Show Review & Photos: fun. @ Showbox SoDo

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Aim and Ignite, New York band fun.‘s debut album is still one of my very favorites. The songs are expert pop with righteous vocals by Nate Ruess. I saw fun. a couple years ago at Chop Suey – loved the show – but missed their couple follow-up shows in Seattle. Lucky for me I got to see their opening show for Panic! At the Disco at Showbox SoDo last Friday night. Lead singer Ruess, with a confident and joyful manner, was total energy during the entire set, racing back and forth on the stage and reaching out to the crowd. He’s also got a great band of musicians with him. “All the Pretty Girls,” “Walking the Dog,” “Take Your Time (Coming Home),” “Barlights,” and “At Least I’m Not as Sad (As I Used to Be)” each hit the spot. I’m looking forward to fun.’s second album, which should be out this year. They’re something really special.

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Photos: Britney Spears @ the Tacoma Dome 6-29-11

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Britney’s back! I thought I was transported to a Beatles concert when I exited the backstage area into the arena. I’ve never heard so many screaming girls in my life – they reacted to her every move. She played to a packed house at the Tacoma Dome last night on the first leg of her US tour in support of her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale. She’ll be off to Europe in September for 26 more dates.

Show Review & Photos: Natasha Bedingfield @ the Showbox Market

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British pop singer and songwriter Natasha Bedingfield headlined at the Showbox at the Market and sang for a very enthusiastic audience. She’s in the middle of her US tour in support of her latest album, Strip Me.

It was obvious that Natasha enjoys being close to her fans. There was a lot of interaction with the audience as she reached out to touch hands on numerous occasions, as captured in several photos below. Natasha, with backup singer Jessi Collins, who’ve known each other since high school, harmonized fantastically together.

Besides her own songs, which included her #1 hit “Unwritten,” Natasha sang a few covers; Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi,”, The Police’s “Message in a Bottle” and an impromptu version of Sade’s “Smooth Operator.”

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Show Review: Marc Broussard @ the Showbox Market

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Marc Broussard brought his soul singing rock and roll blues to Showbox at the Market on June 25. Growing up in Carencro, Louisiana the son of a musician, Broussard was immersed in the sounds of soul, funk, gospel and blues. He developed a great affinity and affection for soul legends like Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Otis Redding and Bobby Womack. His style is a unique rock hybrid of all of these influences. Looking at him you wouldn’t think he could project the deep southern soul vocals that he does. He was backed by a fantastic band. Many songs showcased the shredding guitar solos of Nathan Duggar.

Broussard is touring behind his new, self-titled, album. He did a great job keeping the show exciting, changing up the pace, turning up the funk then bringing it down to a slow jam. His new songs are not indicative of his raw talent. Many of the new offerings sound like they were polished up and glossed over to make them a little more poppy and easy to swallow for his label. He alluded to this while introducing “Emily.” He entertained with a story about Lou Bega’s “Mambo #5” and what makes a hit song. He joked that Bega looked up a list of popular girls’ names and put them all in his song so every girl with their name in the song would have to go out and buy it. He joked that his label didn’t like “Emily” because it had too few girls’ names. The song itself is catchy to be sure but, like I said, it does not represent his full talent and potential.


Marc Broussard – photo courtesy of marcbroussard.com

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