Haelos - The Crocodile - Seattle, WA

Hailing from London, five piece band HÆLOS is a darkly ambient trip-hop group that filled The Crocodile to capacity. As they were sure to mention on stage, Seattle holds a special place in their story. It was at KEXP several years back that they recorded a full "Live on KEXP" session which - as of this writing - has well over 2 million views. This is how I, and many others, first heard about HÆLOS.

If you haven't checked out that performance, do, because it's a perfect representation of how amazing their live show is. Lotti Bendarout's vocals are equal parts angelic and haunting, effortlessly gliding over the ambient soundscape laid down by the band. Standout tracks like "Dust" and "Earth Not Above" were couched nicely between new material from their upcoming album Any Random Kindness. 

Encore track "Pray" left the sellout crowd buzzing after the lights went down. Were they to do a new KEXP session, no doubt it would surpass the views of the first as their music continues to evolve to exciting new places.

For tour dates: http://haelos.com/

Photos // Words by Alexander Hallett of Sattva Photo

The Suffers - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA

I was first introduced to The Suffers in 2016, when they were the opening act for Lake Street Dive at the Neptune here in Seattle. Now, three years on, they've been criss-crossing the US and globe on a headlining tour, and it's easy to see how and why they've achieved such acclaim in a relatively short amount of time: they put on a killer show.

Hailing from Houston, the 8 member band - fronted by the extraordinary lead singer Kam Franklin - creates a dynamically fresh Soul sound. Imbued with brutally honest lyrics that at turns confront grief, the pressure to conform, and accepting one's flaws, the tracks can't help but make the listener want to dance, as they're always buoyed with uplifting arrangements. Give a listen to "Make Some Room" and "You Only Call" for a nice introduction, and then give their newest album "Everything Here" a spin from front to back. You'll be glad you did.

Tractor Tavern was a wonderful place to see the show, as the intimacy afforded by the 200ish capacity venue heightens the profundity of the songs. And, to be clear, The Suffers won't be playing venues of this size for long: they are destined for arenas in no time at all.

It's worth highlighting, too, Seattle local Whitney Mongé who opened the show. Whitney has a phenomenal stage presence and sound that fits well in the family of Tracy Chapman meets Macy Gray and Kimya Dawson. Listen.

Catch The Suffers on tour here

Photos // Words by Alexander Hallett of Sattva Photo

Pickathon 2019

Pickathon announces new additions to an already stacked lineup, bringing a true American musical legend, Phil Lesh, into the fold. A founding member of the Grateful Dead, Lesh not only influenced multiple generations of artists, but created and defined a new American songbook, at once inspired by the roots of the music that came before and open to psychedelic new horizons. Lesh will be performing two days at Pickathon as Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band. Also announced is a very special set from The Richard Swift Hex Band, featuring an all-star list of collaborators backed by a dream band led by Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado, Dr. Dog’s Eric Slick, and members of Pure Bathing Culture, in addition to many special guests.

Aside from this year’s headliners, like Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Khruangbin, Mandolin Orange, and Tyler Childers, Pickathon operates also as a discovery engine. Festival director Zale Schoenborn and Pickathon co-producer Terry Groves know full well that many of the bands booked at the festival have only a small draw in the surrounding area of Portland, Oregon, but Pickathon’s predicated on the need for new inspiration, new sounds, and new ideas in music and culture. Each year, Pickathon reaches out to a wide collection of tastemakers in many genres, asking each to recommend the bands that they feel are the most innovative and most contemporary. This philosophy of booking has proven itself time and again, first with bringing on artists early in their career right before they break (like Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price, Shakey Graves, Lake Street Dive, The Avett Brothers, The War & Treaty, Kevin Morby, Future Islands, Leon Bridges, Daniel Norgren, DakhaBrakha, Billy Strings, and Courtney Barnett), and then with the inspiration shared between like-minded artists across genres. It’s commonplace to see artists wandering backstage between sets, soaking up new ideas from new bands that they’re also discovering, and pushing their booking agents to come back to Pickathon as much as possible, looking for this inspiration.

PICKATHON 2019 AUGUST 2-4, 2019 www.pickathon.com FULL LINEUP: pickathon.com/lineup/music/ Tickets: pickathon.com/tickets/ Pickathon 2019 Music Sampler: bit.ly/pickathon2019sampler

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy - Mount Baker Theatre - Bellingham, WA

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy are househould names for anyone in the fiddle community. Their respective careers have spanned decades and taken them (and their family) to all corners of the Earth. Their live show is magnificent, rooted in the love they have for sharing their soul through song with the audience. 

 

Mount Baker Theatre was packed to the gills to see Natalie & Donnell play a variety of tracks with their backing band. From Celtic Classics, to contemporary originals, the entire concert flowed seamlessly from one track to the next.

Many were the moments when the crowd - which varied in age from 8 to 80 - was on their feet and toe tapping. This is definitely a show for all ages, which was evidenced by the closing numbers of the first half of the concert, when Natalie and Donnell were joined onstage by three of their young children, each of them fiddle and tapdance prodigies in their own right.

A show not to be missed for fans of fiddle, classic tunes, and just all around solid showmanship. 

 

For tour dates: https://www.natalieanddonnell.com/tours/

Photos // Words by Alexander Hallett of Sattva Photo

Allen Stone - The Wild Buffalo - Bellingham, WA

Allen Stone is a Northwest native that likely needs no introduction. Growing up in a small town outside Spokane, he's been singing since he could walk, and is nearly a decade into his professional music career. So, it should come as no surprise that his live performance is commanding, beyond engaging, and inspired. Allen danced nearly as much as he sang, and often did both at the same time which - while maintaining perfect rhythm on the guitar - is no small feat. 

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Backed by his bandmates of ten years (who also served as the opener to the show under the moniker Steve Swatkins and the Positive Agenda), there wasn't one second during the entirety of the nearly hour and a half set that labored. Every note was played with joy, and it was easy to see everyone on stage was having as good of a time as each person in the sold-out audience.

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With a new album due out soon, Stone is setting himself up to take the next evolutionary step in his musical career. Outside of, say, Bruno Mars, one would be hard-pressed to find an entertainer who so thoroughly enjoys and appreciates the opportunity to perform his art as much as Allen Stone. As a result, his live show is as infectious as the hits he continues to make.

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Photos // Words by Alexander Hallett of Sattva Photo

Postmodern Jukebox - Mount Baker Theatre - Bellingham, WA

To say that a Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ) show is "fun" would be a lot like saying the sun is "warm." A more accurate description would be this: PMJ puts on one of the most entertaining, engaging, and downright electrifying live concerts going. 

A group of classically trained musicians, singers, and dancers of the highest caliber, PMJ is a collective of some ridiculously talented artists. You may be familiar with their throwback covers of classic and contemporary songs on YouTube, like this rendition of Creep (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3lF2qEA2cw) or No Diggity (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTfz36WArSU), and for the duration of their show, covers ranging from the aforementioned Radiohead to Meghan Trainor to Cyndi Lauper were carried out to perfection. Make no mistake about it, though, these aren't merely covers. These are ingenious reinventions of hits.

Highlights of the evening included Motown legend Miche Braden's stripped down cover of Lauper's Time After Time, Casey Abrams' ridiculous rendition of Creep, but really there wasn't one second that felt like filler.

Go. To. A. Postmodern. Jukebox. Show. 

http://postmodernjukebox.com/tickets/

Photos // Words by Alexander Hallett

Neko Case - Mt. Baker Theatre, Bellingham, WA

Most readers of Visible Voice will no doubt already be familiar with Neko Case. A legend in the industry for nearly 25 years - from her solo work to her contributions to The New Pornographers - Case's status among artists and fans alike is indelible. 

So it was an honor and a privilege to attend and photograph Neko's recent sold-out show in Bellingham, WA, as part of her worldwide Hell On Tour. The demographic diversity present in the audience is a testament to Neko's universality and staying power with fans of all walks of life. One live listen to many cuts off her newest album, Hell On - let alone her extensive back catalog - and it's clear to see why and how her music remains as immediate as ever.

See Neko at a stop on her extensive tour: https://nekocase.com/tour/

Photos // Words by Alexander Hallett

The Zombies with Liz Brasher at The Neptune - Seattle

The list of musical groups that release a monumentally influential album, break-up a few years later, reconvene decades later and still go on tour and sell-out venues is incredibly short. In fact, it can likely be narrowed down to one name: The Zombies.

Now well into their 70s, the four surviving original members - joined by one new member - hit the road to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their legendary album, Odyssey and Oracle. Granted, that album predates many of you who may be reading this post, but it’s a near guarantee that many of your favorite artists and bands were heavily influenced by it. So, a tour was in high order.

One wouldn’t be blamed for thinking The Zombies could have easily phoned in the performances on this tour. (After all, we’re now fifty years removed from the release of that classic.) But the truth is, they performed with craftsmanship, showmanship, and energy that far exceeds most groups half their age. Classics like “She’s Not There, “Hold Your Head Up”, and “Time of the Season” were well couched between more contemporary cuts from Still Got That Hunger and Breathe Out, Breathe In. The sense in the audience that everyone was viewing living history was just and deserved. Bravo, gentlemen.

It’s also imperative to note the opener, Liz Brasher. Wow. Talk about one of the most raw, powerful voices that many people have yet to hear. If you haven’t heard of her, you should check out her Outcast EP, especially if you’re a fan of Amy Winehouse or Patsy Cline, or women who can sing like crazy and completely shred on the guitar. It’s a guarantee she will become a household name soon enough. She and her band are lightning in a bottle.

Photos // Words by Alexander Hallett

Newport Folk Festival 2018

Each year the Newport Folk Festival arrives with the promise of something special. And astonishingly, each year it delivers.

This year’s annual gathering of like-minded music lovers - now in its 59th year - again leaned on the alchemy of music, community, and optimism to forge one of America’s premier music festivals. The blend of notable newcomers (Tank and the Bangas, Khruangbin, War and the Treaty) woven with established legends (like Mavis Staples, John Prine, Toots and the Maytals) ensured a fabric of continuity that already has us looking forward to #60.

Friday brought sunshine and smiling faces, particularly as Margo Price’s smooth pop-country stylings got the capacity crowd to their feet, especially when she and Brandi Carlile belted out Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”. Elsewhere, the gonzo tiki bar vibe of Glorietta, helmed by Matthew Logan Vasquez, kept the party vibe alive.

Saturday’s highlights included Hamilton Leithauser and Rostam Batmanglij teaming with a string quartet to give life to absolute gems like “Blackout”, “1000 Times”, and “Gwan”. Later, Tank and the Bangas bumped up the energy level up another notch in the Quad with inescapable enthusiasm. At the end of the day, the unannounced headliner of Mumford & Sons only disappointed the most jaded of afficianadoes. From this writer’s perspective, the group deserves loads of credit for pioneering and popularizing today’s ubiquitous folk-pop sound - and they delivered with a smashing set. Marcus Mumford and crew transitioned effortlessly from stomping numbers like “I Will Wait” and “Little Lion Man” to favorites like Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer”. They also expertly continued the Newport tradition of collaboration, inviting out Maggie Rogers for the amazingly chill groove of “Alaska”, as well as the indomitable Mavis Staples for an outstanding “The Weight”. To hear Mumford, Staples, Rogers, Phoebe Bridgers and Carlile take on the classic number is the stuff Folk Festival dreams are made of.

After an evening of sizzling local music at Jimmy’s Saloon (listen local, y’all) from The Silks and the Z-Boys, the low-key grooves of Khruangbin hit the spot. The 60s/70s-indebted sounds were refreshing, and when the trio leaned into a hip-hop medley featuring “The Next Episode”, “It Was A Good Day”, “Regulators”, it was unexpected and borderline enlightening.

After guest-starring across stages all weekend, Brandi Carlile finally took to the Fort stage on Sunday. Her voice swung between searing, soaring (“The Story”), tender (“The Mother”), and ultimately triumphant (“Hold Out Your Hand” - featuring the Lone Bellow, the Watson Twins, and the War & Treaty). Carlile was everywhere this weekend and gets the MVP vote for this year's festival.

The affair came to its inevitable end with “A Change Is Gonna Come”, a star-studded stage featuring Jon Baptiste, Leon Bridges, Gary Clark Jr., Chris Thile, with help from the Dap Kings and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Lake Street Dive’s Rachael Price stuck the landing on the set’s title track as the sun was setting, giving the moment the appropriate gravity. But Mavis Staples again stole the show as she led the stage and the crowd with a stirring rendition of “Freedom’s Highway”. It served as a fitting reminder that as long as this country has existed, there have been civil rights issues to reckon with. And as long as these issues continue to fester and perpetuate, there are going to be huge crowds of folks prepared to fight for every inch of justice and fairness.

The Newport Folk Festival may not solve all the world’s problems, but for at least one weekend, thousands of music lovers in attendance had a vision of what a better world could look like - and were given a wake-up call we all desperately need.

Words by Brian Hodge

Photos by Bethany Hodge