On their Facebook page, The Masques claim that “Most music sucks now and we are no exception.” Their self-deprecation seems like a requirement for sounding so “grunge.” I wouldn’t say it sucks, just that it doesn’t offer us something new. It is a pretty-damn-good likeness to Alice in Chains. They’re a young band so they’ll start tweaking and experimenting once they have fully explored the territory offered on this EP. As a part of the Pink Hotel Collective, they share a sound and feel with Candysound and The Mission Orange.

The vocals remain subdued throughout the EP, which can be interesting when songs alternate between driving and mellow parts. The intro to “So Be It” red lines the Layne Staley comparison before the guitar and bass pick up some kind of blonde-dread-locked Muse riff. The last and sixth song, “Good Intervention,” has a slightly infectious kick to it provided by a talkative bass line submerged below a rolling, arpeggiating guitar. It’s a good lounging on the couch jam. They are definitely a fungus-covered PNW band and I wonder: how long has the 90s revival thing been going on?

Self Released
myspace.com/themasques

What's Up Cover - December 2010. Artwork by Mandy Cramer

Oooooooh, striped socks. I love it. With candy canes even.

Hi everybody, how are ya’ll doing this fine fall? Enjoying the snow and the cold, I hope. Welcome to this edition of le Beat the Taylor Momsen of the music scene (yeah, wrap your mind around that one).

As per usual, a little housekeeping before I move on to what really matters you, the bands, and the fans.

First off, I’d like to thank everyone who came out for my 40th birthday party. It was, without a doubt, one of the best nights I’ve ever had. I knew the music would be unreal, but I was floored by the incredible kind gestures and words from many of you very cool and very touching. I was also floored by how amazing the vibe of the night was I don’t know if it was because we brought back Federation X and Sharpie and that brought out some old school folks who were REALLY excited to part with their kids for the night and see some rock. Or, if the energy of the night was great because it was such a great line up… or because it was a big birthday party and it’s hard not to have a good time at a drunken birthday party whatever it was, the night was special, not just for me but for many who came out. Reminded me of some shows I saw years ago and it was great to capture that feeling again.

Speaking of the bands, want to send a very special thank you to the great people on stage. Bill and Ben from Federation X flew over from NY to play the show, while Aaron Ball from Sharpie and Stell Newsome from Sugar Sugar Sugar had to travel up for practices just to play the show. It was an honor that people took time out of their lives, especially to reunite, just for the show. And of course, Mike Mitchell with the Holy Tailfeathers, which was incredibly cool. It was an epic night. Everyone played incredibly well, I was blown away by how good Sharpie and Federation X sounded better than I remember ‘em. And many thanks to the Wild Buffalo for hosting, thanks to Hollie Huthman, Matt Curtis and Paul Turpin for sharing their photos, thanks to Squirrel Girl for that epic stage dive, and to those who helped with equipment.

Finally, I’d like to thank my dear wife Becca and friend Carey Ross for organizing my “happy birthday” song and to Scott K Seitz for getting the whole bar to sing together… then showing his ass. Somehow it wouldn’t have been the same if Scott didn’t show his back parts.

The night was a great experience that’ll be etched in my brain for life. The music and the friends, just amazing. You’re all awesome.

OK, enough about that.

What’s Up! will be holding its 10th Annual Awards Show on Saturday, Jan. 29 at the Wild Buffalo and it’s shaking out to be the best yet. Musical performances include Zorbatron, Keaton Collective, The Productionists, Polecat, and Baltic Cousins, along with the live show debut of Glowbug the latest project by Daniel Anderson (of Idiot Pilot fame). I’ve been told Glowbug will have an extra special set. There will also be music in the foray, with DJ Postal spinning between sets, dancing by the Dirty Bird Cabaret and the whole event will be hosted by Poops. That, my friends, is an unbelievable evening.

As if that wasn’t cool enough, we’ll be hosting a couple all-ages shows the day before. The “pre” Pre-Awards Show at the Underground Coffeehouse will have Candysound and Biagio Biondillilo, while the Pre-Awards Show will take place at the Viking Union, with performances by Dog Shredder, No-Fi Soul Rebellion, Acorn Project and Vaughn Kreestoe another fantastic line up.

As for ballots, voting will begin around Dec. 10. Check the website to cast your vote for categories. Remember, do not stuff the virtual ballot box! We will know when you do and we’ll toss em. So vote responsibly please.

We have some new things in store this year, including a category for Best Music Video. We’ve seen a lot, but we want to see more? Did your band make a video? Share it with us via e-mail by sending to editor@whatsup-magazine.com.

So, keep the Awards Show weekend open, we look forward to seeing ya, and it’s going to be a blast. We throw awesome parties, you should be there!

Now to the music.

The big, big, BIG news of the month is the new spot for WhAAM and Make.Shift. It’s over on Unity Street (by Griggs) and looks to be the absolutely perfect spot for the two organizations. They’ve been looking for eight months and have finally, finally found “their place.” But, they can’t open it without some serious donations the two groups are looking to raise at least $8,500 via kickstarter by Jan. 16. Ya know how you always see folks talking about “support your scene” or “support local music?” Supporting doesn’t just mean seeing your friend’s bands and having some drinks (which, on its own, is just fine), it also means ponying up when it’s time to do so and this is one of those times. Both WhAAM and Make.Shift are working hard to make the community a better place. I mean, seriously think about it, Bellingham with its own Vera Project (or 924 Gillman Street Project) a place for people of all ages to get into music. In my estimations, there are few greater causes in the music scene than this one. As of press time, they were nearing $1,000, but they need a bunch more. If everyone reading this paper gave a dollar, they’d have nearly three times enough money to open. SO, donate. Now. Please. Here’s the website: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/makeshift/the-makeshift-music-project

Federation X are now a band again, though obviously limited by the constraints of geography. After having so much fun playing music for the big 40th birthday party, they’ve decided to rock again playing a series of dates in the Northeast with none other than Monotonix!!! Absolutely awesome. Fed X rocks our world and we wish them the best.

Corduroy called it a day a few months ago, but Tim Leighton has a new band happening with Jenni Potts which he describes as “really heavy.” Stay tuned.

Peter MacLean Woiwood (Go Slowpoke) and Drew Fitchette (ex-Rooftops) have joined Mary Mary making the band a five piece. I’m not sure I’ve mentioned this before, but I think Zach Zinn it a total badass in the music scene. If you wanna know more about good music, go into his record collection.

Caparza recorded their new 7″ recently, though there is no official word on the release as of press time. The band is also working on doing a split LP with Random Orbits out of Seattle as well as writing more and more material. Think 2011 will be a good year for the boys of Caparza.

PRND is a new band featuring Jason Sands (Frozen Cloak, ex-Reeks and the Wrecks) as well as Bradley Leckron. They play spacey electronic music a Jason Sands special. You can find them on Facebook where they’ve got two songs listed both recorded at Jinx.

“Squirrel Girl” has a new band feature an amazing line up Nick Duncan, Aaron Apple and Toby Reif (who, I’ve been told, is amazing on guitar). Expect shows to happen sooner than later and expect their sound to be poppy-punk rock. Oh yeah, they’re called Downfall and have already done a little recording.

The Cat From Hue have released a new single, “One by One,” on Pink Hotel Music a collective that features Ambulance, Candysound, The Cat From Hue, Caulfield & His Magical Violin, Great Waves, The Masques, Kids and Animals, The Ronz, SEACATS, Teo Crider and Us on Roofs bands from Seattle to Bellingham and in between. The collective should be watched over the next year I see an Elephant Six reincarnated vibe happening. (That’s not too much pressure, is it Teo?).

The mighty Half Bees have been recording their full length album, though there is no official word on when the funk soul brothers will be releasing their debut album. Butts are shakin’ in anticipation. Especially Austin’s.

The Knapp Brothers (check them out on page 15), just finished a video for Jenni Potts (which had been months in the making) and are already moving forward with a new Lumpkins video that was initially filmed in the recent snow storm. For some reason, I’ve got a bunch of naked jokes, but nothing seems appropriate.

Dog Shredder will be hitting the road at the end of March with Tacoma’s Lozen for a short tour down the West Coast. Hopefully soon the boys will be releasing their epic new recording… boys? What’s the word?

There’s rumor of a new project between Clint Westwood and Knucklehead an amazing MC in town. No word on if the project is even out of the planning stages, but it should be absolutely amazing if and when it happens.

James Hardesty has decided to keep the Green Frog Acoustic Tavern open for now. Watch for changes in the future that will hopefully make the bar more profitable or at least able to keep the doors open a little easier. During the month of December, he’ll have the mighty Robert Sarazin Blake and the Silver Shirts every Monday for shows at 7:30 and 10 p.m. The Silver Shirts includes Jordan Rain on drums, Aaron Harmonson on bass, Jan Peters on piano and Mars Lindgren on horn. That, my friends, is an all star line up.

Plant Party have added two new players Lisa Feiertag on fiddle and Bobby Morgan on bass and will be heading into the studio in December to record their debut EP. Oh Adam Bates, you sly boots.

Acorn Project continue to make major waves on the national scene. They’re getting very positive reviews for Generation Debt all over the country and the album is currently ranked #1 on the Relix Magazine/Jambands.com national radio index chart ahead of a bunch of big names. AWESOME!

Scott Greene has just released a new EP, which is on store shelves as I type this. Looking forward to picking up my copy.

A special mention goes out to Sam Chue who contacted the magazine to let us know what he’s up to which is making pretty damn good songs. Don’t know much about the guy, but his songs on reverbnation fit into the singer/songwriter mold you should check him out.

Finally, before I close up shop this month, I’d like to again thank everyone for coming out to my birthday party, the kind words and the support of the magazine. Thank you’s don’t pay the bills here, but they are always greatly appreciated. And, let me tell you, they go a long way and we don’t forget when people are kind in their appreciation of the magazine, or even just being cool and letting us know what’s going on with their music.

We are not a rich publication, we are not backed by any big money like other publications out here, but we are rich in passion for the local scene and appreciate all the good folks out here. We have all kinds of amazing talent and people in our northwest corner, and no matter what genre you fuflill, you all love what you do (or at least should!) and feel it is important. But please remember that what is most important is maintaining good communication and respect for one another. It’s frustrating when people have to deal with certain, arrogant musicians who feel they are owed. Don’t be an ass, get off your high horse, and take it from someone who knows. Enjoy it, have a good time, work hard.

Thank you to the many local and independent businesses who proudly advertise in What’s Up! We cannot print without you and appreciate every single one of you.

We wish you and yours the happiest of holidays and an extremely awesome new year. I’m feeling good, are you?! See you in January.

Brent

editor@whatsup-magazine.com

Candysound performs during the tour. For more info, visit myspace.com/candysoundmusic or myspace.com/catfromhue. COURTESY Photo

I have to preface this by saying this is just one perspective of a trip shared by myself and 13 others: it was loud, and chaotic and it all happened incredibly fast. But, I do know that we’ll do it all again next chance we get.

We kicked off our 2010 Highway 101 Tour our second tour to California this year and our first with our Camano Island friends and Pink Hotel Music label-mates, The Cat From Hue- on Aug. 20 at Common Ground in Burlington. Common Ground has been super accommodating of our racket over the last few years, and that night was no different: in addition to good friends and family, joining us that bill were Caulfield & His Magical Violin, a rad power pop group from Anacortes, and our favorite Mount Vernon/Tacoma-based indie-rock trio The Masques.

One after party and four hours of sleep later, we loaded up music gear, camping supplies, our living room couch, and other on-the-road essentials into a trailer hitched to the back of our 15-seat Ford V-10 van, which we managed to track down in the three days prior to leaving. On the way down I-5 to Gig Harbor, we picked up various band mates and friends, bringing the number of passengers packed into the van to 14.

We got to our next concert, a show at our friend Mikey’s house with his band Us on Roofs and The Lonely Forest in Gig Harbor that evening, where our friend Charles and his family who lived next door hooked us up with delicious homemade spaghetti. Even though we had some guitar cable problems, the show itself was well received, and incredibly surreal too: Leroy from TCFH shredded like a madman, Us on Roofs showcased some new cuts, and The Lonely Forest closed their set with their hit ‘We Sing In Time’ on a dimly lit back porch acoustically because the show had the most noise complaints ever recorded for a party in Pierce County.

We took off that night and several hours later pulled into easily the sketchiest roadside inn we’ve ever seen later (Vancouver’s “Value-Motel!”, boarded up windows and broken doorknobs and all) where we rented three rooms.

The next afternoon, on Aug. 22, after a quick visit to the Burnside Skate Park, we pulled into Portland’s wonderfully deteriorating Pearl District. We busked by the river, checked the sights and sounds (plus Bobby saved a kitten from a tree!) and then played The Someday Lounge with Class M Planets and The Pink Snowflakes. The show itself was pretty sparsely attended as it was a Sunday, but that venue had one of the best onstage mixes we’ve ever heard, and the people that were there seemed to dig it.

After crashing on the floor of Jase’s friend Abby’s house, we took off for Hood River, resulting in a day of excellent bar food, an excessive but much appreciated visit to the Full Sail Brewery, and swimming. We sang songs from a street corner in the downtown area where we caught the attention of a group of Girl Scout camp counselors looking for something to do, which promptly led to invitations to our show at The Trillium that night. After scrambling a PA together, the show turned into an awesome night of drinking and singing and dancing; in high spirits, Leroy drove us for 11 hours straight through the night, waking up southbound on Highway 101 with the sun rising over the California coast.

We had a well planned off day at Clam Beach near the redwoods, about 20 minutes north of Arcata, where we swam in the Pacific Ocean, played football, and read excerpts and horoscopes from teen magazines. At night we played music around the fire, resulting in Ford rapping about werewolves and Tom and Evan almost getting in a fight with beach bums who were offended by their midnight, acapella rendition of Neutral Milk Hotel’s “King of Carrot Flowers Part II”. We went into town the next day on the 25th, where we busked in the city center covering some of our favorite bad 90′s songs. Then we went south and played a small but well received show at the ‘Lil Red Lion, a dive in Eureka. They were super nice and on top of free drinks, they gathered donations for our gas tank to get to the next show.

The following day, we tracked down some animal style In-N-Out burger first thing in the morning before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge into San Fran. After some hectic turnarounds, we reached a small art studio/show space called the Kokoro Gallery situated in an extra-creepy part of Chinatown. We spent our afternoon exploring the city (sneaking in a quick run to Guitar Center for a vocal mic), and by mid-show, people were dropping in from their bars. I got invited to join some bizarre secret society of older women that pimps younger dudes too. Weird. We drove that night to Veteran’s Park in Monterey for our final date where we camped/crashed in the van.

Our last concert of the tour was on Aug. 27 at a bar called Jose’s Lounge Underground. It was with two really cool Monterey/Salinas bands we met on our last tour back in March, The Trees and Candyflip. A great end to the tour as it was the show we were looking forward to the most. As the night progressed, people filled into the show and because it was the last date, there was much drinking and celebrating, which contrasted sharply to the 24-hour-straight van ride back to Bellingham right after.

All in all, I consider this tour a success, especially compared to March’s tour, when our van broke down in the mountains of northern California. Both Candysound and TCFH sold a number of CD’s, and merch too;. We met several new bands and great people, and we saw places we hope to return to soon. And, in addition to this write-up, our trip and related shenanigans were documented by our friend Ryan Ohlemeier, prolifically talented filmmaker/photographer whose work is viewable online.

Candysound’s next all ages Bellingham show is at The Underground Coffeehouse (WWU) on Oct. 22 with Us on Roofs.

Cherubs/Candysound offshoot The Masques do it again with their neat new EP. Loaded with roaring guitars and 60′s like harmonies, The Masques seem to be a little louder and heavier than the current incarnation of Candysound. This is a positive development as the songs are fabulously tasty, rocking and meticulously crafted DIY stuff that makes this gig worthwhile for those of us inspired by rock ‘n’ roll.

The 5-song record is action packed, with surprising originality and somehow lined with lots of obvious influences like Pavement and The Posies. The first two songs “Catalina” and “Gray Man” are both guitar overdriven gems that warrant numerous listens. The hooky parts sucked me in joyously. The drumming is definitely a highlight as shown in the EP’s third song “Sirens of Titan.” Just infectious.

The quality of this record in regards to production is top notch, and much better than many of the things around these parts. It comes down to how good your guitars sound in so many recordings. The Masques understand that concept.

For the final track, the band takes on the Pixies’ “Wait of Mute Elation,” a feedback festival that left me clamoring for more.

Self Released
For more visit: myspace.com/themasques

Though I walked into Common Ground just as Seattle bass drum duo Armed With Legs were finishing their set of indie noise, I quickly got my money’s worth during the set of the following band, Post Harbor, who play precise, mostly instrumental post-rock.

While bringing to mind bands like Explosions In the Sky and Mogwai, the Seattle quintet incorporated multiple pianos, delayed guitars, a bass, a cello, and drums to create dynamic, emotionally charged soundscapes that usually climaxed with guitar driven freakouts. This was my first time seeing them, but I’m already looking forward to their new record They Cant’s Hurt You If You Don’t Believe In Them, due next month on Burning Building Records.

Mount Vernon rock band The Masques closed the night to a small but awed audience. Playing tracks off their new EP Stories and the Sound released that night, as well as driving covers of Dinosaur Jr’s “In a Jar” and the Pixies’ “Wave of Mutilation,” The Masques stayed true to their indie rock heroes while showcasing where they’ve taken that adoration; distorted guitar and driving drums cut through the venue, making the micing of the band’s instrumentation through the PA unnecessary. Bassist Kellen Hawley may have stolen the whole show with his pummeling bass lines and unique harmonies.

Every time I see them their sound improves exponentially. Catch them at The Brown Lantern in Anacortes on Feb. 20.