizers and the mixing process so it’s mostly just me working by myself and engineering everything. I recorded it during my residency at Town Hall this Spring. I used the building as a recording studio and a lot of ways it’s like approaching it like a bedroom record.

Like a really big bedroom?

[Laughs] Yeah, like a really big bedroom. So it’s got that kind of intimacy and immediacy that I think you can get from a home demo with a bigger sound. It’s cool. I got to work a lot faster than collaborating with six other people, which is really fun but wanted to try something a little more raw and not as thought-out, I guess.

Is that why you went from releasing it under Grand Hallway and under your own name?

I already made the decision at that point that I wanted to do things on my own. We’ve been doing Grand Hallway for six years and I loved everybody. I’m still friends with everyone in the band. A couple of us had kids and I got married and we all just started living separate lives outside of the band. Also being in a band is fun but is like a small business. You have to operate like a business and it’s like being in a marriage with a lot of personal work and a lot of energy that isn’t necessarily spent on creative pursuits but more on maintaining your place in the scene and getting your name out there, marketing your work. That part wasn’t as fun to me.

Did you work with Yuuki Matthews prior to this new solo album?

No, I’ve always been a huge fan of his music. We actually went to the same middle school and high school but he was always a year ahead of me so we weren’t really friends. I kinda followed his career around and went to his shows and always thought he was like the cool kid. We talked for a long time about doing something together. Recently he thought about going into producing and mixing other people’s music so he reached out to me when he found out that I was doing this album on my own and offered help mixing the tracks. It was perfect timing and happened really organically and I think b/c we grew up listening to so much of the same music and had a lot of similar experiences, we’re both half Japanese and have the cultural reference points. It was like the easiest mixing process I’ve ever gone through.

What made you decide to do 14 shows in one day?

It’s 8am to 11pm. The first show is an in-studio at KEXP. It just started b/c I was really tired of the marketing and logistical aspects of being in a band and how to sell yourself, you know? The thought of putting on a show and worrying about selling tickets and putting a band together didn’t really appeal to me. I was thinking about the best musical experiences I’ve had the last couple years and they were all really small at places like cafes and house shows where either I knew everybody or I did a small show on the East Coast last fall and I was just playing these tiny shows in spaces like this and didn’t know the people in the audience but I could see their faces and them listening. There was back and forth between songs and people felt free to talk and want to create that intimacy at my shows so instead of putting on big show, maybe I’ll do a couple small ones.

So I booked an in-store at Sonic Boom and then Zach at Porchlight mentioned a party at Hilliard’s and they were really into it so that sounds fun. And b/c Porchlight is also a coffeehouse maybe we should do one in the morning. We had all these hours in between so then it became, what if we play four shows? Everyone I kept telling would have another place to suggest and then the more I started thinking about it, it made sense. I want to celebrate local businesses and people that are actually going to stores interacting with people who run the businesses. Human connections get lost when you’re just posting a link to bandcamp. I started thinking about music and the value and the role that it plays in people’s lives.

Are you playing the same set at each location?

No. It’s gonna be mixed up. The way I usually approach shows is that I never write a set list down. I play whatever comes to mind. If I see someone in the audience that reminds me of a song or if I hear a conversation that’s related to something I’m about to play, I’ll just switch it around.

Yuuki is cool with that too?

Yeah, that’s what’s cool about him. He’s just really go with the flow and into it and that’s hard to find. Some people like to be really structured and work really hard on their craft, which is a total valid way of doing things too but I’m just kinda manic [Laughs]. I think it will be fun. I’m trying to re-learn some older songs and covers and maybe throw that in there just to amuse ourselves.

When you were at the artist residency, you were there for 3 months. How was that experience?

Yes, but I wasn’t living there. They gave me the keys to the building and had events there almost every night but during the day and after the events I could use it. Often times, I treated it like a 9-to-5 job. I’d wake up in the morning and go there, hang out. I didn’t do too much writing during that time. I played a little piano, read some books, walked around the neighborhood a bunch, went to the library a lot, museums too. At night I would show up. I’m kind of a night owl. I was struggling with that. When I got married a couple years ago. My wife has two kids so there’s other people in the house so I can’t always wake up at 2 in the morning so it was kinda like relearning the creative process and this was a nice way to get back into it. If I felt creative in the middle of the night, I had a place to go.

How do you feel Seattle has influenced your music?

I was born in Japan and moved here when I was 8. I grew up in Bellevue. For a while there wasn’t any all ages music in Seattle. So a lot of the really cool all ages stuff was happening on the east side, the Redmond Firehouse and Ground Zero, late 90’s early 2000s. There was a lot of really creative outside the box musicians coming out where I grew up so that was really influential. The geography of the place, just being surrounded by water and trees. Everytime I go on tour, I come back and appreciate the Northwest a little bit more. It really is a beautiful place. I like the bay area but it’s different. We have seasons here and it comes out in the lyrics. I’ve heard people say that my music reminds them of Seattle. I talked to someone at a show in New York who had never heard my music before and she said she just moved there from Everett and my songs made her homesick for Everett. I don’t sing specifically about Seattle but something about it is interesting. I can sorta see that. It’s like a mellowness or just an openness to Seattle. The pace of life is a little different. But it’s also peaceful. And people are a lot more willing to collaborate on stuff. There’s a really nice community of musicians here that play on each other’s records. It’s the same that I’ve found with the film world. Even photography is like that too. It feels that way because everyone knows everyone’s work.

You have a new album coming out November 4th, but do you have plans for after that? Any more acting?

That was like a really weird. That was fun. Lynn basically wrote that part for me so I can’t see that particular set of circumstances happening again any time soon. But I’m working on scoring a film for a director out in Georgia and that’s supposed to shoot this Fall so I’ll be writing music for it next year. I’d like to do acting, I enjoyed it but I didn’t enjoy the other stuff that comes with it. I went to Sundance and got to do the whole press junket business with the rest of the cast [for Touchy Feely] which I wasn’t prepared for because I just went down there to watch the movie. They said “well you’re here, let’s go talk to Entertainment Weekly.” [Laughs] That’s a whole different world.

 

Music Monday: Team Me

teammeTeam Me

Local artist to: Elverum Norway

RIYL: Freelance Whales, Grouplove, Highasakite, Indie Pop

Another score for the SXSW scouting as this show was on a cheerful rooftop on 6th Street and was one of my favorite performances of the week. Team Me is a pop band from Norway. Their 2011 debut album To the Treetops! won the Norwegian Grammy Awards in 2011 for “Best Pop Group of the Year.” They have performed at music festivals from Iceland Airwaves to the Great Escape Fest and more in between. The group is currently recording their second album, which hopefully will be released in 2014. With a new album, I hope another US tour is included! -Annie

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Music Monday: Motopony

Music Monday: He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister

Music Monday: The Melodic

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The Melodic

Local artist to: United Kingdom

RIYL: Tunng, Simon & Garfunkel, Indie-pop, Folk

This quietly refreshing group from across the pond got my attention before SXSW but time was not on our side during the crazy-packed festival. However they played a sweet little set at The Sunset Tavern in Seattle a month later and on my birthday! Months later, I still haven’t put this lovely album to bed yet. Nor do I plan to anytime soon!

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Music Monday: Balthazar

Music Monday: The Robot Heart

Music Monday: The Colourist

colouristThe Colourist

Local artist to: Orange County California

RIYL: Indie Rock, Pop, Echosmith, HAERTS

Touring in Seattle: Friday 4/11/14 at Tractor Tavern

The Colourist first stumbled upon one another in an underused warehouse in Orange County, CA, where Adam and Maya discovered the harmonic chemistry that has come to define the band’s bright and anthemic signature sound.

Having spent much of 2012 honing their live show with the likes of Grouplove, Electric Guest and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., The Colourist begin 2013 holed up in a small studio in Southern California. It’s there that Adam Castilla (vocals, guitar), Maya Tuttle (drums, vocals), Kollin Johannsen (guitar, bass), and Justin Wagner (bass, keys) committed their pop-fueled, indie-bred rock to tape before embarking on their first tour which included appearances at Coachella along with support shows with Metric and Youngblood Hawke and Atlas Genius. source

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Music Monday: Parlovr

Music Monday: Fenster

Music Monday: Float Fall

ff2Float Fall

Local artist to: Leuven Belgium

RIYL: The XXDresses, Dream Pop, Male-Female duo

Odes to some far and vague past, attended by grey organs and old strings, delivered by a horn and raw electronica. That cool quiet just before faith hits. However filled with suppressed nostalgia, they keep looking towards the future. They, that’s Float Fall.
A duo that succeeds in taming the silence and dreaming dreams until everything turns out all right just once more. Rozanne Descheemaekers’ voice guides you straight through the freezing tracks, but afterwards quietly snuggles up to the hoarse vocals of Ruben Lefever.
Float Fall’s songs make you move into another world, one lacking any final description, but a good place to be nonetheless. A place where the dull rustle of the past gets its second chance. Right up to the moment that dream and reality collide. source

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Music Monday: Balthazar

Music Monday: Sóley