Hollywood’s magical Mickey Avalon captured Seattle’s Showbox Market on Friday night. Avalon, whose next CD is really eagerly awaited, looks like “Mr. Right” to these fans and more. Thanks to Graham Lee for some wonderful shots:
Photos: Cibo Matto & The Chain Gang of 1974 @ Neumos
Recently reunited Cibo Matto, Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda, performed at Neumos for a truly ecstatic audience last Tuesday evening. The show followed March’s benefit the duo took part in to help victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, and Tuesday’s concert was one of the first shows the band has done since disbanding in 2001. Photographer Simon Krane and I got to check out Cibo Matto and openers The Chain Gang of 1974, who just happens to be an artist I’m picking as one of my own personal breakthrough artist of the year. They return to Seattle in August with Tapes ‘n Tapes.
Cibo Matto – photo by Simon Krane
The Chain Gang of 1974 – photo by Simon Krane
Cibo Matto – photo by Dagmar
Cibo Matto – photo by Dagmar
The Chain Gang of 1974 – photo by Dagmar
Cibo Matto – photo by Simon Krane
Photos: Cheyenne Marie Mize @ the Fremont Abbey
I saw the talented Cheyenne Marie Mize for the first time in March at SXSW in Austin. Her name recently popped up on the Fremont Abbey’s calendar and I immediately grabbed tickets. Her website says it best … whimsical, haunting, dreamlike folk that’s dynamic and eschews the traditional folk formulae … rugged and gentle, innocent and forlorn, spacious and intimate, desolate and uplifting … honey-tinged vocals make up this simple, immaculate collection of vintage torch ballads, engrossed in twinkling bucolic imagery. The Fremont show was in the middle of her US tour with Vanderveer.
Review & Photos: KISS @ The Everett Events Center
It was a typical day at work when at 1:45 P.M. I got a call from my buddy Tom exclaiming that the KISS Army was a man down. Major Tom insisted that I join the fight.
After 40 years of hard livin’ and even harder rockin’, KISS still packs the house with wild and colorful fans. As I joined the ranks of bleached blondes in bustiers, aging rockers, and new recruits, the show got underway. KISS took us on a journey through time and space playing songs spanning four decades. Not all of the original members are still around but KISS has lost none of its magic and theatrics. The winged Demon still belches blood, the stage was engulfed in flames hot enough to melt faces, and was bathed in light dazzling the senses.
KISS
Show Review & Photos: Cerebral Ballzy & Grave Babies @ Neumos
I was the first person to arrive at Neumos last Thursday night for the explosive triple bill featuring Black Lips, Cerebral Ballzy, and Grave Babies. The floor was dark and empty, save for a lone security guy on a bar stool at the back and a few other staffers. The next four people inside were, like me, there to photograph the show. As we staked out our spots at the front of the stage, I was wondering. . . ”Where is everybody? This is going to be one amazing show!”
Within an hour or so, the floor was packed into a mob of joyous punked out pit maniacs. Bodies were flying, beer was spraying, and fists were pumping into the air. I never should have doubted the inevitable. The three bands had commonalities – loud, noisy, with plenty of attitude – but their differences were more pronounced.
Grave Babies – photo by Alex Crick
Cerebral Ballzy – photo by Marianne Spellman
Cerebral Ballzy – photo by Dagmar