PHOTOS & VIDEO: WIMPS, PONY TIME @ BILL AND MELINDA GATES AMPHITHEATER, OLYMPIC SCULPTURE PARK, SEATTLE, WA. 8/27/15

Last night, as I sat on the steps of the sweet little Bill & Melinda Gates Amphitheater overlooking very tall modern art and listening to two of our finest punk bands while the late-summer sun slowly slid down in a peachy glow, I said to a friend, "I don't know why we'd ever live anywhere else." That really was the vibe last night as wimps and Pony Time closed out the musical portion of the Seattle Art Museum's "Summer At SAM" series -- everyone seemed so happy to be in such a lovely place, having such a good time. "Everyone," in this case, ranged from fuchsia-haired teens to moneyed art folk to adorable preschoolers busting serious dance moves to suburban mom photographers with a penchant for excellent garage music. The latter person appreciated the daylight and excellent weather and the opportunity to shoot what I think will end up being some of my favorite photos of the year.

Both Pony Time and wimps are bursting with new music, and I could not recommend the purchase of these ditties more heartily -- please undertake this action by clicking on their highlighted band names in this very sentence! I hope, as the summer comes to its final few days, that you too find some time to go outside and enjoy whatever it is that makes you smile. As long as it isn't a federal crime or anything, ya know. 

Always, you may click on the photos to enlarge and click on the Flickr links to see more! Thank you SAM, wimps, and Pony Time!

Read More

23 PECULIAR RECORD COVERS & KNICK-KNACKS FROM THE VALUE VILLAGE THRIFT STORE!

Yesterday, I invested some time into watching a documentary about salt mining. There are people who devote their entire lives to harvesting salt from the earth, sometimes at great personal risk, so that you may enjoy a flavorful Dorito. Me, I spent my time harvesting weird images from the bowels of the thrift store, so that you may enjoy an element of surprise and/or joy in your day. I await patiently for my own documentary. Until then, please to enjoy these latest finds!!

Keeper? GUESS NOT.

Read More

PHOTOS, VIDEO, REVIEW, & WRAPUP INTERVIEW WITH PETE CAPPONI @ PIZZA FEST VI, DAY THREE, EL CORAZON, SEATTLE, WA. 8/8/15 (FURTHERMORE NOT SO MUCH SAFE FOR WORK)

We've made it to Day Three of all that is Pizza Fest VI -- Seattle's very own annual celebration of pizza, punk rock, and PBR's that has become a musical tradition in our town each summer. From humble beginnings, it's grown to be a multi-day, multi-venue festival featuring some of the best garage-grown local and national bands around, capped off by a pizza-eating contest that is only for the bravest of souls and the hardiest of stomachs. I don't know what you'd want more in entertainment, people, because Pizza Fest is the apex of FUN. OK, now I want to form a Planet Of The Apes-themed band called Ape X and play Pizza Fest next year. GOALS!

Get ready to scroll, click, n' roll through the MASSIVENESS of Day Three and my interview with Pizza Fest guru Pete Capponi!! Also, if you are like me and like to do things in chronological order, check out coverage of Day One and Day Two first, and THEN read on!

Matt Nyce of wimps enjoying pizza at Pizza Fest VI.

Saturday was bustin' busy for me as I had to go see about a guy, so got to the El Corazon too late to see openers, local werewolves Wolfgang Fuck. Maybe they will forgive me and let Ape X open for them someday. Or maybe they will just rip me to shreds. You can't tell with werewolves. Anyway, they will have recorded music available soon, and I know you want it, as do I.

I really, really dug Chicago's Uh Bones, who had just the kind of fuzzy, nasty three-chord '60s-style garage songs that form my DNA, and cause my head to nod and my feet to hop like I had a grave neurological disorder. I would go see them everyday.

Guitarist Kenny rocked his glasses right off his face at one point during their set. Being the kind soul, sympathetic severe myopic, and fellow wimps fan that I am, I handed them back to him right away. After I took a picture of the glasses, of course.

Uh Bones, Pizza Fest VI, El Corazon, Seattle, WA. 8/8/15 Flickr set

Read More

PHOTOS, VIDEO & REVIEW: PIZZA FEST VI, DAY TWO, CHOP SUEY, SEATTLE, WA. 8/7/15 (ALSO NOT ENTIRELY SFW)

Woo-eee, babies! That's right, sit tight: it's time for more mesmerizing MEDIA-RICH coverage of all that is PIZZA FEST VI, featuring some of the best punk, garage, psych, and power pop bands this nation provides! Also -- and this is vital to understanding the spirit of Pizza Fest -- there is PIZZA, for PIZZA is EVERYTHING! My friend and creative colleague AJ Dent handled duties for Day One of this 3-day extravaganza at The Funhouse. and I insist that you view her stellar work RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW. I'll wait here with Shannon and Jordan of Gazebos while you're gone.

...

WASN'T THAT FRIGGIN' GREAT?? Yes, it was! OK, so now we are up to Day Two, moving over to the newly-renovated Chop Suey for another round of gooey goodness! Because I was enjoying myself at Day One the night before, I got to the venue a little late and missed Patsy's Rats, which you must admit is a fine band name. Please patronize their Bandcamp and buy their summer-shiny brand new single...which is not a cover of "Ben," by the way.

Next on the bill was Susan, which was not at all Susan Boyle, and was instead three youthful ladies from Los Angeles whose identical outfits and beachy-keen garage bop made me want to skip school with them so we could hang out on the sand with the cute bad boys and eat french fries. What? It could happen.

Susan, Pizza Fest VI, Chop Suey, Seattle 8/7/15 Flickr set

Read More

PHOTOS, VIDEO, AND REVIEW: PIZZA FEST VI, DAY ONE, THE FUNHOUSE, SEATTLE, WA. 8/6/15 (NOT ENTIRELY SFW)

(Ed. - I am SO SO SO SO SO SO excited to begin bringing you coverage today of PIZZA FEST VI, Seattle's premier punk pizza party, which took place August 6-8. We start off now with Day One at the newly-relocated and reopened Funhouse, and the fabulous AJ Dent is onboard for Popthomology with her pithy review and spectacular photos so I could take some videos and take it (relatively) easy that night! Thank you, AJ -- you rule! Enjoy!)

Read More

VIDEO: BERNIE SANDERS @ THE COMET TAVERN, SEATTLE, WA. 8/8/15

Yesterday, I was able to partake in a remarkable opportunity: the chance to hear 2016 presidential candidate and U.S. Senator (VT) Bernie Sanders speak at a small gathering of grassroots supporters (like me) at The Comet Tavern in Seattle's Capitol Hill. Earlier in the day, things did not go as planned on Senator Sanders' visit to our town at Westlake Plaza, which you can read about here. But bringing in a capacity crowd to the Alaska Airlines Arena later in the evening of 12,000 (plus 3000 others who stood outside the arena) surely made the day end on a better note.

For all the people who did not get to hear what Senator Sanders had to say, here is his entire speech given at the Comet. Thank you for listening.

Read More

PHOTOS & VIDEO: JOE "KING" CARRASCO, THE FANCY LADS, RADIOSHARK @ EL CORAZON, SEATTLE, WA. 7/31/15

AY YI YI YI YI! VAMOS Y GET DOWN!!!!

This was my reaction when I found out that my "Nuevo Wavo" hero Joe "King" Carrasco would be coming to Seattle! I've been a fan of Joe's since 1981, when I heard "Gimme Sody, Judy" being played at a Madison, WI. record store, promptly bought the Hannibal Records LP it was on, and then bought tickets to see him play soon afterward. His music, sparse, fun, and Farfisa-fueled, reminded me of all my fave Tex Mex garage songs from the '60s from Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, the Sir Douglas Quintet,  and ? and the Mysterians. It was exactly what I needed to counteract '80s hair metal, twee British synth pop, and the last dredges of dreaded disco. Some of the very best times I've ever had were at Joe shows, and that's a fact, vato. So OF COURSE I went on over to the El Corazon last week to see my ol' pals and have another great night out!

Read More

KARAOKE PHOTOS & FESTIVAL PREVIEW: PIZZA FEST VI, SEATTLE, WA. AUGUST 6-8, 2015

(Thank you to the wonderful AJ Dent for providing Popthomology with this preview of the music fest of the year, which is PIZZA FEST VI ! AJ will also be covering Day One which is TONIGHT at the Funhouse in Seattle!)

If pizza doesn’t make you wanna party, there are many things wrong with you I don’t care to know about. Stay home this weekend and rethink your choices.

For the rest of earth’s population, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night all offer a supreme slice of life: Pepped-up Pete Capponi and homeslice Elaine Grabicki present Pizza Fest VI, the bash that best devours your ears and plays hopscotch on your tastebuds.

This year’s chaos kicks off Thursday, August 6th at the recently revived Funhouse, fitting for all the clowns and gowns sure to be flitting about. Day two jumps over to the beloved circus tent known as Chop Suey, and the fiesta concludes Saturday at El Corazon. Of course, the debauchery would not be complete without the annual pizza-eating contest that night! Get there to experience the pool of grease, grins, and groans. Last year’s showdown sold out, so snag your tickets now, ya slob!

Day 1: Thursday, August 6th - The Funhouse

CHILDBIRTH

Heaters

Full Toilet

Donzis

Bod

Pizza Riot

With DJ Peter Lowe

Day 2: Friday, August 7th - Chop Suey

Mean Jeans

Useless Eaters

Gazebos

The Gooch Palms

Scraper

Susan

Patsy's Rats

With DJ Some Girls and DJ Burnt Zza

Day 3: Saturday, August 8th - El Corazon

NOBUNNY

Wimps

White Mystery (Chicago)

Zig Zags (LA)

Courtney n' the Crushers (Oakland)

Steal Shit Do Drugs

Baus (Oakland)

Uh Bones (Chicago)

Wolfgang Fuck

DJs Ruben Mendez, Travis Ritter, and Jermaine Blair

Last night, the pre-fest kicked off with a special PIZZA FEST VI version of ggnzla karaoke at Capitol Hill's Speckled & Drake bar, complete with prizes and an appearance by one of Saturday night's featured bands, White Mystery! (Ed. -- I think the best moment was Travis Ritter's version of Elvis Costello's "What's So Funny 'Bout  Pizza, Love, and Understanding.") Here's some photos of the celebratory songbirds!

Read More

PHOTOS & VIDEO: STALLION, UBU ROI @ CHOP SUEY, SEATTLE, WA. 7/30/15

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'D LIKE TO DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE CENTER RING, A.K.A THE DEN AT SEATTLE'S ONE AND ONLY CHOP SUEY! ON THE NIGHT OF 30TH OF JULY IN THE YEAR 2015, A MOMENTOUS DATE IN THE HISTORY OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE, AN EPIC SHOWDOWN MANIFESTED ITSELF IN THE FORM OF A ROCK N' ROLL BATTLE STARRING YOUTHFUL GARAGE BRATS UBU ROI AND LEGENDARY WORLD CHAMPION WRESTLING PUNKS, STALLION! THESE FEROCIOUS FREAKS GAVE THEIR ALL TO RAISE FUNDS FOR PIZZA FEST 2015, THE GREATEST PIZZA-EATING PUNK FESTIVAL OF ALL TIME, HAPPENING THIS WEEK! HERE'S THE LOW-DOWN IN TWO ROUNDS!

The pop paparazzi was out in force as fans crowded around Stallion's classic white Mercedes-Benz, hoping for a quick glance at Hollywood Capponi, Luscious Luke, and Mr Dynamite Lance Strongarm as they entered the building, all swagger and strut, followed by glamorous Towel Girls Sunny Dee and Choo Choo. I've heard rumors that some members of local combo SSDD may have been indulging in a game of street dice at this time, but no one's copping to it.

Read More