Photos: M.I.A. and Rye Rye @ Showbox Market

Posted on 10/18/2010 by BBS

On Sunday night, international sensation M.I.A. brought her highly anticipated live show to the Showbox at the Market, performing an upbeat yet rather short set before a sold out crowd. The show was a visual feast for the eyes, with a large projector and flashing lights on stage, and M.I.A. and her dancing troupe adorned in fashionable costumes. M.I.A. herself was a ball of energy, making full use of the stage by dancing and attempting to crowd surf by leaning out onto the crowd. The set ended with a 4-song encore, concluding with “Paper Planes,” during which M.I.A. pulled audience members up on stage to dance with her. Full set lists for both M.I.A. and opening act Rye Rye are below, in addition to photos from the evening. More photos can be found on Suzi Pratt’s Flickr.

M.I.A. set list: Message // IllyGirl // World Town // Bucky Done Gune // Galang // Boyz // Bamboo Banga // XR2 // Lovalot // Story to Be Told // Born Free // ENCORE: Space // Tequilla // Stepping Up // Paper Planes

Rye Rye set list: Bang This Bitch Out // Get Up // Wassup Wassup // Hardcore Girls // Rock Off Shake Off // Witch Doctor // Sunshine // Bang // Exotic on the Speaker // Shake It to the Ground // Party in the USA

M.I.A._10-17-10

Rye Rye

Rye Rye_10-17-10

Show Review & Photos: The So So Glos @ the Crocodile

Posted on 10/17/2010 by Dagmar

The So So Glos are just yummy. The New York band opened for the Futureheads in Seattle on September 14th, and as with co-openers Young the Giant, I am eagerly waiting for them to return here and have a headlining slot. It’s pretty much obvious that would like this band, what with their classic arrangement of two guitars, one bass and a drum – but it’s the always great to see singer who plays bass aspect that cinches it. They’re fast-paced, entertaining, and singer Alex Levine brings some really natural ease to his banter. The band’s set list was totally tight, and included “Broken Mirror Baby,” “Lindy Hop” and my favorite, “Throw Your Hands Up”. Their new EP, Low Back Chain Shift is out now.

The So So Glos – all photos by Dagmar

Gallery of the So So Glos @ the Crocodile

Show Review & Photos: The Futureheads @ the Crocodile

Posted on 10/16/2010 by Dagmar

The Futureheads are a demonically exciting band. They sound like no other band and they are one of my top bands to see live. I hate that I ever missed a show of theirs here – the fact that these misses could not be avoided, and that one was replaced by seeing them in Vancouver does little to mitigate my disappointment. There are very few bands who came out in the last decade who have released four solid CDs, and the Futureheads must top this list. The Chaos, the band’s latest CD, is ragged and fast punk. Not post punk, not any of these newfangled labels, but deliberate punk mixed with harmonies. I had a hard time whittling down the photos I took because I love this band so much. I do wish I could have gotten more than one or two usable shots of drummer Dave Hyde, though I can say this – he is a collected terror on those drums. I hadn’t seen the band since their last visit here, which was four years ago, and they’ve grown stronger as a band and live performers. They are all such fabulous musicians and different from each other. Bassist Jaff is still cool and plays some of the finest bass I have ever heard, singer/guitarist Barry Hyde is a menace, and Ross Millard plain swarms the room. A few of my favorites of the night: “The Connector” (Barry Hyde said it was their fastest song ever – followed closely by “The Return of the Berserker”?), “Area,” “Sun Goes Down,” “Jupiter, “The Beginning of the Twist,” “Decent Days and Nights,” and what is Millard at his finest: the ruling “Carnival Kids”.

the Futureheads – all photos by Dagmar

Gallery of the Futureheads @ Neumos

Photos: Guided by Voices & Times New Viking @ Showbox SoDo

Posted on 10/15/2010 by Dagmar

Guided by Voices are taking their classic lineup tour all over the United States. Actually the tour is called “Hallway Of Shatter-Proof Glass Tour” and on Saturday it hit Seattle’s Showbox SoDo with openers Times New Viking. Photographer Kam Martin brought back some of her lovely shots of both bands:

Guided by Voices

Times New Viking

James w/ Ed Harcourt: Photos and a review!

Posted on 10/13/2010 by BBS

Photos by Jill Rachel Evans

Text by Chris Senn

James

James put on one of the most energetic, engaging and amazing shows I have ever had the privilege to attend last Saturday at the Showbox. The audience interaction was turned up to eleven right from the start as singer Tim Booth started singing the first lines of “Sit Down” from the middle of the crowd. As he made his way towards the stage the rest of the band appeared, taking their positions.

Before breaking into “Tell Her I Said So,” the first of their new tunes from their double EP The Morning After/The Night Before, Booth informed the crowd he was informed a couple of hours before the show that his mother had suffered a stroke. He co-wrote the lyrics with his mother. The performance was turned into a jubilant celebration of life.

The original band looked and sounded sharp. Multi-instrumentalist Saul Davies ran around the stage all night playing the drums, guitar, violin, cowbell and more trying to dodge Booth’s spastic dancing.

They touched on the hits, with the entire crowd singing along to “Laid” and “Sometimes”. Booth dedicated the last song, “Gold Mother,” to his mother as he brought seven dancers up on stage to close the set on a high note. As the audience left, trying to process the awesomeness that just transpired, everyone’s thoughts stayed with Tim and his mother.

Opener, British singer/songwriter Ed Harcourt, looked sharp in his black suit coat and sounded even sharper. As he effortlessly switched between piano and guitar he focused on excellent material from his new album, Lustre. “Haywired,” “Heart of A Wolf” and “Killed By The Morning Sun” were highlights.