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August 98 special-- NXNW

Thursday: Idaho-- Music Millenium NW, Skip Holiday-- EJ's, Pedro the Lion-- Pokerface, The Exies-- Berbati's; Alien Crime Syndicate, Swoon 23-- La Luna

Friday: Fonda-- EJ's; Tra La La, Pinback, Kim Koehler-- Berbati's

Saturday: Illyah Kuryahkin, Track Star, Volume All Stars, Creeper Lagoon, Sunset Valley-- La Luna

Thursday: Idaho-- Music Millenium NW, Skip Holiday-- EJ's, Pedro the Lion-- Pokerface, The Exies-- Berbati's; Alien Crime Syndicate, Swoon 23-- La Luna

Before the actual festivities began, I bussed over to the west side MM to see Idaho, so I could see Swoon, who they shared the 1am Thursday timeslot with. I got there early enough to grab a couch seat and snag a (free) Mountain Dew.

Idaho:
sound sorta like: Low, but not as slow, and louder
from: Los Angeles
consisting of: haunting male vocalist, a woman who plays keyboards and sings background vocals, guitars, bass, drums (all guys)
seen 'em before: nope
label: Sugar Free
new record out?: end of Sept.
mood of music: realizing at 5AM after being up all night how beautiful and sad human existance is.
drinkin'?: water
swag potential: as much free soda as you want, plus any of MM's normal swag giveaways
video cameras: no, but a scenster with a fun saver
industry types: no (thank god)
scenester types: yes, and how. Somebody recognizes the Sugar Free head guy and gets his autograph.
density: low
brownie points: Keyboardist writes set list down with fruit scented magic markers. They have the good sense to have a contact phone number stencilled on their equipment cases along with their band name.
highlight: Have you seen the new Marilyn Manson album promo stuff? Damn!
good set?: Hell, yes.

Later in the evening, Veronica and I show up at EJ's and realize our plans have been wrecked: one of the bands we wanted to see there (Copyright) cancels. Along with almost all of the other Canadian bands-- the Nettwerk showcase folded for some reason. (Air Canada strike? Who knows.) So we stuck around for Skip Holiday. Radio friendly music.

Skip Holiday:
sound sorta like: Foo Fighters 'This is a Call,' but with more wah wah
from: San Francisco
consisting of: standard band setup, I think? (all guys, two guitars, bass, drums)
seen 'em before?: no
label: Sugar Fix
new record out?: last month
mood of music: rock is mostly fun, but sometimes moody
drinkin'?: beer
swag potential: unhumorous promo postcards
video cameras: no
industry types: yes. Who else gets cell phone calls at a show?
scenester types: some, but crowd is surprisingly normal looking
density: higher than expected for 8PM on a Thursday
brownie points: Has ex members of Thrill Kill Kult and Heavy Into Jeff who met thru a woman they were dating-- at the same time.
highlights: Spastic hippie bassist. Guitarist has same haircut as Peter Holmstrom and like PH also comes from the "I stare at my feet and shake my head while playing with my seven thousand pedals all of which I have completely mastered" school of playing.
good set?: entertaining, but not enthralling

Veronica and I headed downtown, missing the beginning of Pedro the Lion's set. Pokerface, which is normally a clothing store and not a venue was stiflingly hot and made me wish I had opted for natural fiber clothing.

Pedro the Lion:
sound sorta like: "Strand" (the second Spinanes album)
from: Seattle
consisting of: three guys-- guitar/vocals, drums, and bass
seen 'em before?: No, but they played NXNW last year and were well recieved.
not to be confused with: Pedro Luz
label: ??
new record out: Recent, but I don't know how new.
mood of music: Music to break up to. Introspective, brutally honest, beautiful.
drinkin'?: didn't see anything.
swag potential: no
video cameras: one
industry types: yes
scenester types: low density
density: close to full
brownie points: They don't need 'em.
huh?: I heard somewhere they're Christians. Sure, why not.
highlight: I smack right into some guy's beers and he apologizes to *me.*
good set: You bet.

We take off for Half Film at Satyricon, which is surprisingly unfull. Fellini looked packed.

Half Film:
sound sorta like: labelmates Idaho but with more minimal vocals. Not *at all* like the bands mentioned in the splurb (Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre)
from: San Francisco
consisting of: two guys (guitar, drums), one girl (bass)
seen 'em before?: nope
label: Sugar Free
new record out: ??
mood of music: Moody reflective hungover Sunday morning.
drinkin'?: water, I think.
swag potential: no.
video cameras: two, one from KPTV 12, who brought a news van and spent too much time setting up a camera and monitor for 30 seconds of live (lame) broadcast.
industry types: not too many
scenester types: high density in the bar, low density in the back
density: very low, managed to sit down without a problem
brownie points: Band doesn't seem thwarted by low turnout.
highlight: watching Star Trek on KPTV monitor.
good set?: worthwhile, but not as good as Idaho

Off to Berbati's for the Exies. Everyone at Berbati's is drunk. Cover is 10$. Ouch.

The Exies:
sound sorta like: Nancy Boy after a few forties.
from: Los Angeles
consiting of: maybe four or five guys on standard instruments. I dunno.
seen 'em before?: no
label: ??
new record out: ??
mood of music: Kick out the Jams.
drinkin'?: Hell, yeah.
swag potential: stickers
video cameras: between two and four. I think. Plus the in-house video.
industry types: Yes. I have a slightly odd, but harmless conversation with a press type in the ladies.
scenester types: Not particularly, but there are some white trash metal chicks.
density: full, but not uncomfortable
brownie points: Band named after German school of existential artists. Has song named 'Ego Tryptophan.' Lead singer looks like cross between Peter Holmstrom and Sean Roberts. Dresses in tight lurex blend sweater and form fitting pants. Uses lots of product. Knows how to throw sign of the devil with flair. I briefly consider having his lovechild.
lowlight: getting hit on by clueless faux Swede.
good set?: lots of fun.

Run into Stevie out front. Drop Veronica home (she has jury duty in the morning). Steal life renewing candy from Darcy's candy bowl, after refusing to tell her whether I asked my mom if it was OK. Head back to La Luna, where I mildly regret not having gone to see Alien Fashion Show.

Alien Crime Syndicate:
sound sorta like: If Marigold got old and less cute and listened to Everclear and the Monkees. No, I take that back. I dunno.
from: Los Angeles
consisting of: some guys with guitars, bass, drums, and a keyboard.
seen 'em before: no
not to be confused with: Alien Fashion Show (playing the same slot), Alien Sex Fiend
label: ??
new record out: ??
mood of music: We might be wacky, we might be alternative, but we're not telling you guys.
drinkin'?: by this time of night? Doubtless.
swag: they said they had free stuff, but I didn't check.
video cameras: don't think so, could be wrong.
industry types: Yes. One latches onto me in the bar, while I am drinking a beer and drooling over a punker, blonder Pete Holmstrom clone. She cannot comprehend the fact that a) I actually am not an industry type from LA, I am a private citizen who lives in Portland and looks forward to seeing bands for fun, not profit and b) there is no sales tax in Oregon ("What's with the tax here?" "There's no sales tax." "How does that work?" "Well, when you buy something that says 10.99$ on it, you actually pay 10.99$ for it.") She flyers me for the band she's promoting (Peer Gynt) and introduces me to Peer-- that *cannot* be his real name, who is Norweigan and who seems like an OK guy despite the fact that he has only narrowly missed dousing me with the beer he just dropped. Peer is luckily too involved in his (next) beer to want to talk to me, or is tired of schmoozing in English. Unlike the industry type. Who continues chatting to me. Fortunately by this time, Swoon are about to come on and the industry type is distracted by a girl flyering for some movie at Clinton Street. She gets confused about the fact that someone would be flyering for an event over a week away, which is of no concern to either herself or Peer giving me a chance to pound my beer and escape from the bar. Here's the moral of the story. They won't leave the bar once they've alighted there. And knowing is half the battle.
scenester types: Are waiting for Swoon to come on. Matt Hollywood roams, contemplating Alien Crime Syndicate from various vantage points.
density: medium low
brownie points: Strobe lights. Flashing blue police lights. Band is well dressed (in suits.)
highlight: Lead singer flails like Fred Schneider during one number but loses points for playing keyboard crappily while doing so.
good set?: thought some songs rocked, other songs were mediocre. I hate it when bands have more than one good song and the rest suck, because it proves that they could be good most of the time, but aren't.

Swoon 23:
sound sorta like: old Helium, Mazzy Star, Julee Cruise (if she listened to VU and MBV)
from: Portland
consisting of: Megan (vocals, mandolin, keyboard), Matt Hollywood (bass, some vocals), Marty Smith (drums), and that guy whose name I can never remember (on guitar)
seen 'em before?: You better believe it.
label: Tim Kerr
new record out?: No, but they have two albums out, both good.
mood of music: Ethereal, moody.
drinkin': Probably, but no Robitussin.
swag potential: You could buy some of their stuff. It wouldn't kill you.
video cameras: don't think so, but they brought their own projector and transparency/oil projector lamp.
industry types: must have passed out or fucked off by this time (1am).
scenster types: yup.
density: medium low
brownie points: do a mean cover of 'I wanna be your dog,' which is better than Sonic Youth's. Matt Hollywood is formerly (or still? I'm assuming not.) of uber-hip Brian Jonestown Massacre. Megan is (I think) married to one of the Sunset Valley guys. Marty used to go to Reed.
highlight: successful escape from industry chick.
huh?: Marty Smith's all new, all bleached blonde hair frightens me.
good set?: uh huh.

beverage consumption: 1 bourbon and Coke, 1 Red Stripe, numerous cups of water.
food consumption: one chicken pot pie (before leaving house); four pixie sticks, one dumdum, one chupa-chup (from Darcy's candy bowl)
we run into: Stevie, Julia (sort of)
number of times we walked past the punks at the Paris: 4
evening's most mysterious event: Sheet lightning!

NXNW-- Friday

Fonda-- EJ's; Tra La La, Pinback, Kim Koehler-- Berbati's

Due to nutritional needs we leave a little late and miss the beginning of Fonda's set.

Fonda:
sound sorta like: Josephine Wiggs Experience, Elastica plus Farfisa, Cadalaca (Corin from Sleater-Kinney's other band), Bis gone britpop, early Go go's.
from: Los Angeles
consisting of: three guys (drums, bass, guitar) and a girl (farfisa organ, vocals)
seen 'em before?: no
label: ep on Top Quality
new record?: ep recorded earlier this year.
mood of music: headbobbin' spacey 60's tv show theme
swag potential: 5 song ep for five dollars.
video camera: *maybe* I saw one.
industry types: most are trying like hell to blend. One hovers, and steals the barstool of a brightly haired angry young Pete Holmstrom clone who has gone to the bathroom. She hopes he won't have the guts to tell her off. Wrong.
scenester types: Yes, clustered in bar and seating areas, and frustrating the industry types who are forced to circle like jets at LAX.
density: high, but not uncomfortably so.
brownie points: Farfisa organ. English frontwoman wears swellegant metallic minidress and boots. At least two members cop to liking Nancy Sinatra. Rodney from KROC likes them.
huh?: handstamp reads-- Joel's Bitch.
good set?: Yup, I picked up their ep, 'Music for Beginners.'

We head downtown to Berbati's where we run into Steve, who informs us that he has just seen the funniest set by Peer Gynt (who I met briefly on Thursday in the bar at La Luna). A Swedish heavy metal band in a yuppie Mexican restaurant. That's humor.

Tra la la:
sorta sound like: early Breeders, any Pixies song sung by Kim Deal
from: Portland
consist of: three girls (drums, guitar/vocals, bass), one guy (guitar/keyboard)
seen 'em before?: Yep, at Sunset Valley record release.
label: ?? probably Tim Kerr (this is their showcase)
new record?: planning to record soon
mood of music: dunno, but it sure is purty.
swag potential: no
video camera: on the in-house video at least.
industry types: yes, and they're not hiding.
scenester types: some
density: high enought that I decide not to bail for Luther Russell at Satyricon. But of course I'm being paranoid.
brownie points: lead singer is named Honey. They have a Moog.
highlight: we manage to find parking fairly quickly and don't miss much of Tra la la's set.
good set?: A thousand times, yes.

We get flyered by a member of the Japanese band eX-girl, who is megacute. Flyer has a Satanic Hello Kitty throwing the sign of the devil. Supercool. Steve takes off to see Miss Murgatroid, Veronica (tired) takes off during the middle of Pinback's set.

Pinback:
sound sorta like: Built to Spill
from: San Diego
consist of: a bunch of guys with guitars, bass, drums, two keyboards
seen 'em before?: nope
label?: ?? Tim Kerr, probably.
new record?: ??
mode of music: skillful. Not ruined by technical difficulties with keyboards.
swag potential: nil
video cameras: yes
industry types: are now in full force exchanging credentials and discussing which events they are being sent out to next
scenester types: more wander in, presumably early for Daniel Johnston (at midnight, who I miss)
density: high
brownie points: one guitarist is wearing a Moog tshirt, has a Wesley Willis sticker on his guitar, and has mismatched socks. Band contains ex-members of heavy Vegetable and Three Mile Pilot.
highlight: Someone spills gin and tonic all over my (thankfully) waterproof shoes. Everyone who looks at it later thinks it's vomit. *I* think it's funny.
good set: yes.

Kim Koehler:
sounds sorta like: Liz Phair's kickass sultry southern cousin
from: Memphis
consist of: Kim (vocals/guitar/occasional keyboard), and two guys (bass/keyboard and drums)
seen 'em before?: nope
label: Tim Kerr
new record?: soon
mood of music: Sultry and slow.
swag potential: dunno, I leave during the set.
video cameras: at least the in-house video.
industry types: yes
scenester types: Daniel Johnston's bringing 'em in, and I see a few goth-ish chicks, probably waiting for Paradise Motel (at 1am).
density: thins out a bit near the stage
brownie points: drummer has infinitely gorgeous cheekbones. Kim has a southern accent and plays crane style when her strap goes awry.
highlight: to me-- Kim's a really great guitarist. (She's been touring on and off for eleven years.) to crowd-- Kim removes shirt (she has another one on underneath). Undeniably, she's gorgeous.
lowlight: some guy who I've never met (of course) tries to put his arm around me. Big mistake.
good set: Yes, but long, because Kim and co. are Daniel Johnston's backing band.

I leave, because I am tired and I have a headache and my feet hurt, and I know that I can catch Paradise Motel tomorrow afternoon for free.

beverage consumption: 2 chocolate Soy-ums, multiple cups of water
food consumption: 1 protein bar, tomato salad, split pea soup, pumpkin pie (before leaving); calamari in broth (when I get home)
we run into: Steve, some friends of Veronica's, some guy who used to be in one of my classes
number of times I walk past the punks at the Paris: two (one with Veronica, one without)
evening's most mysterious event: guys outside Burger King try to hit on Veronica and I by aggressively offering us meat by-products.

NXNW-- Saturday

Illyah Kuryahkin, Track Star, Volume All Stars, Creeper Lagoon, Sunset Valley-- La Luna

This is written way after the fact (as compared to the other two nights, which I wrote about right away. By this point in NXNW I was getting way tired). Generally the evening trends out the following way: more people arrive as the night goes on; everybody and their mother ends up showing up by the time Sunset Valley goes on at 1AM from friends of mine to Courtney Taylor who was gabbing outside with some darling looking blonde boy (swoon).

Tired of club hopping. I arrive during Illyah Kuryahkin's set.

Illyah Kuryahkin:
sounds sort of like: A man with a guitar getting in touch with his feelings. (I mean it in a good way)
from: NYC??? I think...
consists of: one guy, Dean Wilson
seen 'im before: no
mood of music: music to play over subliminal suggestions for cool people
brownie points: one of the few sets mellow enough to talk over, named after a character from 'Man from UNCLE'
good set: OK, sure. I thought it was pretty decent.

Track Star: for the life of me I can't remember their set, or even if they played. Sorry.

Volume All Stars:
sound sort of like: ICU, Land of the Loops
from: Seattle, maybe
consist of: a girl, some guys
seen 'em before: no
mood of music: schizophrenically cute
brownie points: lead singer can yodel, boy howdy
good set: started out weak, but kicked ass by the end of the set.

Creeper Lagoon:
sounds sort of like: A rock band. You remember back when people played rock music, right?
from: the Bay Area
consist of: 4 guys
seen 'em before: yes
mood of music: Remember that John Cougar Mellencamp song 'ROCK in the USA'? Yeah.
brownie points: Er...
good set: Usually, I'm not too into Creeper, but this was probably the best set I've seen them play. I gotta give 'em credit for that.

Sunset Valley:
sound sort of like: Pixies, Donovan, David Bowie, XTC
from: SE Portland
consist of: some guys with guitars, keyboard, bass, drums
seen 'em before: repeatedly.
mood of music: dunno, but it's good stuff
brownie points: Sunset Valley have so many brownie points that they could make a hostile takeover of the Girl Scouts of America.
good set: beyond great

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