ZooTunes held a special evening with Jamaican artist Ziggy Marley on July 19th. Marley, who released his fourth album, Wild and Free last year, returns to our area for a show in Bellingham on August 25th. He has also created a line of organic foods – Enjoy photos from his sold out appearance by photographer Matthew Lamb:
Ziggy Marley
Owl City @ the Triple Door, 7/23
Review & Photos by Heather Fitzpatrick
Owl City
Currently on their world tour, Owl City stopped in Seattle and played to a sold out crowd Monday night at The Triple Door. With over 7,000,000 “likes” on Facebook, I wasn’t a bit surprised that many fans in attendance were singing along to each and every song – including most of the fans in the front row, as well as the standing room only crowd in the back who waved glowing wands in tune with the music. They sang songs from previous EPs, as well as a few new tunes from Owl City’s upcoming release, The Midsummer Station, due out August 21st. As for now, they’re off to Japan, Korea and Europe before returning to finish their US dates beginning Sept 5th in New York. If you missed their show last night, don’t fret. They’ll return for another stop here on September 29th when they’ll take the stage at The Neptune. As of publication of this article, tickets are still available here.
Owl City
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals & ZZ Ward @ ZooTunes, July 18th
Review by Jimmy Lovaas – Photos by Matt Lamb & Jimmy Lovaas
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – photo by Matt Lamb
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals played to a diverse crowd at the third concert of the BECU ZooTunes summer concert series on July 18th. Potter is currently touring in support of her band’s newest album, The Lion The Beast The Beat. Opening for Potter was up-and-coming artist, ZZ Ward.
Ward, whose birth name is Zsusanna Ward, grew up in Roseberg, Oregon but now calls Los Angeles her home. She mixes soul, R&B, hip-hop, and a bluesy rock sound to create a dynamic creation that shows off some real depth. How deep? Well, if Etta James and Eminem had a love child, I imagine it would sound like ZZ Ward.
But then there are her looks. She looks like she should be singing to a crowd of 18-year-old girls.
Her band started playing an intro before she walked on stage, and that’s a damn good thing. If the thin sexy blonde with the sheer blouse and fedora had been on stage first, the audience would have certainly expected a pop song. Of course, they would have realized their error the minute she opened her mouth to reveal that great big soulful voice with a little bit of rasp.
Oh yeah, and the woman plays the harmonica. And I don’t mean that she just holds it to her mouth and occasionally blows through it. No, she can actually bend a note. Next time you see her name on a show poster, make sure you check her out. She’s making original music and she’s going places.
ZZ Ward – photo by Matt Lamb
After Ward had warmed up the crowd of Seattleites that had descended on the zoo grounds, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals hit the stage.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – photo by Matt Lamb
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – photo by Jimmy Lovaas
They played their own variety of soul rock, though with the band’s new bass player laying down a funkier groove, the soul was a little more pronounced than previous effort’s by the band. Combine that with a more electronic sound coming from the keyboards and you make a good band even better. It added another dimension to Potter’s music and personally, it makes me feel more comfortable in believing that she’s not going to suddenly morph into an alt-country-pop act. They even threw in their Jefferson Airplane cover “White Rabbit” with some extended jams on the Hammond B3 just to make the point. I appreciated that.
Unfortunately, the ZooTunes crowd tended to be a little more reserved, and when she charged out on stage with her Gibson Flying V guitar and her skintight/rock star-worthy silver glitter pants, she was greeted by a rather subdued round of applause. I can’t lie, I sort of felt bad for her. I’m not sure what the crowd was expecting.
Regardless, she spent the next hour and a half trying her absolute damnedest to rally the crowd. Calling a Grace Potter show high-energy is kind of understating it. From beginning to end the band puts it all out on the stage. Overall, I’d give the audience a “C-“ but her and the Nocturnals an “A”.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – photos by Matt Lamb
ZZ Ward – photos by Matt Lamb
Atmosphere @ ZooTunes – photo by Jimmy Lovaas
Rising star Jayme Dee opened at the Triple Door for a show that quickly sold out in the presale. Her song “Rules” is featured on the Hunger Games soundtrack. Jayme has been on the road with Owl City and tonight’s show was the last … before she heads to the studio.
I got to Neumos early so I wouldn’t miss Reignwolf‘s set, and lucked out with one of the best spots in the house to see and hear his show. When I say hear his show, I mean it’s actually a full-body absorption of sound. I could feel the music in my upper gums. Neumos became a miasma, a smoke- and people-filled marsh, then Reignwolf got started, didn’t let up and played a fiercely demanded encore. Reignwolf has several shows planned in the coming months. Don’t miss any of them. Reignwolf, I love you.
Reignwolf – all photos by Dagmar