Results tagged “blues”

THINK GLOBALLY: Global development is such a lonely two words. But it doesn't have to be. Think tank Global Washington invites you to drop in at their event Global Connections this afternoon, with guest speaker Adam Smith. It's all about helping Washington’s nonprofits, businesses, academics, and government agencies come together and increase their impact globally. The talky part is 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and then there's an hour-long reception.

We got into Memphis last night, and we'll be here for the rest of the week, celebrating folk music along with people from all over the world at the annual Folk Alliance conference. We'll be going on and on about that in articles for another job we have, but we just wanted to take a moment to express how much we love Seattle. We miss Seattle. But mostly, we miss people.

We first saw Toshi Reagon at the House of Blues in New Orleans, where she was opening for Ani DiFranco. Not the greatest venue for acoustic music -- the NOLA HoB has an echo problem. Toshi sat on a stool center stage and just oozed music, though, and we were totally sold. Something about that woman you just gotta see and hear.

Blues legend Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the devil to get his guitar skills.

Seattlest sucks at the harmonica, and so has always had a healthy bit of reverence for people who can really play the damned thing. We're not talking about Alanis-style "harmonica playing," but real harmonica playing. It's one of the world's most portable instruments, which satisfies our folkie sensibilities, and the history of the instrument is pretty interesting as well. So it is with great relish that we encourage you to head to the Triple Door,...

So, you think you have been to a beer festival before? Maybe you went to Fremont Oktoberfest , or maybe you even went to the Seattle International Beer Fest this summer. If you really want to go to a beer festival, get yourself to Denver in 10 days.

When Seattlest received that fateful email from a friend, our immediate reaction was a roll of the eyes and an audible, drawn out, "Bull shit." No way would the one and only Beastie Boys play the legendary but very wee Crocodile Cafe. No way. Then came the Ticketmaster link all but confirming it. The Croc's website kept mum, not listing the show at all. Supposedly The End had been talking it up, but we wouldn't know since we haven't listened to that station since discovering KEXP years ago. A click of the mouse fractions of a second after tickets went on sale and we were in. Many of our friends and most of the Seattle area weren't as lucky. A quick check on Craig's List and Ebay showed that scalpers had done some of the immediate damage. Venting ensued.

Yes, we're Folklife enthusiasts. Where else can you get a funnel cake, a hip-hop spitfest, a latin dance party, and a contest for liars, all in one place? We quoted Prince in the headline because we wouldn't be surprised if he showed up at Folklife this year. There is so much shit going on this weekend, and you don't have to drive all the way to the silly Gorge and pay through your nose to enjoy the music, yall.

Are you a hophead? If you are, get your butt up to Cooper's Alehouse on Lake City Way on the north side of the city. Their 5th Annual IPA Festival is currently in full swing. They have some very tasty beers on tap and more on the way.

We don't get it. There's been so much hype over this Brandi Carlile character for so long, and we finally "broke down" and went to see her last night at the Triple Door. We're not sure what all the buzz is about.

We were really looking forward to Seattle Rep's Fire on the Mountain last night, in part because it's an Appalachian coal mining thing and we love the Steven Segal movie Fire Down Below based on the same. Yes, we know, it's an indication of some serious flaw in our cultural map if upon hearing "Appalachian coal mining" we respond with "Steven Segal!" Maybe we fixed it last night. Maybe the next time we hear "Appalachian coal mining" we'll respond with "Fire on the Mountain at the Seattle Repertory Theater through March 24!" All we remember from Segal's version is that he saves some mining town and gets the girl through strength of body and character. Seattle Rep's production does a much better job of communicating the blatant rape of culture, people and land of the southern mountains that was (and is) perpetrated by the coal mines. They cover the low wages, black lung, cave-ins, busted families, ruined earth, the unions, strip mining, flight to the cities, the end of agrarian society, man's inability to confront death without a fistful of morphine, etc, all via song. The black and white photographs of Appalachian miners that were projected on large screens behind the musicians were a great addition, although none of the photos depicted a greasy-haired man with a little paunch righteously delivering a roundhouse to the face of a one-dimensional bad guy.

Direct from Hollywood:

Remember those heady days before the 2004 election? When all anyone ever talked about was red vs. blue? Those were good times for America, and good times for internet comedy site JibJab, who captured the zeitgeist with a little Flash-animated featurette called "This Land." We didn't hear much from JibJab for a while, but they're back with the Great Sketch Experiment, in which they teamed up with legendary comedy film director John Landis (Animal House, Blues Brothers, Coming to America, to name a few) to produce six short films performed by some of the best independent comedy troupes in America.

You all remember Vern, right? Seattlest interviewed him a few months back, and let us reassure you, this man knows badass inside and out. If anyone could convince us that the Steven Seagal Blues Band (aka Thunderbox) wasn't all that bad, it would have to be him.

TicketBastard just emailed Seattlest HQ to tell us "Don't Miss Kenny Loggins!" And thank goodness, because Seattlest most certainly doesn't. Miss Kenny Loggins, that is.

-A fishing boat burned up this morning off of Richmond Beach. Six people aboandon ship and Chief Sealth put out the fire.

Festival season is starting, and that's Seattlest's favorite time of year. Elephant ears, funnel cakes, deep fried twinkies, strawberry shortcake, and any number of more savory foods abound, and then there's whatever the festival is actually celebrating. Our neighbors to the south in Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, and Orting are having their annual Daffodil Festival this weekend, which looks to provide an interesting mix of activities outside of the flower-gazing.

Those of you with plans to hijack the Tractor Tavern and remove its nuclear warheads or use it as a control center in your effort to take control of a top-secret government outer space super-weapon on Saturday May 27, think again. Your plans may be foiled by, no not the cook, but a member of the band.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/255911_childactor17.html">by the AP, is whereabouts unknown with only a suicide note to feed speculation. The suicide note was found in his car along with two pages of poetry, actually. Port Madison Narrows is the reported location of the seemingly abandoned automobile and for the purposes of this post we're calling that local enough.

Both Red Mill locations are closing early on Sunday, and that can mean only one thing -- the Rolling Stones are back in town.

Were you at Bumbershoot on Friday? We were. Here is what we saw…

Let’s face it. You are not Lance Armstrong. You're probably OK with that fact, and Seattlest is proud of you nonetheless. But, maybe you still got a little inspired during the Tour de France and ran out and bought yourself a road bike. A few spins out and back on the Burke Gilman trail and you’re ready for something more interesting? Try the Tour de Peaks this weekend.