Asking “I suppose a rock’s out of the question?,” Def Leppard propositioned fans at White River Ampitheatre on September 16th. The Sheffield, England hard rock legends finally released a self-titled album this year, and are working on a cartoon! The continually excellent band, nominated for numerous awards, has maintained a relatively consistent lineup. Classic rock groups Styx and Tesla opened.
All photos by Steve Campagna:
Def Leppard
Styx
Tesla
Foo Fighters held court at the Gorge Ampitheatre this September! They just celebrated their 20th anniversary with the Broken Leg Tour after singer/guitarist Dave Grohl famously fell off a stage in Sweden, resulting in a broken leg earlier this year. Never one to be held back, Grohl and Foo Fighters continued playing shows. Hurrah! And they’re up to something mysterious with a countdown on their site, with something big getting announced this Tuesday. . .
All photos by Geoffrey Gribbin:
British singer Lianne La Havas brought her Blood Tour to the Neptune Theatre for an evening of soulful music. Her four-member band and backup singer were the perfect complement to Lianne. I had the pleasure of seeing Lianne for the first time during her Is Your Love Big Enough? Tour in 2013 and was glad for her return to Seattle in support of her Blood album, released this summer. Lianne mentioned numerous times that she loved Seattle – and it was very clear that Seattle loved their Lianne. Keenan O’Meara opened and also appears on Lianne’s new album.
Lianne La Havas
Keenan O’Meara
Neumos had “lovable curmudgeon” Sage Francis on its stage back in September. Francis was on his Going Through Hell Tour; he’ll wrap up that tour on November 15th in Madison, Wisconsin. The hip hop musician has his own label, Strange Famous Records, which also counts B. Dolan, among others, on its roster. Known for his rap ability and words, Francis is based in Providence, Rhode Island.
All photos by Casey Brevig:
Sage Francis
Artist: The 1975
Song/Video: “Love Me”
Why You Want to Listen/Watch: The band looks and sounds gorgeous in the video, which is a great and sexy parody of stardom. I love the blue eye shadow, the hot tub, and the dancing. Also, it was directed by the wonderful Diane Martel, who was at the helm of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” Goldfrapp’s “Ride a White Horse,” and Ciara’s “Love Sex Magic” – among many others.
Details: “Love Me” is the first single from the band’s second album, I Like It When You Sleep for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It, set for a February 2016 release.
The 1975
More details from singer Matthew Healy himself:
“With Love Me we wanted to capture the neon-hued enthralling acquisition of success and excess, the screaming momentum, the sexy daze. Everything is REDICULOUS! But, is it? The only art worth any investment is art that makes one feel personally addressed. A simple truth, or set of truths, that galvanises an awareness and passion within an individual and in doing so immerses the individual into a sense of shared experience and community founded upon that same personal connection or experience. Too many artists care what others think. We are for the ‘community’! A non-linear observation on everything that has been and what will become. A lack of understanding of the world we are living in. The post-ironic notion of the modern world. Selfie mythologizing. Creating how we consume. Fragments of culture. Not settling for what you’re given. WE’VE JUST COME TO REPRESENT A DECLINE IN THE STANDARDS OF WHAT WE ACCEPT.”
