Free! Mudhoney! Insanity!
14 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in Mudhoney, Music, Seattle Tags: Neumos, New Belgium
I got into the free Mudhoney concert at Nuemos on Monday, 20 minutes into Mudhoney’s set, and it was a blast!
It was also the launch party for New Belgium Brewing Company’s Ranger IPA, and at first the ads were saying you had to buy a New Belgium brew at Moe Bar to get the free ticket to the show. Now, I can’t have beer these days due to the carbonation and my gut problem, so I was thinking I should bring someone and treat them to two beers, or treat someone who didn’t want to go to a beer, buy myself something I can drink, and go on the extra ticket.
Then the ads started saying free, and that the ticket for the beer wasn’t needed to get in, and would only get you in early; and I started thinking this sounded like insanity, remembering the crowd for the free show at West Seattle Fest last summer and knowing you couldn’t pack them all into Neumos.
So, I was having second thoughts. It’s going to be crazy. . . Too many people. . . No way will I ever get in. . . It’s late on a work night. . .
Seattle Weekly’s review kept me thinking about it though, and totally made me laugh, and remember how much fun and totally awesome this band is (ahem, cover your eyes if you’re easily offended):
Though Mark Arm may be the face of Mudhoney and Dan Peters its solid backbone, their essence, longevity and allure are all on the sinewy shoulders of one of the most unheralded, pillaged and plagiarized guitarists on the history of our sordid scene, Steve Turner. Mr. Turner has been giving music-loving ladies of Seattle girl boners for the last twenty-some years with his “better with age” good looks (unsuccessfully hidden by nerdy glasses) and guitar hooks so slutty they don’t bother wearing undies. It’s the band’s aggro-sexuality that most separates them from their G-word counterparts. Maybe, if that’s your thing, you can make love to Pearl Jam’s Ten, but you can GET IT ON to Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge. Mmm-mmm-mmm, ‘nuff said. With Sleepy Sun. Tickets available on FRIDAY when you get a New Belgium 1554 in Moe Bar. Tickets get you first in on the night of the show. MA’CHELL DUMA LAVASSAR
Mon., Feb. 8, 8 p.m., 2010
OK, even if she does diss Pearl Jam, one of my favorite bands, and totally neglects Guy Maddison (who’s underrated since he’s not an original member of Mudhoney), it is pretty funny. . .and reminds me why I want to see the show, even if I have seen them twice in the last 6 months!
“. . . guitar hooks so slutty they don’t bother wearing undies. . .”!
OK, I know what you’re thinking, and don’t worry that punch line’s coming up later in the post. . .and I’m the one so priggish I always spell out South Lake Union Trolley. . . Yes, someone was wearing a “Ride the S. . .” t-shirt to the show.
I didn’t finally decide to go until midday Friday, as Neumos was tweeting about the free Mudhoney show. Then I started talking myself into it. I had to take care of a few things first, though, so I was running late. When I realized it was going to be 9:20 pm when I got there, and the show started at 9 pm, I thought, “No way.” Still, I got in the long and slowly moving line, or rather one of the long lines (there was a separate one for people with the free tickets from the beer company).
By 11 pm, when Mudhoney started playing, some people had given up and left (which, considering the club was at capacity all night, was probably the intelligent thing to do), all those with tickets were let in, and I was right at the head of the remaining line. Yes, I was the one they cut the line off at. Well, it has to be someone. . .
They were at capacity, but there was still a chance they might still let someone in. Besides, I could hear the music pretty good, and figured at least I’d catch a few songs before they sent us away. . .
I know they started on this one, although I missed Mark Arm’s plea for the tragic situation in New Belgium they were playing this benefit for. ; ) Little did Mark know how tragic it was. While I was waiting earlier a guy with a ticket came out and told his friends ahead of me in line they were giving away the New Belgium Ranger IPAs and they were all out of beer (or at least that beer). The guy with a ticket bought his friends some food from the Fish Fry next door to Neumos to eat while waiting, and they all got in before the show started.
I could hear this one from outside as well:
So I was outside, hanging out with security, hearing some of the music. It was kind of like tabling some shows for Amnesty International. Although, a lot crazier. Security was definitely being kept busy that night. A free show at capacity, a long line of people without tickets still hoping to get in, they promised the brewery lady they’d let anyone with tickets in, no matter how late they got there, a few people trying to slip in anyways, and one actual fight, or at least a guy getting punched.
Now, here’s what gets me about the 3 “observe and report” bus tunnel “security officers” who let the 15 year old girl get beat up and robbed right in front of them (well, one the things, that’s for another entry). . .at Neumos when a guy punched someone, security physically brought him out of the club and the guy who was punched to talk to the police who they called. One guy was claiming to us in line the guy who was punched had it coming because he was mouthing off and had been warned, but I don’t consider that an excuse. If he’s disruptive enough, let security deal with it, but it’s a club show, you can move away. . .
Security was kept busy inside as well, especially pulling people off stage all night (in the song above, as Mark Arm sings “Keep it out of my face!”). I’d hate to see what the show would have been like if Neumos had a hands off, “observe and report” security detail. . .
I did get in! Somebody handed me a golden ticket! No, better yet, a New Belgium ticket! A young guy started walking in, saw the line outside and joked about how much would his ticket go for, then asked who wants to be his best friend for life, he had an extra ticket to give away. The young guys behind me all said I should get it, since I was first in line. I asked the security guy, and it was okay.
So, after 2 hours, 20 minutes into Mudhoney’s set, I walk in and there they’re going full steam on stage. I’m able to get up fairly close on Guy’s side of the stage (and even had first a drink of water, then a drink after the first song, finding my way back in a little after getting rid of the plastic cups).
Oh, yeah, they were playing this one when I entered:
After just blowing my image on this blog. . . Oh, well, I’ve never left any delusions on the young part here, but. . .
The Stranger, by the way, usually smuttier than the Weekly, referred to the band as “sweet old things” . . .
What I love about these guys is they’re just consistently good. They just come out and completely rock the crowd all night. This is the Seattle audience other people imagine, given our long history of rock; not the politely standing around looking halfway bored Seattle audience those of us who live here know too well.
They rocked out right through their encore, closing on this one, which I actually YouTubed myself:
I’m just amazed how the band never misses a beat while security is pulling all those people off stage all evening, either.
It was over fairly early for a club show, and I caught a bus around 12:30 am, that almost didn’t get going for awhile as some guy was arguing with the driver over brining his ice cream cone on board, then after he finally ditched that, his buddies trying to talk him out of eating the rest of his fast food on the bus, so the rest of us could get home. . .
Rocking and Rolling Around Outerspace
12 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in EMP, Mudhoney, Museums, Music, Pearl Jam, Seattle Tags: grunge, Jimi Hendrix, Star Trek, The Jetsons
I finally visited the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum (EMP/SFM) last Thursday, continuing my free tour of museums. I was a little too early for the Taking Aim rock and roll photo exhibit which opened Saturday, though.
I’m not sure how I resisted it so far. It’s not like I haven’t walked by the wavy, smashed guitar/giant bug crawling over the Sci Fi collage, Paul Allen funded extravaganza on my way into Seattle Center many times. . .
The EMP/SFM is free on first Thursdays from 5 – 8 pm, so I headed over after work, following the monorail line through Belltown (and stopping to snap pictures as I went).
After I checked my backpack (not required, but mine is heavy, coming from work), and checking photo policies (OK without flash), first I checked out the robot in the lobby. Which way to go next? I could have either started out with Sci Fi Museum or headed up to the EMP where a bluegrass band was playing.
Geek that I am, I headed to the Sci Fi Museum. The Captain’s chair was beckoning. Oh, yes, Captain Kirk’s seat and Kirk and Spock’s uniforms. Memories of my childhood now looking antique and on display in a museum.
Yes, that’s right, I saw them in their first run (but I had to be in my pajamas first)! Seems like it was yesterday. . .
I was especially shocked to see how bulky and clumsy the original Star Trek tricorder and communicator were. The cell phone in my pocket (free, with contract renewal) is considerably more sophisticated. . .
Of course there’s more than Star Trek, with other tv series & film memorabilia, and sci fi books and magazines.
Oh, cool! Another blast from the past of my childhood – The Jetsons’ world in 3d. . .
Just perfect for being in the shadow of the Space Needle. . . but, wait. . . it morphs into the darker worlds of Bladerunner and The Matrix. . . What happened to our future?
Then there’s this tripping wormhole appearing on the floor as part of the current Gelatine Lux glass art installation.
Before heading over to check out the rock and roll half of the museum, I looked for the restrooms. . .
So wonderfully geeky, yet so perfectly the Seattle way of inclusion. . . We don’t want female robots confused on which one to go in. : )
OK. Time for some rock and roll! The guitar art installation. . .
Ahh, Jimi! Gone too soon!
I remember hearing Hendrix from my older brother’s bedroom in the 60s. . . Yes, I remember the 60s. It probably helps that I was a kid at the time, and took nothing stronger than Fruit Loops or Cocoa Puffs!
Still, this is trippin’. . . It’s like the Twilight Zone. . . How did my childhood end up in a museum?
One of Jimi’s guitars. a little worse for the wear. . .
Especially check out the videos. There’s a small theater playing his life in 4 or 5 sections.
There’s more, though, including more music from Seattle and the Northwest. Bing Crosby. The Kingsmen. The Ventures. . .
Surf’s up!
That’s not all. . . Wait. . . I’m still in the 60s here. . . Moving into the future. . .
Grunge! Wait. . .Grunge? . . . in . . . a . . . museum already? I just figured out what grunge is about a decade after it happened. I thought I was pretty hip. Nirvana? Pearl Jam? I just went to their show. . .
OK. . . free concert in Magnuson Park. . .That’s history. . .
I’m just happy when the whole band actually plays Seattle (and totally spoiled by all Mike McCready’s charity gigs). . .
Wait. . . Another familiar band. Mudhoney? They’re playing a free gig at Neumos a few nights after this.
OK. They’re not quite so young anymore (who is)? Love the hair thing they got going. . .and Mark’s primal scream!
Still. . . I saw them Monday night. . . and they are not ready to be put in a museum yet. . .
Finally, I checked out the sound lab. There were kids cutting their own records, err. . cd’s? . . .ok, maybe mp3s. . . and drumming on this groovy table!
Farout! . . . but how did my childhood get in a museum?
Mudhoney next. . .bringing me somewhat into the modern era. . .
OK. . . even the band looks confused when I flash peace signs during an anti-war song. . .
I may be out of touch even for the 90’s. . .
Mudhoney at Neumos
25 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment
in Mudhoney, Music, Seattle Tags: Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, Neumos, Unnatural Helpers
So, by about this time, I was ready to rock out. There was a Friday the 13th Mudhoney show at Neumos. I had so much fun at their free show last summer at the West Seattle Fest, I wanted to see them again (and the inflation busting $18, after fees, didn’t hurt).
Bring on the mosh pits!
They had copies of the new Grunge book by photographer Michael Lavine available. I unfortunately didn’t have the money to buy a copy yet. It was the photos of the street kids on the Ave., who shared the pages with our local rock royalty, that blew me away. He really captured their vulnerability (under their tough bravado), which I know isn’t how most people view the street kids (the public menace we widened the sidewalks on the Ave. to get rid of, which actually gave them more room to hang out. . .).
Okay, back to my not so great photography. . .
Unnatural Helpers
The Unnatural Helpers opened. Young and loud, they really rocked. Here’s one of their songs from their record label on YouTube:
Check out more of their music on MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/unnaturalhelpers
Brothers of the Sonic Cloth
Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, the current band of Tad Doyle of TAD fame, was up next. Bone shaking loud, right from the start. Heavy metal. A bit too intense for me, but most of the crowd was really into it.
A clip from the show on YouTube:
Okay, that off-kilter camera technique really adds to the effect. . .
Mudhoney
Then, Mudhoney! What can I say? Both they and the crowd have such a good time, it’s a total blast. Nothing high minded, in fact some of their earlier songs are pretty sexist, though often funny.
I’m kind of getting the hang of this moshing (though staying out of the worst of it). In fact, I moshed my way to the front of the stage.
I found I was being much too gentile last time, being glad I had finished my lemonade before the moshing began. Evidently, throwing your drink up into the air and getting it all over everyone is part of the fun. . .
OK. I still don’t get all of this grunge stuff.
Got to love the crowd surfing! Great song for it, too.
Nah, not trying that. Still getting over that ride backwards on the running board of the cable car in San Francisco. Whoooaaaa!
I was well rocked out by the time the show ended well after 1 in the morning and ready to conquer the world again (well, maybe after a little sleep)!
Moshing to Mudhoney & More in West Seattle
13 Jul 2009 Leave a Comment
in Mark Pickerel, Mudhoney, Music, Seattle Tags: Black Panties, Dow Constantine, Easy Street Records, McTuff, West Seattle, West Seattle Fest
I wound up my Friday night in the mosh pit in front of the stage listening to Mudhoney. Oh, yeah. Mosh pits. I remember hearing about them. A fool and a camera who is three – oh wait, moving in closer, make that two – feet from the stage are not easily parted (fortunately, I had to hold on to that sucker tight)!
So I headed off to West Seattle straight from work. I figured I wanted to check out some tunes at the West Seattle Fest. I hopped a 55 which took me straight there and started wandering around the booths. Unfortunately without a lot of money to spend, but the cd deals at the Easy Street Records booth (in front of the store) are absurdly cheap, if you can squeeze in. Alas, it only got worse my second pass through. Maybe Sunday.
West Seattle is a more blue collar part of town, and after the initial shock to my system (people smoking on the street? a graphic anti-abortion booth?-eek, wait, as well as the NARAL booth), I find I feel more at home. I was raised working class (and, let’s face it, I’ve fallen to poor).
No one was playing the Alaska Stage when I first came in by it. When I wandered on up California St. to the California Stage, I heard some good jazz music coming from McTuff.
Once I wandered back down California St. to Alaska, started checking out the food booths. I heard some good Americana/rockabilly coming already from the Alaska Stage, though. It was Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands.
Really haunting music and lyrics. Check out some more on their MySpace page.
I couldn’t walk away without a cd for $10. Next I wandered the food booths again, but wanted to find an ATM for more money first. The one right behind the food booths on Alaska had a long line. Then I membered I saw a 7–11 on California, whose ATMs I can use for free with my credit union account. Good thing I checked my balance first. I didn’t know I was so close to being broke (finally caught up on balancing 2 months of statements today to find the error). I got out only $20, as $40 would have wope out my account, and decided I’d eat when I got home no matter how late that was, except for a $2 raspberry lemonade, which I brought along to catch the next act.
It was time for Black Panties. No, not for me! Besides, I didn’t have any money left for shopping. I just made the mistake of Googling their name. Oh, my!
Yeah, pretty much what you’d expect for a band named Black Panties. They were loud and they rocked. I haven’t been able to find any video. Even with adding band and Seattle, all I get is TMI (too much information). I’m sure some guys could keep themselves entertained all night with that search, but it’s not my cup of tea. Check out their music on their MySpace page.
Fortunately, I didn’t wander off far, and just took my empty lemonade cup to a trash can, then found the crowd had thinned a little and I was even closer to the stage, about 3 feet away, right in the middle. Now, it’s a good thing I didn’t have that cup of sticky lemonade in that mosh pit I didn’t know I was right in the middle of! That would have been bad.
County Councilmember and County Executive candidate Dow Constantine came out before the band. He’s the one who outed rival and former TV reporter Susan Hutchison as a stealth Republican, with considerably more conservative beliefs than she was letting on.
Then Mudhoney hit the stage. I don’t think I could write a description to due them justice, so here’s a video, complete with the Dow Constantine intro, courtesy of West Seattle Blog:
The Money Will Roll Right In! Yeah! They’re really rocking out and put on a good show. I was rocking out and taking pictures.
Everyone was having a great time. The crowd was huge and packed. I was oblivious to where I was. I’d never been in a mosh pit. Then this friendly guy started bouncing up and down and bumbing me (photo taken later in the show, after I moved out of the center of the pit).
Then more people started jumping up and down and bumping and pushing. . . Pretty soon I’m being pushed into people (fortunately, everyone’s happy and understanding). I’m still trying to take pictures. Though finding I need to keep an eye out for the action off stage, including people sailing through the crowd.
OK, I’m getting the picture. That’s the thing though, I was getting the pictures. I’m now even closer to the stage. I’m not sure I would have been there had I known I’d be in the mosh pit, but once I’m this close I’m going to stay! Especially after some guy a decade younger than me wimps out and says “I’m getting too old for this!”
Hey, all this Generation X stuff is a little too young for me. I have no concept of moshing.
Touch Me, I’m Sick? Umm, maybe I could just fix you some chicken soup?
It’s cool, though. I’m rocking out. Holding onto my camera and my hat. Literally, after I discovered it was in danger of being snatched and tossed in the air or onto someone else’s head. It was my Amnesty International hat, so maybe I would have passed on some enlightenment. Nah. It’s the one with velcro. I took it off and attached it to my belt.
Of course, me being me, I loved it when the did an anti-war song from one of their recent albums, Hard On For War. I think this could explain a lot. It was especially appropriate for the chicken hawks from the Bush administration who gave us Iraq II. Unfortunately, the Democrats also seem to need to bomb someone to prove they’re not wimps, so now it’s off to Afghanistan under Obama.
Couldn’t find video of that one from Friday night. This one if from Madrid in 2007.
It may sound crude, but killing people in war is a lot cruder.
OK, enough politics.
One thing I did recognize. Oh, sh. . . Someone didn’t really call Freebird, did they? The really funny thing was Mark had to explain it to Guy, who had mercifully never heard it before! He just smiled and shrugged.
It’s 2009! Can’t they come up with something more original?
Oh, wait. . .to shout out for the next 40 years. . .take your time!
So, I survived my first mosh pit. Will I come back for more? I don’t know. It was kind of scary.
I will be back to hear more Mudhoney!
More music to come. I went back on Sunday. Sorry I missed the Seafair Pirates landing on Alki Beach on Saturday, though!
Recent Comments