YOU CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC: PHOTOS & A FOND FAREWELL TO SEATTLE'S CHOP SUEY

Do you know what the buyout of Capitol Hill's beloved music dive Chop Suey means to me and a whole lot of funky punky sorts? It may be hard to understand that in the context of some of the realities of the ol' joint, dark and dim with a weird layout and bathrooms that never smelled so great, hosting a lot of crazy-ass weirdos, bands and patrons alike. But if you are part of the Chop Suey community, you know -- another one of our dwindling musical "homes" is likely to be making some major changes. I'm not averse to change, mind you, but like in so many cities across the nation now, small alternative venues like Chop Suey are closing, replaced by luxury condos, big box stores, frou-frou gastropubs, or mindless EDM venues. Artists and musicians are struggling to live and work on negligible pay while seeing the character of their neighborhoods corporatized and diluted. I know this pattern is not new, I know all the creatives will eventually find and form new and supportive communities and/or rally to keep the scraps that remain, but it's at times quite disheartening.

This Sunday, January 18th, fierce and fabulous booker Jodi Ecklund has put together one last bash to celebrate all the glorious times we've had at Chop Suey, "Another One Bites The Dust!" The show, which begins at 4PM with (very awesome) DJ Dave Hernandez, will feature the coolest, and MOST DAMN FUN local bands we have: Tacocat, Kithkin, wimps, Pony Time, Chastity Belt, Universe People, Deep Creep, Childbirth, Sashay, and Blood Drugs. If you have not purchased your tickets yet, STOP READING THIS RIGHT NOW and GO HERE -- best ten bucks you'll ever spend, Seattle.

I've had the good fortune to have attended and photographed some insanely good shows at the Chop, and I'd like to leave you here with some of my favorite images. Looking over them again is bittersweet, remembering not only the beer-soaked, crowd-surfin' wildness, not only the incredible performances, but how many strong and supportive friendships I began right there on those sticky floors. R.I.P., Chop Suey: may you rise again somehow, somewhere.

Tea Cozies, 5/5/12

The Pharmacy, 5/5/12



White Fence, 5/5/12


Ty Segall, 5/5/12

 Partman Parthorse, 4/20/13


 
 



































The Intelligence, 4/20/13

Coconut Coolouts, 10/18/13





wimps, 10/18/13


Hunx & His Punks, 10/18/13

wimps, 1/3/14



The Spits, 1/3/14



Slutever, 2/14/14



Tacocat, 2/14/14



Acapulco Lips, 6/3/14



Detroit Cobras, 6/3/14



The Kinks, "You Can't Stop The Music"