Music
For as much as can be said about how loudly and resoundingly garage rock and grunge have dominated the music landscape of the Pacific Northwest, there's always been the existence of stringbands, plucking away on the edges. It's worth remembering, after all, that the official Washington state dance is the
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Over the years, The Fucking Eagles have worked hard to make a name for themselves, not only in the supremely ubiquitous genre of garage rock, but in a city like Tacoma - where garage rock bands seem to fall from trees. While many bands in these parts skew
Music
Now that it's been several years since the Eagles' stranglehold on radio has been relinquished, it is acceptable to admit that you hate the band. Don't tell me "Hotel California" is "pretty good"; I don't care that the hotel is supposed to represent purgatory or whatever - the song is
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Goldie Wilson is a band that is in the business of making super clean, sunny, AM radio pop. Sometimes, like in "Starlight Express," lead singer Mike Ball's voice snarls and sounds dryly aggressive, but most often he sings with the bright amiability of a pop singer from the British Invasion
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Coming to Tacoma on Friday is a documentary called Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry, about the life and times of Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins, a legendary tattoo artist. His style was distinct - often featuring nautical imagery, colorfully presented with much attention to detail and shading. Sailor Jerry tattoos, as they
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The greatest benefit of this summer is the new sling back flats. They’re adorable shoes that go with anything: a pair of shorts, Capris, skirts, and my favorite skinny jeans. At school I have seen them in different styles and colors. The sling back flats have an elegant look. You can
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As the Washington State Fair opens its spring version from April 16-19, savvy South Sounders might ask: "Who goes to the fair, anyway, besides farmers and grandparents?" Well, put down your Cosmos and snap on some overalls, because the answer is ... you. Organizers say that this year's edition, while
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I've written about these guys before, but I'm gonna tell you again: The Riffbrokers make music that nourishes and soothes the soul. Sounding sort of like a Tom Petty meets R.E.M. meets Elvis Costello (meets the lazy music criticism of "blank meets blank," which I'm sure the Riffbrokers are tired
Music
After interviewing Hot Panda's Chris Connelly, I accidentally left my recorder taping for ten minutes as I breathed heavily and read Twitter. I'm afraid to listen. Besides being generally ashamed of hearing my big fat mug heaving sluggishly as I stare deeply into my glowing computer screen (were it not for
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OK, like, everybody listen up because I’m about to tell you about the most amazing party at Tacoma Art Museum ever. It’s called “Night to Shine (and Sparkle!),” and it was planned for teens by teens. Here’s how it went down: Last October Tacoma Art Museum invited teens from Tacoma
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Hailing from Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, Chris Connelly and Hot Panda make joyous, vibrant and super-melodic indie rock that has no other desire than to pick you up off your lazy, Twittering ass and spin you dizzy on the dance floor. Connelly's voice strains and spits from behind a wall
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It’s so nice when you return from a festive Hawaiian island vacation and the party only continues. As soon as Natasha and I grabbed our bags at the airport, Darling Damon and Little Leah picked us up and rolled us directly into Doyle’s Public House. Familiar haunts are fun when you’ve
Music
Since Nov. 10, every time I've adjusted my radio dial to 104.9FM, instead of having my ears rattled by some new metal, I'm greeted by a band like Pearl Jam or Soul Asylum - something hilariously on point for a station that now identifies itself as GenX 104.9FM. Everyone knows what
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When Sallie Ford came to the New Frontier for Squeak & Squawk earlier this year, I think the audience collectively fell in love with her. In addition to being just about the sweetest person in the world, Sallie Ford is an amazingly capable vocalist. Referring to herself as a "belter,"
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The demise of the Black Water Café undeniably left a hole in the hip downtown coffee scene. For a long time, one could count on finding some of the cooler people around town hanging out in the sequestered comfort of Black Water, laptops or sketchbooks open. Once
Music
The demise of the Black Water Café undeniably left a hole in the hip downtown coffee scene. For a long time, one could count on finding some of the cooler people around town hanging out in the sequestered comfort of Black Water, laptops or sketchbooks open. Once it left ...
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My last visit to New Orleans was at once exhilarating and disappointing. Exhilarating because I was lucky enough to experience exquisite meals at Bayona, Mike’s on the Avenue and the G&E Courtyard Grill. But disappointing because, while dining out at these innovative upscale restaurants, I was missing out on the
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Built to Spill are kind of indie rock royalty. Making a name for themselves in the mid-to-late '90s, the band distinguished itself by performing high atop a rigid foundation of complex chord structures and no a small amount of jamming (hoping now that I am not
Music
"I had been into Built to Spill for a little while," says Casey Deligeannis, as we speak over the phone. "I went to one of their shows - I mean, it's been about a year ago. The last time they played at the Showbox. And you always see (guitarist) Doug
