Show Review & Photos: LMFAO @ KeyArena

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LMFAO @ KeyArena, June 2nd
Show Review & photos by Dagmar

What’s your definition of fun? If you’re in an LMFAO song it’s champagne, a pool, dancing (ahem, shufflin’), drinking (natch shots), working out and maybe a hot dog. There’s other fun stuff too, but this is the bulk of the good life according to LMFAO. It’s also just what the audience, predominantly in their early 20s, ordered.


LMFAO

As I prepared to leave for the show on Saturday night I looked over what I might wear. My top with the shiny red lips on it was dirty, and I just didn’t feel like wearing my white tiger shirt. I kind of regretted not wearing either, as there was more tiger and leopard print in the venue than I may have seen before in one place. I missed a moment to blend little. Also there were – you guessed it – many shirts with mouths on them! The lovely lady next to me wore a tiger top and leopard pants. Why not?

I’m betting that LMFAO is a polarizing band. Music critics probably like to complain about them because they make catchy tunes and people actually listen to them. Fans probably love them because they can relate to the songs, and if not relate, they can laugh at the funny lyrics. I put myself into the latter category, the one who probably has the higher capacity to be entertained and a little light-hearted about the whole thing.


LMFAO

That LMFAO creates a good pop song is not debatable. Whether you like pop music, well, that’s the question. If you are at an LMFAO show and you do not crack at least one smile, you’re probably a zombie. The duo is cheerful, and they surround themselves onstage with dancers, inflated zebras, bright lights, a dancing pink bear who DJs, and most important – they surround themselves with a sense of humor about themselves and about their audience. Through the entire show they made sure the audience was in on whatever they did, whether that was dancing like fiends during “Shots,” “Yes,” “Party Rock Anthem,” “I’m in Miami Bitch,” partying during “Sorry for Party Rocking” or performing the love songs “La La La” “Reminds Me of You” and “One Day.”

LMFAO has a knack for mixing the dirty with the sweet, and nowhere was this better displayed than in “Champagne Showers” and “I Am Not a Whore.” My favorite parts of the night were “Hot Dog,” a hilarious and excellent disco piece that included a dancer in a hot dog costume, “Sexy and I Know It,” and “I Am Not a Whore.” For “Sexy and I Know It” Redfoo danced only in silver underpants, while SkyBlu joined him in skimpy underpants with a toy stuffed elephant head hanging from the front. You can picture this, right? When they sang wiggle wiggle wiggle it was just perfect. “I Am Not a Whore” was inspired – it’s a song you should check out for sure (They say I look yummy and they want a taste, but I’m a human not a sandwich). When introducing the song Redfoo singled out a woman in the front with, “I am looking into your eyeballs and you are looking at my balls.”

LMFAO can deceive you with their music jester roles. They’re smart jesters – don’t doubt that.


LMFAO
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Photos: Allo Darlin, The Wave Pictures & ORCA TEAM @ the Vera Project

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British bands Allo Darlin’ and The Wave Pictures made appearances at the Vera Project on May 11th. They were also joined by our own ORCA TEAM, whose Kickstarter campaign to help their summer tour ends in just a few hours. Europe, the second album from Allo Darlin’, has been getting great reviews, and The Wave Pictures are going strong with Long Black Cars. Simon Krane‘s excellent photos of these groups follow:


The Wave Pictures


Allo Darlin


Orca Team

Leighton Meester @ Showbox Market

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Actress/singer-songwriter/model Leighton Meester, who plays Blair Waldorf in the CW’s television series Gossip Girl, performed at the Showbox Market in support of her new single, “Your Love’s A Drug.” Watch for her debut album coming soon. Dana Williams and Leighton’s band, Check In The Dark, opened.


Leighton Meester


Check In The Dark


Dana Williams

Show Review & Photos: Bassnectar & Ghostland Observatory @ WaMu Theater

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Bassnectar & Ghostland Observatory @ WaMu Theater, 5/12
Review by Gabrielle Gribbin & photos by Geoffrey Gribbin

Arriving at WaMu Theater, passersby and concertgoers are seemingly welcomed by fireworks, although the fireworks belonged to the neighboring venue. We let ourselves believe that the light barrage is strictly for us. Each step brings anticipation of what lay inside. Tonight we will be able to escape and to be held in a space with bass guided music.


Bassnectar

Stepping into the doors brought the wave of sound and energy these dub shows bring – a sense of community in a way. Everyone surrounding you is here for the same reason you are, to experience and be a part of this sound. As more bodies flood in, one sees the array of ensembles that are worn. From bikinis with long seaweed like tassels to spandex and tutus, simple dresses and casual to comfortable attire, one can dance all night.

Working deeper into the crowd and into night the scenery becomes akin to that of a circus. To my left is a man on stilts, jumping up and down on these spring-loaded things. He seems to have a counterpart, a woman on stilts as well, with twirling light infused ropes. Here you see a man on a unicycle, someone roller-skating, and a woman dressed as a jellyfish. We observe the vessels in our surroundings until the music begins to grow, volume starting as a hum and increasing with each passing second, allowing our heart rates to do the same.

The electric sound starts as a white light strobe with the beat. But now all we can see is red, waiting for something – but we don’t know what. Not until the moment before the drop, a curtain that has been shielding our vision literally drops and the crowd falls into the trance of the night.

The stage is an array of constantly changing shapes and colors. Bassnectar’s podium would be a peach color with blue flashing lights surrounding him, and within thirty seconds the entire venue would look as if we were underwater with an overwhelming amount of blue surrounding each and every one of us.

With each song we get closer to the end, but we are even in anticipation for that. Which song would he grace us with now? “Open Your Eyes” is the song. Now the stage’s projectors lay images of twitching rainbows and strobe images of eyes for our visual pleasure. Now as the frequency gets higher, the ceiling begins to fall, the ceiling that previously held thousands of colorful balloons is now at our fingertips. With the now silencing hush of the music a blasting wave of voices takes its place as now we start to go over every little detail we observed. We rack our minds and recall favorite moments so this memory will be imprinted in our minds for years to come.

This is Bassnectar.


Bassnectar


Ghostland Observatory


Atmosphere @ Bassnectar

Photos: Sasquatch! Music Festival w/Jack White, Pickwick, St. Vincent, Said The Whale, Fred Armisen & THEESatisfaction

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Sasquatch! Music Festival ends today, but we’ve got some evidence of what’s happened there coming in from Abby Williamson, who has spent the weekend at the Gorge, camping. Camping and taking photos.


Jack White


Pickwick


St. Vincent


Said The Whale


Fred Armisen


THEESatisfaction