« Punk Planet: Requiem for a Heavyweight | Main | Sunday morning coming up »

Geezerfest, and a bit of fun

It has been suggested, kindly and not inappropriately, that I should spend more time in this space writing about music. Truly, I thought that's what I was doing, but I do understand the point. Not that I'm going to behave better (or differently), but that's sufficient pretext to share the press release I simply can't avoid clipping below.

By way of longer explanation, I come from grunge. I also come from the Berkeley folk traditions my parents brought north when they moved to Seattle shortly after my birth, and I come from the punk/new wave sounds of my late-'70s and early-'80s college days, and from the new traditionalist country music I listened to in the mid-'80s. And blues have woven through all of that, off and on, along with one or two other things.

But, not counting my college years, I come from grunge as a professional writer about music. As I quipped ages ago, I wouldn't have a writing career without Mudhoney. But they're not on this bill. A lot of old -- no, that's unkind -- a lot of familiar names are performing at the Crocodile Cafe these two nights, and one or two might remember me kindly. Alas, I cannot join them, for I live far away and have other plans this weekend.

Ah. And one or two comments from me will appear in italics after the press squib. Just because.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 & 26, 4PM
CROCODILE CAFÉ – 21+

SEATTLE, WA (July 27, 2007) — GEEZERFEST 2007, featuring once-in-a-lifetime reunion shows by bands integral to the pre-Nirvana glory days of Seattle grunge rock (circa 1987-1990), takes place Saturday, August 25th and Sunday, August 26th at the Crocodile Café in downtown Seattle. Don’t miss this historic gathering of the musicians that formed the architecture for what is now globally known as “The Seattle Sound.” Shows on both days start at 4PM and is a 21 and older only event.

For complete information visit www.myspace.com/geezerfest.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25 – 4PM

BLOOD CIRCUS
Their thundering debut Sub Pop single, “Two Way Street/Six Feet Under” defined the sound that was soon to take over the world. This will be the first Blood Circus performance in over 10 years. "Six Feet Under" is one of the quintessential grunge songs. Blood Circus could have been the biggest band out of Seattle, but they weren't.

CATBUTT
Geezerfest is proud to present the first Catbutt performance in 17 years. The legendary Catbutt lasted a total of three years, churning out garage rock with a hardcore attitude. As unpredictable as their music, expect the unexpected; However you can expect a new CD in 2008 on Flotation Records.

SWALLOW
Signed to Sub Pop in 1988, Swallow’s first seven-inch single was followed by two full-length albums and an unreleased record. Reunited in 2006, the “lost” Swallow album — Teach Your Bird To Sing — will be out on Flotation Records, just in time for Geezerfest. I wonder who this Flotation Records is? Seems a noble calling, but I hope they have the fortune to back it up.

COFFIN BREAK
Signed to both C/Z and Epitaph records, Coffin Break played its first show in 1987 and went on to tour the states an astonishing fifteen times. Known during that time as “the hardest working band in Seattle,” Coffin Break took their final break in 1994. This will be the band’s first performance in over 13 years. Funny thing is, I can't remember ever having seen them.

LOVE BATTERY
Released by Sub Pop in 1989, the band’s legendary single, "Between the Eyes" cemented Love Battery’s place in the upper echelon of Seattle music. One of the Seattle bands that refuse to quit. New material out in 2008 on Flotation Records. Once an astoundingly good band in the grunge-psychedelic tradition. Some of their records are imperfect reminders of their greatness, and one or two are almost as good as they could have been. And really nice guys. It pains me especially to miss their set.

SNOW BUD & THE FLOWER PEOPLE
With songs like “Grass is Groovy,” “Bong Hit,” and “Uppers Downers Inners Outers,” Portland’s Snow Bud will take the sound of drugs straight into your psyche’s inner sanctum. Featuring Chris Newman of Napalm Beach / Divining Rods.

VALIS
Supergroup of best friends, Dan Peters (Mudhoney), Kurt Danielson (TAD) and Van Conner [Screaming Trees] started what is still rolling today. Kurt and Dan left, but Van and brother Patrick Conner lead this band with hard spaced-out rock and destruction. The Conner brothers! Yeah! I feared they'd quit entirely. Of course there's that third brother, the other one from the Screaming Trees, but two out of three ain't bad.

LAMAR
Enigmatic new band featuring Chad Channing [ex-Nirvana] on drums. Even we don’t know what to expect! This will be the first show for them.

F-HOLES
Only the cool kids knew about the F-Holes. The rest need to find out for themselves. Featuring the legendary Otis P. Otis [ex-Willard] on lead F-hole.

MOS GENERATOR
Call it ‘70s rock…call it stoner rock…call it heavy metal. Fact is, Mos Generator play kick ass, honest, old school heavy rock 'n' roll. Featuring ex-members of Treepeople, Mindfunk and Voodoo Gearshift.

SUNDAY – AUGUST 26 – 4PM

RC5
Says SPIN magazine: “Stripped down essentials-only rock n’ roll for a generation who have forgotten what the real thing is. As a result, RC5 may be the most cool and vital band on the planet.”

GREEN PAJAMAS
Seattle's answer to the Los Angeles Paisley Underground scene, the Pajamas only make a few live appearances each year. Geezerfest is indeed honored.

FROM THE NORTH
“Love Rock” rises again. Malfunkshun guitarist Kevin Wood teams up with Brad/Pigeonhed singer Shawn Smith to complete Andrew Wood’s unsung stories. Could be spectacular, could be spectacularly sad.

BUG NASTIES
Brother James Burdyshaw, also known as the guitarist for Catbutt, Sinister Six and 64 Spiders, gets out his soul singer jones with this swingin’ mod outfit. Their debut CD was just released by Flotation Records.

DOWN WITH PEOPLE
Known in the ‘80s as Room Nine, Down With People features Love Battery singer Ron Nine leading the sonic psych trio back to the future, complete with a light show! Their CD will debut on Flotation Records. More signs of life from Ron Nine. Makes me smile, it does.

ROBERT ROTH
Robert Roth continues to expand on the sonic frontiers he previously claimed as the founder of Seattle's widely acclaimed Truly, who recorded for Sub Pop and Capitol during the ‘90s.

SISTER PSYCHIC
Jack Endino describes Sister Psychic’s music as “pop tunes with big, huge melodies and hooks…so pop I felt my teeth rotting as I mixed it.” Sporting a new lineup, these guys are more powerful than ever. Occasionally a brilliant band, theirs was, in that time and place, the best song about junk. And it wasn't first-person, not that I remember, anyhow.

CAPPING DAY
Formed in 1987, Capping Day got caught up in major label machinations before breaking free, breaking up, and eventually, making up. Powered by sweet girl harmonies, Capping Day brought rays of sun to every dark cavernous club they played.

SPIKE
After Swallow broke up in 1992, singer/guitarist Rod Moody formed Spike, which attempted to play every type of pop music genre imaginable in its five-year existence. The edited version plays at Geezerfest - first show in 10 years.

For media information/materials contact Rod Moody at DMV Presents at (206) 935-5141 / e-mail: rodmoody1@yahoo.com

Tickets are $13.00 advance / $15.00 at the door plus applicable service charges and are on sale now online at www.ticketweb.com. Line-up subject to change.

Posted by grant on July 28, 2007 11:44 AM | Permalink