Before the food coma sets in -- is it even possible to get a food coma from a Celebration Loaf? -- and before the rush of All The Things That Have To Suddenly Get Done At Holiday Time take over, here's a pile of recent updates.
Pickwick Played At Sonic Boom And It Totally Kicked So Much Ass. The set was a little stripped-down, but still chock-ful-o' all the radness that's been coming nonstop from these gents lately. Coming up, Dance Party 2K11 AKA Pickwick at the Neptune on December 8th. Flickr set from SB here.
Remember the time John Roderick played in our living room? I know. Crazytown. 2003 Victoria just about barfed up her dinner, but in real-time what actually went on was an intimate gathering of friends and Long Winters OG fans for an unbelievable performance ten feet from our faces, combo'd with more potluck finery than you could possibly shake a stick at. It started out as a joke almost, when I realized I was going to be out of town (at CMJ) during City Arts fest, and thus would be missing the LWs at the Showbox -- and a sideways suggestion that John play at our house turned into a full-blown actual happening, complete with video and audio recordings from Adam and Tyler & friends (coming soon).
The result? Pure, unadulterated awesome. And a killer cover of Neutral Milk Hotel, to boot. Flickr here, imaginary post here.
Oh, Mike Doughty. You.
I started out at this show as a wing-woman for Laura who, among other things, is an OG Mike Doughty Fan Extraordinaire. I wound up as a claimed fan who (somewhat) understands a bit better the mystery of the Doughty Way, and on top of that, subway-band-turned-tourmates Moon Hooch were actually a hell of a lot of fun. Flickr set here.
Oh, and ps, ^ this happened. So much unabashed adorableness in such a tiny room. Including the four-up Holgaroid beaut that Laura's got posted on her blog here.
I covered Hey Marseilles and Stephanie's sets for Audioasis a few Saturdays back, just before HM headed off to the Neptune for a sold-out show with Bryan John Appleby and Nick Jaina. Both were rolled into the KEXP flickr pool, and I've got best ofs here and here respectively.
Feist, Moore, no direct shooting. The set was an interesting combination of classic Feist, reworked favorites, throwback stage imagery and a twinge of a new-age-y-ness running a course througout. Flickr here, imaginary writeup here.
The one and only Loryn Kezer introduced me to the bliss of Adventure Saturday, wherein you go somewhere you haven't gone or do something you haven't done. My upcoming trip to Mount Vernon for some thrifting seemed like a perfect fit, and even though she'd been up that way before she hadn't been in a car or anywhere other than in passing at a show with me -- so technically it still qualified for her list as well. Brunchings with my One Reel friends at the Fat Hen in Ballard preceded, which felt a little bit like dining in the pages of Real Simple magazine.
Creepy tracheotomy baby? Yes, please.
And Adventure Saturday capped off with a killer (albeit late, but I'm an old lady in the winter) set by the Young Evils at the Rendezvous. Killer, killer, KILLER new tunes -- I'm head over heels with "Darker Blue Bayou" and wish I had the video of that song so I could loop it on repeat until I sang it in my sleep.
Sweet Michael Lee! Adventure Saturday & the Young Evils in flickr form here, and in imaginary format in the Feist weekend roundup post here.
And lastly-but-mostly on the catchups, I had the honor -- it really was -- of shooting the What To Read In The Rain publishing party at 826 Seattle this past Sunday. Kids and adults from 826's ongoing workshop series came together and published a book that's going to be bedside in hotels across Seattle, and to date they've already sold over 5,000 copies.
From mooning over John Roderick at a "How To Write Like I Do" session to shooting Dave Eggers and a ton of brilliant folks celebrating a book and a recent award from Michelle Obama? Yes, please. 826 Seattle, I think you're a keeper.
Yep. Dave Eggers, doing the 826 tutor profile headshot for me.
Full 826 event flickr set here.
That's all the news that's fit to print. If things are looking a little different around here lately -- yes, I'm doing a site redesign and it's on the five yard line, just a couple more tweaks (love the font? hate it? please send feedback!) and a few adds and subtracts from the portfolio section and I'll be able to put this project to rest.
In the meantime: be grateful. Somebody loves you. (Yes, you.) Probably me. xo
V.