What's Up! Magazine

What's Up! Cover - February 2010

Hello, welcome to the world of local music, may I please take your coat?

We held the What’s Up! Awards Show at the end of January and from all accounts, everyone had a good time judging by the money the Buffalo brought it, a very good time! In my estimations, it was probably top two awards shows of all time. I’d like to thank everyone involved Femme Uke, Pan Pan, Dog Shredder, Acorn Project, The All Nighters, Poops, DJ Postal, Dirty Bird Cabaret, Hallie Anderson, Brittany Smith, James Gillies, Sarah Holmes and my wonderful wife Becca who helped keep me going when I was ready to slide off the rails. I’d also like to thank the Wild Buffalo, especially Craig Jewel, for all the wonderful support working with them is part of what made the event so much fun. Finally, the presenters were the best yet and I’d like to thank them Carey Ross, Josh Holland, Austin Santiago, Cara Alboucq, Jenni Potts, Daniel Anderson, Ian Imhof and Sara Jerns. All told, everyone involved did a hell of a job. Thanks to everyone!

While all those people deserve a lot of credit, I’d like to single out Hallie and Brittany who managed the show that evening and made it so I had more fun and the show went better than ever before.

The key for the show, though, was how incredible the music was. Our host Poops together with Sarah started off with a great ditty, Femme Uke got things rolling by playing a set that would make my mom blush, Pan Pan was ridiculously amazing as well, Dog Shredder made my skull collapse, Acorn Project got everyone dancing and really rolling then the All Nighters capped it all off they were unbelievably good. Adding in DJ Postal, Poops and fantastic dancing by the Dirty Bird Cabaret (who added a special bit of love for the show)… well, hell, it was just a special, special night.

The night before the awards show, we held the 2nd annual Pre Awards up on campus. The Bellingham Free Choir and Council of Lions played at the Underground Coffeehouse with Sugar Sugar Sugar, Rooftops, Yogoman Burning Band and Idiot Pilot at the Viking Union. Wow, all six bands were unbelievable Bellingham Free Choir was straight fun with Council of Lions getting the crowd dancing, Sugar Sugar Sugar brought the rock back to campus, Rooftops are flat amazing, Yogoman got everyone dancing and Idiot Pilot blew the doors off the place they were one of the loudest bands I’ve ever seen. (We even received emails from folks who attended saying the same thing!) A whole bunch of underagers got to see what Bellingham has to offer and soaked up every bit of it.

RECORDS & RELEASES

Dog Shredder spent a week in Portland recording their debut long player. There’s no official word on when a disc will be released or on what label, but I’m looking forward to it with baited breath. Also, I want to make a special mention that Dog Shredder didn’t just go for two days and tried to record an album, they took (in indie terms) a lot of time and put a lot of effort into the recording each day (I’ve heard 14-hour days). Instead of rushing and sweating money, they did it right as they always seem to do.

Sugar Sugar Sugar are releasing a new disc and heading out on tour at the end of the month heading down the West Coast, the circling up the Midwest in Missouri and Nebraska before heading back through Montana. The CD release is being held on Feb. 25 at the Plan B Saloon with the discs hitting the streets the same day. (You can find more about the band on page 22 of this issue.)

The Productionists are inching closer and closer to wrapping up their new album. Rumor has it that it’ll be done in early spring most likely by the end of March. Having heard parts of it, you’ll be blown away by how good it sounds.

Another band who was recently in the studio is Vaughn Kreestoe who spent a little time at the end of January. No word on what came of the sessions, but I’m sure it’s some good funk.

The Dt’s have a new single out on Pure Vinyl, a label out of Austria, with another single slated for Ghost Highway Records out of Spain to be released this summer. The band has been working on new tracks and hope to wrap up this summer, according to Dave Crider.

She’s on Fire have just released their first record and it is pretty fantastic. Full of the mighty rock, check it out they’re selling ‘em at shows.

I have a cat compilation record in the office. It’s about cats, but with great Bellingham bands (and some not so great). Seriously… cats. First we had David Ney’s cat band, now the cat compilation which features 25 songs about cats. I’m not sure why Bellingham is going through a cat fetish right now, but… well… I’m just not sure. Either way, pick it up, it’s damn interesting most of it at least (Ian, I’m looking in your direction).

ON THE ROAD

Another band heading out is Rooftops, who are going on a gigantic tour beginning in mid-March. The boys will be heading to New York and back with stops in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and lands in between. Rooftops were also featured as CMJ’s Band of the Week at the end of January a very cool honor for a very cool band.

Yogoman Burning Band just got back from a wild tour, you can read about it in this month’s Tales From the Road (page 35). They’re going on another short tour in February, after which Robert Sarazin Blake will be leaving the band (they’ll remain a four-piece for the time being). Look for a new record out this spring.

COMINGS & GOINGS

Bluebird has called it a day, which is pretty disappointing. Patrick Everman has split off to form Don Juan, which I like. He also plays in Catcher with his girlfriend Alexandra, and will be heading out on tour in March, down to Los Angeles and back.

One more band that’s headed out this spring is Candysound, who will be heading south for a week or so. Their show in Salem will be with the aformentioned Catcher. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Teo Crider’s voice is amazing, one of the coolest I’ve ever heard. That’s no exaggeration – he’s unbelievably good.

A band that’s been in the scene off and on for awhile is Sisturn Moth featuring Chris Hipskin. Well, they’ve added Henry Miller on guitar and appear ready to take on the world. I dig the band quite a bit, so watch for shows and hopefully a new disc soon.

A new band to be on the lookout for is the mighty Frontbutt (unless they’re called Rose Hips now). It features Alex from Cumulus/Bellingham Free Choir and Luke from Palisades and is pretty punk rock (as told by their early recordings).

I’ve also been told that They Hibernate is a new band on the scene as well as Ruby Parasols (who have a myspace and just released an EP). Each day, new bands start up it’s part of what makes this town so cool.

A very informed source says that Game for Vultures are working on a reunion show. Who the hell is Game for Vultures, you might ask? It’s Mort’s band before the Mono Men Bellingham circa 1988 (I think). For the geezers in town and anyone who digs good music this is gonna be a hell of a thrill.

The Lonely Forest have signed to Atlantic Records. Seriously. Wow.

BOOKED & HOOKED

Joel Ricci will be making his return to Bellingham this month with a special show at the Green Frog on Feb. 8 (Joel moved to Portland last year). His band, Magic Worm, features Ricci and Ivy Ross playing with a weird worm that that connects their heads. Not much else you can say about that.

Blessed Coast are taking their scene to another venue spinning at Plan B on Thursday nights. They’ll be joined after 11 p.m. by DJ Clint Westwood (who will be up at Poppe’s from 9-11). Gotta love the Blessed Coast cats, they’re not effin’ around.

This month, WhAAM is hosting a Girl’s Music Workshop on Feb. 13. (You can read about it on page 19.) I love that there are more women playing music in town and those women are trying to get even more women going. Can be kind of a dude fest in the music scene, so it’s great to see some balance.

Incidentally, WhAAM has a new PA that’s got some volume. Each year, it just gets better and better.

Visqueen and So Adult played a fantastic show at Boundary Bay in January. I can’t say enough great things about that place they always support local music and local organizations. I’ve been told that the shows previous to Visqueen haven’t been well attended and are in danger of stopping so, please, go to the late night shows whenever they’re around. The next one is on Feb. 19th and features none other than the wonderful Pan Pan as well as Portland’s Talkdemonic. All proceeds go to the Haiti relief effort.

One of my very favorite events, Winter Commission, is taking place Feb. 20 at the American Museum of Radio and Electricity. While everything is still coming together, I can tell you the list of artists is staggering, simply staggering.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Bucketz reminded me that it’s been five years since Reece passed away suddenly. I can’t believe it’s been five years already, just seems like it was yesterday. So, on Feb. 5, if you can’t make it down for a special show at Plan B, just take a second and say a little prayer or send a good thought his way. We’ve lost too many people in the last five years, here’s hoping to less of that over the next five years.

Wanted to make a plug for our friend Hollie Huthman who has her photographs hanging up at the Nightlight! Hollie is a wonderful photographer who captures the Bellingham music scene with great skill so be sure to check out the goods!

Finally, Bob Ridgley (also known as Binary Bob) is going to be honored in a very special way during the Olympics. Back in 1989, Bob and a bunch of snowboarder friends filmed Mount Baker Hardcore (MBHC) one of the first independent snowboarding films ever produced. The movie shined a new light on snowboarding, taking it from a fringe sport and beginning its revolution into the mainstream all the while spawning countless independent snowboard videos. (Mount Baker was the center of the universe for snowboarders). During the Olympics, the movie will be part of a snowboard timeline display at the Boardshop in Vancouver (the hub of Vancouver’s snowboarding) put together by world-renowned photographer Trevor Graves. This is an incredible accolade for Bob, who deserves a lot of credit for not only highlighting early snowboard culture, but consistently being a fantastic audio engineer and filmmaker (he’s currently working on a project called “Faces of Change,” A Civil Rights-era project that will be released this spring). Bob, thanks for all you’ve done, congrats! (You can read more about Bob and MBHC on page 38).

Well, that’s about it for now, see you next month, when we celebrate What’s Up!’s 12th birthday! Thanks for all your support!

-Brent Cole