Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Top Picks for Wintergrass 2014


Top Picks for Wintergrass 2014




Image: Facebook

The Duhks play Wintergrass: Bluegrass ain't just bluegrass anymore.



This weekend, the yearly Wintergrass Bluegrass Festival and its killer lineup fills Bellevue’s Hyatt Regency with more banjos and bucket beards than Bellevue may be prepared for. (One of the sideline delights of a day at Wintergrass is spying these folks all over their decidedly non-native habitat, Bellevue Square.)


This year's festival—which runs Thursday, Feburary 27 through Sunday, March 1—accommodates both bluegrass purists and newgrass progressives—and more modern musical offshoots than in previous years—through its theme: “The Power of Interaction and Collaboration.”  That’s fancy talk for jamming (which will happen this weekend—at times gloriously—in every nook, cranny, hall, even elevator of the Hyatt), mixing styles, and spontaneous guest appearances—which are all but guaranteed on the festival’s four stages.


With over 25 different acts, there’s a ton to see for $140 (cost of an adult all-weekend pass; single day adult day tickets start at $30). A few of the notables include singer/songwriter/producer/virtuoso multi-instrumentalist Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott, along with O’Brien’s sister, the big-voiced Mollie O’Brien, performing with her husband and collaborator Rich Moore. Also in the Big Damn Deal category are string wizards Mike Marshall and Chris Thile, the latter being the mandolin child prodigy-turned-MacArthur Genius Grant winner who gained fame in Nickel Creek, then Punch Brothers.  (Try to sit close for this one; Thile’s flying fingers are a thing o’ beauty.)


Bluegrass purists should aim for Dailey and Vincent and Town Mountain—and Seattle’s own terrific Downtown Mountain Boys—while those who favor a more contemporary Americana will want to hear the high-energy Canadian band, The Duhks; Colorado’s supercool indie-inflected Elephant Revival; and the Milk Carton Kids, flatpicking folkie darlings whose harmonies recall Simon and Garfunkel.  


Then cleanse your palate with forays to Scandinavia (the stunning Swedish fiddle music of Väsen) and South America (the “Brazilian bluegrass” of Matuto). And whatever you do, do not miss cello virtuoso Rushad Eggleston, whose extraordinary musicality is topped only by the brazenness of his performance style. This dude can put on a show—expect the weirdest thing you’ll see all weekend, hands down, and all the proof you need that bluegrass ain’t just bluegrass anymore.


Wintergrass Bluegrass Festival
Feb 27–Mar 2, Hyatt Regency Bellevue Square, $30–$75; festival pass $140




For more on Seattle arts and culture, sign up for our weekly On The Town newsletter, subscribe to our RSS feed, and follow us on Twitter @SeattleMet. Visit our Arts & Entertainment Calendar for our editors’ event picks.







Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Valentine's day


Cheryl is excited about hosting Valentine's day @ the Northlake. The Sax Man Billy Blackstone will be here from 6 to 9PM. Come and join us

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Enjoy Good Food at a Pizza and Beer U District in Seattle

Pizza is not only great for the weekends. You can actually have it any time or any day! But, if you have been a pizza person since the old days, you would have probably tasted every pizza there is in Seattle. Surely, you are pretty much updated with what’s going on in the pizza industry and which pizza parlors are the newest in town. But have you tasted the ones from pizza houses that are already in the business for a long time? You better try the best Pizza and beer U District in Seattle could offer. They are totally great.

So, what makes their pizza so amazing? What sets them apart from the contemporary pizza houses in town? First of all, older pizza houses are highly experienced with how the business works. Of course, they don’t only serve the same pizza since the first day. More and more pizza flavor variations are developed over the years and customers g to taste every single one of those. You get to taste the flavors from the past and the most contemporary flavors that the company sells.

Of course, these pizza houses would not stay long in the industry if they don’t serve good tasting pizza. These pizza stores make sure that they produce quality pizza flavors and maintain their special tastes. The fact that the stores have already been making pizza over some time, they surely have achieved the taste that would make every pizza lover go crazy over every slice. Definitely, not only pizza lovers would be too eager to take a bite. Even beginner pizza fans will find the flavors very delicious.

What makes these places even better is that these pizza houses usually allow you to build your own pizza. You can choose from different pizza sizes and top them with your preferred type of cheese, meat toppings, or vegetables. The toppings are absolutely fresh to ensure the quality of the taste. If you want to create two flavors in a single pizza, you can actually split it in half. You can choose two flavors and have them baked in one round of pizza. Imagine how much you can save instead of buying two round pizzas of varied flavors?

If you want to add some more good food to your pizza, you can also choose from the other types of food from the menu. You can have your appetizers, salads, sandwiches or even burgers. Pair these with your pizza and some really good drinks, then you are actually good to go. You can pick some tasty beverages or you can pair you can pair it with beer.


Some of these stores may not accommodate minors, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot get to taste how flavorful their pizza could be. These old but really great Pizza and Beer U District in Seattle offers their menu for takeout as well. If you are a minor, you can just call up, place your order and pick it up in a matter of minutes. You can just sit back and enjoy the tasty pizza at the comfort of your own home.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Outkast & Soundgarden Headline the 2014 Sasquatch! Music Festival


Outkast & Soundgarden Headline the 2014 Sasquatch! Music Festival


The Sasquatch! Music Festival is undergoing a big change in 2014 by switching to a two weekend format, and the fest is bringing along some big names to hopefully ease the transition. The biggest name on this year's bill is the reunited hip hop supergroup Outkast, which hits the summer festival circuit after a six-year hiatus. While Outkast tops the bill for Memorial Day weekend, legendary Seattle rock band Soundgarden rocks the Fourth of July weekend festivities (which will include fireworks).


The holiday weekends will also feature performances by notables like the National, M.I.A., New Order, Frank Ocean, Queens of the Stone Age, Kraftwerk, Kid Cudi, New Order, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Robyn. And that's just the top echelon of the bill. Search further down and there are plenty of less heralded can't-miss acts like Sharon Van Etten, Waxahatchee, Deafheaven, Talib Kweli, Metz, and more. The comedy slate includes Princess (former Saturday Night Live cast member Mya Rudolph's Prince cover band), Demetri Martin, Eugene Mirman, Kurt Braunohler, and John Hodgman. And, of course, there's plenty of Seattle talent spread across both weekends including Seattle Met favorites Damien Jurado, the Physics, Shelby Earl, La Luz, Tacocat, Dude York, and Iska Dhaaf. A few more bands are still yet to be announced, but check below for the current extensive list and to see who is playing which weekend.


Tickets will be available either as a two weekend package for $550 or single weekend tickets $325.


Sasquatch! 2014 Memorial Day Weekend Lineup:


Outkast / The National / M.I.A. / Queens of the Stone Age / Foster the People / Kid Cudi / HAIM / Neko Case / Violent Femmes / Major Lazer / Tyler, the Creator / Chance the Rapper / Cut Copy / Die Antwoord / Phantogram / Foals / Elbow / The Naked and Famous / Cold War Kids / City and Colour / Cage The Elephant / Mogwai / Tune-Yards / Portugal. The Man / Bob Mould / Damien Jurado / Deafheaven / Big Freedia / Rudimental / Boys Noize / Gesaffelstein / First Aid Kit / Yelle / AlunaGeorge / Panda Bear / Parquet Courts / Phosphorescent / Washed Out / Band of Skulls / The Lonely Forest / Waxahatchee / Austra / Classixx / Black Joe Lewis / The Dodos / Liars / Tourist / Ryan Hemsworth / Tokimonsta / Chet Faker / Banks / Lucius / Hozier / The Stepkids / Half Moon Run / Little Green Cars / Crystal Fighters / Houndmouth, Cloud Control / Jonathan Wilson / Foy Vance / Mary Lambert / The Physics / Radiation City / La Luz / Willy Mason / Papa / Shakey Graves / The Growlers / Syd Arthur / Cowboy and Indian / White Sea / Rathborne / Pink Mountaintops / The Bright Light Social Hour / Big Scary / Modern Kin / Tacocat / Raz Simone / Sam Lachow / Gifted Gab / Hobosexual / The Grizzled Mighty / Fly Moon Royalty / The Flavr Blue / Deap Vally


Comedy: Princess featuring Maya Rudolph / Nick Swardson / Eric Andre / Bridget Everett / Charlyne Yi


Sasquatch! 2014 Fourth of July Weekend Lineup:


Soundgarden / Kraftwerk (3D) / New Order / Frank Ocean / Röyksopp + Robyn / Neutral Milk Hotel, Spoon / Broken Bells / Tegan and Sara / Local Natives / La Roux / Gogol Bordello / Jake Bugg / Sharon Van Etten / Atmosphere / Kurt Vile and the Violators / Dr. Dog / Talib Kweli / Of Montreal / The Cave Singers / Rhye / The Bloody Beetroots / Dillon Francis / Big Gigantic / The Black Angels / Deltron 3030 / The Horrors / Junip / The Notwist / St. Lucia / Punch Brothers / Action Bronson / Lee Fields and the Expressions / Carolina Chocolate Drops / Sol / Thao and the Get Down Stay Down / Cloud Nothings / Casey Veggies / RL Grime / Tchami / Audion / Fuck Buttons / Courtney Barnett / Foxygen / Palma Violets / Mikal Cronin / Mac DeMarco / Jon Hopkins / Gold Panda / Majical Cloudz / Duke Dumont / Oneohtrix Point Never / Death / Black Prairie / Latyrx / Metz / John Grant / Reigning Sound / Black Milk / Typhoon / Cass McCombs / Young & Sick / No, Boy and Bear  / Asgeir / Wild Cub / Gangstagrass / Phox / Ages and Ages / The Districts / Mimicking Birds / Chad VanGaalen / Shelby Earl / Hunter Hunted / Fly Golden Eagle / Sandrider / Helms Alee / Night Beats / Chastity Belt / Dude York / Iska Dhaaf / Kithkin / Pollens


Comedy: Demetri Martin / Eugene Mirman / Kurt Braunohler / John Hodgman / W. Kamau Bell / Kyle Dunnigan


Sasquatch! Music Festival
May 23–25 & July 4–6, Gorge Amphitheatre, $550; single weekend tickets $325.




For more on Seattle arts and culture, sign up for our weekly On The Town newsletter, subscribe to our RSS feed, and follow us on Twitter @SeattleMet. Visit our Arts & Entertainment Calendar for our editors’ event picks.