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Category Archives: Music & Entertainment

Shooting victims were members of folk band God’s Favorite Beefcake

(Photo courtesy of left: SPD, Right: God’s Favorite Beefcake) Two of the people killed in Wednesday's shootings were musicians Drew “Shmootzi The Clod” Keriakedes and Joseph "Mashuguna Joe" Albanese. Keriakedes and Albanese were part of Seattle folk band, God's favorite Beefcake, a favorite at Ballard venues.

By Dusty Henry, Entertainment Intern

On May 30 at 11 a.m. at Café Racer Espresso in the University District, a still unnamed man shot and killed three people and injured two, according to the Seattle Police.

It appears that two of those killed were members of local Seattle folk band, God’s Favorite Beefcake, a favorite at Ballard venues.

Drew “Shmootzi The Clod” Keriakedes and Joseph “Mashuguna Joe” Albanese were regulars at Café Racer, where the band frequently performed.

As part of the band, Keriakedes and Albanese released two albums: 2009’s “A Beautiful Trainwreck” and 2011’s “Witches Bones ‘n’ Whale Skin.”

Keriakedes and Albanese were last seen performing on stage on Saturday, May 26 during Folklife Festival at the Fun House in Lower Queen Anne.

The band’s Americana roots sound was mixed with a gypsy punk stage presence as Keriakedes often wore clown make-up and top hats in performances with Albanese often found sporting a tobacco pipe in his mouth while playing.

No official comment has come from the band as of yet.

Fans have taken to the band’s Facebook page to express condolences.

“We’ll miss your music and party attitude,” one fan said.

Another fan described Keriakedes and Albanese as “two of the most nonviolent people you’ve ever met to be taken from a senseless act of violence.”

Little is known yet of the gunman’s motive and police have reported that he shot himself as they closed in on him in West Seattle.

Updates to come as more details are uncovered.

Here is a video from 2008 of Keriakedes and Albanese playing Beefcake’s song “Isabella.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCXzVGjxqUI

“Posters Around Ballard” – Week #1


By Dusty Henry

Nearly every post and telephone pole in Ballard has some sort of poster stapled and taped to it advocating audiences to different concerts and galleries. Sometimes they’re for Ballard shows, other times they’re advertising concerts at venues in some of Seattle’s other neighborhoods. In either case, this series seeks to honor the avant-garde decor of Ballard’s streets.

All photos by Dusty Henry

 


Ballard bars with the “Top 10 Drink Menus”

 

Hazlewood voted as having the best drink menu by Seattle Weekly. Photo courtesy of thymebombe.com

By Dusty Henry

In a May 16 post on the “Best of Seattle” section of the Seattle Weekly blog, writer Hanna Raskin listed “Seattle’s 10 Best Drink Menus” as voted on by Seattle Weekly readers via web comments. Of these Top ten, four are right here in Ballard.

 

Bastille, Moshi Moshi, Paratii Craft Bar, and Hazelwood all were given praise for their quality specialized drinks and exceptional variety.

 

“…many of [Bar manager Erik Carlson]’s drinks have a definite island tilt,” Raskin said of Bastille. She also commented on the bar’s emphasis on Haitian and West Indian rhums.

 

Moshi Moshi was applauded for “crowd-pleasing prices” and is a “stylish Ballard sushi spot,” according to Raskin. She recommended getting the Death Poem, a drink composed of rum, rye, cinnamon and citrus.

 

For its Brazilian authenticity, Raskin gushed over Paratii’s excellent selection of handcrafted South American drinks and spirits.

“This is easily the best place in town to order a caipirnha,” Raskin said. She also expounded that Paratii makes their own liquor infusions and specifically acclaimed the banana rum which she said “Smells and tastes like freshly baked banana bread.”

 

Coming in first on the list was Hazlewood on Market Street. Raskin made many observations about the bar’s atmosphere, saying it was accessible, original and had a “lack of pretension.”

 

The variety on the menu was also praised.

 

“A fruity-drink enthusiast can show up with a booze-and-bitters type and neither will be disappointed,” Raskin said. She also complimented the bartenders skills in being able to prepare contrasting drinks like a Sazerac and a Marguerite’s Punch; all prepared with “respect for old-style craft.”

 

Check out the full article here: http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/voracious/2012/05/seattles_10_best_drink_menus.php

Ballard celebrates victory in KEXP’s Hood to Hood Challenge

The Maldives live at the KEXP Hood to Hood celebration in Ballard. Photo by Shane Harms

By Shane Harms

On a cool and breezy Friday May 18th morning, a day that marked the 32nd anniversary of the eruption of Mt. ST. Helens, KEXP celebrated Ballard as the victor of their Hood To Hood Challenge summer membership drive.

In honor of Ballard citizen’s contribution to the non-profit radio station, KEXP hosted live music all day at Bergen Place Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is the fourth year Ballard has won this title with KEXP, and last year Ballard citizens raised over $65,000 for KEXP out funding West Seattle and a joint group of neighborhoods that included Green Lake, Wallingford, University District, and Fremont, among many others in Seattle.

The winning prize for the competition meant all day live music that roused morning onlookers in Ballard for live local music starting with Portland’s own Ramona Falls. Continue reading →

Music Listing May 22 – 27

Can’t make it out to Sasquatch? No worries, Ballard’s venues are hosting everything from the hardrock of Big Wheel Stunt Show to the ever-poppy Dusty 45s. Check out listings below.

Venues and artists, send us your music listing submissions to anner@robinsonnews.com 

 

At The Tractor Tavern
5213 Ballard Avenue Northwest
www.tractortavern.com

Box Office/Business Hours:
Mon-Fri 12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. and 30 minutes before listed showtime

 

Tues., May 22, 2012

Alan Doyle (Great big Sea), Dustin Bentall

8 p.m.  – $20

 

Wed., May 23, 2012

Michael Vermillion, Betsy Olson, The Brambles

9 p.m. – $6

 

Thurs., May 24, 2012

Nefarious Jones, Quinn, High Ceiling

9 p.m. – 47

 

Fri., May 25, 2012

The Dusty 45s, Shane Tutmarc, The Whisky Swillers

9:30 p.m. – $12adv/$15 day of service

 

Sat., May 26, 2012

The Dudley Manlove Quarter, The Slacks

9:30 p.m. – $8 adv/ $10 dos

 

Sun., May 27,2012

Aaron Daniel and The Bloody Knuckles, The Shivering Denizens, Whitetrash Whiplash

9 p.m. – $8

 

At the Sunset
5433 Ballard Avenue Northwest
www.sunsettavern.com

  Continue reading →

‘Battleship’ Sinks Any Misplaced Positive Expectations

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

By Dusty henry

Battleship will be playing at the Majestic Bay Theater starting Fri., May 18, 2012.

Adaptations are tricky business. Whenever a production company like Universal Pictures or Warner Brothers obtains rights to a series or work there is always going to be the fear of backlash from fans comparing the adaptation to the original.

With Battleship, the first in a slew of board game inspired movies coming out in the next few years, seemed like it might be able to avoid this issue. The actual game has no real plot, other than it involves two different navy fleets battling each other. Somehow the fine folks at Universal were able to mess up that one and only detail of the game’s history.

It seems so simple. All they had to was create a scenario where warships would have to battle one another. It didn’t even need to be innovative – there was no chance of that happening anyway. For a movie that seems to just want explosions, what better opportunity than for fully loaded warships to duke it out at sea? Instead, director Peter Berg opted for bringing in aliens.

The movie starts with news broadcasts (shout out to the cameo of Perd Hapley from Parks and Recreation) talking about how scientists are sending a beacon in space to a planet that seems similar to Earth.  Also sending a signal into space via satellite apparently looks like a giant, fiery laser beam of death. That didn’t happen just once to establish what it was doing, the audience gets to see the death beam several more times later on.

Continue reading →

Tractor Tavern offers sneak peek of upcoming Northwest Folklife Festival

 

By Ana Sofia Knauf,  UW News Lab

Northwest Folklife will hold its fifth annual preview party tonight at the Tractor Tavern.

Country and folk acts Big Sur, Denver, and the Annie Ford Band will kick off the evening starting at 8 p.m. to give concert goers a taste of what to expect at the upcoming Northwest Folklife Festival over Memorial Day Weekend.

And for those unsure about how to move to the folksy tunes, members of Rockin’ Horse Dance Barn will teach a two-step folk-dance lesson later in the evening.

“The tavern is the ideal venue because the bands are very Tractor-esque,” said Ryan Davis, the marketing manager for Northwest Folklife. “There will be a classic country vibe, which really fits with the Tractor.”

In addition to entertainment, Northwest Folklife will also hold its first preview-party raffle. Tractor attendees can enter to win prizes such as a “Date Night Extravaganza” package, which includes everything from dinner at Kirkland’s Lucia Restaurant to cabaret tickets at the Can Can, or dinner and a movie at Cinebarre. Other raffle prizes include a Mitchell dreadnought acoustic guitar and prepaid trips for river rafting and lift tickets at Stevens Pass. All proceeds will go toward Northwest Folklife to help pay for the preview party and, according to Folklife’s website, “keep the annual Festival free for everyone.” Raffle tickets will be $5 each.

The evening will serve as a snippet of what is to come for the annual festival, which will be held at Seattle Center May 25-28. Continue reading →

Preview: Kaivama at Phinney Neighborhood Center May 19

Photo courtesy of www.kaivama.com

By Dusty Henry

Kaivama may hail from the East Coast but to someone unfamiliar with their background might think they come from the lush green fields or icy tundra of Finland.

The folk duo, Sara Pujunen and Jonathan Rundman, have strong roots with Finnish culture. They were both raised in Finnish-Immigrant communities, living in secluded areas of Montana and Michigan with long winters and rough landscapes.

On May 19th the Phinney Neighborhood Center will host the duo for an evening of Finnish inspired folk music. Their repertoire will feature both traditional pieces and original works heavily influenced by ancient and modern Finnish music and lore.

While Ballard may host an onslaught of folk acts through its various venues regularly, Kaivama will bring a unique culture and vibe that differs from mainstream American folk.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and is $15. Composer and instrumentalist Arto Järvelä will be opening. Advanced tickets can be purchased at http://www.seafolklore.org/reserve.html.

You can hear their music here: http://www.myspace.com/kaivama

Preview: Roxi Copland at Egan’s Jam House May 5

Photo courtesy of roxicopland.com

By Dusty Henry

On May 5, Egan’s Jam House will be graced with the surprising and exciting jazz arrangements of Roxi Copland.

 

Copland, a native of Aberdeen, Wash. mixes jazz fundamentals with the upbeat vibes of 1980s pop and gospel.

 

Her latest album, Pretty Lies, comes out May 1st making her stop at Egan’s one of the first chances for people to catch her touring this new material.

 

Copland says the new album will mix her jazz tendencies with Americana and roots rock.

 

Copland also likes to do arrangements of popular songs such as “The Kids Aren’t Alright” by The Offspring and “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest World” by Elton John.

 

Copland subtle, soft keyboard and piano playing gives a warmth and familiarity to her music, making it acceptable for many audiences.

 

The show will start at 9 p.m. and is an all ages event. Admission is $8.

 

Find her music at http://roxicopland.com/

Melancholy and Moving On: The Ascent of Kevin Long

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/kevinlongmusic

By Dusty Henry

In July 2011, Ballard acoustic singer-songwriter Kevin Long released his first record titled Small Town Talk. Just under a year later Long is preparing to record a follow-up album and is about to head out on tour with Seattle-folk elder statesman, Rocky Votolato.

 

His forthcoming sophomore album, Forgiveness in the City, will deal with varying themes of personal growth, envy, and competition.

 

 

While happy he followed through with his dream of recording an album, Long does have some beef with the first record that he plans to correct this time around, he said.

 

“To me [Small Town Talk] sounds like there’s too much going on sonically,” he said.

 

For Forgiveness in the City he plans on recording the songs more sparse and adorned with “pretty stuff.” He is working with Andrew Joslyn from the Seattle Rock Orchestra, who also does part of the band’s arrangements and plays first chair violin, to record and arrange string parts for the record.

 

The new album will be just as sad sounding, he said, but will be a bit more optimistic.

 

“I’m just in a better place in my life now,” he said, noting how he has moved away from old stuff in his life like drugs and alcohol. Even being happier, he said that he will likely always tap into the more despondent sides of his emotions.

 

“The depth of my emotions runs deep enough for me to delve into [melancholy],” Long said.

 

Long is one of many Seattle artists who have opted to start a Kickstarter campaign to fund the recording of his second album.

 

Kickstarter allows users to donate money to projects they are interested in. The money is only taken from their accounts if the Kickstarter reaches the goal in the allotted time. Often times artists will offer perks for certain dollar amounts.

 

For pledging $10, Long will give backers a free digital copy of the album when it is released.

 

To another extreme, if someone pledges $500 or more Long promises a slew of things including playing a private house show and an invitation to his pre-record release dinner.

 

Long’s upcoming tour with Votolato will start on May 2. Long first came into contact with Votolato six months ago when they played a show together in Spokane, but he said he has been a fan of Votolato’s music ever since he saw him open for Pedro the Lion at the Graceland (now El Corazon) in 2003.

 

After their Spokane show, Votolato was really complementary to Long on his music and gave him his phone number. Long kept in persistent contact with Votolato’s booking agent and saw that Votolato would be playing at Neumos in June and asked to play the show.

 

In response, the booker asked if Long would like to open the first leg of Votolato’s nationwide tour.

 

Long will be bringing his brother for the first couple of dates but will do the rest of the tour solo acoustic. He said he prefers these stripped down acoustic performances over full band sets.

 

“I get to do the thing that I already know how to do,” he said.

 

Long is originally from Spokane, Wash. When he moved to Seattle he said he did not have many friends here.

In January of last year he was invited to the Conor Byrne Open Mic by fellow Seattle song-writer Tony Kevin, Jr. Long only plays a third of the time but enjoys listening to other people, making friends, and hanging out.

 

He said he has had only about four “magical moments” playing at the open mic where he felt the crowd was captivated and quiet.

 

“When that happens it’s really an amazing feeling,” Long said.

 

More details on Long and his music and Kickstarter can be found at kevinlongmusic.com.