Macefield Music Festival October 3-4, 2014
Day 1: Friday, October 3
Massy Ferguson and Star Anna at The Sunset
It was an unusually warm October evening, with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees. We were excited to get down to Ballard on this first night of the Macefield Music Festival, a two-day celebration of northwest music, art and comedy. Check out their website for more information about the festival, venues, and artist lineup.
The first band on our schedule was Massy Ferguson, playing The Sunset at 7:00. The show time was a bit early, considering it was a Friday. Lots of people don’t get out of work until at least 6, so I knew the crowd would be a bit thin this first night of the festival. For us old peeps, though, it was like getting the Early Bird Special.
This is how Massy Ferguson got to Macefield:
The Sunset was in the midst of remodeling. I hardly recognized the place. Instead of the Chinese restaurant red velvet wall paper, the walls were adorned with shiny wood paneling. A new wall broke up the long, rectangular space, separating the future bar from the stage. A makeshift bar on a folding table held a bucket of bottles, ice and a few hard liquor choices.
The three members of Massy Ferguson (Ethan Anderson, Adam Monda, and Dave Goedde) loaded in while a paucity of people took their places around the stage. Tony Mann, keyboardist, was visibly absent; stage right, where he usually played, was left empty. Tony is currently hanging out in a Costa Rican cantina enjoying a tall cool one, most likely with a little umbrella in it and a wedge of tropical fruit attached to the rim.
Massy Ferguson opened with the rocker “Long Time No See” from Hard Water and hit two songs off their new EP, Backwoods, including the title track “90’s Darlin'” that has some cool Seattle references. They also included a couple of nameless new tunes, which was a pleasant surprise. More fans arrived as the band moved through the short, 45-minute time slot.
The trio was energized and really upbeat tonight, filling in that empty space with lots of great rock solos from Adam and blasting rock drum beats from Dave.
Ethan’s powerful vocals and bassline punched through the amps, encouraging more people to peek around the wall and join the fun. His borrowed Rickenbacker bass shone in the blue lights. Pat asked me if he could have one. “No.”
Check out the downsized Massy Ferguson at a venue near you and “Like” them on Facebook.
After the show we saw Jay Kardong, pedal steel player for a few local bands, including Massy Ferguson from time to time. We chatted with Jay, Adam and Ethan for a bit before going to dinner. Jay’s grandpa, Dr. Kardong, always comes up in conversation. Dr. K. brought Pat into this world and was their family doctor for years. Jay has made his own path in music and is famous for a couple of firsts: We are 99.99% certain he is the only person to ever do “The Worm” on the stage of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, original home of The Grand Ole Opry; He was also part of the first band to ever play the top of The Space Needle (Outside! On top!) with Sera Cahoone for SubPop’s anniversary special. Yes, Mudhoney played there, too, but Sera and Jay played before them. They also spoke of their adventures touring with their bands and going to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland during a big music festival there a few years ago. After hearing their stories, I will not be sticking one toe in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.
Jay also mentioned he’ll play with Ole Tinder Saturday, and things went downhill as we exchanged suggestions for what he might bring or wear to the event in order to really stand out, such as stilts (which would be a true challenge for any pedal steel player) and a kilt, or possibly a more unconventional kilt made of clear plastic wrap. It’s always a joy spending time chatting with them.
Pat and I walked back to The Sunset after briefly checking out The Sonics who were killing it on the KEXP mainstage to a packed crowd. Our friend Dean said they had the “same sound and raw energy that made them the Godfathers of Punk!”
Among the local music and Seattle scene celebs walking around was John Keister of The 206 and Almost Live fame. Pat introduced us and I told Mr. Keister a story of how we’re so old that I remember my grandma making a dry remark after seeing the first episode of Almost Live, back in the mid-80’s: “You know that show, Almost Live? Well, it’s almost funny!” I think Grandma coined the phrase. We loved that show, and it’s great to see The 206 back on TV with some of the original cast.
Here’s a sketch from The 206:
Jeff Fielder, guitarist extraordinaire walked by (check out this great interview by KEXP’s Jacob Uitti here). He played a set at Conor Byrne Friday. I wished we had time to see him. I recognized other artists, including Ryan Granger from The Grizzled Mighty, working the door at The Sunset.
Star Anna, whom we haven’t seen in quite some time, quietly took the stage to a growing crowd. She played a couple of songs from her recent album entitled I Hate You and others from The Sky Is Falling, a new download-only collection. Star thanked the audience for their hearty applause after each song. She is a little shy, but has such a powerful energy when she sings. It just crawls right into the soul and lingers well after her performance has ceased. She asked us if we like Robyn, the Swedish pop diva, who had the big hit “Call Your Girlfriend”. Although it was originally recorded as a pop/electronica song, Star said the lyrics are so sad; so Star took the pop song with sad lyrics and turned it into a sad song–with sad lyrics. The rest of her band stepped back and let her play it with just an acoustic guitar. Oh, Star’s voice gave me chills. The crowd hushed up as she pulled them in.
Here is a version of “Call Your Girlfriend” that she performed on KEXP–see what I mean?
Cheers and applause followed after a short pause, akin to a collective gasp. Her dark humor continued as she thanked the audience and said in a sing-songy voice, “This next song is about dying!”
It was getting hot; the packed room added to the stuffy atmosphere. I needed some fresh air and water. Star’s so amazing, though, I hated to leave. Check out her website for music, videos, and show dates and GO. She’s a local gem.
Day 2: Saturday, October 4
The Swearengens and Ole Tinder at Conor Byrne
Laff Hole Comedy at Hattie’s Back Room
We made the incorrect decision Saturday evening to drive to Ballard, park, and take Uber home at the end of the night. The festival started around noon this day, so we should have known that we would not find a place to park, as people arrived early and stayed for the duration of the festival. We circled around Ballard Avenue and extended our search several blocks away to no avail. It was approaching 7:00, and I knew The Swearengens were loading in.
Forfeiting the show because we couldn’t find a place to park was unacceptable. Pat sensed my growing anxiety and kicked me to the curb, festival wristband firmly intact. He would meet up with me much later, after parking about half a mile away. He knew he would never hear the end of it if I missed The Swearengens again. I love this band, but bad timing and Pat’s work/travel schedule prevented us from seeing them for almost two years. Here is a 2012 review I posted for Randomville of The Swearengens at The Tractor. We made an attempt in August, but the stars were crossed that night, as we already had plans to see Massy Ferguson (see Massy’s review and my run-in with The Swearengens here).
I entered Conor Byrne solo, which felt a little weird, but I immediately saw familiar faces in the audience. I grabbed a pint of red and snaked my way to the front where I ran into Moe Provencer, and noticed that her Jackrabbit partner Aimee Zoe was setting up her drums. Aimee was drumming for The Swearengens, and both would be playing with Ole Tinder after that. Fantastic! The pair can also be found jamming with Jealous Dogs: Seattle’s Only Pretenders Tribute Band.
Meanwhile, Fredd Luongo, lead singer/songwriter for The Swearengens was onstage plugging in his acoustic guitar. I pointed at him with both hands and exclaimed triumphantly, “I made it! I made it!”
Fredd smiled and said, “I better not f*ck up!”
He had nothing to fear. If they played air guitars, covered Swedish rap (yes, it’s a thing), or [reader: please insert optional colorful phrase here], I wouldn’t have cared. I was just happy I finally made it to the show.
Friday’s setlist included songs from their 2012 EP Devil Gets Her Way, their latest album Waiting on the Sunrise, and other songs that I hope will show up on a future album, including this song, “‘Merican Woman”:
Another orphan song,”You Pissed on My Heart” is one of my favorites. It got my attention the first time I saw them at The High Dive a few years ago. The bitter song flows with acidic lyrics and splashes of dark humor (groan–sorry, I couldn’t resist).
The Swearengens definitely rocked the country songs tonight and got back to basics with a streamlined, four-person band. Aimee Zoe was smiling and spirited on drums. Soren Godbersen had some searing country-rock guitar solos. Fredd backed him on acoustic and sang his heart out tonight. Bassist Kirsten Ballweg is a former member of The Black Crabs and the founding member of The Dee Dees, an all female Ramones cover band. Kirsten had her Ramones stance going all night. We need to get to a Dee Dees show one of these days. Check out their website for show times.
Lots of dancing ensued throughout the lively set, and the house was packed. They finished big with the blues-soaked rocker “Bleeding Blue” from Waiting on the Sunrise.
The Swearengens are back in the studio recording a new EP, due early next year. Catch them at The Green Frog in Bellingham November 8th, and at The Sunset with Massy Ferguson and Deception Past in Ballard November 15th.
Ole Tinder was up next. Aimee, Moe and Jay backed Mike Giacolino, who also played a solo set that afternoon. Ole Tinder has that classic country sound. People continued to dance as Ole Tinder wound through their set with a couple of songs from Loways and many new ones I hadn’t heard before. I hope a new album will be out soon. Here’s a review of Ole Tinder from 2012, the first time I saw them.
“Labor” was a great song with a powerful message. Mike Giacolino plays a solo version here:
Tony Fulgham, singer/songwriter for Jackrabbit and wife Daisy joined in on the fun. Wes Amundsen, bass player for The Black Crabs, also showed up and gave support to his musical compadres.
After the show, we said goodbye to the boys and girls and hugged it out, with hopes of seeing them again soon. It felt like a musical family reunion.
We hoofed it to Hattie’s Hat for the Laff Hole Comedy Night in Hattie’s Back Room. The lineup included comedy shorts on video screens by Black Daisy, several local comedians, a Last Comic Standing contestant, and headliner John Keister. About 30 people crammed in booths and tables around the makeshift stage (consisting of a piece of rug on the floor and a cardboard sign on the wall). We enjoyed hearty laughs, knowing smiles, and occasionally suffered a few eye-rolling groans. It was all good fun, though, and we definitely got our entertainment value this night.
I hope Macefield returns next year. The lineup was superb; the energy of the artists and crowd was truly invigorating. We enjoyed the two-day event, and only wish we had time to see more artists.
Jackrabbit, Ole Tinder and The Swearengens at Darrell’s Tavern 12.29.12
Pat and I were looking foward to hearing our favorite Seattle bands again after another dry month. Although 2012 was a great year for music, we missed more shows than we hit; we were just too busy with other projects or weren’t around at the same time. I’m also currently working on another writing project, so I haven’t been motivated to write about any new shows due to time constraints. I couldn’t resist writing a little about the show at Darrell’s Tavern, though. What a fun place to see live music!
First of all, if you want to see a great review of this show and awesome pics taken with his new camera, check out my buddy Thom’s blog here: http://liveseattlemusicintheclubs.blogspot.com/2012/12/jackrabbit-ole-tinder-and-swearengens.html
We had a busy Christmas and hosted two parties. Pat and I were ready to let off some steam and just relax. Darrell’s sounded like the place to be on a Saturday night, and it was just about 20 minutes from our house. Growing up in Shoreline, I must have driven by that little tavern a million times. It sits right next to Fred Meyer on Aurora. After moving out of the area, I never thought of checking out the music scene there. Ballard has been our place for music over the last several years.
We walked in about 8:30 and found maybe only 10 people in the tavern. It was very small, with a surprisingly small “stage,” which was really just a corner of the rectangular room. We wondered how The Swearengens would fit their giant band into that corner. Darrell’s was stuck in the 1960’s, complete with a padded, u-shaped bar and with a line of sparkly cracked glass golden globes that hung in the center. Old beer signs hung on the carpeted walls: Heidelberg, Hamms, Rainier. But the tavern was CLEAN. SPOTLESS. It felt like it had been preserved in that era. The bar padding and bar stools were pristine, with no rips or tears. There were a couple of pool tables in another corner and more seating by the front door and stage. The only thing modern about it was the unique and colorful artwork that hung along the wall by the stage. Also, the sound system was top notch, and I was later told that Scott the Sound Man was equally terrific and was well respected by the bands. The bar staff were friendly and fast. Pat browsed their selection of beers on tap, and I enjoyed a good cosmopolitan.
Around 9:00, more people arrived. The bands gathered, and Jackrabbit arranged the equipment for their opening set. We left them alone since we knew they had limited time to get ready.
P and I took our seats at the far end of the bar and just sat back and observed everyone as they walked in. Before the show began, we got to hang with some of the band. The guys and gals in the bands know us now. We’re regular stalkers–er, fans. Our discussions revolved around back injuries, MRI’s, surgery, VW bus restoration, giving birth, family doctors…you know, the usual band/groupie talk. We had some good, hearty laughs, too.
Jackrabbit opened at 9:30 sharp, and dove into several rockin’ songs before slowing it down a bit. Although the place wasn’t quite full, people were flowing in and making their way to the dance floor. The Swearengens gang showed their support and danced, and Mike Giacolino from Ole Tinder joined them. J.B. Kardong of Ole Tinder also helped out on pedal steel. My favorite dancing couple was there, too, twirling away.
Jackrabbit, with Tony Fulgham at the helm, played songs from A Better Place and their self-titled EP as well as a couple of new ones. I enjoyed a new song with drummer Aimee Zoe on lead vocals. Another new song had a lyric I like about how it’s good to miss someone when you’re on your way home. I’ll have to get the title of that song. I’m hoping it’s on their next release. Aimee and bassist Moe Provencher were great on harmonies, as usual. Here’s a previous review of Jackrabbit: http://randomville.com/live-review-jackrabbit-and-kristen-ward-at-the-tractor-tavern/
Ole Tinder was up next. Pat talked to J.B. Kardong briefly before his show. Jay’s grandpa was an obstetrician and actually “birthed” Pat and his brothers! He was their family doctor for years.
We also struck up a conversation with two guys who came in to watch the football game, Michigan State vs. TCU. They were really nice and polite. They talked about football, told us about their interesting lives and how they ended up here from Montana: by car. Ha. One works at a salon and the other is currently in between jobs; and I really wish I could relay his hilarious story of his former position working security for a major department store, but I will keep mum about that. He had us in stitches! I hope we meet them again sometime. We had a blast talking with them. It must be the magic of Darrell’s; it felt like we’d known them a long time.
Ole Tinder wound their way through Loways to a dancing and appreciative crowd. I love the ole country harmonies from Nils Petersen and Mike G. Here’s a previous review: http://randomville.com/live-review-ole-tinder-the-swearengens-and-davidson-hart-kingsbery/ which also includes props for The Swearengens.
The Swearengens started around 11:30. The place was still packed! They played a long set of original music off Devil Gets Her Way including one of my favorites, “Bloody Glove” as well as some covers. Pat and I actually got out on the dance floor for a few songs! Too bad we cannot dance. We gave it a shot, though. I wanted to stay for their whole set and hang out a little longer, but knew we had to get a ride soon. We stayed as late as we could, then played it safe and taxied home before 1:00.
We will definitely go back to Darrell’s. The atmosphere, friendly crowd and staff, great music and convenient location will bring us back again. What a fantastic way to end our 2012 Concert Season!
Ole Tinder, The Swearengens and Davidson Hart Kingsbery at The Tractor 6.30.2012
The Tractor hosted another sold-out show June 30th. The Swearengens and Davidson Hart Kingsbery celebrated new CD releases, and Ole Tinder opened the show to start the party. P and I had a fantastic time, once again, but decided to leave a bit early. I managed to take quite a few pics, and my full review just posted on Randomville!
Jackrabbit, The Swearengens and The Outlaws at The High Dive 1.28.12
P and I finally enjoyed an overnighter in Seattle this weekend. We made our escape about 4:30 and headed to Hotel Deca, in the heart of Huskyland, near the UW campus. As Cougs, we normally steer clear of all things UW, but this little art deco hotel suits us. It’s small, clean, and the price is right. It’s also close to Fremont, our destination for a great night of country rock, Americana and some old school outlaw country.
After we settled in to our discounted junior suite with a mountain view (if it weren’t 45 and cloudy, we could have seen them), we took a taxi to Fremont and found a restaurant. We tried El Camino again, since we usually get right in without waiting. It was just down the block from The High Dive, too. We walked in and were served almost immediately. Their food is not typical Mexican. They incorporate more traditional spices in dishes like enchiladas mole and serve it up with wilted chard and an order of fried plantains on a bed of fresh guacamole instead of the usual chips.
We headed over to Simply Desserts for a mouth-watering piece of fudge chocolate cake and espresso. We still had time to kill, so we went Brouwers for some ale and whiskey.
The High Dive is another favorite small club to see quality music. It’s a smidge cleaner than The Tractor in Ballard, and has more seating and larger bar area. The sound system is clean and crisp. A variety of genres play there, but tonight it was all about the Country. Tony Fulgham was out to celebrate his birthday and brought along a few friends. The place was absolutely packed by the time he hit the stage. When we first arrived just after 9:00, there were only a couple of seats available and groups of people standing around the floor in front of the stage and bar area. We weighed our options and decided to ask a couple if we could join them at their table. They had the bench against the wall, but there were two stools opposite them. The politely agreed, and we were thankful we had a place to rest, since it was going to be a long night.
After a shy introduction with our new table mates, we quickly bonded when we learned we had similar tastes in music. The woman, C, was a huge Tom Petty fan, so we spent many minutes comparing shows and our love for Tom. T was also into lots of music, and we all had a laugh reminiscing about the Bob Dylan show at The Paramount several years ago, and how opener Merle Haggard was such a class act.
The Swearengens soon took the stage. They borrowed a few people for the live act, including Jason Montgomery from Jackrabbit on pedal steel. I knew it was going to be a great night when they started the set with a Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown cover: “Dancing With The Women At The Bar”. It sounded so nice with the whine of the pedal steel and backup vocals. They followed with a humorous country heartbreaker called “You Pissed on My Heart” and “Devil’s Gonna Get Her Own Way.”
I didn’t get a setlist, but here’s a rundown of either the titles or partial lyrics of songs they played in their rich and energetic opening set:
A local song, listing things he’s seen in the lyrics, including Cascade Pass and Shi Shi Beach
If I Remain
For A While – which included a nice fiddle solo
Eyes of Angels
Bloody Gloves
Always Get the Woman Off First – Yes, a little dirty, and a lot of fun
The last song was about Seattle and included the lyric, “If you come around here/we’ll drive you away”
By this time, the packed audience was shoulder to shoulder throughout the venue. It was tough to just work over to the other side to use the restroom. I did manage to get a few pictures from the left side of the stage.
After a short break and more bonding with our neighbors, Jackrabbit performed to the roar of many friends, family and fans. Tony Fulgham, founder of Jackrabbit, celebrated his birthday by hosting this party and invited all of us to join him. Being big fans, we gladly obliged. This is the third time we’ve seen Jackrabbit in the past 6 months or so; they included many more great new songs in addition to their current EP. See a previous review of their show on Randomville. P and I agreed they sounded better than ever. I’m excited to see what their next album has in store. The show was energized, and got me off my feet and over to the side of the stage to take pictures.
The Outlaws, a Waylon Jennings tribute band, played last; by that time, we were wiped out. We hung around for three or for songs then split for the hotel.
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