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You hardcore twangers have been waiting a year — and now it’s finally here. Wintergrass 2009 kicks off Feb. 19 at the fancy Hotel Murano, and runs until Feb. 22. That’s right, four days to get your twang on. Now in its 16th year, the festival has become one of the
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After last year’s dismal Labor Day festival, I didn’t have high expectations about Bumbershoot 2008, but entered the gates armed with a press pass determined to take in all I could with a positive attitude. While I wasn’t disappointed, I sure the heck was glad I didn’t have to plop
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Not neo-soul, not urban, and not contemporary R&B, the Next Movement is authentic R&B akin to such legendary Motown units as the Temptations and the Four Tops. The Chicago vocal group formed in 1971, and while they never reached the height of their more famous contemporaries, they have been laying down
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If you attend this show, bring your earplugs as Mothers Anger might cause hearing loss for a few days after their gig if you don’t. The Michael Davis (MC5 bass player) -endorsed Israel duo are pretty hardcore as they mix punk, garage and classic rock for a bombastic timbre that
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When I was first asked to write about Ron Jeremy for the music section, I asked, “The porn star?” With the typical ’70s porn soundtrack thumping in my brain, I questioned, “Is he going to sing, dance, MC?" Who knows. Maybe all three. Who knew he was more than a big,
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Make it stop. I clicked on The Devil Wears Prada’s MySpace page and was assaulted with a wash volume that shoved me back in my chair. The Devil Wears Prada — no, not the movie or the book, the metal band — defines hardcore. With machine gun drums, nasty guitar
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Some bands just make you feel happy even if the message is depressing. Akin to the Shins, the Dimes evoke feelings of a jovial nature by way of lush harmonies and jangly guitar riffs. Whether by accident or design, the band possesses a Brit-pop timbre that is Fab Four comparable.
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I’ve always said if you think Kenny G is jazz, then you don’t know jazz. While not an expert on the genre, I know the basic elements. I know that real jazz doesn’t incorporate synthesizers and most definitely doesn’t use an electric bass. It’s just not done. Real jazz is
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Vince Brown is no stranger to string swing fans in the Northwest. As a part of the Tune Stranglers, Hot Club Sandwich and the duo Red and Ruby with LaVon Hardison, Brown’s nimble fingers have delighted audiences for more than 30 years. Beginning tonight, the guitarist/banjoist/ukulele-ist will host Swing Set
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Some artists wallow in their past accomplishments while others flourish and continually push their creativity. It’s a gamble, and the results are always chancy when changing direction from a proven formula. Northwest singer/songwriter Carrie Akre has reinvented her sound on more than one occasion, and the appraisal has been a
