Thursday, Oct. 25
BLUES harmon brews and blues
Blues and brews: what could be better?
The South Sound Blues Association in conjunction with Harmon Brewery presents Harmon Brews and Blues tonight and every other Thursday in November. With the success of the 2006 and 2007 blues portion of the Tacoma Jazz and Blues at Harmon’s, the brewery was the obvious choice for this series of events. Doors open at 6 p.m. with prizes, raffles and drawings. Best of all, it is presented free of charge. No babysitter, no problem. Kids will be welcome until 10 p.m.
Scheduled to play tonight is the incomparable Maia Santell & House Blend. With a potent combination of blues, jump, jazz and swing, Maia and company are one of the hottest tickets in the Northwest. Santell is a diva with very few rivals. Her vocal control is unsurpassed, and her range is extraordinary. Whether singing Billie Holiday or Etta James classics, she handles each genre with a style that is unique. While their leader is a gifted singer and entertainer, House Blend is not to be taken for granted as Jeff Ziontz (guitar), Bryce Van Parys (bass), Bruce Simpson (drums) and Ted Dortch (tenor sax) keep the joints a rockin’ with high energy and a youthful oomph. — TE
[Harmon Brewery, 7:30 p.m. music, all ages, no cover, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.2739]
Friday, Oct. 26
ROCK no quarter
With Halloween upon us, No Quarter — the locally famous Led Zeppelin tribute band set to hit Jazzbones Friday — must feel unusually normal. Most of the year, playing shows all around the country, the members of No Quarter find themselves in venues packed with normally dressed drunks, while they strut around like Plant, Page, Jones and Bonham — complete with package-revealing dungarees and wigs from the ugly women section of Wigs-R-Us.
However, around Halloween, as people everywhere dress in strange and peculiar get-ups, No Quarter looks silly like the rest of us — bell bottoms and all.
But No Quarter’s shtick is only partially about the look. Most of their appeal is in the tunes. While almost anyone can pull a Zeppelin number or two from their musical bag of tricks (most likely mutilating it at the same time) No Quarter has real-deal chops. They can legitimately call themselves the “ultimate tribute to Led Zeppelin”— and they do.
To me, however, the ultimate tribute to Led Zeppelin is sticking a mud shark you know where. But since I believe my wife would frown on that, a Halloween week tribute to Led Zeppelin by No Quarter at Jazzbones is close enough. No Quarter has the moves and they’ve got the sound. If you can get past their silly-ass wigs they’re the cream of the cover crop. — Matt Driscoll
[Jazzbones, Friday, Oct. 26, 9 p.m., $10, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]
Friday, Oct. 26
ROCK Everyone Gets Laid
There’s no magic behind a good band name. It’s simple. If you’re a band, you want a name people remember.
Branden Daniel and Everyone Gets Laid obviously realize this. Who doesn’t like the sound of “Everyone Gets Laid.” No one I care to know.
Mr. Daniel and Everyone Gets Laid, however, have much more in their arsenal than a memorable moniker. The Stranger says Daniel sounds like Jarvis Cocker playing Jimi Hendrix. While I think there’s a wink of cynicism there, I think there’s also a touch of truth. Daniel mixes his well studied, down home, blues ethic with a garage rock aesthetic, working his hips and his guitar — all dirty like — into a niche he dominates. Daniel is rock and roll, and Everyone Gets Laid is the perfect backing.
Branden Daniel and Everyone Gets Laid will play Le Voyeur on Friday, Oct. 26. Earlier that day the band will play live on KAOS 89.3 FM. This may well be the best show all week. Whether you’ve had it circled for weeks or not, you’ll definitely get some bang for your buck with Daniel. — Matt Driscoll
[Le Voyeur, 10 p.m., no cover, 404 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.943.5710]
Saturday, Oct. 27
COUNTRY hallow-hoe-down
If you’ve been wondering — as I have, honestly —where a good, local country & western show is, this Saturday at the Coyote Lounge is the place to start eyeballing. Guitarist Billy Farmer will be kickin’ it country with his Ramblers and special guest Shotgun Red. Yes, the Shotgun Red who played with Buck Owens and knows a slew of old pickin’ tunes. Anyway, Farmer is as respectable as Roy Rogers and as convincing country picker, too. He’s well versed in the swingin’ music that mirrors the rowdier edges of honky-tonk but can pick it new school as well. Expect Johnny Cash’s hits “Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison,” Tennessee Flat-top Box,” plus Hank Williams, Keith Urban, Brooks and Dunn, Garth Brooks and on and on. — Brad Allen
[Coyote Lounge, 9 p.m., inside Junction City Café, 19306 Mountain Hwy., Spanaway, 253.867.6001]
Saturday, Oct. 26
JAZZ native blue
Performing in a similar style to Art Blakely’s Jazz Messengers, whom I have grown to love, Native Blue is rooted deep in traditional jazz as well as progressive jazz, but also offer up a combination of funk/jazz akin to such classic bands as Steely Dan and Average White Band. Perhaps this is why they appeal to me. Comprised of trumpet, sax, trombone, piano, bass and drums, the band’s sound is fat and rich but not overpowering. Each member is dedicated to the music and is allowed to showcase their chops during uncompromised solos while their arrangements are as tight as a snare drum. Check them out at nativeblue.org. — TE
[Ben Moore’s Restaurant, 9 p.m., no cover, 112 Fourth Ave. W., Olympia, 360.357.7527]
Sunday, Oct. 28
JAM Big Friction Jam
Admittedly I’m not a big fan of “jams.” For one, I don’t really care for jamming, which makes a “jam” fairly unappealing to me. I like songs, not marathons. Secondly, I like bands. A group of gathered musicians, no matter how talented, usually sounds like just that — a group of gathered musicians.
For this reason I haven’t yet jumped aboard the bandwagon for the Sunday Big Friction Jams at Jazzbones. The weekly event features Brett Cummings from the Schematics and members of the Vicci Martinez Band — all of them impressive musicians. Musically speaking, I’m sure Sunday nights at Jazzbones are solid. The idea just feels a little like filler to me.
However, I’ve been wrong plenty of times before, and my feelings about the Sunday Big Friction Jam at Jazzbones may be my most misguided yet. This Sunday, Danny Godinez will join Cummings and Co., and the development may lead me to rethink things. Just maybe.
Why? Because Danny Godinez is jaw dropping.
I’ve seen a lot of guitar players in my day, from Pete Townshend and Mike McCready to Blue Haired Dave and Kevin Day. Very rarely have someone’s skills struck me the way Godinez’s have. Before seeing him, I read reviews with stuff like “Godinez is one with his guitar.” I chalked it up as cheese. After seeing Godinez in person, I quickly realized the cheese was well deserved.
Danny Godinez and his acoustic guitar are a spectacle. Lots of people play the guitar, Godinez owns it. It’s as though his hands were meant to do nothing else. Throw in his above average vocal talent and you’ve got a local performer screaming for your attention. While I typically don’t recommend “jams,” Sunday night at Jazzbones featuring Danny Godinez is enough to make me reverse course. And that’s saying something. — Matt Driscoll
[Jazzbones, Sunday, Oct. 28, 9 p.m., all ages, no cover, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]
Scary Day, Oct. 31
ROCK Hell’s Kitchen
So, Halloween is on a Wednesday this year, which kind of blows. It kind of limits the amount of hell you can raise, and definitely the amount of booze you can drink. Unless you’re unemployed, I suppose. Or maybe you just roll like that?
To each his own.
In my humble opinion, though, a holiday just isn’t a holiday without booze. Luckily, after MDC and Citizen Fish play an early all-ages show at Hell’s Kitchen on Halloween, a sausage party will commence, featuring SOK and the Faggots, the Outfit, and Bumma Stoge. If you’re the kind of person who gets piss drunk on Wednesday, Halloween at the Kitchen may be your prescription. One dollar PBRs can keep you company all night for a reasonable price, and let’s be honest — after six or seven PBRs, everything tastes the same. Don’t try to tell me you’re above it. — MD
[Hell’s Kitchen, 6 p.m. first show, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]