2009 Live rock: Captured Tracks caUSE-co-MOTION! crystal stilts Ganglians psychedelic horseshit the Beets thee oh sees tyvek Woodsist
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Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival
While I won’t get anywhere near this, the line-up looks ridiculous. Get a ticket…
Friday, July 3rd: Crystal Stilts, Psychedelic Horseshit, caUSE-co-MOTION!
Saturday July 4th: Thee Oh Sees, Tyvek, Ganglians, the Beets
Jason Molina x Public Television
Jason Molina might not be as important in twenty years as some would think. It doesn’t matter, though. Dude can write a song and works like a farmer. Snagged from We Have Signal and MOKB.
Magnolia Electric Co. – Leave The City Stream | Download
05.02.09: The Spits, Blu
These two shows have nothing to do with each other apart from the fact that they both occur on the same day and are roughly two miles from where I live. Thusly, I will be there…
Zs: Live at the Comet Tavern (Seattle, 08.07.08)
Zs is in a constant state of flux and their music aptly represents it. Beginning with the ‘05 disc Karate Bump, the purely instrumental group struck out beyond math rock and whatever other variation or sub genre one would care to construct. Incorporating flamboyant compositions into a group that might listen to as much Mission of Burma as Albert Ayler, it yielded the ‘07 release of Arms. The compositions were staggeringly complex as on previous efforts, but the release was bolstered by a newly recognized penchant for vocals. A bit shocking at first, but the group’s ability to lock into complicated timings and progressions so far superseded any potential criticisms – in the end the change was charming.
Their latest release, the Hard EP on Three One G showcases the newest configuration of the band: Sam Hillmer (saxophone), Ben Greenberg (guitar), and Ian Antonio (drums). At the Comet, Greenberg’s clear guitar may have hinted at the Flamin’ Groovies classic Teenage Head while Antonio’s set, lacking cymbals but sporting electronics pointed towards electronica. The squall of the next thirty minutes was unpredictable.
In past performances, with two or more additional members, the interplay of the group depended on the swell of each player locking in step with one another to create a tremendous layer of repetitive figures. Lacking an additional guitar and saxophone suggested that Zs’ sound could become thin, not necessarily less cacophonous, but not as dense and full.
But the trio burst forth with noise, playing their set ceaselessly. Hillmer performed with a music stand slightly off to his left, but Greenberg and Antonio seemed to fall into a sort of swaying musical trance as their bodies reflected the variegated sections of the composition. If there was a break for applause, there would have been a great deal, but at every turn that seemed like some summation to a musical statement, there was more. Watching Antonio stretch prior the band beginning made sense. In addition to the vast mental stamina put into writing this piece, the endurance required for such a performance seemed tantamount to running a marathon. It was more than appropriate for each member of the trio to be seated.
The only disappointing aspect of the evening was that crowd which formed for the local acts filtered out to smoke cigarettes, mill around with their pals and ostensibly ignored Zs. The ten or so attentive fanboys – and the one young woman who somehow figured dancing was a good idea – were privy to a performance that seemed out of place at the Comet. Where was the Seattle avant-jazz crew? Why wasn’t this show sought out by the folks that book the Chapel (no, not the bar in Capitol Hill, the venue in Wallingford) or Gallery 1412? Perhaps there’s an answer and maybe we’ll find out if Zs visits the NW again. Maybe.
Read more at Skyscraper.
John Zorn’s Moonchild – Earshot Jazz Festival (Seattle, 11.04.07)
John Zorn at a Jazz festival doesn’t seem out of place. But even though his name adorned the bill, he was simply seated in the theater, as any other spectator might. While he wrote each composition that was performed, it was the trio of Dunn, Baron and Patton who mounted the stage. Much like with the name Zorn, the name Patton is accompanied by a certain set expectations. Of course those expectations don’t generally fit the sense of decorum that goes along with most Jazz fests. Alongside, and more impressive than Patton, Dunn (Mr. Bungle) and Baron (Naked City, Masada) were allowed to showcase their talents and to work out their metallic, yet musically rich rhythms. Obviously, the draw to this show were the names Zorn and Patton, but the Dunn/Barron teaming created such a complete and burdensome sound, that it was difficult to believe that only two men were responsible for the racket. At times, Patton’s hollering, taking his shirt off and animalistic crouching near to the ground with maniacal sneer fronting his facade seemed to over shadow the musical performances. The physicality of Patton leads to the question, is he a performance artist? What he coaxes from his throat seems to be the aural equivalent of free jazz, which to a certain extent is a spectator sport. And perhaps in this situation, Patton is the actor to Zorn’s playwright. Regardless of the answer, the sheer comedic fact that the festival coordinator, emblazoned with a sport coat and slick, adult hipster hair introduced this group from the stage of an aging Seattle landmark was almost worth the $32 dollar ticket price.