I was already supposed to be in Wisconsin for the annual family vacay on July 19th; airline tickets were bought, plans made. And then those brash upstarts the Intelligence had the nerve to book a tour-opening record release show at the Crocodile in Seattle for "Everybody's Got It Easy But Me," one of the best albums of 2012. BURN! OH, THE CRISPY, CARBON-FLECKED BURN OF IT ALL! I got more and more morose when I contemplated that I would miss hearing all these great new songs done live, with an expanded 5-piece line-up, in the friendly confines of the familiar Croc.
What are rules if not for breaking? What are funs if not for having? What are plans if not for talking to an airline representative for an hour, and then the dog-sitter, and then readjusting so that the Crocodile would have one extra patron on the 19th, HMM?
I made the show, and I made some photographics. I had planned on seeing Thee Oh Sees play at All Saints right before, but the 520 bridge and other complications conspired against me. But they did all show up to the Croc to watch their pals play! What a great night! All four bands -- the Intelligence (Lars Finberg "SUPER Genius," Susanna Welbourne, Dave Hernandez, Leslie Ishino, and Jed Mayhue); Unnatural Helpers, Dream Salon, and Wimps -- were a blast, and a solid night of sweaty garage punk joy was had by one and all. I'm so glad I was there.
I insist that you buy the recorded output of all of these bands immediately and go see the Intelligence as they make their way through Californee and (hopefully) other locales soon!
(Click on the photos to enlarge, and click on the Flickr links for more!)
The Intelligence Seattle 7/19/12 (Flickr set)
Unnatural Helpers, Seattle 7/19/12 (Flickr set)
Dream Salon Seattle 7/19/12 (Flickr set)
Wimps, Seattle 7/19/12 (Flickr set)
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman