Oh, the glories that are a summer in Seattle: blue skies, sunshine on sparkling water, and PIZZA FEST!! Yes, Pizza Fest, that annual event that dares to ask the question: What happens when you combine some of the finest local and national punk/noise/garage/powpop/no wave bands around with delicious Sizzle Pie PIZZA for three days? If you'd like to find out, READ ON, starting NOW with Pizza Fest 7's Day One all-local lineup at the Funhouse. Please to enjoy, ya filthy animals!
(As always, click on the photos to enlarge, and click on the Flickr set links for more!)
Opening up the whole darn thing was brand-new band ex Licks, made up of three fine creative people -- Dan Paulus, Alex Noble, and Shawn Kock -- who add to our community greatly. Dig their strong power pop vibe, with delectable melodies and classic rock n' roll oomph.
The youth of America were represented well with The Crush, whose sunny, energetic garage pop refreshed the sweaty, cheese-laden Pizza Fest crowd like a freshly-popped sparkling carbonated beverage.
Topless arrived next with tuff guitars, passionate vocals, and punchy songs that reminded me a bit of Sleater-Kinney: no-nonsense, all-knowing.
The mysterious "Hair Police" trio came by next, and they looked and sounded an awful lot like the fabulous jitterpunk band Nail Polish...hmmmm. Cheetos were offered to the audience from the stage, perhaps as a bribe to not reveal a SECRET IDENTITY? News at 11!
Portland's Piss Test followed next with a nitro-blast, eye-poppin', head-bangin' set that might set your hair on fire if you got too close.
A killer close to Day One of Pizza Fest 7? Duh, it's Boyfriends! If Boyfriends were a chip, I think they'd be salt & vinegar, which as we all know is the perfect chip: robustly savory, with a wild, lingering tang of difference™ that is deeply pleasing and memorable. Ride the nu-wave, buy their things.
MORE MORE MORE from Pizza Fest 7 coming soon from Day Two and Day Three, including the notorious Pizza Eating Contest! Watch this space!
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman