Pop duo KTJ & CARLY joined the west coast leg of IDER’s North American tour last week and made a stop at Madame Lou’s, one of several stages at the legendary Crocodile. The identical twins – Katie and Carly – have been performing together for five years and were on the road in support of their most recent album, Forever Young. The sisters’ beautiful harmonies and original songs won over a large group of new fans that evening.
Neptune Theatre, April 9, 2025 – In a night of relentless energy and genre-blurring sound, Japanese metalcore phenoms Hanabie. and Australian genre-bender Kim Dracula delivered an unforgettable co-headlining show to a sold-out Seattle crowd. Joining them was Philadelphia’s emotional hardcore outfit Kaonashi, setting the tone for an evening of chaotic brilliance.
The Neptune was buzzing before the first note rang out. Kaonashi opened the show, blending vulnerability and raw aggression with a mix of older material and their latest single, “When I Say,” which officially dropped worldwide just hours after their set. In a surprise twist midway through their performance, the band briefly exited the stage, only to return donning quirky costume accessories, jokingly announcing themselves as “Hanabie.” before launching into the final few songs. The crowd lapped up the playful energy.
Kim Dracula followed, though not from where fans expected. As the lights dimmed, a voice over the PA asked the crowd to part down the middle of the floor. Suddenly, Kim Dracula emerged from the back of the house, striding through the audience like a theatrical antihero en route to the stage. Fans erupted as the set kicked off.
Known for their unpredictable fusion of metal, trap, and theatrics, Kim Dracula did not disappoint. The set included hits such as “Paparazzi,” “Seventy Thorns,” “Drown,” and a fierce cover of Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow,” a fitting nod to Seattle’s grunge legacy. The mosh pit barely took a breath, fueled by an hour of sonic assault and spectacle.
Then came Hanabie., whose contrasting aesthetic, bright, colorful visuals and hyperenergetic choreography, created a euphoric end to the night. One by one, the members took the stage to greet fans, who responded with deafening cheers. The band wasted no time, launching into “O・TA・KU Lovely Densetsu” with unstoppable momentum.
Unlike Kim Dracula’s brooding atmosphere, Hanabie. lit up the stage, literally, with brilliant lighting and infectious energy. Their setlist was packed with fan-favorites, including “Bucchigiri Tokyo,” “Reiwa Dating Apps Generation” and “Drastic Nadeshiko.” High-flying jumps, precision instrumentation and nonstop crowd engagement turned the venue into a carnival of chaos and joy.
Seattle got more than a concert, it got a full-sensory experience. With the North American leg of the tour now wrapped, fans across the country will be talking about this triple-threat performance for months. If you missed it, don’t make the same mistake twice. Catch these genre-breaking artists next time they storm a stage near you.
British pop/rock duo IDER headlined at Madame Lou’s last week, the 2nd show of their 10-city Late To The World Tour. Singer-songwriters Lily Somerville and Meg Markwick gave a powerful performance to an enthusiastic crowd that packed the venue. The two harmonized beautifully while they alternated between guitar and keys, and were backed by drummer Max. LA-based, identical twin sisters KTJ & CARLY opened.
SXSW 2025 Day 6 – A combination of official showcases and day party performances at the six-day SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas. Photos by Kirk Stauffer
The art-pop band Rubblebucket performing on stage at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle, Washington.
In a triumphant return to the stage, Brooklyn art-pop virtuosos Rubblebucket delivered a transcendent sonic odyssey at the Neptune Theatre, marking an electrifying renaissance after Annakalmia Traver and Alex Toth’s hiatus to pursue solo ventures and navigate personal health journeys.
The duo’s chemistry, a complex amalgam of brass-infused psychedelia and art-pop ingenuity, proved not only intact but seemingly fortified by their time apart. Traver’s unmistakable vocal acrobatics soared above Toth’s meticulously crafted horn arrangements, creating sonic textures that felt simultaneously familiar and boldly reinvented. In a scene that felt both cathartic and celebratory, the indie-dance polymaths Rubblebucket reclaimed their rightful place in the musical stratosphere at Seattle’s own Neptune Theatre.
