Singer-songwriter Remy Bond headlined at Madame Lou’s during a stop on her The Star Shaped Baby Tour. Flanked by two dancers and accompanied by a three-member backing band, Remy’s energetic performance had the crowd screaming, singing along, and begging for more. One of the many highlights of the nostalgic show included Remy climbing into a huge martin glass and singing “Atlantic City”. Many of the girls in the audience were Remy lookalikes with vintage dresses and hibiscus flowers in their hair. Remy’s sister, Olivia Bond, dressed as a genie, opened.
Drive By Truckers and Deer Tick delivered a show to delight the most ardent and discriminating of guitar devotees Friday night at Marymoor Park in Redmond. While the bands vary significantly in terms of tone and content, they both worship at the altar of The Big Guitar & Roaring Amp and cater to a crowd that shares their passion for biting solos and chunky rhythms. Threatening weather may have thinned the crowd a bit as the venue appeared to be at about half capacity but the fans that chose to brave the elements were rewarded with excellent sets from both artists.
Drive By Truckers are not your father’s southern rock band but they clearly draw musical inspiration from that genre’s tried and true heavy hitters. While the Trucker’s lyrics lean progressive politically, the sound of the band owes much to Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers and a host of lesser artists generally identified as ‘southern rock’. The Truckers also proudly (and transparently) wear their Rolling Stones influences on their fringed and denim sleeves. With two talented songwriters in the band, DBT usually alternates between the co-leader’s tunes, one for Mike Cooley, then one from Patterson Hood. Cooley’s songs tend toward gritty slice o’ southern life tales while Hood is the more overtly topical writer of the two. Not to be dismissed or shortchanged is 3rd guitarist and keyboard player Jay Gonzalez (also an excellent harmony singer). His contributions go a long way toward rounding out the band’s live attack. Perennially smiling Matt Brown is ever solid on bass and longtime Truckers drummer Brad Morgan is at home keeping time on driving rockers, country-tinged shuffles and everything in between.
On their last swing through town (2024) the Truckers played their landmark 2001 release, Southern Rock Opera, in its entirety. While I enjoyed the chancce to experience SRO in a live setting, I missed hearing the band play a wider and more varied selection of tunes from their deep catalog. That itch was scratched Friday as the band played a long and varied set drawing from all phases of their career. Highlights included a brooding and edgy version of ‘Hell No I Ain’t Happy’, a stinging take on Cooley’s border/deportation tale ‘Ramon Casiano’, and a torrid cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Adam Raised a Cain’.
Rhode Island’s Deer Tick turned in a solid and well received performance to set the plate for the Drive By Truckers. This was our second time catching Deer Tick (the first being an opening slot for Jason Isbell at a Zoo show a couple years back). The band drew from last year’s ‘Contractual Obligations’ lp as well as selections from throughout their two decade career with a blazing Warren Zevon cover (‘Play It All Night Long’) thrown in for good measure. Deer Tick is a talented band and a terrific live act. I would absolutely make the effort to see them headline a show if such a thing came to pass.
The Melvins and Napalm Death brought their most recent traveling metal extravaganza to a sold out Showbox last week for a cathartic night of loud and aggressive rock & roll. Australia’s Hard On’s opened the show with a well-received set of snappy punk/metal.
The tour was billed as a co-headlining affair with Napalm Death taking the stage last but I’d be willing to bet that a disproportionate number of attendees were there for the Melvins. Montesano’s finest was in excellent form with a second drummer (Coady Willis, of High On Fire and Big Business) on hand to add an extra dose of wallop to what has always been an absolutely crushing live act. Their set began with a synchronized drum intro with OG Melvins drummer Dale Crover and Willis pounding out a martial pattern that eventually led into ‘Working the Ditch’ from 2024’s ‘Tarantula Heart’. When Melvins maestro/guitar strangler/songwriter/frontman King Buzzo (aka Roger ‘Buzz’ Osborne) and Steven Shane MacDonald (of Redd Kross) joined the fray on guitar and bass respectively, the crowd roared and the room shook.
The Melvins drew from all phases of their long career during their satisfying set but avoided material from their most recent release, ‘Thunderball’. I’ve seen a lot of Melvins shows with a lot of different lineups (including the 2017 double bass tour with JD Pinkus of the Butthole Surfers) but I think this may have been my favorite outing to date. The crowd seemed to feel the same, demonstrating their appreciation with loud applause and an active pit. It should be acknowledged that the staff at the Showbox does an admirable job of helping crowd surfers safely navigate the barricade in front of the stage, providing excited and sweaty fans with a bottle of water before sending them back into the crowd.
Manchester England’s Napalm Death closed the show with an exciting and energetic set, mixing guitarist John Cooke’s sledgehammer riffs with frontman Barney Greenway’s guttural vocals. I will confess to not being able to decipher all of what Greenway was raging about during Napalm Death’s tunes but, judging from his between song banter, I feel safe assuming that it was primarily political in nature. Regardless, it made for a potent mix of instrumental heaviness crossed with an innervating and enjoyable stage presentation. I would absolutely make the effort to see Napalm Death again.
The show was opened by a fun and fast set from the Hard Ons. While the core of the band comes from Australia they’re being assisted vocally on this tour by Jerry Lang (aka ‘Jerry A’), formerly of Portland’s fondly remembered ‘Poison Idea’.
BANKS Launches ‘Off With Her Head’ Tour in Seattle With Cinematic Flair and Emotional Power
SEATTLE (June 4, 2025) – American singer-songwriter BANKS officially launched her Off With Her Head North American tour Wednesday night at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre, delivering an electrifying and emotionally charged performance that set the bar high for the rest of the tour. Opening support came from rising British artist Absolutely, whose gripping stage presence and inventive production stunned the crowd and signaled a promising start to the evening.
The night began with Absolutely, a British singer-songwriter whose résumé includes collaborations with major artists such as Tinashe, Rudimental, Tiesto and Louis The Child, along with songwriting credits for Normani, David Guetta and Anitta. While she may be the younger sister of powerhouse RAYE, Absolutely needs no introduction once she steps into the spotlight.
To many in the crowd, she was a new name. But by the end of her set, she had the audience firmly in her grasp. Performing songs from her 2023 album Cerebrum, as well as the upcoming single Goodbye Glitter, set to release June 13th, she also gave fans a glimpse of unreleased material slated for later this year. Each track was delivered with artistic clarity and powerful vocals.
By the time she left the stage, Absolutely had turned intrigue into admiration, establishing herself as an artist to watch closely.
When BANKS took the stage, anticipation was thick in the air. Fans had been buzzing before the show, eager to hear both new material and long-beloved hits from her catalog. She did not disappoint.
Her performance began with her seated in a transparent chair center stage, lit solely by an overhead spotlight. Later, a front spotlight joined to further illuminate her haunting presence. Dressed in a lace mini dress with a long train that swept to her left side, thigh-high lace-up boots and a white choker, she moved gracefully with a white mask in hand, using it as a choreographed prop that turned the opening into a performance art piece.
Launching her set with commanding presence, BANKS delivered a 16-track main set that drew heavily from her new album Off With Her Head, along with fan favorites from Goddess, The Altar and III. Fans’ anticipation was rewarded early with a powerful rendition of “Drowning,” one of the most discussed tracks among the crowd before the show began.
Songs from Off With Her Head included “Delulu,” “I Hate Your Ex-Girlfriend,” “Stay,” “Love Is Unkind,” and “River,” among others. One major highlight was the live debut of “Make It Up,” met with a wave of excitement from the audience.
Her stage design was stark yet sophisticated. A black grand piano rested on a riser, a digital backdrop displayed her name and shifting visuals, and floor-level strobes were positioned strategically across the stage. The lighting was a character of its own, moving through white, deep blues, flashes of yellow and purple, and rich magenta and crimson, each hue enhancing the emotional contour of her performance.
BANKS moved with effortless control. She drifted across the stage, danced with abandon, waved to adoring fans and at one point performed atop the piano. She also sat to play it, spotlighted in a moment of quiet intimacy.
In a special moment between songs, she revealed to the crowd that she has relocated to Seattle, news that sparked thunderous cheers and made the night feel even more personal to her Pacific Northwest fans.
The main set closed with high energy, and she returned for an encore featuring two beloved tracks: “Waiting Game” and “Beggin for Thread.”
Overall, the opening night of the Off With Her Head North American tour was a masterclass in immersive live performance. From the production design to vocal delivery, BANKS reminded her audience why she continues to be a vital and evolving voice in alternative pop.
Her next performance takes place June 6th in San Francisco. This tour is not one to miss.
