GimmieNoise.com » Archive
Zoe Keating
It’s on a rare occasion that I experience a performance that removes me from my comfort zone and in which I completely lose myself in the music. Zoe Keating accomplished this last Friday night with her performance at the Aladdin theatre. I’d had the pleasure of seeing the tail end of her set a few years back when she was on tour with Amanda Palmer, and I was so impressed by the song and a half that I heard that I committed her name to memory and made sure that I would see an entire performance by her at a later date. That day finally arrived last weekend and I was not disappointed. The opening act, FearNoMusic, were a group of classically trained musicians with a modern twist in their … Read entire article »
Filed under: Performance Reviews
Absolute Monarchs: 1
In recent years the music scene of the Pacific Northwest has seen an increase in bands whose styles can’t be fit into a specific category. In most every side of the spectrum you’re seeing bands experimenting with different styles, taking bits and pieces from a wide variety of influences and rearranging them to create their own unique sound. New genres are taking shape, and one of the bands that are starting to get attention for their originality and unfiltered style is Seattle’s Absolute Monarchs. If you’ve been following the music scene in Seattle in recent years it’s hard not to take notice of the Monarchs. They’ve been sharing the stage with acts such as Red Fang and Cold Cave and were even mentioned in Spin magazine as one of the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Album Reviews
Strangled Darlings meet Count Orlok
In the early twentieth century when motion pictures were still young and in grainy, soundless black and white, a trip to the movies was a much different experience. To movie buffs this time is known as the silent era yet in those days music was as critical to the production as it is today, perhaps even more so. With each show musicians would accompany the film with a live performance of the score, ranging from nothing more than a pianist in smaller venues to full ensembles in the larger concert halls. The audience was not only entertained by the film but was also able to feel the energy that comes with a live concert, the musicians playing as much of a role in the story as the actors on the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Coming Attractions
Take a Joyride with Black Pussy
I’ve often wished I could have been alive to see rock and roll in its’ early stages before there was anything commercial about it. When it was grittier, yet somehow through the dirt and grit it processed a quality that was more honest and pure in its execution. Lucky for me there’s a band like Black Pussy in my city. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Band Review
The Builders and the Butchers
The Builders and the Butchers have been singing their apocalyptic brand of Americana since the fall of 2005, and now, three records and hundreds of shows later they’ve proven themselves to be one of the most unique bands around. Their arrangement is reminiscent of a traditional bluegrass group, picking on banjos, mandolins and acoustic guitars while adding texture with the occasional violin or trumpet, but the contagious energy of their live performance rests in their unconventional rhythm section. By breaking down a drum set and splitting it between two percussionists they bring the explosive spirit of a punk band and when the fatalist croons of vocalist Ryan Solee are added to the mix it results in the liveliest funeral songs to ever come out of the Northwest. The band has been … Read entire article »
Filed under: Band Review