Music
All across the world, but particularly in the Pacific Northwest - and especially in Tacoma - the influence is still felt. The impact of certain bands called the Sonics, the Wailers, the Ventures and others still reverberates. These were groundbreaking bands in the late '50s and early '60s that helped
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All across the world, but particularly in the Pacific Northwest - and especially in Tacoma - the influence is still felt. The impact of certain bands called the Sonics, the Wailers, the Ventures and others still reverberates. These were groundbreaking bands in the late '50s and early '60s that helped
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There's something to be said for how far a modicum of confident swagger will take you. Rooftop Warrior understands this principle and uses it to good effect when employing classic-rock-indebted gutter-blues. Echoes of other great bar acts like the J. Geils Band can be heard. Rooftop Warrior seems to have
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Tallest Tree has been steadily establishing itself as an accomplished indie rock band in these parts since 2009. Taking cues from more math-leaning acts like Built to Spill, as well as the angular freakouts of Modest Mouse and indie touchstones like Death Cab for Cutie, Tallest Tree has established a
Archives
On Saturday, June 9, Allan Boothe will play an early, 4 p.m. show at Jazzbones, celebrating the release of his debut full length CD, Open Air in a Closed Casket. It’ll be an excellent opportunity for fans of Boothe’s folksy, funny-voiced, strangely intriguing styling to enjoy the acoustic toting Tacoman
Music
"It was a long time ago," says David Nichols over the phone. "I was playing in a band called Time to Fly, and I started writing songs that didn't really fit with that band. When I left that band, Tex started, because it was a way of getting those songs
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NoMeansNo is a band that should need no introduction. Unfortunately, even though they've been around for well over 20 years, they've remained hidden in the underground. Unfortunate for you, I mean, you poor ignorant soul who's never heard of NoMeansNo. There are hordes of people gunning to beat you in
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Here's another band that manages to boil rock 'n' roll down to its essence. It's nothing but hard-hitting electric guitar and bass, combined to extract every last bitof energy that can be obtained with such a small unit. There's brazenness at play with Hairspray Blues - a kind of snotty
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"It was a long time ago," says David Nichols over the phone. "I was playing in a band called Time to Fly, and I started writing songs that didn't really fit with that band. When I left that band, Tex started, because it was a way of getting those songs
Scene It
One of the more casually terrifying things a person can experience in their everyday life is to sing in front of a group of strangers. It's a uniquely vulnerable position to be put in, and it frankly surprises me how many people are willing to expose that side of themselves
Music
At the heart of the music created by Campfire OK is an all-consuming commitment to the crescendo. Tension reigns over the band's debut LP, Strange Like We Are - tension for the moment when the six-piece will explode, and every knot and tangle that has lived in your muscles will
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Saturday, Campfire OK will be performing at The Space, a gorgeous venue in Opera Alley. Behind the performers will be a floor-to-ceiling window facing out over Industrial Tacoma, glowing as it does with alien orange, as steam rises slowly from buildings. There are few other venues and few other performers
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Hey Lover is a duo so energetic that it actually seems like a necessity that more people don't share the stage with them. The husband-and-wife team makes music so remarkably ebullient and filled with a driving charge that you can breeze through their new LP, Tennessee, without batting an eye.
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It's OK for me to call Shrouded in Veils a progressive rock band, right? I can never quite place my finger on the line between math rock and its proggy predecessor. I somehow think Shrouded in Veils won't get in a huff about the semantics of sub-genres and the sometimes
Scene It
When you think of cities that have strong comedy scenes, the places that usually come to mind are New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Of course, comedy has existed in the relative underground everywhere else in the country, and the Northwest is no different, but for whatever reason
Travel
It's easy to confuse South Hill with Puyallup, since they border each other. South Hill extends just south of the Puyallup valley, hence the name. Having been a prior resident, I saw first hand the growth coming to that area, with residential areas stretching further south on Meridian Avenue, the
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Dorky's Arcade has been on a role as of late. As Dorky's near its one-year anniversary (can you believe it's already been a year?), the arcade has finally acquired a liquor license and started throwing rock shows. To celebrate the first year in existence, Dorky's is having a typically nerdy
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Nappy Roots made a modest but significant impact in the early 2000s with the release of Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz, a sharp and effective statement of purpose that established the group as simultaneous party-starters and fierce advocates of their native Kentucky. Their hit single, "Awnaw," was a ferocious slice of
Music
Way back when, as a young columnist, I wrote that I was disturbed by Roman Holiday's polish and professionalism. This is still the case, but I've made steps to come to terms with it. Now, I'm more inclined to be in awe of the band's sound, instead of suspicious and
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Thursday, Sept. 15, Roman Holiday will be locally releasing their second album, Move Your Heart/Shake Your Bones. Then, in early October, the band will be jumping across the pond for a U.K. tour. "We'll be gone for about three weeks," says Lance. "Initially, when we planned the trip, it was just
