Recent Stories with tag john roderick

I didn't get to the Crocodile on Friday night until about ten, but since the show didn't wrap up until almost one a.m., there was still plenty to hear, culminating in the hybrid vigor of the John Roderick/Mugison pairing. The two husky, bearded men (see above) took to each like long-lost brothers, and their set felt more like two Norsemen rattling the rafters than guests sitting in on each others' songs. "I have had so many of you in my ear," said Mugison before the show, "I don't feel like I'm coming to do a gig, more like I'm coming for a reunion."

It was a sort of miracle of chance that the artists sparked so entertainingly, because the show (previewed here with YouTube clips), "Sister City Showcase: Reykjavik Calling," gave everyone involved just hours to meet, learn song parts, and perform.

It was presented by KEXP-FM (Kevin Cole, right, KEXP's senior director of programming, emcee'd) and supported by the City of Reykjavik, the Seattle City of Music Festival, Icelandair (now nonstop from Seattle to Iceland) and Iceland Naturally.

A plenipotentiary from Iceland's embassy in Seattle (also right, but I was too busy getting the picture to get the name) even appeared, to explain that from his first visit to Seattle on a wet, gusty, wintry day, he felt right at home. Having experienced Reykjavik in October, I can tell you the reverse is true.

In fact, if you didn't know the people involved, you might have been hard-pressed to tell the Icelanders from the Seattleites, as the following pictures will perhaps illustrate. I missed the first set of Nathan Wade and Pétur Ben, but there was still a line down the block of people braving the lashing rain to get into the show. Inside, the crowd was elbow-to-elbow, and I had to gradually salmon my way forward far enough to get a few shots.... (more)

KEXP's "Reykjavik Calling" showcase actually unites the talents of both Seattle and Icelandic musicians, but you scenesters are no doubt are familiar with Rachel Flotard and Rusty Willoughby, John Roderick, Jason Dodson, and Nathan Wade. (Really all we need is some more electronica and we have Iceland Airwaves South.)

But if you haven't been following the Icelandic Music Awards closely for the past few years, you may be wondering what's a Mugison? A Sin Fang Bous? A Lay Low? And who's this Pétur Ben character?

The beauty of this particular evening is that there's no barrier to simply showing up and finding out on your own--it's free. Doors open at 8 p.m., but depending upon how concerned you are with getting in, you may want to arrive early. (It's 21-and-over though, so don't show up earlier than your 21st birthday.)

Let's prep with a little tour down YouTube's Icelandic lane.... (more)

The Long Winters at the Crocodile

Never heard of the Newton Girls? How about Rad Snafu? Yes, well, neither had anyone else until about a week ago. The Crocodile quietly disclosed performances by each of these bands, held less than a week apart. Eventually they let it slip that the bands were in disguise, and the craftier among us could figure it out via anagram. Luckily, there were much smarter people than me in my Twitter feed that discovered the bands to be the Long Winters and Nada Surf.

Grand Hallway at the Crocodile

The Long Winters were preceded by Grand Hallway, an amazing group in their own right. They are talented musicians from other bands around town like the Maldives, Shenandoah Davis, and the Head and The Heart. Tomo Nakayama has a subtle power in his voice that commands attention from his audience. The crowd may have been sparse--the large group yet to come was only interested in the main act--but Grand Hallway gave credit to their name, filling every nook and cranny with their lingering melodies.

The Long Winters came on stage to a nearly (if not completely) sold-out crowd of die-hard fans. It had been a long time since they had played in front of a Seattle crowd, or as frontman John Roderick put it: "Way too long."

Half of them were newbies to the group: Eric Corson moved from bass to guitar, they've grabbed a new drummer to fill Nabil Ayers mighty shoes, and a friend of John's stepped in on the bass.

It was a helluva show that started with the entirety of what would turn out be their Sasquatch set, as well as a Crocodile-only bonus set. Roderick hit on most of the favorites from all the Long Winters' albums, including "Carparts," "Cinnamon," "Clouds," and "The Commander Thinks Aloud." I was left breathless and wired for the next couple of days. Hell, even if you weren't a fan, Roderick's tongue-in-cheek charm displayed between songs would have won you over in a second.... (more)