West Seattle Summerfest celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this weekend, and in addition to providing an economical way to have fun on a summer weekend, it’s grown into a great (free) showcase for original local music.
There’s a ton of really solid local tuneage to be had at the free festival’s 2012 edition (in the interest of completeness and pimpery, you can get a detailed line-up listing here), but if you’re in a pinch, the following acts look to be the most un-missable highlights of a strong weekend line-up.
Branden Daniel and the Chics: I’m a total sap for compact, bare-bones garage rock, and that’s what Branden Daniel and the Chics deliver. There’s just enough of the familiar (think Sonics-cum-British Invasion) in their sound, combined with a hint of snotty danger in Daniel’s separated-from-Mark-Arm-at-birth singing. Little Steven Van Zandt featured the Chics’ “Missionary” on his Underground Garage satellite radio show recently, and whatever else you might think of the doo-ragged Springsteen guitarist/ erstwhile Sopranos wiseguy, the guy’s got taste in tunes. (Friday, 2:00pm, California Stage)
Star Anna: In a music scene where low-key indie ensembles are the rule, Star Anna commands a stage with the confidence and presence of, well, a star. Fortunately, that charisma possesses a strong backbone of genuine goods. Between her world-class pipes and songwriting that perfectly walks the tightrope of epic rock and introspection, there’s a reason The Posies and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready have jammed onstage and/or on record with her. (Friday, 8:15pm, California Stage)
Alcohol Funnycar: Last Summerfest roused much joy around the Northwest Music Nerd campfire with the Fastbacks’ reunion, and this year fest organizers once again stroke that demographic’s pleasure nodes with the reunion of Alcohol Funnycar. AF cut their sound from the same flannel-shirt stripe as Husker Du or The Replacements, and their rep as an unparalleled live act has held fast for the last decade-plus. This is only their second live gig in the last sixteen years, and with as volatile as these reunions can be sometimes (ahem, Fastbacks), you best get it while it’s hot. (Saturday, 8:45pm, California Stage)
Pierced Arrows: Portland institutions Fred and Toody Cole have been rocking together for three decades, most famously as two-thirds of Dead Moon but most recently as the center of this similarly-inclined trio. They’ve got enough energy to blow the roof off the sucka…and they’re grandparents, for God’s sake. Do not miss. (Saturday, 10:00pm, California Stage)
Hobosexual: Do we really need another two-guy rock band in town? If these guys are an indicator, the answer is Hells, yes. Singer/guitarist Ben Harwood carves out his own identity with a stoner-rock-fueled mastery of big rock riffs, and drummer Jeff Silva bashes his kit like a caveman. Oh, and they’ve put out action figures of themselves (take that, Jack White), so a stop at their merch table could be almost as fun as their set. Almost. (Sunday, 3:45pm, California Stage)
