New Zealand pop star Kimbra played a sold-out show at Neumos, after being away from Seattle for three long years. The stop was near the end of her Primal Heart tour – the same name as her new album to be released in April. Backed by keyboards and guitar, Kimbra played her own array of electronic musical gadgets. Although she drew from mostly newer material, she mixed in several older songs with a new sound. Rhode Island-based Arc Iris, fronted by Jocie Adams, opened.
Kimbra
Arc Iris
Show Preview: Shame @ Chop Suey, Tues. 2/20
~Dagmar
Shame
A few weeks ago, I got a press release on this London band called Shame, and looked them up immediately to find out more. Their extremely well-reviewed (deservedly so) debut album, Songs of Praise, features the band holding piglets on the cover. That continued to draw me in, because that’s just adorable. But how is their music? It’s masculine, direct and it’s fantastic. There are sexy songs but no love songs (except that last track, “Angie,” that’s kind of romantic?). Describing themselves as “music for the weak,” Shame released what will be one of the very best albums of the year with Songs of Praise. It’s only mid-February, but I know I am right about this.
Placing bands in genres can be tricky, though I would put them strongly, as most people who hear them would, in the indie/punk areas. Post-punk? I guess, but Shame, more than any band I have heard in ages, sound like proper punk music that’s incorporated noises from the ’80s-on, more than the other way around. Ultimately, they sound incredibly awesome.
Judah & the Lion w/ Colony House & Tall Heights @ Showbox SoDo, 2/16/17
~ John Rudolph
Judah & the Lion
Promoting the May 2017 release of their sophomore album, FOLK HOP N’ ROLL, Judah & the Lion played to a packed house at Showbox SoDo. The young and mostly female crowd sang and danced to every song enthusiastically.
I first covered Judah & the Lion when they opened for Kaleo last year. During that show I could see how talented they were, and I knew they would be going places. I enjoyed them almost as much as I did Kaleo. Since then, they have tightened up their performance and they now deserve to be the headliner.
As much as I liked their music, I loved their message. Judah grabbed the stage and stated, “No matter your background, not matter your religion, or your political beliefs, you are all welcome here.” That was so refreshing in the uncertain global political climate.
Judah & the Lion
Colony House
Tall Heights
All Photos by John Rudolph
Sound Off! 2018 @ MoPOP, 2/9/18
Photos by Simon Krane
Strawberry Mountain
Seattle’s psychedelic rock five-piece Strawberry Mountain came in first place in Sound Off! Semifinals #1. The semifinals, held on February 9th, included three additional Northwest acts: Dreadlight, Jawzilla, and Maiah Wynne. Congrats to them as well for getting those competition spots! By the way, Strawberry Mountain just debuted a snazzy new band T-shirt on its Bandcamp. Maiah Wynne grabbed the second place in the Semifinals, so she’s a possible wild card in the finals!
Sound Off! Semifinals # 2 takes place on Friday, February 16th at 7:00 PM at MoPOP.
Strawberry Mountain
Maiah Wynne
Dreadlight
Jawzilla
Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit – fronted by Johanna (bass) and Klara Söderberg (guitar) – played a sold-out show at the Moore Theatre. The sisters and their three-member backing band are on the road in support of their recently released, fourth studio album, Ruins. To the delight of the Seattle audience, they played “Crazy On You” by another sister band – Heart. Van William opened and joined First Aid Kit during the encore.
First Aid Kit
Van William