Artist: Selena Gomez & Phantoms
Song/Video: “Good for You”
Why You Want to Listen/Watch: Why not? This is a great sing co-written by Gomez. Sexy by itself, LA’s Phantoms give “Good for You” some electronic sleaze.
Details: The video is pretty, focusing on Selena Gomez. Phantoms come to Seattle on December 18th, while Gomez’s Revival Tour hits Seattle on May 13th at KeyArena.
Marilyn Manson @ the Showbox, 3/15
Show Review & Photos by Dagmar
Marilyn Manson
When I went to Marilyn Manson’s show this spring, I tried to go into it with a total blank slate. That is, to ignore what his fans or detractors say about him. It was hard to do, for few artists have such aggressive proponents and opponents. And Manson’s never been subtle; the name alone recalls two American figures, one beautiful, the other horrible. But behind Manson’s visual artistry, the futuristic, the androgynous, the glam, the outrageousness is an actual musician. Behind that shock is excellent music.
It’s now nearly two decades since the release of Antichrist Superstar, Manson’s real breakthrough album. Most people, when they think of Manson, would think of that album’s track “The Beautiful People.” Between Antichrist Superstar, and his current album, The Pale Emperor, are seven albums. In June 2015 Manson won a lifetime achievement award from Kerrang!. Hardworking and creative, Manson absolutely deserves high recognition as a rock presence. The Pale Emperor showcases Manson’s vocals perfectly, and I was thrilled to hear his voice sound so great that evening at the Showbox. He is a singer, a wonderful singer. To hear that voice in that very red-lit venue really was awesome. The reverential audience was totally into the show. When I took photos, I really couldn’t believe I was less than a foot away from Manson. Okay, I am a fan.
Manson’s set list took tracks predominantly from The Pale Emperor, with “Deep Six, “Cupid Carries a Gun,” and “Third Day of a Seven Day Binge” standing out as real winners, plus the Golden Age of Grotesque‘s brilliant “mOBSCENE,” and Mechanical Animals “Dope Show” both prompting goth glee. A cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” was immensely well received, as was the gripping “Coma White.” Marilyn Manson, a titillating rock star, will finish The Hell Not Hallelujah Tour in Europe next month. Please return to Seattle very soon.
Marilyn Manson
More Photos of Marilyn Manson @ Showbox at the Market
Set List:
Deep Six (The Pale Emperor)
Disposable Teens (Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death))
mOBSCENE (The Golden Age of Grotesque)
No Reflection (Born Villain)
Killing Strangers (The Pale Emperor)
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (Smells Like Children)
Cupid Carries a Gun (The Pale Emperor)
Rock Is Dead (Mechanical Animals)
The Dope Show (Mechanical Animals)
Third Day of a Seven Day Binge (The Pale Emperor)
Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode Cover) (Lest We Forget: The Best Of)
This Is the New Shit (The Golden Age of the Grotesque)
The Beautiful People (Antichrist Superstar)
Irresponsible Hate Anthem (Antichrist Superstar)
Encore:
Coma White (Mechanical Animals)
Swedish folk/indie artist the Tallest Man on Earth was the headliner on an August evening at the Moore. Kristian Matsson (that’s the Tallest Man on Earth’s real name), a singer-songwriter with a moving voice, recently performed a lovely rendition of Annie Lennox’s “No More “I Love You’s” for MyMusicRx, a web site that shares music with ill children. The Tallest Man on Earth brought Lady Lamb along for his Seattle date.
All photos by Tino Tran:
The Tallest Man on Earth
Lady Lamb
Battles @ the Neptune, 10/7/15
Show Review & Photos by Dagmar
Battles‘ Ian Williams
New York’s Battles played with huge energy during their set at the Neptune on October 7th. Each moment of the show put many audience members in a trance of hopping around; those who didn’t hop also looked very focused. Again, the energy was massive. So much happens during any Battles song your mind slows down and speeds up by command of any given song’s moments. Electronic mind control? Maybe, in a way.
The trio had an intricacy yet coolness about them that made them entertaining. Experts on drum set configuration will correct me, I am sure, but drummer John Stanier’s set up sure seems unique. Stanier’s work, incredible to watch, makes drumming something so beautiful you’re forgiven if you forget drum’s usual background support. The beat leads Battles.
Original band members Dave Konopka and Ian Williams likewise created peculiar, intense sounds with synth, guitars, and fiddling around with buttons. That’s a layperson’s way of figuring out what is happening with all those pedals the group used to mix into the atmosphere: sounds such as a frenetic “Dot Net,” and its response, the jazzy “Dot Com;” a wiggly “The Yabba,” stimulating tracks “Tyne Wear,” “FF Bada,” and “Futura;” and the extraordinary “Atlas.” During the encore, Seattle’s Shabazz Palaces made an appearance. Most of the evening’s set drew from new album La Di Da Di, one of my favorites from this year.
Battles
Gentlemen of the Road Stopover brought its incredible lineup, including Mumford & Sons, the Flaming Lips, the Vaccines and so many others, to Walla Walla in August. A record label and events promoter, Gentlemen of the Road’s Stopovers take place internationally. For more on Gentlemen of the Road’s history, I recommend you listen to a September ’15 interview BBC Radio 1 did with the festival creators, Mumford & Sons.
All photos by Tino Tran:
Mumford & Sons
The Flaming Lips
The Vaccines
tUnE-yArDs
Jenny Lewis
JEFF the Brotherhood
Blake Mills