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| Lynelle Jones | - | November 24, 2009 |
Phew, another month of music and fun under the belt.I really can’t believe how time is running out of control. I’ve been sitting on an interview with Ben for probably 2 months now, and haven’t transcribed a word of it. Stay tuned for that though, it’s an interesting one! In the meantime, I have a few things to say about my night out last weekend. I was coming off of a bad bout of food poisoning (just say no to Taco Del Mar) when I got the phone call from my friend Jerry. Jerry and Shannon were headed out to see Spin Cycle at the Village Pub in Lynnwood and would I like to come along? Heck yeah I’d like to come along. I had wanted to check this bar out for awhile. There was one condition though. I was dying to go up to the Tulalip Casino and see GruvBox as well. Jerry agreed on a little bar hopping, so the evening plan was set. I arrived at The Village Pub before Jerry and Shannon so I took a deep breath of courage and headed on in by myself. The bar was bustling. There was one empty table right in front of the band, but I deferred to the ‘back of the bus’ trying to keep a low profile. Of course that didn’t work. The man standing next to me immediately introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Tom.” I returned the friendly greeting and before I knew it I was being hustled up to the front of the line at the bar so I could acquire refreshment. It would seem Tom knew every Dick and Harry in the place and made it known that they should all get out of the way because this ‘fine young lady’ needed a drink. God bless locals, these were very friendly folks. Drink in hand; I made it back to my station where I could continue to survey my surroundings. Tom was waiting for a cab, which soon arrived and I was free to observe without intrusion. The bar was a quaint little place. Not as nice as “Cheers” but I could almost swear I walked into the T.V. set. Not a lot of room for a band or dancing, but I was happy they were supporting the industry. The fire pit table brought ambience to the room and folks just seemed to be having a terrific time. There were a couple of pool tables to the back and if it weren’t a carpeted bar, I think I would have really liked the place. Problem is, I hate carpeted floors in bars. It’s awkward and germy. I also did my ‘bathroom police’ thing and they didn’t pass muster. When I went to the ladies room I took a wiff (not on purpose) and one word came to mind, it’s a bit vulgar, but I have to be honest….Snat##! Eek, it wasn’t good. I felt like it might be attaching itself to my clothing. I got out of there quick. Soon my friends arrived and we made our way to the front table. The music was uplifting and as we waited for the 2nd set, we made much merriment and mingling. By the end of the 2nd set we were dancing in the aisle with a good group of folks. All in all it was very fun…But the time had come, and after much anticipation I was not going to miss GruvBox. So we said our goodbyes and hit the road. The Tulalip is as the Tulalip does. I can’t recall the jingle, is it the #1 place to be? Or the #1 place for fun? Something like that. I do know this; minus the smoke it’s clean, clean, clean. And I like that! We had to stand in line to get in the club. This is no surprise, I’ve said it before, if you want to get a table come early. But alas, we made our way in, wandered through the stage tables on the bottom deck and boom, a large group of folks were leaving, we were in business! Our luck was yet to run out because low and behold the waitress was right there to clean off the table and take a drink order for us. What a surprise. The Canoes Cabaret is not particularly known for its fast service. Now all we needed to do is wait. The band was on break of course. The Cabaret is such a pretty club we didn’t mind. I enjoy watching the teleprompter with its videos. Good videos, like they use to have when MTV was a baby. I love the sound system too. Such a difference from the neighborhood bar to this; I felt like I was in the VIP room. Eventually the band hit the stage. What can I say; GruvBox was everything I hoped for. The music was funky, the beat was happening and I was in dance heaven. A seven piece band, three front singers, and everyone pitching in for harmonies, created a full sound of eardrum delight. Unfortunately I can’t give musical credits because neither their website nor their agent lists them. The front men did a wonderful job playing off of each others vocals and it was extremely groovy. I wasn’t so impressed with the female vocalist; she didn’t take any leads, so I can only assume she does the brunt of her singing earlier in the show. I would have liked to see a more polished looking dress attire, but I’m beginning to think even the A bands are checking their style at the door. Ah well, I guess that’s just another expense and hassle that only certain bands bother with these days. C’est la Vie. The evening quickly came to a close. Jerry and Shannon headed out while I hung in for the last song. I went ahead and introduced myself to the singers at the end of the show (thanked them for a wonderful time) and they obliged me with a copy of their set lists (didn’t seem to be the one they played though). I didn’t get any autographs, but at least I had something for “my wall” of fame. That’s another new phenomenon; the bands aren’t bothering with posters these days. Such a pity, they make for nice nostalgic souvenirs. I headed for the exit. I got to the exit and decided it was a little early for the drive. I decided to smoke a ciggy and debated walking back across the casino to hit the little girl’s room one last time. As I’m standing there a young man approached me from the Roulette table, asking if he could ‘buy’ a smoke. I obliged- no payment necessary. ‘Michael’ inquired about my evening and I told him I’d been in to see the band etc. Michael, determined to make small talk brief and most concerned about my ability to drive asked me if I wanted to get a room! I found this outrageously amusing. It never ceases to amaze me what small talk gets you in a bar. Turns out Michael had just hit it big on the roulette table (6 grand), I kindly passed on the offer. He informed me about the casino’s new “care cab” policy which I was delighted to hear about and confirmed with the Valet. Luckily I was stone cold sober and neither needed a room or a cab. I am happy to report that the casino is working hard to reduce their record of #1 DUI’s in the state by offering safe passage to anyone who inquires for Free. As I stood under the heat lamp, waiting for my car, I couldn’t help but morn the close of yet another fabulous evening. The rain had stopped and my mind was at peace. My new cowboy boots did my feet justice and all was right with the world. Thanks GruvBox, I’ll be sure to come earlier next time! As for what’s next, well, it looks like my old friend Lenny Epps will be playing Friday night (Nov. 27th) with his band The Hitmen…Another show I wouldn’t want to miss. Lenny is a phenomenal show man, and I can’t wait to see this incarnation of his band. Hope to see you there! | ||
| Ben | A Dancer's Place | November 2, 2009 |
Halloween weekend - Part 1(Friday)I had promised Deja Groove I was going to come out to the 13th Avenue, the previous week, and I met with an old friend instead. So I felt I owed Deja Groove, and it was an interesting evening.  Skagit Valley Casino is just north of Mt. Vernon, in Bow, WA. The coverbands perform in the "Winner's Lounge". It is a clean, comfortable environment. The stage is huge, and the dancefloor is about 8'x10' wood, and fills up crowded for any good song. As with most casinos, there is no cover and drinks are inexpensive for the patrons, but the bands are not allowed to drink. This night there was one table of costumed young people. The women in the party were costumed as a prison guard, nurse, and fireman. They danced a lot, and would drag other patrons, mostly women (or guys dressed like women), onto the dancefloor. They would never ask me to dance, but the first time I left Romy, they were all over that:) It didn't occur to me till later that Blonde Romy, in her red dress, looked like she was channeling Marilyn Monroe, which fit in well with the crowd that evening.  Deja Groove was magnificent. Romy loved their music selection. The band consists of Jeff Powell on guitar/keyboard/vocals, Eric Weber on guitar/vocals, Juston Bobrowski on drums/vocals, Charles Valentine on bass/vocals, and last, but never least, TinaLou Arciaga on vocals and keyboards. Years ago they were focused on doing funk and disco. Since then they've brought in Top40/Dance and even some rock, looking more for that which is high energy for the audience.The band was tight, but more importantly, they were entertaining, which is always the bottom line. TinaLou sold every song she did, with a 'take no prisoners' style that captured the attention and hearts of the entire audience. With the wind and rain storm outside, the power went out. Immediately power came back on to the Casino, not so much the Winner's Lounge. Here is when I became aware that the Spazmatics were playing upstairs in the Pacific Showroom. Technical note... power going out is not a good thing for band equipment. Some equipment is meant to be powered down, before it is turned off. Deja Groove lost a couple guitar pods. Jeff presumed there must have been a power spike before it went out. Skagit got the Winner's Lounge going on an auxiliary generator, for everything, but the lights. So, in the Halloween darkness, Deja Groove hammered everything together that they could and started playing again. I heard from other patrons that, the minute the power went out, the Spazmatics packed it up and went home. All I knew for certain was a lot of people showed up in the darkened Winner's Lounge, dressed for the evening and ready to dance. In truth, with the Spazmatics starting at 8pm, this would have been near the end of their show anyways. I rarely go out to see a band because they are good or bad, though bad can be fun sometimes. I generally go because of the character of a member, or members, of the band. It meant a lot to me that, rather than sitting around complaining about broken equipment or lack of lighting, they sucked it up and found a way to keep performing. My only regret is that I wanted to talk with, and learn more about, TinaLou, who is as amazing a person offstage as she is an entertainer. Unfortunately she was busy most of the evening, and I never really got a chance to talk to her. | ||
| Ben | A Dancer's Place | October 28, 2009 |
WORLD'S APARTCOVER: BD: $7.00 E: (none) DRINK: BD: Tall scotch and water - $12.00(Johnny Walker) E: Tall scotch and water - $3.50(bar scotch) TAB: BD: Waiter encouraged running a tab E: They don't take credit cards BAND: BD: SouL'd Out - 7 piece funk/disco/soul show band, fronted by Lena Bundy and Tina Hart E: Dirty Old Man - 5 piece classic rock/top40 bar band, fronted by Caitlin Dittmer STAGE: BD: 20'x10'(approx.) with built in production and soundman E: no stage, no production, band had their own soundman DANCEFLOOR: BD: 20'x10'(approx.) hardwood E: 10'x6'(approx.) carpet, held together with ducttape AUDIENCE: DB: 300, mostly looking like Microsoft employees E: 40, regulars, bikers, and rowdy 20-sumthins FOOD: BD: Lots of good fun, mostly seafood, fairly expensive E: I ordered a grilled ham & swiss sandwich with potato salad. The cook came out to suggest I not have the potato salad, as it might not be good anymore. (Seriously, I do really appreciate him bringing this to my attention:) ATMOSPHERE: BD: Most of the audience is in groups of 4-12 people, and they don't readily mix with people they don't know E: So small a crowd, everyone feels like they are part of the experience, like being at a party, or, better, a kegger COMPANIONSHIP: BD: There were no open tables by the end of the first set. Tina Hart, a long time friend, brought over a co-worker, a cute redhead that loved to dance. E: There was this 6' tall, 350#, blond biker who hit on me when her "bitch" went to the restroom. All in all it was a great weekend. I enjoy both SouL'd Out and Dirty Old Man. It certainly was memoriable. Oh, and nextdoor to Elmer's is a 24 hr. Mexican fastfood restaurant, with 69c tacos! I most say that Big Daddy's isn't the most posh nightclub I go to, but it is close. Elmer's might be the least... elegant. If you know of another candidate for this, drop me e-mail:) | ||
| Lynelle Jones | - | October 8, 2009 |
A couple recommendations.Motown Cowboys are a 3 piece band that sets the bar for beautiful harmonies. You’ve got Mark Shaffer on lead guitar, Pat Coy on drums, and Guy Johnson on bass, all singing their hearts away. These guys are polished at what they do and it shows. Most of their set list is classic rock, but it is the kind of classic rock you can dance to, so it’s still fun for those who like to boogie. The only downer to their show the night I attended was some fool who the band kindly indulged for a good 5 songs standing in front of Pat helping him play his drums. It was weird. I was wishing the bouncer would bounce him. The guy was dumb enough to think that when I clapped at him when he was leaving that it was because I though he was good. Heh. I understand how live music can incite one to do foolish things. I myself have found myself on stage with the ole tambourine…But hey, after about 30 seconds of that I come to and get the hell off stage. Really, this isn’t acceptable behavior. One song if the band is game is cool, any more than that and you’re over the line. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, leave the stage to the professionals you ass wipes! And don’t think that because your feet are on the dance floor that you can reach up and mickey mouse with the instruments, ‘cause that don’t fly either. As for Deja Groove, I think they are my favorite band on the circuit these days. I could easily become a groupie, they are that good. I’ve seen them before and they were solid, but man, they just keep getting better. They play a variety of classic cover dance music, but what gets me is they aren’t just doing the easy stuff. They pull out classics from Prince, Journey, Donna Summer, and maybe I’m naïve, but they are doing it really, really well. This isn’t unusual for some of the bigger bands like Soul’d Out or Big Dog Revue, but for a 5 piece these guys have a sound, energy and diversity that competes with the big boys very well. TinaLou is absolutely mesmerizing with her appearance, sass and sound, and when Eric Weber chimes in with his high octane vocals it’s really something to see. Jeff Powell was very interested in the audience and making us feel welcome (something I dig), he came around to the tables introducing himself and asking for song requests for the breaks. A nice little juke box twist to keep the audience listening. It also gave the impression that we had a host for the evening, now that’s classy. So with all that said…Have you made your Halloween plans yet? I’m looking and considering. Of course I’ve been invited to some house parties, but this Saturday thing only happens every so often, I’m thinking I should take advantage of it and go out. But which show is another thing. There’s a million good bands playing, and what to be, what to be? (My facebook quiz told me to be a matador, now who ever heard of a female matador?) I know one thing, GruvBox is coming back to the Tulalip in November and I don’t want to miss them again. I was pissed that I couldn’t scrounge up any friends to go with me in September and I really want to see this band! Hopefully they are worth the wait, and I can make it this time around. Well whatever I do, and whatever you do, let’s make it a fun and SAFE Halloween. | ||
| Lynelle Jones | - | September 10, 2009 |
Summer is almost gone…and I ponder; where did it go, what shows did I see, why haven’t I been writing? I guess the answer to that would be I haven’t seen that many shows and it hasn’t felt quite right. The most fun I’ve had at a show this summer was when I hit the Expertease show at Marcos in July, and anyone who reads my stuff knows I’m partial to them anyway, so I can’t really write about them. If you haven’t seen an Expertease show, just do your self a favor and go…And you need to do it soon since the fabulous Michelle Taylor is ‘expecting’ and I’m not sure how much longer she’ll be working the circuit. I haven’t confirmed her plans for the birth of her bundle of joy and how it will affect her music career, but I’m pretty sure she’ll need some time off. By the way Michelle, I’m so proud of you working through your pregnancy. What you are doing takes a great deal of strength and courage and you look and sound amazing. | ||
| Erich Benedict | The Pop Tarts | August 24, 2009 |
HELP WANTEDThe right person will be able to quickly know our setlist of about 75 songs (with some new additions to cover the new member’s talents) and be ready to perform with minimal rehearsal (i.e. do your homework). High energy performance & strong stage presence with a pro appearance are what work for us. While we love to play music & have the best time possible, we also consider this an offer of a part-time job (with a guaranteed minimum/per night worked or steady % of net), so work ethic, professionalism & RELIABILITY are just as important as talent in our situation. Please consider if your work/personal & mental situation can handle the amount we work. If we do not know you from the circuit, a demo (preferably a performance video) is absolutely necessary before we will schedule an audition. Auditions will be held Sept.19-20 in Kirkland with steady gigging to start ASAP thereafter. We are performing at the Twisted Cork @ the Bellevue Hyatt (900 Bellevue Way NE) on Friday Sept. 11, the week before auditions. It would be a serious plus in our decision for you to see the group first, and see if you think you are a good match. (If you’re gigging that night we can make other arrangements.) Check out the band @ www.thepoptarts.net (setlist is dated on website) and if seriously interested, email or give a ring @ withanhman@comcast.net or 425 821-8547. Thanks! Erich B | ||
| Lynelle Jones | A Dancer's Place | May 25, 2009 |
Originals or Covers?So now, almost 2 years later, I finally got my chance to see DoctorfunK at the new Big Daddies. My understanding is that DoctorfunK is almost like Big Daddies house band. They play there regularly and always draw a crowd. What I didn’t know is that DoctorfunK isn’t a cover band. I learned this after the fact when I went to their website and realized they have a CD on the market that they are slinging (prescription for soul). –This explained a lot. My girlfriends and I (Lisa and Linda) arrived at Big Daddies with the intention to do a little bartering at the door for reduced cover. This went well. I had used the same tactic the week before with Rick and Frank at Marcos… Linda has lips like cherry wine and Lisa has ‘real’ strawberry blonde hair, both these women stack cleavage deeper than the Grand Canyon, so it’s pretty much a can’t miss combo. I approached Sean (the doorman) with a $20 in my hand and said “3 for 2 tonight” and all 3 of us gave him the million dollar smiles. Sean looked a little uncomfortable and the waiter standing by him said something to the affect of “I didn’t hear that” and ran off. Now (before I throw Sean under the bus) I want to point out here, that we were also meeting 4 fellow friends at the club and that equals $60 in cover right there, so if you are the owner of Big Daddies and reading this, don’t get mad at Sean, he made the right decision, and gave us the deal. I’ve seen these two girls work men over so bad they were ready for diapers. Sean really didn’t have a chance any more than the police officer who pulled us over for speeding the weekend of our girls get away. Besides, when a person gets a deal at the door it makes them want to come back. So in we went. We learned from Sean that there were multiple 50th birthday parties going on and also a class reunion. We were pleased we found a table. That’s one great thing about Big Daddies. It’s so huge I don’t think you could ever get stuck looking for a table long. They just don’t make clubs like this anymore. It’s sort of like stepping back to the 80’s when clubs were designed for bands and dancing, not just beer, darts, sports tv and pool. I will say I’ve had a few people comment that they don’t like how large Big Daddies is and they feel like they are in a cafeteria, but I for one am ok with it. The lighting is about right and it kind of makes you feel anonymous it’s so big. As luck would have it, we hit the club just as the band was going on break…So we sat there waiting for a server to come by and wondering where our friends were and mourning the days when you could sit down in a club and light a cigarette. We began the game I like to call ‘waiting on the waiter’. This seems to be a recurring theme in the clubs these days, odd in that the drinks are obviously where clubs make their money, so where are all the wait people? Considering the size of Big Daddies, it’s not bad service, definitely better than the Canoe Cabaret at Tulalip which is about the same size. We eventually got served. We ordered Nachos just before the kitchen closed, and they were perfect, a good sign that the chef cares about his craft and wasn’t in a hurry to go home. I’ve heard from other folks that they like Big Daddies food, so I feel confident recommending it, and encourage people to try them out for dinner. The band took stage. DoctorfunK is a multi talented 10 piece band with a brass section which highlights the trumpet a lot. Their brass section is phenomenal. They sound great. They look good. They really didn’t impress me. This isn’t their fault. I thought I was going to see a classic funk band that would play songs from folks like Earth, Wind and Fire, maybe some Prince, James Brown, Parliament, who knows? As it was, I think they did 3 cover songs while we were there. They performed ‘Pick Up the Pieces’ by Average White Band, which is a classic good funk song, they performed it well and it was a refreshing choice for a cover. They did ‘Brick House’ which really surprised me, because I expected more from a 10 piece funk band. This is a song I’ve seen 3 piece cover bands do really well, so with 10 musicians to work with I expected a little more ‘wow’ with their song selection. Other than that I can’t remember what covers they did. The girls and I went out with the intention of dancing. For whatever reason, we just weren’t catching the dance fever. For an original band they sounded good, but they really didn’t make my blood boil. Whether it’s a cover band or original band, I think it takes a huge amount of charisma and character to bring that ‘it’ factor that makes people love you and want to dance, no matter what you perform. As a group we kept waiting for ‘the next song’ to see if we wanted to dance. We did dance, but it was a little odd because we didn’t know what songs we were dancing to and it really wasn’t that funky. Most of their songs were in the same caliber as ‘Pick up the Pieces’ which really isn’t that much of a funky, jump on the dance floor and get down, dance song. The dance floor was packed every song, but I have no idea if this is because DoctorfunK has a huge following or if when people go out to see a band like DoctorfunK they are going to dance whether they like it or not. Perhaps it’s the name that has thrown me off with this band, because my expectation was for a lot of groove, and they were more like an old school big band. Either way, DoctorfunK is a successful local band, and I think they are worth checking out, but more for listening purposes than dancing. | ||
| Ben | A Dancer's Place | April 26, 2009 |
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Spiders spin beautiful webs. If their web is destroyed the spider will just spin a new one, not as good as the first one, Destroy the second one, and they will spin a third one, not as good as the second. If you continue this the web ends up a gnarly mess of silk, and the spider ends up insane. I wrote this article on my laptop, and it powered down without warning or back up. Strange because it was plugged into the wall socket. So I rewrote it, during my lunches at work. I was putting the last link into the articles and the article was replaced by the link. The program I was using, did not have a undo function. One more time... into the madness... The Pop Tarts @ Marco's - April 10-11, 2009 Back in February of '05, The Pop Tarts had their first gig. It was at John Petosa's in Lynnwood. They were not asked back. The Pop Tarts went on to refine their performance. John Petosa's was sold to become Marco's. The Pop Tarts became a good and popular band, and Marco's hired them two or three times. The last time, one of the waitresses complained they were too sexy, and Marco's decided to not have them back. "Too sexy"???, well DUH! Since then The Pop Tarts have become one of top bands on the circuit, and Marco's who should have profited from the closing of the China Clipper, and the discontinuance of live music at Club Hollywood and Royal Casino, but they haven't. Now The Pop Tarts have been hired back by Marco's. That pretty much brings us up to date.I arrived about 8pm, got in without paying cover, and got a comfortable table in front. I sat there watching Erich and Rene' set up the lights. I thought it was odd that they pointed the white spots at their feet, viewing this from a photographer's point of view. There is no ventilation on stage, just the color 8" cans make it hotter than hell up there. After they finished, they joined me at my table. Momentarily we were joined by Todd, they introduced me to Doug McGrew, who was filling in at drummer. The regular cast of inmates that make up the Pop Tarts are Erich Benedict - bass/keyboards/vocals, Todd Davis - guitar/vocals, Ben St.John - drums, and fronting the band is the beautiful, energetic, sexy, and moderately insane, Rene' Benedict.  The band heading to the stage, and a dance-partner of mine, Reva arrived with a friend,
Theresa. I invited them to join me at my table. There is a strong possibility that Reva will be moving to Montana shortly. That is a real shame. She has done much to support live music and help bands. He is also a helluva a dancer:)There was a large birthday party, mostly young women, and were highly motivated to dance and rarely left the dancefloor while the band was playing. Not unusual, one think that can be said about The Pop Tarts is that their music is fun and high energy, appealing to the normal 30-40 demographic as well as the 20'sumthins. The floor was packed from the second song. Come the second set Reva and Theresa headed over to Baxter's to see how Expertease was doing. They return during the third set, reporting Baxter's to be packed. Interesting, since it was crowded at Marco's, I guess when times are tough on people it is even more important to get out and relieve stress. The band was aware that Reva had returning, and held off playing "Closer" until she returned, and invited her on stage to dance. Nice touch, and great stage performance between Rene' and Reva.  As the last set played, two rather large men were doing the 1am rush on an attractive young woman. While one was dancing with her the other moved onto the dancefloor. Reva expected a fight. I expected the second man to hit the floor like a fallen tree. He was having a hard time focusing, and gravity had long since ceased being a friend. Oddly, nothing happened, thank Bacchus:)Saturday I arrived at 8pm again, and this time ordered something to eat. I couldn't not get a good table, as they were all reserved by different people/parties. I ordered some nachos. Can't recommend them, way over cooked. I think I'll get their meatloaf next time. Erich and Rene' joined me and we talked about video recording, editing, and reproduction. The previous night we hadn't had much chance to talk because they needed brief Doug on their arrangement of the various songs coming up on the next set. Reva showed up again with her girlfriend Maria, and friends. This was about the time tables were running short. They ended up with the party half standing half sitting. Reva came over and said "Hi". I invited her and Maria to have a seat, but they wanted to hang with their friends, my table not large enough to support the whole party. The band had started and the dancefloor was full by the second or third song. People were really having a good time. Lynelle(check the bylines of some of the articles here) showed up with a friend, and with amazing luck, grabbed a front table just vacating. They had been down the street checking out a new club, "Nobody's Business"(?). I got a few dances in with Lynelle, always a pleasure.  A fairly large group of friend showed up, and found that they all weren't on the band's guestlist, and departed for Baxter's. Truth is over twenty people had asked the band to be put on the guestlist, and the Tarts were told by Marco's they could only have four. This is an interesting study in economy. Cover at Marco's is $5, and I bought a double Grand Marnier for $10.00. At Baxter's that same drink cost $14.00 so, to me, it all balances out. Besides, after being bothered by a panhandler at the Raging River, a cover doesn't sound like that bad an idea.Reva's friends decided to move on to Baxter's, but Reva wanted to stay and joined me. We managed to get a lot of dancing in, and when invited to dance on stage to "Closer" this night, she was wearing pants so she could properly cut loose:) Truth was there was no shortage of attractive, provocative, single women dancing. Not unusual for a Pop Tart crowd. Third set, a promoter, Craig Cook came in to check the band out. He had come from seeing Notorious Sensations at Rocksport in West Seattle. Craig and I got into a discussion of old band, Chaotics and Sonics, and clubs, BFD, Spanish Castle, and the Battle of the Bands Craig used to promote. Craig stayed through the set and break. The band joined us, and I left them to talk industry and business. All in all it was a wonderful night. I counted 26 couples dancing to one song in the last set, including Reva and I. The laughter, the fun, the dancing, this was the kind of evening people hope for when they go out to see a band. Not just a good night out, but a memory to help them through these troubled times. I am biased about The Pop Tarts. Erich and Rene' are friends, they have invited me into their off-stage lives(which is how I differentiate between friends and acquaintenances in the music scene)and have proven themselves to be truly amazing people. Recognizing the bias, I made a promise I wouldn't bore you folks with stories about them, but, frankly, they are one damn fine band. | ||
| Lynelle Jones | - | April 13, 2009 |
A Breath of Fresh Air…None of Your Business is located right next to Hwy 99 at 17711 (just a block south of Marcos) and is a quaint little bar that seems to be thriving even without a website or cover charges. Truthfully I don’t know anything about this bar but it was very welcoming and friendly. It looks like they feature live music regularly and not a bad spot to hang your hat and relax. The amenities include your standard sports bar fare of pool tables (situated away from the band area) dart boards and a number of video type gaming devices. Cozy lighting and tables situated to allow plenty of space for mingling keep this bar from feeling like a sardine box. I really felt comfortable, and although I wasn’t big on the carpet (I prefer wood floors when it comes to dancing) I would definitely go back to this club to see shows in the future. My friend Jerry had told me about his friend’s band and the debut of Spin Cycle, so even though I wasn’t feeling totally clubbish Saturday night (I was slightly dysfunctional from Fridays dysFUNKsion show at 13th Ave.-Great Show and by the way, that club has turned into a Friday night hotspot.) I figured I owed it to the industry to witness the birth of a new circuit band. I was pleasantly surprised. Turns out the band had been preparing for their debut for over a year, practicing 2+ times a week and keeping it real at various parties which made for a smooth debut. Mike Fish’s (guitar and vocals) relaxed confidence and control comes through in a good natured personable way that makes you feel like you’ve known him for years. This is a guy you would invite on your next camping trip because you just know he’s got some great stories to tell by the campfire. Don Harrison (drums and vocals) has a steady beat and not too flashy drum style that I like in a performance. When it comes to drummers I say there are two types…you’ve got your Carter Beaufords (Dave Mathews Band) who quietly finesse their drums to everyone’s delight and you’ve got your Stewart Copeland (the Police) who are amazing drummers but are constantly at odd’s with their band because they pound the things so damn hard it makes everyone crazy. Anyway, Don Harrison runs in the Carter Beauford category and I think that’s a good place to be. Aaron Baca (bass and vocals) plays a mean bass that he admits he spends more time slapping then playing, which is ok with me because I enjoy a good slap (and a little spanking now and then isn’t too bad either). Aaron brings a nice eye-candy element to the band for the women, but I should report he is happily hooked up. Still though, hotty bass player just does something for the libido-it reminds me spring is here. Last, but anything but least, we have Cindy Harrison (vocals, percussion and newly performing on the bass). Cindy is the cutest little petite blonde you ever did see and wow she’s got some vocals-Ben you’re going to like this one! Vocally Cindy is anything but pretentious and you wonder how she’s going to pull off some of the harder classic rock songs and then the tension melts away as she effortlessly sings her way through them with the support of her band members. This is a lady who you imagine singing her way through her household chores just as delightfully as a butterfly fluttering from flower to flower, truly a breath of fresh air. And that’s the perfect way to sum up Spin Cycle, a breath of fresh air. I liked their song choices, they weren’t playing the covers that the industry dictates as a formula for success but the covers they seemed to truly like and wanted to play. When it comes to set lists the industry as a machine sometimes forgets that every song doesn’t have to be a dance song and every song doesn’t have to be performed perfectly, if a band loves what they are playing the audience feels that love and it truly is contagious. ‘Spin Cycle’ has a website: www.reverbnation.com/spincycle and a My Space page; http://www.myspace.com/everettspincycle, and I encourage folks to watch for their next gig they are a fun band to see. So what’s next, well it’s hard to decide there are so many great shows coming up this weekend you’ve got Poptarts, Expertease, Deja Groove, Hiwatt, Franks in Opera all nice and local…I’m probably going to have to toss a coin, but I’m leaning toward SouL’d Out since I haven’t had the opportunity to see them and I’ve heard they are great…Also, I think it’s time I check out Big Daddies newer location. I can’t boycott them forever just because they have a cover charge. | ||
| Ben | A Dancer's Place | April 7, 2009 |
Hardly a weekend goes by that someone asks about Chain Reaction. No, Chain Reaction is not coming back, except maybe for a reunion tour. Michael and Rick are now playing with Idol Eyez, which brings up the important point. Admittedly Robin Clark never sang with Chain, but she is a powerful singer with dynamic stage presence, like Tina Hart, Julie Davidson, Robin Just, Laurie Holme, Naomi Morgan, and other former Chain Reaction singers. If you are looking, waiting for Chain Reaction, Idol Eyez is as close as you will come, and that is VERY close.IDOL EYEZ @ EMERALD QUEEN CASINO - 2009 April 04 I went to see Idol Eyez at the Emerald Queen Casino last Saturday. This was way overdue. I promised Robin at the Bite of Seattle last summer, I'd come out and see their show. Interesting word, it is a show, the quality of which reminds me of SouL'd Out, though different music realms. Trust me that comparing anything or anyone to SouL'd Out is a good thing.The coverband music at the Emerald Queen Casino is far to the back, in the Bridge Lounge(?). The only thing farther back is the event center. You have to stand in line to get in, and are frisked and wanded. Sorta makes you wonder... I really did not like the Emerald Queen Casino after they moved off the sternwheeler. The location they moved to, the old bingo facility, was not in the best of neigborhood and the local Tacoma mob took a liking to hanging out there. The location hasn't gotten any better, but I saw no evidence of dominion personnel. In those days there would be 15-20 yellow shirt SECURITY people stand at regular intervals around the back wall. Since there were only a couple security people there, I would guess it isn't the relaxation hotspot for organized crime it used to be. This night "The Whisperers" were playing at the event center, and parking spaces were hard to come by. Next time I go there, it will be a couple hours early, and I'll grab dinner there. Save me the mile walk from the 'not quite a real' parking space. There was a real Christmas atmosphere. Not the mistletoe and eggnog Christmas, but the mall parking lot Christmas atmosphere. Didn't help that cars were lined up the entire length of the building for valet parking. Yeah, go early next time. I have no idea who The Whisperers are but one of them had a heart attack during their show, and they had to get an emergency vehicle through all those cars to help him. Seriously though, I imagine that a casino with alcohol, concerts, frisk & wanding, would need to have a limited medical staff on hand for emergencies. I don't know how the band member did, but do hope he's okay. I'm guessing the concert ended early as hoards of people piled into the Lounge between 10:00-10:15pm. A lounge that was lit up with the excitement that is Idol Eyez. Beyond my promise to come out and see them, I had heard that they were doing well, one of the top bands in the southend. It is notable that they play seven casinos and only one nightclub, and that is Tacoma's Stage 56. As I sat there I had a nagging feeling all this was familiar. It was hard to home in on, but I finally got it that the feel of the evening, the crowd, the enthusiasm, the music, reminded me of that time when I was going out to see Chain Reaction on a regular basis. Admittedly John wasn't there, and that leaves a big shadow for Ted Pickett to fill. He is different, but doing a great job both playing and singing, as well as smoozing on the breaks. At the heart of Idol Eyez is beautiful young blonde, Robin Clark. Robin has been on the circuit for some twenty some odd years. Almost everyone in the industry knows Robin, thinks fondly of her. She is one of the nicest people you'd ever meet in this art form. Beyond that she is blue-eyed blonde beautiful, stage savy, multi-talented(vocals, guitar, keyboards), and has pipes that'll blow your socks off. If you miss Chain Reaction, find someway to make it to the southend and check out Idol Eyez. Their next gig is April 24-25 at the Red Wind Casino in Olympia. Truth be told, most of their gigs are at the Emerald Queen Casino or reat American Casino in Lakewood, if you would rather. Hot bet for this weekend is the return of the Pop Tarts at Marco's. There is a long estranged relationship between The Pop Tarts and Marcos, the explanation of which put most people to sleep. Just trust me that a great time will be had by all. For the month, the hottest gig I can see is SWAY returning to PJ Pockets April 30th - May 2. Yep, Thursday thru Saturday. Anytime you get Liz Aday and Steph Smith on the same stage, it's gonna be a good, no, GREAT show. | ||
| Ben | A Dancer's Place | March 10, 2009 |
Dirty Old Man @ Jimmy Jack's - 03/07/09 Hmmm... Fetticine Alfredo and a couple hot dogs, topped off with a diet cherry Coke. Food of the gods, there is nothing like a bachelor's diet. It's a matter of believing that Murphy's Law is part of the divine plan. If I started eating healthy, I'd be dead in a matter of days. I'll tell you the "cockroach story" some day. Meanwhile... Facing a threat of snow, I headed up to Jimmy Jacks. I had watched the weather report and they talked about a convergence zone(whatever that is) forming. Hmmm... on the map it was coming in from the northwest, and centered where 405 merged with I-5. Holy mother of god! The convergence zone was on top of Jimmy Jack's. I sincerely hoped a convergence zone was a good thing. Jimmy Jack's has enough problems drawing a crowd. It didn't need hinderance from the weather. More than a decade ago, I sat in one of their booth wondering what, if anything, could be done to make Jimmy Jack's popular, short of spreading the rumor that it was a 'meat market' or popular among the recreational snow crowd. Now into the 21st century nothing has changed. Jimmy Jack's has a great stage and dancefloor, cheap drinks and no cover. You would thinks a winning combination. Yeah, you'd think. Dirty Old Man is a bar band that plays classic rock, maybe once every 4-6 weeks. As bar bands go, they are pretty good. Let's face it, there is as great a chance of any band named Dirty Old Man playing a casino, as there is of me going out to dinner with Eliza Dushku.  In my pursuit for a good bar band with a female front, I had seen Dirty Old Man with the breathtaking Romy Lawyer (memories of this sexy young woman fronting for them in a parochial schoolgirl uniform). Matter of fact I saw them accompanied by Jacque, Carol, and Gem, on my last birthday. The girls were very impressed with the band, and loved their raucous behavior and song selection. Romy has since moved on to Notorious Sensations.Romy was replaced by the beautiful Caitlin (Katy) Dittmer, an ex-Siren (from the band Sirens). I caught the Sirens at Waldo's. They were a little rough, but I thought they had a lot of potential, specially with Katy and Laurie Ervin fronting for the band. I had some doubts about Katy fitting in with Dirty Old Man, because, well, she's kinda classy, and the other band-members dress in overcoats and socks. Never underestimate the adaptability of a woman. Show lots of cleavage, play off of the guys on stage, and she fits right in. I walked into Jimmy Jacks, behind a small group of people. Bearing in mind that Jimmy Jack's, on a good night, hosts a small group of people. The place was packed! That wasn't the most shocking thing. I heard the band was playing, and they were amazingly good. I had heard DOM play just two weeks before and the change was astounding. Katy, dressed in a black leather skirt and bodice, was kicking it like any great bar band singer should. Somehow, someway, DOM, as they like to refer to themselves, had gained several years practise and experience in those two weeks. Also their playlist had drifted a tad, not much really, from classic rock a little into Top40/Dance, which is more in line with the northend clubs. Did I mention Katy was dressed in a black leather bodice? :)  At the next table were some of Katy's acquaintences. Among them a tall elegant blonde named Daphne. I had seen her out before, mostly at Jimmy Jack's. This time I got the courage up to ask her to dance. She is a good dancer, and dance partner. Should have asked her earlier.On the downside, late in the evening, a car in the parking lot had been broken into and everything not nailed down was stolen. The lesson I learned from this is park near the street, in the best lit area. Other than the robbery, and with the way the economy is going I have to imagine that we'll be seeing more of this, the night was a wonderful success. Heck, leather bodice, Daphne, incredible music, full dancefloor, it was truly an amazing evening. Now DOM disappears again for a couple months, to return to Jimmy Jack's on 5/8-9th. If they would care to play more often, getting them into Rocko's, Hayley's, Stewart's, and maybe even the Swinomish Casino, shouldn't be difficult. They have the talent, they just need more exposure and/or promotion.. | ||
| Ben | A Dancer's Place | February 22, 2009 |
Loud Mouth Blonde @ Baxter's - 02/20/09I had heard from members of "Our Weekend Gang" that Loud Mouth Blonde was not very good. Last weekend's northend lineup was not stellar, by my tastes, so I decided to give them a look at the amazingly "interesting" Baxters:) Kenny wasn't working that night, but I stayed anyway.  I hinted strongly to two women that live near Baxter, that I would be there(yeah, they didn't show up). I know Doug Sample, LMB's guitarist, from back in his Boinkers(the band not the hobby) days. He is a excellent guitarist, and I always enjoy talking to him, so Loud Mouth Blonde became a good pick for the evening. Later Markie Mark and Eric joined me, on a "check out bands" night.LMB consists of Darin Hawks on Keyboards and vocals, as mentioned, Doug Sample, formerly of the Boinkers, on guitar and vocals. John Rhodes, formerly from Boogled Mindz and Latigo Lace, on bass, the newist member is David Samek, formerly of Poodlebomb, on drums, and lighting up the stage is Jill Crueger, former of Boogled Mindz, fronting the band. Since the folding of Square One and Knee Deep, the sabbatical of Sirens, the mysterious disappearances of Chain Reaction and Indy Nile, the northend has become dominated by all-guy bands. The one outstanding exception is Expertease. A ADP given is that I rarely go to see guy bands because, if I'm going to sit there all night watching a band, I want to have something worth watching. In that regard I have been looking for a band or bands that fill my need for a good nights entertainment. Though not into country I thought The Chrissy Alexander band might fit my needs, but Chrissy isn't playing that much in Western Washington. By the way, our own Chris Alexander, former singer for Pop Culture, KISW Rockgirl, bartender at Cowgirls, currently Nashville studio singer, song writer, and recording artist, is in a popularity contest at http://www.kkrv.com/Playlist.asp. She loses every week to Scott Smith. Smith hasn't done anything that I'm aware of, other than vote for himself. I've actually watch him vote for himself for six hours straight just to shut everybody out. I would think his time would be better spent writing, performing, and recording, rather than just voting for himself. Did I mention that I ramble? It was a quiet night at Baxters. One of those night that bands dread, and have to work twice as hard to keep the excitement level up. Loud Mouth Blonde did just that. The night rocked with that energy that separates a live band from a DJ. I really loved Jill's performance. She is high energy, talented, and dominates the room. Okay, okay, she is amaziningly beautiful as well:) Talking to her I was impressed with her intelligent and sense of humor. The music, the evening, ended all to soon. I headed home, and a tire fell off my car. I had it towed home and $300+ later the car is rolling again. (sigh) I promised Jill I would be back Saturday night, but my car had pulled up lame. Perhaps I can catch them at the Rockbottom next weekend. | ||
| Lynelle Jones | - | February 19, 2009 |
A quick disclaimer just to make sure we are all clear.I apologize for the implication that Big Dog Review could be sequencing. I know you guys work your butts off - I’ve seen your show. I hope you will consider it a compliment as to how tight you are. I swear to god I am partially delusional, ask anyone close to me…I’ve seen flying umbrellas (and I’m not talking about the small ones here, this was a large patio umbrella coming straight at our car), Crazy Sauce at Taco Bell(just try ordering that at the drive up) and Ostriches running loose in Lynnwood. This is sloppy journalism at its best. I don’t get paid, I don’t have an editor to fix my mistakes, and I don’t do it to make work for myself, the only fact finding I do is visit websites and shows. Everyone who reads this column should understand that my reviews are based on perception and not necessarily fact-and they certainly don’t reflect the opinion of our web host Ben, he just lets me do my thing(for now anyway). It is important as an audience to seek out these bands and see what you think for yourselves. This website is about promoting our local night life, and if I come off harsh at times, I apologize; I have the highest respect for what these bands are out there doing. In the same vein, you have to understand if I am going to put my name and recommendation on your band then I have to believe in what I am promoting. If I review a band or bar at all consider it a compliment. I shop the shows I go see very carefully, I can’t afford to go see lousy shows. The last really bad band I saw (by accident) has not graced these pages; I just can’t be that evil. If you are a band or bar owner, remind yourself that any PR is good PR-and all fluff makes for very boring reading. If you are a patron remember to ask questions, get involved, and certainly don’t take my word as the final word, seek your own truth. Everyone who reads this column needs to understand I only write about the best of the best bands I see. I may take some hard jabs at our north-enders, but I am only reviewing what I call A circuit bands. Big Dog Review is certainly at the top of their game and I apologize if you have a bunch of idiots (like me) asking you if you are sequencing (not that there would be anything wrong with that:). With all that said, this leads me to a list I’ve been compiling lately. Things to Annoy a Musician in a Cover Band. 1.Make a song request completely out of genre 2.Tell them about the time you partied with someone from Heart. 3.Ask them if they do any originals. (Remember this is my column, this may not annoy them, but I think it’s rude). 4.Talk to them about your music background that you gave up 20 years ago. 5.Ask them how much they are making. 6.Talk to them about your friend/relative that used to be in a band. 7.Pin their female lead singer up against the wall and tell her you’re in love. 8.Climb on stage uninvited to dance. 9.Touch their instruments. 10.Fall into their instruments. 11.Talk to them about your friend of a friend of a friend that can get them booked at some cool club. 12.Take up their whole break explaining why you should get up on stage and play with them.(if you’re that good get your own band.) 13.Crumple up their set list and put it down your shirt. (ehm-I still need to make amends to Dana Osborne’s Changes band for doing that.-love you guys!) 14.Review them on adancersplace and imply they could be sequencing when they aren’t. Things to Make a Musician in a Cover Band Happy. 1.Tell them you like their version of a song better then the original. 2.Buy them a drink. 3.Flash them. 4.Dance. 5.Make a song request in their Genre on a $50 bill. (Don’t whine if they don’t play it.) 6.Ask them where they are playing next so you can go see them…and spread it around. 7.Take pictures of them on stage and then request one off. 8.Flirt with them while they are performing. 9.Hoot and clap at the end of songs. 10.Tell them they sound great. 11.Give them your phone number on a paper coaster. 12.Ask them to autograph anything. 13.Tell them the set list is perfect. 14.Write a stellar review of them and post it everywhere. I know there is a whole bunch more of them out there. Feel free to sign ADP’s guest book and add to the list. | ||
| Ben | A Dancer's Place | February 16, 2008 |
Happy New Year 2009!(revisited)Just a brief editorial correction. Big Dog Revue is huge, as bands go, as such they do not need to use sequencing, and don't. That having been said, we return you to your regularly scheduled life:) | ||
| Lynelle Jones | - | February 09, 2009 |
CALIFORNIA DREAMING...Yay!- it’s February. Can you believe it? January is my worst month of the year. I find it to be long, dark and lacking in celebratory intrigue. Every year at the beginning of January I begin the mental preparation, “Lynelle, start thinking ahead, find something to dream about, plan Valentines Day, plan a vacation, plan a party, find a hobby.” It really didn’t work this year. I slept a lot, and when I say a lot I mean 8 to 12 hours a night. The only thing I managed to stay motivated about was my workout. So there was that, ho-hum. I’m still waiting for my rock hard abs to sprout. However depressing and dark my January was, there was one thing that was anything but dull, and that’s the north end music scene. It was jumping with great shows all through the month. I managed to get out and do a little bar hopping and saw a number of impressive shows, but for every show I saw there were at least 4 others I would have loved to have seen. If anyone wants to fund my bar habit, feel free to contact Ben. I started the month off strong. I caught both No Rules and Funnadicts at 13th Ave Pub. Now 13th Ave is not the best layout for bands and dancing, but for a little ole sports bar in the middle of a strip mall, they really bring in some good bands. 13th Ave Pub is clean, bright, and if you don’t mind dodging a few dart players and cue sticks it’s a great no fuss spot right off Interstate 5. Live music is only featured on Friday nights and February is already listing a spot on music line up. 13th Ave doesn’t charge a cover and their website features some awesome menu specials, including Friday night Surf and Turf, so make sure you check out their link. The wait staff and food is everything you would expect from a successful sports bar, friendly, tasty, generous portions and affordable. Now on to the bands…No Rules- there is nothing bad I can say about this band. They Rock! An 8 piece band including a full brass section is just not something you see hitting the circuit these days. God knows they can’t be in it for the money and their show reflects it (did I mention they have a full brass section?). Both lead singers Jim Brady and Randy Hiatt are seasoned performers who understand the art of fronting a band (did I mention they have a full brass section?). Walt Johnson (band leader/guitar) started his touring career before I was born and his expert riffs are astounding (did I mention they have a full brass section?). The other members, Jim Austin (Keyboards) Craig Ibsen(bass) and Scott Batchelder (drums) round out the band to create a full balanced sound that really takes you back to the days of the all night rock and roll parties (did I mention they have a full brass section?). Oh and the brass section, Now maybe I’m just a virgin but I’ve never seen a baritone Sax in a rock and roll band at a little old club in the middle of suburbia. Size does matter! I couldn’t take my eyes off Dave Carlson’s instrument. It was so big! It glittered, it glowed, its sound was amazing, heart stopping, ear popping, you just can’t synthesize that sound and get the same effect. Put it with a couple other saxophones and you’re blowing off the roof, shaking down the walls, tearing the place down and putting it back together again. I recommend this band and can’t wait to see them again. I also saw the Funnadicts at 13th Ave. Pub. What can I say, the Funnadicts are fun. You can’t compare a little 4 piece to an 8 piece, but these guys-and gal, have heart. I was at this show with our formable web host Ben and like he said, there aren’t a lot of female lead singers out there these days that are cutting it. Janaya is one of them. She’s a little on the subdued side, but there is a certain quality about her that I like. She’s enigmatic (I looked that one up on Websters). Bob (keys and vocals), Mike (drums and vocals) and the recent addition of Frank (guitar and vocals) round out the band to create a no-miss sound that works the classic dance tunes in a wedding reception type fashion, and who out there hasn’t found themselves cutting loose to the Macarena at one time or another? The crowd at 13th Ave that night were certainly enjoying themselves. I left the show about 12 pm and on my way out I told Frank, “I think this place is about to get real crazy”-there was a certain electricity in the air that seemed to be building. I forgot to ask Frank how the night finished off, but for me it was a 2 thumbs up evening. Later in the month Ricky took Frank and I on a magical mystery tour of the historical town of Snohomish WA. Now I hadn’t been out clubbing in Snohomish and I have to say it was quite a treat. It was no coincidence that we started our evening at The Oxford Saloon where Miles From Chicago was playing. I had shopped this band out on a dancersplace and I was intrigued by the members’ bios which seemed highly experienced and widely diversified. We arrived early (maybe 9:30) to be greeted by a doorman who before taking our cover charge informed us it was standing room only. We headed on in. I knew by the raised eyebrows the guys liked what they were hearing and before we even found a place to stand Frank and Rick were exchanging head nods and “these guys sound good.” Miles From Chicago is a 5 piece featuring your standard instruments plus keyboards and sax. Their online song list leans toward R&B, Soul and Blues but I think they’ve had a change up because they were doing a lot of classic rock and roll. The website touts a singing drummer who wasn’t the drummer who was working that evening, so even though they were good, I was looking forward to hearing Freddy Krumins sing. Anyone who reads my column should know by now I dislike outdated band websites so with that said, I’ll just say I liked them and thought they were excellent musicians. If they had been doing a little more of the music I was expecting I would have been a lot more excited. As it was I was inspired enough to drag Ricky to the dance floor. The Oxford is unique in that it is in one of those historical type buildings with high ceilings, miles of hardwood finishing and the kitchy décor to match. A cut above the same old bar scene, but not a whole lot of standing room. From the Oxford we moseyed over to Mardini’s. Before we went inside we got the scoop from one of the smokers outside. Our informant told us the night before the band was horrible and the folks playing this evening were 100 times better. He also filled us in on the bar fight that took place earlier-it sounded like your typical 20 something testosterone induced hysteria. We went on inside. The club was jumping. The layout was a little weird. It had long tables lined up and pulled together, a little Mediterranean, a little cafeteria style. I headed to the bar to order us a round. I ordered Frank a Wild Turkey on the rocks myself a double Vodka Cran (I didn’t want to have to go back for seconds) and Rick, our faithful driver, a coffee. Now I’ve watched a few bar pours in my life and this guy pouring the drinks should be warned-My eyes just about popped out of my head! I made sure to get his name on my way out-well it turns out Mardini himself was bartending. For $12 we got what looked close to a triple Wild Turkey, and my drink was no less than a quad. According to Rick the coffee was fresh too. I recommend if you’re going to frequent this bar to make sure you watch your intake. The band on stage was named Slacker, and I haven’t been able to find them on the web, but they seemed like they knew what they were doing. They were a 6 piece, err… or maybe a 7 piece, I have to admit I don’t recall much after drinking that vodka/cran. I do know they had 2 lead singers-guy and gal who weren’t half bad. The crowd was on the younger side and the bands set list was nailing their tastes. I recall we were laughing a bit at how crammed up they were on stage and other then that I really just recall dragging Rick out on the dance floor where it suddenly seemed we were really good at two hand bar dancing. Ehem. As you can guess my investigative skills kind of went out the door from that point on. We did walk over to Stewarts, where Frank ordered us a 3rd round. But that’s all a blur. The club seemed empty after being at Mardini’s, but the 3 piece band was good. None of us have any idea what their name was (they had no branding) they ran out of music and stopped playing well before 1:00 am so we headed out. We popped in to try to catch the end of Expertease at Baxters, but they were finished for the evening too. We did get to see the end of another fight though. Sheesh, it must have been something in the air. All in all it was a great way to end the month of January…It kicked me out of my slump. I started day dreaming again, gee; wouldn’t it be fun to spend the night in Snohomish for Valentines? Stay in one of those fancy bed and breakfasts, shop around during the day, get your groove on at night…hmm, it could be a mini vacation right in our own backyard. Kind of romantic, yes indeed…Kind of romantic…thank god it’s finally February, I can almost smell spring through the dusting of snow this morning. I wonder what the temperature in California is today…? | ||
| Lynelle Jones | - | January 6, 2009 |
Happy New Year 2009!Did you go out? Did you have fun? Have you made a resolution? Myself, I spent the evening with family safe and sound. Driving to the grocery store New Year’s Eve was bad enough… you would have thought we had another storm on the way. What did I expect, we Americans like our holidays with lots of food. I have heard Snohomish County is one of the highest fat per capita counties in the entire country. So there you go, whether it is true or not I have no idea. Anyway, I didn’t go out for New Years, but I did sneak out for a few hours Dec. 27th to catch Big Dog Revue at Marcos. I had heard a lot of good things about Big Dog Revue and I’m happy to say they were all true. This band is spot on. A 7 piece band, a brass section, a Hammond B3, and all members singing-now there’s a treat. I could very well leave it at that and be satisfied, but then this wouldn’t be much of a story. There were a couple odd things about that night…So for the sake of those readers with nothing better to do than listen to my drivel I’ll divulge some of my deeper thoughts about the evening. 1st off I have to tell you I went out by myself that night. It’s not such a big deal, but it had been awhile since I had gone to a bar alone. So I admit I was a little hesitant about it. Either way, once I made my way through the door and found a seat it wasn’t too weird. The lounge was fairly full so I circled around looking for a place here I could sit and still see the band. Lucky for me there were a few empty chairs at the bar right next to a lady sitting by herself. Once I sat down and made her acquaintance the chairs on the other side of me were taken up and voila- I wasn’t sitting by myself. Imagine that, a planet full of 6 billion people, did I really think I would be sitting by myself? Seating arrangements settled, I relaxed a bit and took a good look around. You know, I can’t even count how many times I’ve been to Marco’s but sitting there by myself that night was kind of like seeing it for the first time. It’s a homey little lounge, low ceilings, subtle lighting, and lots of dark corners. If the younger generation had a hold on this lounge I can only imagine what they would turn it into. Alas, I look around and I see a bar full of folks somewhat in my age range, doing what folks my age do best, chatting it up with friends of course! One thing I noticed was the large number of couples that seemed to be out with their significant other. Once the music started this became very apparent and I have to imagine that Big Dog Review attracts this sort of clientele since I never noticed this at Marco’s before. Personally, I find it incredibly heart warming to see people who look like they’ve been married forever out for an evening of dancing. (note to self, approach Ricky about dance lessons again.) So, munching away on my fries, sipping my bud light, making small talk with my new found friends, the band took stage. The crowd didn’t hesitate. From the opening note they were out there on the dance floor ready to boogie, swing, or strut their way to the big band sounds of Big Dog Review. What was strange was my initial gut reaction. The guys were on stage, looking sharp decked out in their matching outfits (traditional red/black for the holidays I presume) the music was impeccable and the crowd was loving it and I was aghast. Aghast about what you ask? The fact is I suddenly felt really old. I’ve thought about this since that night and I tossed around all the elements that made me feel old, and I have to admit I think the worst of it was that Marco’s stage is awful. Marco’s stage looks like something that fell out of 1954. As soon as the lights came up on the band, I thought to myself, man these guys are old, but then I looked closer and thought, well gee, they aren’t much older than me…and then I thought oh god!-No, it’s not the band, it’s not me, it’s that stage, it’s heinous. I should have taken a closer look so I could describe it better, but really it was so bad that after I looked it over and made the assessment that it looked like the walls were falling down and were those sheets or curtains? I stopped looking. What it really brought to mind for me was Mr. Rogers Neighborhood of Make Believe, which looked really great when you were 5 years old, but when you look at it as an adult you think man, that’s cheesy. So as much as I love Marco’s and I feel for them with all the neighborhood sound problems/complaints they put up with, I wish they would do something nice for the bands that continue to play there in spite of all the restrictions and give them a stage that doesn’t look like it came out of a cookie cutter comedy movie. And speaking of the run down stage…what’s with the bar’s ice machine? I followed in a guy with a cart full of ice when I got there and I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation about the ice maker being down “again”. Perhaps Marco’s isn’t doing so well with the economy and all. There was also a lady in the restroom who pointed out to me that there wasn’t any soap. Hmmm-I’m not even going to think about what that implies when you’re in a restaurant with no soap. Anyway, I know it’s a little dicey, but I really do love that place, and I’d hate for anything to happen to it. That said the evening was a nice night out. I kicked back most of the time, enjoyed the music, and yes, I did get a dance or two in. I really liked Big Dog Revue, I thought out of all the talented band members Marc Lagen the guitarist was the funest to watch. Of course, the other guys were good, but it just seemed like he was really giving it his all that evening, he had sweat pouring off him like a mo**er Fu**er. Again, I didn’t stay the whole evening so the other guys might have had their chance to shine later on. I looked up at one point thinking to myself “man the backup is harmonizing perfectly,” only to realize no one was singing. Rick and Frank looked at me like I had horns coming out of my head when I told them this, but I will swear to it. Now sequencing is no big deal, lots of bands are doing it, but it was really weird to see it being done when the band was more than vocally capable of harmonizing those backups. I don’t know what was up with that, but it was a bit weird. And come to think of it I’m going to take a point away from my praise of the band just for the mere fact that they were a little too consistent and not taking any risks. You know, it’s not that I expect a band to be balls out every performance, I’ve seen what gigging every weekend can do to a band, but there is a point when a band can be too practiced and predictable and loose some of its fun and spontaneity. It does liken to an orgasm I suppose, you can’t ever knock having one, but some are just better than others. It begs the question, at what price are bands sacrificing their musical integrity and turning to technology in order to fulfill the expectation of the audience on a shoe string budget? Let’s face it, the smaller the band, the more money the members make at neighborhood bars who can’t even afford soap for their bathrooms. How does a 3 piece band compete with the sound and explosion that our technology driven generation expects from a live performance?-I really don’t know the answer to that question, but if ZZ Top can do it, so can our local heroes. Technology has become both the saving grace and the nemesis of musicians. As a generation of MTV’ers with huge sensory expectations, it is our job to be mindful of beguiling performers versus musicians of integrity. Then again in this day and age of breast implants, artificial sweeteners, video game physical fitness, maybe it doesn’t matter. Anyway, I guess we have a whole new year ahead of us to watch and see. Wishing you all happiness; musicians, club owners, patrons and readers, cheers to another year! | ||
