Seeing as most folks will be going to see the sold out Portlandia show at the ShowboxMarket, tonight might be a good night to head out and check out some of Seattle's thriving music scene. more ›

Allen Stone may not be a household name yet but just give it a little time. This Seattle R&B performer is heading out on tour soon but not before he headlines City Arts Festival show and performs on Conan O'Brien. more ›

When general manager of the Triple Door and head brewer of Elysian Brewing teamed up to create a beer, their focus was food. Jason Locke wanted a beer that patrons of the Musiquarium Lounge and Wild Ginger would want to drink with a plate of kom pot short ribs. Dick Cantwell (secretly a creative chef at heart) wanted to create a unique brew that would mingle with the foods served at the restaurant/bar but would also be available at his Elysian Fields location. What they came up with was the newly released Triple Door Backstage Pale Ale, brewed exclusively by Elysian Brewing for the Triple Door. more ›

British singer/songwriter Nick Lowe takes the Triple Door mainstage tonight and tomorrow, alone and unadorned, for an evening of sweet remembrances and cutting kiss-offs. Bring a date or an ex! more ›

Oh, thank Science! There's another nerd event coming to town. And this one's got Wil Wheaton, no less. more ›

James Vincent McMorrow is a singer/songwriter from Dublin, Ireland. His first (and currently only) album Early in the Morning released early last year to critical acclaim. Since then he seems to have caught the touring bug and is out on the road for most of the year. We caught up with him on the last stop of his ten-show tour with The Civil Wars. more ›

The Triple Door was packed with concert-goers, like sardines in a can Wednesday night. As a matter of fact, it was the first show we can recall "standing only" tickets being sold at this venue. There was a line of fifteen to twenty people just standing in the back watching throughout the evening. The Civil Wars obviously have quite a following in Seattle since they're last trip here with a stop at the Tractor that had an equally packed house. According to each venue, the Triple Door actually has a smaller capacity so it's curious the duo didn't decide to play a bit bigger venue like Showbox at the Market. We also learned that both shows (they had a second performance on Thursday at the same location) were some of the quickest sell outs Triple Door has ever seen. more ›

Wednesday night music and film lovers alike shuffled into the Triple Door to experience a once in a lifetime performance. SIFF asked Damien to take part in their festival and he was immediately intrigued. They wanted him to play music to accompany a film and he agreed with one stipulation: the films he played with would be directed by the Russian-born French film maker Dimitri Kirsanoff. Like any normal eighteen year old boy, Jurado was entranced by the macabre and beautiful avant garde films Kirsanoff had created (we're just kidding, no eighteen year old boy loves those; which is what makes Damien the unique and wonderful person he is). more ›

Vocals and percussion are the only elements of Wildbirds and Peacedrums’ music. While this might seem to simplify the task of describing the band’s sound, that is far from the case. The Swedish duo, comprised of married couple Mariam Wallentin and Andreas Werliin, delivers songs that capture aspects of improvisational jazz, stripped-down blues, down-home folk and contemporary pop. Wildbirds and Peacedrums play the Triple Door tonight. more ›

Little did we know, when heading to the Triple Door last week, that we'd be in for such an amazing night of music. Girlyman was sure to please but the opener, Coyote Grace, was incredible! Apparently they're a Seattle transplant to northern California (until they explained, it was a complete mystery why we weren't aware of this fantastic Seattle group). Luckily their mandolin/concertina/keys/fiddle player is Seattle music staple Michael Connolly (of Empty Sea Studios). We'll be keeping a much closer eye on this group in the future, you can be sure. You can also see the full flickr set for more shots. more ›

This December, the Dress Code celebrates fictional fashions of the stage; it is the season of wonderment and magic, after all. Nothing employs whimsical, imaginative fashions like performance art, especially when the premise is all but a dream. Yet, the Nutcracker, with its sexually loaded title and eerie darkness of the adolescent subconscious, is just begging to be transformed into a playfully perverted sexfest. Guest author, Amy Mikel, brings you this week’s “good” pick, and yours truly brings you “the bad”. more ›

Justin Jones was lovely in both appearance and sound. His speaking voice was about an octave lower than where he sang, which added that much more sex appeal to his overall ambiance. Unfortunately, the evening took a downturn as Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) took the stage. more ›

Damon Gough is the most important (ok... only) member of Badly Drawn Boy. A Brit that's been around the block in the music world, he seems to have had pretty good luck gaining popularity even though it may have taken a while. His first of many EPs, a limited release of 500 EP1, was given critical acclaim despite its small numbers. Then came string of other EPs that found just as much success as the first. He finally released a full-length in 2000, The Hour of Bewilderbeast, and is widely considered to be his defining album (though who can really say that for sure). Most people really sat up and took notice with the release of the About A Boy soundtrack entirely scored by the British musician. It helped drive the feeling of sincere sweetness found throughout as well as the dismay felt by the main character. more ›

DAWGS!: We're kind of pissed (okay, livid) we didn't know the book Scoreboard, Baby existed until hearing about Ken Armstrong's event tonight at the Bellevue library. Armstrong wrote the book with Nick Perry about the tainted crap pool Husky Football became in the late 90s and beyond, based on the awesome four-part 2008 Seattle Times exposé. We'll be purchasing the book ASAP, but go check out the author in person. more ›

PLAY TIME: Woman Seeking... theatre company presents this satirical 1922 play by Pulitzer Prize winner George Kelly at Capitol Hill's Richard Hugo House. A play about a play, a group of loopy ladies has decided to stage a production, but they are met with challenges at every turn. Though nearly 90 years old, The Torch-Bearers easily entertains with fast-paced comedy and lots of physical gags. more ›

GENE WILDER COULD NOT BE AWESOMER: and that's a fact, Jack. Central Cinema brings us what's probably Mel Brooks' awesomest of many awesome movies: Young Frankenstein. Teri Garr! Cloris Leachman! Swoon x10. We know you've been listening to Monster Mash for weeks on end, but take it to the next level for your Halloween emotional prep. more ›

JASON FALKNER KNOWS WHAT'S UP: or at least, we're assuming, given he's been in the business since joining The Three O’Clock as a singer and songwriter at the age of 20 in 1988. He's been in multiple bands, created his own solo material, and has two albums of lullaby versions of Beatles songs. His current tour is to support his 2009 album All Quiet on the Noise Floor. With The 88, Lincoln Barr & Patrick Porter of Red Jacket Mine. more ›

SINGING IN THE RAIN: Iconic American songwriter Jimmy Webb will be playing at the Triple Door tonight along with local indie rock/pop singer, Sage Redman (who's voice could easily be compared to Regina Spektor's). An odd pairing? Possibly. But we're sure these two will have some pretty good tricks up their sleeve. Webb has worked with many of the greats in American music history including Frank Sinatra, Elvis, The Supremes, Richard Harris and more. Some of his unforgettable compositions include MacArthur Park (YEP. The one and only.), Wichita Lineman, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, and Galveston. more ›

For a band whose name was inspired by Dostoyevsky, Ivan & Alyosha produce songs that are surprisingly light and hummable. Claiming 60's and 70's AM radio-style pop influences, the Seattle duo has been steadily gathering acclaim since their start three years ago. After the band released their first EP, NPR called the 7 song set "utterly charming" and named one of its standout tracks, "Easy to Love," as a song of the day earlier this year. If you're curious to hear the band for yourself, you're in luck as Ivan & Alyosha will be opening for Seattle's piano rock enthusiasts Barcelona at The Triple Door tonight. We were able to catch up with frontman Tim Wilson earlier this week to learn more about tonight’s show, the band’s songwriting process, what’s next and much more. Continue on for the interview and be sure to check out the song “Easy to Love” below. The Triple Door // 216 Union Street // 8 PM - Doors at 6 PM // $20 // All ages more ›

FAMILY FOLK now with a side of adorable English accents! The Unthanks is a 10 piece strong folk group that produces lovely ballads made of whimsy and smiles. Let them coo to you tonight at Triple Door and forget your worries. more ›

If you're anything like us, it's been quite some time since you've spent any time thinking about Canadian indie rock darlings Stars. Whether that's the case or not, if you count yourself as a fan, the good news is that you've got back-to-back chances to see the band this week at the Triple Door. The less than good news is that if you don't have your tickets in hand, you'll just have to try your luck on Craigslist. more ›

There's some music that when you hear it, you can just picture it in a movie. We're not claiming to have Alexandra Patsavas' chops but we certainly like to think we can sense the sound of cinematic greatness when we hear it. At least when it comes to a few choice musicians. Hearing composer Dustin O'Halloran for the first time resulted in a similar declaration. O'Halloran has been painting sonic landscapes fit for the screen for years. Gaining attention for crafting playfully melancholic piano waltzes for the L.A. dream pop band Devics, O'Halloran has since established himself as one of the most promising American composers alive today. We were lucky enough to catch up with O'Halloran in advance of his show at the Triple Door with noted German pianist Hauschka. more ›

7:30 p.m. // Edmonds Center for the Arts 410 4th Avenue North, Edmonds // $30-$35 more ›

As this show is part of The Earshot Jazz Festival, it stands to reason that the set might trend toward the jazz/R&B end of her spectrum, putting her jamming conglomerate to full use. It’s sure to please. more ›

FISH-SICLE FRENZY: It's hawt. And the zoo's Humboldt penguins need a cool treat, so they're getting 5-gallon “fishsicles,” a block of ice with small fish, such as herring and smelt. We're told the penguins are from what's known as a "desert" but apparently it doesn't get that hot there. So iced-up fish bits it is. Swing by at 3:30 this afternoon to catch the fish-sicle action. more ›

First things first--the sun also rises, the splendor is in the grass, and CéU has a second show tonight at the Triple Door (8 p.m., tickets: $28). We stumbled across her last time she was in town, touring for her debut album, which ended up nominated for a Latin Grammy. Listening to her is listening to how a Brazilian hears music, from electro-samba and afrobeat, to soul and R&B. (Last night she opened with the electro-jungle of "Espaçonave" and covered "Takes Two to Tango" from Ray Charles's Duets album.) You'll never mistake the Brazilian sound, but the loops and spikes of electronica and rubberband bass lines from funk make it an alleyway you've never wandered down before. more ›

DESIGN GEEK HEAVEN: Early on in Gary Hustwit's documentary about design, Andrew Blauvelt reveals why Japanese-style toothpicks have those two grooves at the top. And no, it's not because they look pretty. With that, the film snagged our trivia-loving heart. Hustwit presses on to explore the psychology, philosophy, sociology, history, and several other -ys of design. It's never less than fascinating. If you ever think about the mass-produced stuff around you, don't miss Objectified. 7 p.m. & 9 p.m. // Northwest Film Forum // 1515 12th Ave. // $9 more ›

Months ago, an acquaintance mentioned that his new favorite band was Cotton Jones. Lo and behold, we already had the album and immediately gave it a much-appreciated listen, before passing the word on to others, all of whom had the same reaction: "Who is this?!?" That's to be expected with Cotton Jones--they're low-key but instantly gratifying, with lazy melodies that are part psychedelic pop, part backwoods country. Originally known as "Cotton Jones Basket Ride," the new project from Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw, formerly of Page France, has their debut full-length, Paranoid Cocoon, on local label Suicide Squeeze. more ›

HOW-TO BOOK: You may have run into Reza Aslan, author of No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, while watching the Daily Show. Now you can see the professor of creative writing (at the University of California, Riverside) in person, talking about his newest book, How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror. Sounding a bit like John Gottman, Aslan says the best cosmic war is one that isn't fought; he says need to strip conflicts of their religious connotations and address the more earth-bound grievances that generate the cosmic mindset. more ›

AUSTIN CITY SHIMMY: Bob Schneider made our sister site Austinist's highlight reel for SXSW back in March--winner of the SXSW Band of the Year and Best Male Vocalist awards, Schneider is touring for his new album Tarantula. Country, roots-rock, call it what you will, just don't expect a 45-minute set. With 15 or so albums to draw from, Schneider has more songs up his sleeve than a double-sided LP. Plus, he's at the Triple Door, so you can just sit back and make yourself comfortable. more ›