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New blog URL: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/tacomarockcity
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Tacoma Rock City hasn't officially relaunched with our new WordPress software, as mentioned in the boss's column this morning. But I have started to add new content. Check out Grit City Bootlegs No. 25, with video from a promising, new local band called The Legend of Bigfoot at' [...]
There's yet one more reason for teenage girls to freak out when the "Twilight" sequel hits theaters in November. Death Cab for Cutie wrote the lead single for the soundtrack for "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." The forthcoming new cut is called "Meet Me at the Equinox," and [...]
Sounds like Pearl Jam's set at San Francisco's Outside Lands Festival was amazing based on Rolling Stone's report. I'm kind of worried about the line about Eddie Vedder's vocal chords being "shredded" by recent touring, though. Here's hoping he's well rested by time the band gets to KeyArena' [...]
"‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ is a song that we’ve had at the top of our wish list ever since I came to Guitar Hero,” Activision's Vice President of Music Affairs Tim Riley tells Rolling Stone. “So it’s been a while.” Read more about yesterday's announcement on Rolling Stone's Rock" [...]
As promised on the Tacoma Rock City Twitter page (follow here if you're not already, slackers), I've got footage of Tacoma punk vets I Defy performing last Friday at Hell's Kitchen.
You may notice the guy playing guitar is not Carl Zook, who has gone on to form [...]
R&B/pop star Ne-Yo has called off his Sept. 18 date at the Puyallup Fair grandstand due to "unforeseen circumstances," fair organizers announced on their site Tuesday.
Fans can be reimbursed for ticket costs and still receive free gate admission to Puyallup Fair. Learn more here.
A replacement [...]
Here's a gig for you blues heads out there. On Sunday at the Swiss Pub, South Sound Blues Association is hosting a fundraiser to send Blues Redemption and JD Hobson to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, on January, 2010. The lineup goes something like this ...
4 [...]
Pink's tour launch, originally scheduled for Sept. 15 at Seattle's WaMu Theater, has been moved to KeyArena, the pop star's publicist announced today.
All tickets bought for the WaMu show will be honored at KeyArena, and wristbands will be issued to all WaMu ticket holders to ensure floor [...]
The money making machine known as Kiss will headline Seattle's KeyArena on Nov. 15, according to tour itinerary released by publicity firm Solters on Monday.
The band's Kiss Alive 35 tour will kick off with a two-night stand in hometown Detroit, Sept. 25 and 26 at Cobo Arena. And the [...]
There was plenty of legal mud slinging last time members of the Doors toured, with the Cult's Ian Astbury in for the late Jim Morrison (hence that corny moniker they came up with, the Doors 21st Century.)
But this time around the Doors' Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger are keeping' [...]
It's been six years since British trip-hop duo Massive Attack released "100th Window," the band's last proper studio album. (Let's forget about that tepid, instrumental soundtrack for "Danny the Dog" from 2004.) And increasingly it's been looking as if the duo, Daddy G and Robert "3D" del Naja, were [...]
Who gets first crack at Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler, who finally talked about getting busted up during a tumble from the stage in South Dakota? Why, Rolling Stone, of course. Did you really need to ask?
"I’m just so pissed it was such a great tour," he said in [...]
Well, you probably already checked out "Hell Yeah," which I posted as Grit City Bootleg No. 17. And now here's another cut that's sure to be on Atomic Outlaws' set list when T-town's hottest band plays KISW-FM's Pain in the Grass concert Saturday at White River Amphitheatre.' [...]
Today, I come bearing not one, not two but three new F-ing Eagles songs, all in one handy, 8-minute clip. This video is from the band's set last Friday at Hell's Kitchen (more here.) And the CD release party for the band's killer new album, "Midnight Sour," is [...]
GWAR, that's who. Huh huh, huh huh. They rule! Oh, and they release something called "Lust in Space" today, in case you're interested.
' [...]I had my video camera handy Saturday night during the official after party for Music and Art in Wright Park, during which Tacoma garage-rock torchbearers the F***ing Eagles unveiled tracks from their new "Midnight Sour" album. The official CD release party is Friday (Aug. 21) at the New Frontier Lounge. [...]
Fellow blogger Travis Hay, of Ear Candy fame, first piqued my interested in Seattle hip-hop group They Live! We were standing in the beer garden at this year's Capitol Hill Block Party, comparing notes on who we planned to check out. And Trav mentioned that the key players [...]
Politics don't normally fall on my beat here at the Trib, the occasional interview with Tom Morello or Chuck D aside. But radio does, and recently I took a trip up to the studios of Seattle's KPTK-AM (1090) to hang out with talk show host Ron Reagan,' [...]
Live Nation announced Friday morning that the Aerosmith concert scheduled for Monday at White River Amphitheatre has been canceled.
The band’s public relations firm also announced that the remainder of Aerosmith’s summer tour is canceled as well.
Lead singer Steven Tyler’s injuries from a fall during a concert in Stugis, S.D. [...]
Also, I had to post something on the Alice in Chains track listing announcement this week. Here's a list of the songs on "Black Gives Way to Blue," which is due in stores on Sept. 28:
All Secrets Known
Check My Brain
Last Of My Kind
Your Decision
A Looking In [...]
In case you missed out on tickets for Pearl Jam's Sept. 21 and 22 shows at KeyArena, the band just announced two more Northwest dates. The Seattle rock titans will headline General Motors Place in Vancouver, B.C. on Sept. 25 and the Clark County Amphitheatre in Vancouver, Wash., on Sept. [...]
Turns out that new Hotels song I alluded to yesterday is called "The Bat Watusi." I think it's pretty tight, and it got the crowd pretty worked up Friday night. But judge for yourself. Here it is.
P.S. They'll be at Bumbershoot Labor Day weekend if you wanna [...]
You may not know Kris Brannon by name. But if you've been to just about any big even in Tacoma this summer chances are you've noticed him.
It's kind of hard not to, actually. Brannon is that tall guy with the afro you spotted waving his "save our Sonics" sign [...]
The other day I was thinking about my favorite Northwest indie albums this year. And so far "Where Hearts Go Broke," from Seattle's Hotels, is firmly on top of the heap.
Like a gang of hipster favored bands in recent years, Hotels channels the stylish post-punk gloom of Joy [...]
Rascal Flatts will headline the Tacoma Dome on Oct. 29 with former Hootie & the Blowfish front man Darius Rucker opening, Live Nation announced this afternoon. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Aug. 15.
[...]AP reports that Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry told an Illinois radio station that he is not sure his band can finish its current tour, which has an Aug. 17 stop scheduled at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre. This following singer Steven Tyler's spill in South Dakota.
There's still no official word [...]
Alt-rock legends Depeche Mode will headline KeyArena Monday night (Aug. 10). But I’m actually a little more excited about catching their opening act, Peter Bjorn and John. You know, the Swedish trio that came whistling out of nowhere with “Young Folks,” a.k.a. the catchiest song of the decade, in 2006. [...]
No word on whether injuries Steven Tyler sustained in concert last night will cause Aerosmith to cancel their Aug. 17 date at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre. But Friday's show in Winnepeg, Canada is the first to officially get the ax; statement from the band's publicist as follows:
AEROSMITH will [...]
Associated Press reports that Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler suffered head, neck and shoulder injuries while performing in South Dakota.
Tyler fell while dancing after the sound system failed during hit "Love in an Elevator," but joked while being loaded into a helicopter en route to an area hospital, according [...]
Between spins on KISW-FM (99.9), landing some opening gigs for Buckcherry next week and a slot on the main stage at White River Amphitheatre on Aug. 22 for Pain in the Grass, you could call Atomic Outlaws Tacoma's hottest band.
Yesterday, I hung out with those boys [...]
Through the miracle of MySpace, I've managed to glean some early details regarding the fourth annual Maltoberfest.
Yes, that would be an Oktoberfest-style music and beer festival with a focus on malt liquor. Lederhosen and and gangsta grill ensembles are encouraged. Still scratching your head? Check out my interview' [...]
Mastodon will join forces with with Dethklok, from Cartoon Network's "Metalocalypse," for a tour that will drop in on Seattle's WaMu Theater on Oct. 3, the bands announced today.
Mastodon is riding high from their newest, most critically acclaim and most prog-rock influenced album to date, "Crack the Skye." [...]
Rock's most iconic troubadour, Bob Dylan, will headline Seattle's WaMu Theater on Oct. 5. Dylan is out in support of his new album "Together Through Life." Ticket are set at $49.50, and they go on sale at 10 a.m. next Monday (Aug. 10), according to Live Nation's announcement this' [...]
Lozen headlined the New Frontier Lounge last night. And here's some of what you missed.
And I was in a hurry when I posted the first two and didn't have "Earth People" ready. But here it is now. Enjoy!
' [...]The bad news: I showed up to the New Frontier too late to bootleg Tacoma's Cannon Canyon, my original plan for Thursday night. The good news, though, is that I've got a new band crush. Sugar Sugar Sugar is from my old stomping grounds, Bellingham, and they rocked. Judge for' [...]
Mike Krushka from Tacoma's the Legend of Bigfoot - a band featuring former members of Sons of Ivan - e-mailed me a copy of a new cut, called "Humanoids," to share on the ol' South Sound Mix Tape. Click and give it a listen. Then mark your calendar for' [...]
They may be Canadian and all, eh. But we can claim 3 Inches of Blood as honorary Tacomans, since our favorite Dungeons & Dragons obsessed thrash-metal band lived here for a spell while working on their 2007 album "Fire Up the Blades."
And now details have emerged on their [...]
It's trendy these days for iconic rockers to take one of their classic albums and perform it in its entirety in concert. Motley Crue just did it with "Dr. Feelgood" last night at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre. Roger Waters gave Pink Floy'ds "Dark Side of the Moon" a similar treatment' [...]
Alice in Chains will headline the Moore Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 24, Seattle Theatre Group announced. Tickets are set at $25, and they go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday (July 31), according to this afternoon's announcement.
Alice in Chains recently gave away "A Looking in View," [...]
While I was gone, Barsuk Records also sent me details regarding a not so secret house show that Seattle singer-songwriter Rocky Votolato is playing in Tacoma on Thursday (July 30). Well, they sent me the date, that is, and mentioned that he's road testing some new songs. But the address [...]
Thousands of e-mails were waiting for me when I got back in the office today after a few days off. No, really. Thousands. Oy! And this one from last Thursday appealed to my inner geek.
July 23, 2009 – Star Wars™: In Concert, a unique multi-media event featuring music from [...]
I've been off this week, spending a little time on the Peninsula. So I haven't checked in as much as usual. But I had to belatedly post this Beastie Boys clip for the fans that still haven't heard the heavy Adam Yauch news. The Beasties headlined the first concert I' [...]
Here's one more clip from my interview with the Jesus Lizard's David Yow. Friday's gig at the Capitol Hill Block Party will be his band's first Seattle performance since getting banned back in the late '90s. Click here for the back story.
' [...]Here's another clip from my interview with David Yow of the phenomenal Jesus Lizard, coming Friday to the Capitol Hill Block Party. Click this link to hear him talk about the band's growing cult, how the comeback shows have saved his a#@ and, speaking of which, his penchant for [...]
The Jesus Lizard is one of those strange rock phenomena that have become more and more common in the YouTube age. The Chicago-bred noise-rock outfit is one of those bands - like Slint or, most notably, the Pixies – that seemingly out of nowhere started to generate loads of buzz [...]
I had my video handy camera last night at Hell's Kitchen for the Minus 5 (a show that brought out members of Girl Trouble and Buck Ormsby of the Fabulous Wailers.) And I checked with Scott McCaughey who said it was OK to share some clips' [...]
Sadly, I was only one of about seven people who witnessed the hilarious spectacle of Brian Kenny Fresno Thursday night at Hell's Kitchen. Forget packin' nightclubs; this guy should have his own show on HBO.
Here's a medley of his "hits" for those who missed it. (Sadly, "Porno'" [...]
This week's hottest ticket is for the No Doubt's show Sunday at White River Amphitheatre, the band's first local tour stop in half a decade.
So last week I got on the phone with drummer Adrian Young, and in the clip below he talks about the butterflies that preceded this [...]
If you appreciate bizarre spectacle as much as I do, you'll get your rump over to Hell's Kitchen tonight for Brian Kenny Fresno. His label is Bong Hit Records, if that tells you anything. But after seeing the guy in concert a few times, last at Bob's [...]
If you follow this blog, you know when and where Pearl Jam is playing in Seattle this fall. (If not, click here, slacker.) And Live Nation just released ticket details.
Prices are set at $68, and they go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday (July 18.) Of course, [...]
Thanks to some technical difficulties, I talked to Northwest rock journeyman Scott McCaughey not once but twice in the last few days. That would be Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows, the Minus 5, the Baseball Project and R.E.M. fame (and probably about 10 other bands I’m forgetting or don’t [...]
Here's Slayer playing "War Ensemble" at White River last night.
Marilyn Manson, Slayer and company dropped in on Auburn’s White River Amphitheatre last night with Mayhem Festival, a satisfying replacement for Ozzfest, which quit coming around these parts a couple of years ago. Manson’s set kicked off with "We're From America," the best cut' [...]
Apologies, Slayer fans. I know you all are geeked about Slayer coming to Auburn’s White River Amphitheatre Tuesday with Mayhem Fest. And I got a little sidetracked and didn’t get to chopping up and posting clips from my interview with drummer Dave Lombardo as soon as planned. But I’m thinking [...]
I spent a healthy chunk of Sunday afternoon kickin' it at Sixth Avenue's Art on the Ave festival, mostly at the Jazzbones stage. And I had my video camera handy so I could share a few clips. Click on the links below for now until I can get these suckers' [...]
Tori Amos wrapped up the first date of new North American tour about an hour and a half ago in Seattle, and her fans are in for a serious treat. She, drummer Matt Chamberlain and multi-instrumentalist Jon Evans tried out some fresh, new arrangements on several of her ‘90s classics, [...]
A second stage has been added to Crue Fest, which will drop in on Auburn's White River Amphitheatre on July 27, Motley Crue announced today via the festival site. Rev Theory, Cavo, Shram and 16 Second Stare will play the Monster Energy stage along with a local band chosen [...]
Anyone else notice that Seaweed is headlining the newly revamped Crocodile Cafe on Aug. 7? Well, that's not the only good news for fans. Sound engineer extraordinaire Mike Corvin tells me the Weedsters will soon head back to Tacoma's Sound West Audio to work on the comeback album [...]
Pearl Jam will kick off their world tour with a two-night stand at Seattle's KeyArena on Sept. 21 and 22, the band announced today. Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 have been tapped for support.
Tickets for the Seattle shows will go on sale on July 18.
The tour will [...]
Tori Amos will kick off a new tour in support of her latest album "Abnormally Attracted to Sin" Friday night at Seattle's WaMu Theatre. I've written a related story set to run in Friday's GO section. But until that comes out, I thought fans would get a kick out of' [...]
Well, the cell phones and cameras were out again last night at the T-Dome. Here are some decent clips I found of last night's American Idols Live show.
Here's Adam Lambert singing Muse's "Starlight"
... and Tears for Fears' "Mad World."
' [...]After the Alice in Chains tour announcement I surfed on over to AliceinChains.com and noticed the band is giving away a "Looking in View," the first single from their forthcoming album "Black Gives Way to Blue." Sure, it's bound to be controversial since it's the first cut the band [...]
The good news: Alice in Chains today. The bad: There's no Seattle date. Yet. But you know it's coming. Here's what just arrived in my inbox:
Alice in Chains tour dates
July 18: Detroit, MI (Comerica Park, with Kid Rock)
Aug. 1: Dublin, Ireland (Marlay Park)
Aug. 2: [...]
So I chatted up Tim Wilson, whose dad is none other than the Ventures’ Don Wilson, before Saturday night’s Dick Dale show. We get to talkin’ and he tells me about a sweet interview his sis, Staci Lyne Wilson, scored recently – none other than Jimmy Page and Jack [...]
Steve Gaydich over at Rocket Records just called to alert me to a pretty killer bill he's got coming up on July 19. He's got Stone Axe, a new band featuring Mos Generator's Tony Reed, with Zook and the Plastards.
Listen to some cuts from the forthcoming Zook album that [...]
For those who missed Dick Dale's amazing guitar clinic Saturday night at Hell's Kitchen, here's the finale. (Two guesses on what song he finished with before you click on the video. Just think "Pulp Fiction." You know, the song Black Eyed Peas ruined.)
And just for kicks and giggles, [...]
Before I write anything else about the Jonas Brothers’ headlining set at the Tacoma Dome Sunday night, I have to give a big shout out to “South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. They made my experience at the T-Dome far more bearable than expected, and at times pretty [...]
Cinematic is the first word that sprang to mind when I first listened to Los Angeles psych-rock band Spindrift’s latest album, “The West.” Cinematic, as the album title suggests, in a way that recalls Ennio Morricone and spaghetti westerns.
Spindrift will headline Bob’s Java Jive tonight. So recently [...]
By now, you probably know that Michael Jackson has died. Here's a local reaction story I'm working on for tomorrow's paper.
Puget Sound’s music fans and local media reacted to the death of pop trailblazer Michael Jackson Thursday afternoon.
News that the 50-year-old performer had gone into cardiac arrest' [...]
Several sources, including the Los Angeles Times, are reporting that King of Pop has died of an apparent heart attack. He was 50.
[...]Not sure how much further Renton's David Johnson will make it after confessing his love for Hasselhoff (a good gimmick) on last night's "America's Got Talent" episode. But here's a clip for anyone who missed it.
Hey, just caught a glimpse of Fuschia Foxxx, the woman on the [...]
Well, still not sure what happened with the service we were subscribing to for the South Sound Mix Tape player. But in lieu of a slick, purty interface, I've stuck a few MP3 links in the window so you'll have something to listen to. And on the up side we've' [...]
Hey, I met Bruce and Simmone from Seattle Aerial Arts backstage at the ol' "America's Got Talent" tryouts, but never got to see them perform. Nice peeps. I figured they’d get some face time after Bruce described the erotic aspects of their acrobatic routine with lots of new agey speak' [...]
Wait, here they are. The Eriam Sisters, the first local act to pass muster on "America's Got Talent," hails from Renton. They performed a Jackson Five joint, but click the link above to check out some original tunes. And the Renton Reporter's got the skinny on the family act [...]
PJ Harvey is seldom more experimental (or screechy) than when she teams up with longtime collaborator John Parish. And Tuesday night at Seattle’s Moore Theatre, the duo performed rootsy selections from their two discs, “Dance Hall at Louse Point” and this year’s “A Woman A Man Walked [...]
I spoke with Wintergrass director Patrice O'Neill earlier today. And she requested that I post this letter responding to comments about the festival's relationship with Hotel Murano. So here it is, bluegrass fans:
In 1993 a quartet of unlikely people got together at the Ruston Inn and hatched a plan' [...]
Wintergrass is leaving Tacoma.
The Wintergrass board of directors’ voted to uproot the popular bluegrass festival and move to Hyatt Regency Bellevue in 2010 after a 16-year run in Tacoma, festival directors said today.
“I wish it was another way,” Wintergrass director Patrice O’Neill said Tuesday afternoon, audibly choked up as [...]
Bob Bogle - the co-founder of legendary Tacoma garage-rock band, the Ventures, and the architect behind the distinctive guitar sound of early hits “Walk, Don’t Run” and “Perfidia” – has died.
Bogle, a resident of Vancouver, Wash., was 75 when he died on Sunday. He suffered from [...]
The Flaming Lips will headline Redmond's Marymoor Park on Aug. 21, Seattle Theatre Group announced today. The alt-rock band - known for cult hits "She Don't Use Jelly," "Fight Test" and quirky live shows featuring fans dancing in furry animal costumes and, occasionally, singer Wayne Coyne rolling over the crowd' [...]
Capitol Hill Block Party organizers announced more acts for this year's festival, which will take place on July 24 and 25, with the main stage located outside of Seattle's Neumo's. Built to Spill, Pela, The Lonely Forest, Fences, Awesome Color, Wild Orchid Children, FourColorZacka and a Sing Sing' [...]
I was chatting up F-ing Eagles bassist Kelly Mickelson the other night at Top of Tacoma, and he tells me the follow up to his band's debut, "A Million Dollars Worth of Music," is all set to drop this summer. I went to the F-ing Eagles' MySpace page for' [...]
Cheryl Tucker just posted a response to our recent Wintergrass editorial from Hotel Murano's Portland ownership over on the Inside the Editorial Page blog. I thought a few of you might be interested in reading excerpts here, too. I was most interested in what Provenance Hotels president Howard [...]
Wintergrass won't make an announcement about whether the popular bluegrass festival is staying in Tacoma or moving to Bellevue until tomorrow at the soonest, according to director Patrice O'Neill.
The City of Tacoma, Tacoma Regional Convention & Visitor Bureau and other entities offered concessions to woo Wintergrass back to Tacoma [...]
Alice in Chains' first album with new singer William DuVall will be called "Black Gives Way to Blue," EMI Records announced today. The disc, recorded with producer Nick Raskulinecz, will come out on Sept. 29.
' [...]South Sound bluegrass fans anxiously await news about whether Wintergrass will remain in Tacoma or move to Bellevue in 2010. (Click here to read the last story I wrote on the issue if you're not up to speed.) And the ball is now officially in Hotel Murano’s court, according' [...]
So you've got your copy of the Nightgowns' rad new disc "Sing Something," right? Well, here are two good reasons to show up and support the Tacoma indie-pop outfit when you see they're playing around town, too. The fellas dropped these two non-album tracks during their May 29 set' [...]
Blink 182, Weezer, Taking Back Sunday and Chester French are the first names KNDD-FM (“The End,” 107.7) to be announced for Endfest. The Seattle rock station's annual summer gala is set for Sept. 10 at Auburn’s White River Amphitheatre this year, and tickets will go on sale at 10 [...]
Indie label Kill Rock Stars is reporting that Jeff Hanson has died. From the KRS newsletter:
We are deeply shocked and saddened to report that Jeff Hanson passed away on June 5, 2009 in his home, a victim of a terrible accident. Jeff has been a part of the KRS family [...]
Alice in Chains will release a new album in September. So says a press release issued today by the band’s new label, EMI. The band started recording with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters) last October at Studio 606 in Northridge, Calif., according to EMI’s release.
In 2005, singer-guitarist [...]
Anyone intimately acquainted with Tacoma’s hard rock scene probably knows Carl Zook for his stints shredding with I Defy, Buckwildz and probably a bunch of other bands he was in before I met the guy.
These days, he’s building up a new, stoner-metal project that’s simply called Zook. After last [...]
A closed door meeting has been set for Monday aimed at keeping Tacoma’s Wintergrass festival from moving to Bellevue. The meeting is expected to focus on rising hotel rates, parking and other issues that have organizers of the popular bluegrass festival eying a move to Hyatt Regency Bellevue in [...]
Tacoma trumpeter Lance Buller is all set to stage his second annual Swing Daze concert, a tribute to the big band era that will bring the talents of Greta Matassa, the Swing Reunion Orchestra and more to Tacoma Musical Playhouse on Saturday night. And recently I caught up [...]
I have fond childhood memories of driving to Florida for summer vacation with my dad with the Queen of Blues’ signature hit blaring from pop’s mix tape. It was his generation's equivalent of gangsta rap, not to mention one of the most bada-- songs ever. P.J. Harvey’s cover is pretty [...]
... there's this. Note to T-Pain and Kanye: Regular Auto-Tune is played out. But comedic Auto-Tune is heeeee-larious! Especially when Katie Couric is involved. Out.
[...]Live Nation is trotting out a couple of ticket deals this week. For starters, the world’s biggest concert promotion company announced the launch of “no service fee Wednesdays,” which will start this week (June 3). Locally, that amounts to service charges being nixed for lawn seats at Live Nation’s [...]
