On June 8th Hotels became the first band I saw at the newly opened Barboza, a venue which is somehow swanky and comfortable at the same time. Hotels is a group I have always been partial to, but really, they are awesome. They opened for the touring British band, A Silent Film (pix of them on their way!).
Hotels – photos by Dagmar
London sisters Colette and Hannah Thurlow of 2:54 headlined at the Crocodile Café on Thursday in support of their self-titled debut album that was released in May. Joined by Alex Robins on drums and Joel Porter on bass, the sisters’ dark rhythms and smoky hazy sound hypnotized the crowd. Widowspeak, fronted by Molly Hamilton, opened.
Widowspeak
Rye Rye @ the Paramount, 6/19
Review & photos by Dagmar
Rye Rye
The Baltimore-based artist Rye Rye opened for Scissor Sisters last week in Seattle, and won over the audience within seconds. This is not easy to do considering how eager Scissor Sisters’ fans were to see the band.
The young (she’s only 21) and multitalented Rye Rye released her debut album, Go! Pop! Bang!, this May. I can’t stop listening to this genius work. As a live performer Rye Rye brought two male dancers and a DJ with her, then danced routines with the guys, sang and rapped with a vengeance, and just charmed in a filthy sweet way. She’s got moves, she’s got a great style and her flow is phenomenal. When she asked for audience members to join her onstage for “Shake It to the Ground” there was no hesitation. People scrambled to get up there.
Rye Rye is a star.
Rye Rye
Scissor Sisters @ the Paramount, 6/19
Show Review & photos by Dagmar
Scissor Sisters
My life is better for having Scissor Sisters in it. When I think about how many good moods their music has contributed to, and all the bad moods their music has helped me get out of, I just can’t say enough how much this band means to me. I can turn to them any time, and on Tuesday night I felt that I shared that experience with the audience at the Paramount.
Scissor Sisters were here to party, and to play songs off their latest release, the brilliant Magic Hour – and to play music from their other excellent albums, of course. I’ve seen this band each time they’ve played Seattle, and each show was a memorably great experience. Tuesday evening was the most recent addition to my Scissor Sisters’ memories. The band has such a large and awesome catalog now that, and while you might have missed some songs (they can’t play everything, every time), every song on the set list was right on target for an emotional experience, whether you were moved during “Mary” or whether you moved to “Invisible Light.” “Invisible Light” was slowed down to a just as sexy pace, and in the absence of Sir Ian McKellen it gave singer Ana Matronic a chance to speak the poem part. The audience especially liked the “sexual gladiators” line.
Scissor Sisters
For the start of the show singer Jake Shears appeared in a casual suit with a pattern of parrots on it. I loved that outfit. I wish more men wore such color. Ana Matronic wore a gorgeous green dress with buckles. The chemistry between these two has always been electric, and it was strong yet again. The whole set hit me hard. “Any Which Way,” “Keep Your Shoes On” and “Baby Come Home” had Shears and Matronic dancing right away, “Inevitable” was beautiful, “Take Your Mama” received a continuous roar of approval, “Let’s Have a Kiki” created a dance party onstage and off – this one taught us a dance we could all do, with Shears dancing so well, and so excitedly – “Comfortably Numb” was a stirring moment of disco perfection, and I loved the harder beat they gave to “Skin This Cat.” For the encore they performed “Only the Horses” and “Music Is the Victim” which absolutely had the audience leaping up and down.
A Scissor Sisters show brings you closer to the music, and the band always does something different with the songs, whether it’s a new music arrangement or a new dance move. Scissor Sisters is a meaningful band that always gets it right, always ready to try something different.
Scissor Sisters
Ume @ Barboza, 6/15
Show Review & Photos by Dagmar
Ume
Midway through Ume’s set last Friday at Barboza in Seattle, a guy near me asked his companion, “Why aren’t these guys headlining?” For some reason I thought he might have happened on the show by chance, or maybe was there to see the headliners and had never heard of Ume. I don’t know. And I mean no disrespect to the headliners, The Life and Times, who put on an excellent show (more on them later), but the fellow concertgoer was right. Ume should indeed headline – everywhere they go.*
Ume, a trio from Texas made up of singer/guitarist Lauren Larson, bassist Eric Larson and drummer Rachel Fuhrer, attracted a growing audience at the show. People came in and stayed. They listened. They appreciated. They were awed – I know I was. As performers they’re so into their music I could see it was something they genuinely love doing. I don’t always get this feeling at shows. Lauren Larson has one of my favorite voices, a voice that has a true rock, emotional palette. I am so glad that I found this band. New songs off Phantoms such as “Rubicon,” “Destroyer,” and “Run Wild” are gorgeous.
This band is powerful and though they are all excellent musicians, not once did any of their playing come off as showboating. They’re able to be subtle about their brilliance. This is not easy to do with the huge, torpedo-like sound they make. Just Lauren Larson alone would be a gigantic guitar slaying dream – combined with the rhythm it’s staggering. You want to see someone really, play the guitar? Catch Ume.
* note: this is actually a co-headlining tour.
Ume