Photos and Review: Cherry Poppin’ Daddies @ Jazz Alley

Posted on 06/13/2014 by BBS

I had the pleasure of attending and photographing the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies show at Jazz Alley Thursday night. Yeah you guessed right, the “Zoot Suit Riot” guys. These guys are as fun as they were in the ’90s. I say still but they never really stopped touring and Thursday’s show demonstrated that.

Normally when a concert photographer shoots a show, the promoter limits us to 3 songs. It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard to my creative soul, because usually the best lighting and performance happens later in the show. For the Daddies, I limited myself to 3 songs because I didn’t want to miss the show, and for once, it felt good to go by the rules cause I really had a great time.

After my shoot, I walked back to my assigned seat, put my camera away, and ordered my well-crafted Manhattan. On stage the Cherry Poppin Daddies, lead by Steve Perry, thrilled the crowd with their fun yet very energetic Ska/Swing performance. These guys had me belly laughing because you could just tell they were having a great time, and it was apparent that it was infectious to the crowd as well. The music ricocheted back and forth as the band shouted out a word and the crowd shouted back in unison.

The Daddies played a combination of their old and new songs. Their new recording is nearing release – it’s called Please Return the Evening — the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies Salute the Music of the Rat Pack. I listened to it when I got home. After pouring myself another bourbon a la Don Draper, I sat back with my feet up, listening to the soulful sound of Perry’s voice, taking me back to another era.

Photographer: John Rudolph

Photos: Katie Kate & Pillar Point @ Neumos

Posted on 06/13/2014 by Dagmar

I got to take photos of two crush-worthy bands, Katie Kate and Pillar Point at Neumos recently. I would have gotten photos of Erik Blood as well but there was zero lighting for him. I think he wanted a moody and dark stage. Katie Kate just had her song “Rushmore” premiered on Interview Magazine‘s site – nice work – while Pillar Point tours all over the U.S., including dates with Of Montreal. Save room for Capitol Hill Block Party as well, where you’ll be able to catch both of these acts. And apologies to Katie Kate for not getting more photos of her set. Incredibly, my camera battery died.

Katie Kate

Pillar Point

More photos of Pillar Point @ Neumos

Photos: Temples & Drowners @ Neumos

Posted on 06/10/2014 by BBS

With a buzz surrounding them not seen in some time, Great Britain’s Temples sold out Neumos in April. The trippy and psychedelic (and awesome) quartet made only their first appearance in Seattle with this date, and they’ll return in September for a show at the Neptune. They were joined by New York’s Drowners, who recently signed to Nick Hodgson’s (formerly of Kaiser Chiefs) new label.

Temples

Drowners – photos by Monica Martinez

Photos: Goat @ Neumos

Posted on 06/10/2014 by BBS

Sweden’s Goat caused quite the uproar with their unearthly music and creative garb when they appeared at Neumos. The band, who recently signed to Sub Pop Records, draw on a spooky psychedelic vibe. They’ll return to the States for a few more dates this month; prepare yourself by getting a copy of their single, “Dreambuilding.”

Goat – photos by Alex Crick

Sasquatch: Day One with Mary Lambert, Kithkin, Die Antwoord, Kongos, Eugene Mirman, Phantogram & More

Posted on 06/06/2014 by BBS

Sasquatch 2014, Day One
Show Review & Photos by Abby Williamson

Mary Lambert

This was my fifth year covering the Sasquatch Music Festival, and I guess I could say that it started out like any other year, just a few hours earlier. This year the premier Pacific Northwest music mecca downsized to Friday through Sunday, cutting out Monday entirely. To be completely honest, I can’t say I wasn’t happy about it. Four days can get real smelly if you’re camping like I did. I like three days. Three days is good. And boy were they a great three days.

Opening Friday was a trifecta of local talent – Portland’s own Modern Kin on the Yeti Stage, Mary Lambert on the mainstage, and Iska Dhaaf on the new Narwhal Stage. I managed to make it to parts of all of them. Three bands in one hour, I was off to a great start.

The Narwhal Stage was where it was at this year – boasting all local talents, without a pit separating the stage from the fans – it was surprisingly intimate for a music festival. Plus, it was the only stage named after a real animal instead of a mythical beast. Next up on this little stage was Seattle’s own Cascadia forest-dwellers Kithkin – who somehow conjured up the tree creatures they are so lovingly named after – for what was one of the most energetic sets of the day, and just at 3:00 in the afternoon.

Kithkin‘s Alexander Barr

Another standout of the day was the Texas gentleman Shakey Graves, who brought out a huge crowd to the Yeti Stage that he could have easily killed it at the Bigfoot Stage. His earnest growl and charm brought the familiar singer-songwriter down to the swamp – not quite country and not quite blues, but some lovely place right in the middle.

Narwhal wasn’t the only party of the day though – Bigfoot had quite the lineup on Friday as well. Chance the Rapper somehow managed to make otherwise badass hip-hop adorable. I mean, the songs weren’t adorable by any means, but the dude did not stop smiling, so it was perfect for the late afternoon lull, where one would normally want to take a nap. Kongos, Phosphorescent, and Phantogram were a couple other highlights from the Bigfoot stage that day, though drawing completely differing crowds.

One of the only times I went down to the mainstage that day was for Foals – whom I got to see back in December at Deck the Hall Ball, but that was a painfully short set. I wanted more Foals, and goodness did I get more Foals. At one point frontman Yanni Philippakis jumped down into the photo pit, ran all the way through the thing, and back up through backstage to finish out a song. That little man is such a ball of energy, it’s a wonder that they’re just now getting the audience they’ve always deserved.

Yanni Philippakis of Foals

Changing gears, I made it a priority to see some comedians this year. And I can safely say that I succeeded – starting with the odd humor of Eugene Mirman, who shared his perfectly inappropriate pleas for advice from “Ask The Pastor” and talked about his role on Bob’s Burgers. But it was Maya Rudolph with Princess that made my day. Princess is – no lie – a Prince comedy cover band. That’s all you need to know.

Die Antwoord‘s Ninja

Closing out the night were the South African shock-rockers Die Antwoord, and I can honestly say that after that show I felt like I needed to be exorcised. They started their set with a huge video screen of a man with progeria playing over lyrics that even offended me, and once they got out on stage, it got even weirder. Yolandi Visser, whose voice I can only describe as a demon baby – ran around the stage while Ninja thrust himself every which way, which definitely lent itself to some interesting photographs. But it was the third song in where it all went wrong. There were over 20 photographers and media people in the pit that night, and without warning, Yolandi took one of the water bottles and poured it all out on the photographers. She didn’t spray the crowd and we just caught stray droplets – she dumped it all on us. Thankfully I was on the other side of the pit when it happened, but like that wasn’t enough – Ninja then spit right on the lens of another photographer. So needless to say I was okay with getting out of there half a song early. I’m all for shocking, and I know that their stage persona is an act, but that’s just rude. Thankfully I got some got decent shots from their set, and from what I heard from fellow festivalgoers, the crowd loved their set. To each their own, I guess.