MusicfestNW 2011: An Ambitious Plan

My wife and son are evacuating to Chicago. My buddy is heading up from the Bay Area. So from Thursday through Sunday, we plan on watching as much live music as humanly possible, fueled mostly by beer, bacon, and tacos.

With so many venues packed with a mix of up and comers, fan favorites, and stellar local bands, we can't go wrong at MusicfestNW. It's like a musical choose your own adventure. While it's tempting  to sprint from venue to venue, crossing the river too many times will wear off the beer buzz and run the risk of listening to the desired set while standing outside in line (Better show up early Blind Pilot fans). So for this preview, I'm focusing on my favorite pairings.

I'm lukewarm on the headliners for the featured concerts at Courthouse Square, but some of the openrs are great. Personally, I'd much rather see Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside headline a concert with Typhoon and Morning Teleportation. Sallie Ford kills live and shouldn't be missed. Whichever you choose, make sure to show up early.

Wednesday
Weedle's Groove @ Mission Theater - This whole night be scratched, as I likely will be helping the family out the door. However, this music documentary focusing on the Seattle underground soul scene sounds amazing and is followed by a concert by some of the featured musicians. Plus, it would kick of a back to back night soul and funk celebration.

Thursday
Monarques/Dennis Coffey/Charles Bradley @ Aladdin Theater - Guitarist of the legendary Motown Funk Brothers, Coffey's pyrotechnics have been pillaged for breakbeats for decades.Charles Bradley is Daptone's newest star. The label seems to doing for soul what Fat Possum once did for Hill Country blues. Add local retro party poppers the Monarques to the mix and you have a solid evening.

Favorites I'm missing: Dolorean, Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Friday
Weinland/Sharon Van Etten/Blitzen Trapper @ Crystal Ballroom
Weinland albums are pretty mellow, but they do know how ramp it up live. Actually all three bands should mix up introspective and spirited songs. Van Etten could be a festival highlight, although it's hard to beat Blitzen Trapper in front of a hometown crowd.

Lost Lander/AgesandAges/Givers @ Doug Fir - This might be the best 1-2-3 punch of up-and-coming bands. Prepare to hear a lot about Lost Lander when they finally releases their album. AgesandAges back porch harmonies are even better live. Expect the Givers to deliver a playfully riotous closing to the night.

Favorites I'm missing: Bare Wires, Thee Oh Sees

Saturday
I thought I had Saturday all figured out until The Vaccines late cancellation threw my schedule off. And while seeing Blind Pilot is tempting, especially since their new album sounds amazing, I'm not excited about their openers.

And And And/Helio Sequence @ Doug Fir
The addition of Helio Sequence more than makes up for the loss of the Vaccines. Here's hoping this leads to a new album. Plus everyone should come just to see if And And And can live up to the hype (They usually do).

Ravishers/Priory @ Someday Lounge
Lately, I've been really digging the Ravishers laid back indie rock. This is actually Priory's second set of the day (@ Rontoms for the Burnside Distributors Free Party). Their electronic indie pop is damn catchy.

Favorites I'm missing: Ty Segall, Blind Pilot

Sunday
Free Marmoset Music Party @ Rontoms
Holy crap, Dolorean, Light for Fire, Pancake Breakfast are all playing. Seriously, this lineup can't be missed. See previous post.

AgesandAges - Alright You Restless (2011)

Like neo-hippies, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, AgesandAges sound like an idealized front porch family sing-along. Just about every song off Alright You Restless exudes a friendly communal feeling, to the point where the band must regularly discuss whether they are or are not a cult. I first discovered AgesandAges, along with Boy Eats Drum Machine and Light For Fire, on last summer’s PDX Pop! Now compilation. “No Nostalgia” stood out with its wonderful rolling rhythm, buoyed by spirited group harmonies, and a catchy call and response. The rest of album roughly follows that basic formula, with a guitarist and percussionist anchoring the songs, while the rest of the seven member band fills out the sound and shares the lead and backing vocal duties. The rustic nature and appearing simplicity of the songs belie the many tempo changes, vocal arrangements, and intricate musicianship. For example, when male vocals lash through the choral pop towards the end of "When I Was Idle." I love the entire album, but the galloping “So So Freely” (mp3) and ringing “Souvenir” are two of the other standouts.


AgesandAges "Navy Parade (escape from the Black River bluffs)" HD from Alicia J. Rose on Vimeo.

PDX Pop Now! 2010 Compilation

Local compilations like PDX Pop Now! 2010 are by their very design a mixed bag. This just happens to be one of the better ones that I've ever heard. Over half of the 40 songs are really good. Of course, some the bands I've seen a couple times and love, like Hockey, Mean Jeans, and Blitzen Trapper.

I was actually introduced to the Mint Chicks on last year's compilation and have loved them ever since (and they are on again with the new "Bad Buzz"). While the unreleased Blitzen Trapper song, "Look My Way" is a treat, it's bands that I don't know well that make the compilation worth my time. I had to go buy their album after hearing, Boy Eats Drum Machine's electro-island hook on "Hoop + Wire" (mp3). I can't find much on AgesandAges, but I love the rolling sing along of "No Nostalgia" (mp3). Deelay Ceelay updates the Peanuts soundtrack for the electronic age on "Tange Ceelay", while Light For Fire delivers gruff and upbeat indie pop on "The Letters". While I could try and list all the other great songs by Mike Coykendall, Nick Jaina, Sean Flinn, Death Songs... I don't want to just rehash the track listing. Since it is only $8 for 2 discs, there's no excuse for not picking it up and finding your own favorites.

Although not many of these bands are actually playing the festival, it's a cool snapshot of what's happening in our musical city.