Sliversun Pickups and other gigs last week

So Saturday night we went out to the Silversun Pickups show at the Paramount. Some friends picked me up and we waded through the traffic that was being caused by the construction/Seafair parade. After finding parking and stopping to pick up tickets at will call we convened at Dragonfish for some food before the show. We hadn't been there to eat in quite a while and found some dishes we liked. I drank some sparkling sake that was just sweet enough for me.

When we arrived at the show the second band Against Me! was setting up. I thought they sounded like a updated version of Reo Speedwagon and the light show they set up was distracting. But that is just me. The band won over the audience and had people chanting their Anthems, which were also written on the amp/speaker stacks if one needed to reference.

The Sliversun Pickups played an amazing set. The show was subdued, but energetic. Sound was a bit muffled, but very good for a room that size. I have waited for some time to see them live, having missed them playing in Seattle before now and the wait was worth it.

We also saw the Flaming Lips in Central Park, NYC. They were better the last time we saw them in Marymoor Park, but a bad Flaming Lips show is better than most other events , so we had a good time.

Flaming Lips

Mates Show

phase3 in Vancouver, Wa March 28th 11pm

Go see these shows

My band phase3 is playing on Dec. 7th in the second of two shows being put on at the Visionary Dance studio in Fremont under the name, "Pillow full of Drone". The first show is on Nov.2 and you should try to hit that one as well.

ms. led at the sunset

Mates of State

I'm excited. yesterday my wife got us tickets to the Santogold , Mates of State show at the Showbox SODO . The last time the Mates were in town we missed out, so I am looking forward to this show. They just make life a little happier.

I downloaded the Santogold record from Emusic and it sounds good as well.

need to book some new shows

I was looking at the photos from phase3's last show and thinking how I want to book some new ones. Booking shows can be frustrating. We (phase3) try to not always book ourselves at the same place, or with the same acts. I haven't been going out to many shows either so its hard to network if I don't get out. The last 3 shows I wanted to see I skipped.
As a band we are planning to do some more recording, but all of us are busy with the rest of our lives so booking shows kind of takes a backseat to life. Which is ok, but I still feel the need to play out with an audience. If I don't it is easy to fall into the funk of writers block or stagnation.

Skylark November 24th

So, I haven't been in a while, but the breakfast at Skylark is great.

I have only been to a show there once, as I don't drag myself out of the house as much as I should these days.

I wanted to put up something about a show coming up in a couple of weeks. All the bands have old friends of mine in them. It should be a fun evening. I hope I can make it out,but even if I don't and you should. An added bonus all the shows at Skylark are free, if money is a concern.

Support local music.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum/PLEASEEASAUR/Sugar Skulls

Last night we made it out to Nuemo's for a satisfying night of weird and wacky music.

The first band was Sugar Skulls. The three front women were clad in outfits made from a dumpster dived shower curtain. Looking past the outfits into their heavily bass/violin driven jazzy numbers one will find a tight unit. They have spent sometime recording recently and I only hope the CD can capture the live experience which was exceptional. I look forward to seeing them again soon.


Pleaseeasaur is a one man act that can only be completely experienced live. I will say that for a lo-fi multimedia show, this guy takes the cake. Funny, engaging and all together wacky, I would recommend it to anyone who hasn't had the pleasure before.

For me the Sleepytime Gorilla Museum fills a much needed gap in today's music. They build some of their own instruments, play found percussion, weave together dissonance, melody, and junk industrial performance. They do this without sounding like many of the other bands who do this now or in the past. This is to say that have their own style. Whimsical one moment, psychotic the next, heavy and soft they flow in and out of styles flawlessly. A must for fans of Crash Worship, Hitting Birth, Sharkbait and Babyland.