Matt Berninger, the lead singer for The National, is afraid that he’ll eat your brain.  Or so he apologetically sings in his distinctive baritone during the refrain of “Conversation 16”, a song from their latest album entitled High Violet.  This and other delicate, demonstrative, self reflective songs (a total of 19) filled the rain-free Marymoor Amphitheatre last Saturday night during, what will be for me, a long remembered concert. 

There is always something extra exciting about a concert at The Paramount. It’s partially due to the ambiance of walking into that place and knowing you’re not going to see Annie’s red hair screaming about her “Hard Knock Life”, rather an awesome concert with unbeatable sound and acoustics. If I could see any of my favorite musicians at a venue in Seattle, it would be at The Paramount.
That said, I was jazzed to hear that one of my favorite bands was headlining at The Paramount this last Saturday. Lucky enough …

A low-key Thursday at Capitol Hill’s choice Cha Cha lounge proved to be the ideal spot to sit down with local up-and-comers Yuni in Taxco. Amidst the heavily saturated Lucha Libre motif, piñatas and Mexican beer bottle cap décor, the band merely a year old shed some light on their “Yuni”que name and not so signature sound.
After years of admiring each others’ work in various projects, the five consisting of brothers Ross (vocals, guitar) and Bryce (drums), Sean (vocals, guitar), Jim ”the Guru” (bass, slide guitar) and Isaiah (backing vocals, …

When you’re a kid, you know the exact moment when summer starts. It’s the last day of school on the second that the bell rings.  As an adult, I miss that excitement.  The closest I can get is creating my own summer milestones and the most notable is always my first road trip to the Gorge Amphitheater.  The Kings of Leon concert on July 17, 2010, was a proper kickoff to my summer, complete with bouncing beachballs and a blazing encore of fireworks.
I’m amazed at how quickly the Kings of …

It’s 5:50pm on Friday, July 23rd. I’m making my way through the crowd to the Main Stage. The swarm begins its shift, losing some Bear in Heaven fans and gaining Shabazz Palaces-goers. Looking around, I’m surrounded by fans who are sun-baked, eccentrically-dressed, and visibly ready to keep this party going. The in house DJ, playing a quick set between mainstage performances, throws down a few 80s tunes for kicks to get the audience moving. But as soon as the Jay-Z classics began, a signal goes off in the crowd–this shit …

Remember a point in time before Nirvana’s Nevermind had changed the world, Pearl Jam was called Mookie Blaylock, and Soundgarden had yet to record Badmotorfinger? Delve deeper into Seattle’s rock history and one will uncover the true catalyst to what we now know as the grunge movement…

Melody Gardot has perfected the art of Depression-era, smoky bar jazz. After
sliding silkily on stage wearing 3-inch pumps accessorized with a snappy cane, she
declared smoothly, “Let me introduce the fellas behind me, ladies and gentlemen. You
know, it’s not every day a woman has three men behind her.” Immediately warmed by
her charming, old-soul persona, Gardot could have sung flat the rest of the evening and the
audience would still have given her a standing ovation.

Yuni in Taxco is a fresh face to the Seattle music scene, born in late 2009. They’ve already made a name for themselves by playing at venues all over Seattle, like the Comet, Sunset Tavern, and last night at the High Dive. The band is currently recording for their upcoming full length album, but for now, have made their EP available FREE.
Check it out! Yuni.bandcamp.com
Can’t get enough? Check out their myspace, and look for their upcoming interview right here at Seattle Scenester!

If you’re obsessed with keeping up with the Joneses, you had better pick someone other than Ms. Sharon Jones. She is the lead singer of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings who treated a sold-out Showbox SODO crowd to a high-octane performance on June 21. Their blend of soul, gospel and funk had the elbow-to-elbow crowd dancing for nearly two hours straight.
Dubbed the “Female James Brown,” Jones is the Energizer Bunny of live shows. In her mid-fifties, Jones’ performances are a combination of a good ‘ole, Southern, church revivals and booty-shaking …

It was as gray as the Seattle skies and as massive as the mountains that surround western Washington. Merely 24 years old when it was demolished to make way for purpose built stadiums. …The Kingdome.

Not only was The Kingdome used to entice the NFL and MLB, it also brought some of the greatest rock n’ roll bands of our lifetime to Seattle. The Kingdome was loud and proved to be difficult for sound men, but there was nothing like filling it up with 70,000 fans to see your …