Show Preview: El Ten Eleven @ Neumos, Thursday 10/8

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Californian duo El Ten Eleven (Kristian Dunn and Tim Fogarty) headline Neumos tomorrow, Thursday, October 8th. There’s always this talk or that talk about a band creating musical landscapes, or dreamscapes, or whatever, with their music, and though I hate to wobble into that cliche, these guys really do just that. For some reason I’m able to see their music in a way I can’t with many others. I can’t imagine listening to their albums separated into a set list; when I listen to their albums, I want to listen to the entire album at once. But Dunn and Fogarty know what they are doing. I am sure they’ll put together their tunes in a set list that makes sense. Another effective trick the pair excels at is making an instrument not even sound like itself. I’m listening to 2013’s Every Direction is North right now, and it’s made a bass not a bass. Pretty cool. They’ve gone a bit New Order-esque with new album, Fast Forward. My response to that is, “Yes! Awesome!”

El Ten Eleven by Mark Owens
El Ten Eleven – photo by Mark Owens

Tickets for Thursday’s shows are available here.

Show Preview: Peaches @ the Showbox, Wednesday 10/7

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Welcome back, Peaches! The brilliant electronic rapper just released, Rub, her first album since 2009’s I Feel Cream, and it’s what you’d want from Peaches: positively sexy songs with blush-worthy lyrics. With Rub, Peaches maintains her unique presence in music, always bringing in intriguing guest artists, such as Iggy Pop and Joan Jett on her albums, plus now Kim Gordon on track one of Rub, “Close-Up.” She also had writer Camille Paglia take photos for Rub.

Peaches will always put on a great show full of raunchy glee. She’s able to make whatever she does appear spontaneous, and though some may be, she does actually have to choreograph all that rad stage action. And hi “Vaginoplasty,” you are an absolute classic. Thanks Peaches!

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Peaches – photo by Daria Marchik

Peaches’ show on Wednesday at the Showbox is all ages (woah!).

Photos: HoneyHoney @ the Tractor

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The Tractor Tavern in Ballard was a perfect venue for duo HoneyHoney to perform this summer. Benjamin Jaffe and Suzanne Santo comprise the LA-based alt-folk combo, one that uses Santo’s triple talent of singing and violin/banjo playing along with Jaffe’s cool vocals and guitar playing. They’re an all-around class act.

Photos by Tino Tran:

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Show Preview: Battles @ the Neptune, Wednesday 10/7

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I first noticed Battles when the British show Torchwood, an excellent Doctor Who spin off, featured their song “Atlas.” The song was paired with character Owen Harper (played by the wonderful Burn Gorman) freaking out in, I think, a drug-induced state. At first the song really bothered me, but as I kept hearing it other places, I began to like it. Ever since then I have been interested in Battles. They also became quite the Bumbershoot Festival’s legends after they performed a deservedly still raved about set.

Making strange, yet divine music seems to be what Battles is all about. At times alarming, at other times mellow, Battles create a huge sound. Anticipation builds throughout their songs. That they had Gary Numan on album two, Gloss Drop‘s “My Machine,” means so much, and they’ve got supreme drummer John Stanier of Helmet and Tomahawk in the band (very cool). The third album, La Di Da Di, has real greatness to it, especially in “Summer Simmer” and “Dot Com.”

I bet there will be some pretty rad lighting to go along with the music on Wednesday at the Neptune. It’s all ages, and they’re joined by Buke and Gase. For more details & tickets head over here.

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Battles – photo by Grant Cornett