Music
Press
Due to prior commitments, I missed a show I was very interested in last Friday: Head Like A Kite, Dyme Def, The Animals at Night, and Mad Rad at the Croc. A great and non-contrived mixed bill- my favorite; i'm seeing a lot of cross-genre appreciation going on these days, but it can often happen in a really hackneyed way. I hadn't seen anybody post about the show, so I thought I should give it a whirl, since I was totally there in spirit. Over the weeked I tried to get a coherent account- and all reports indicated something epic.
Members of Head Like a Kite(one of which is Stranger contributor Trent Moorman), Mad Rad, Dyme Def, The Saturday Knights, Animals at Night, Crooked Fingers, and Zera Marvel were onstage at the same time. HLAK played a cover of Neil Young's "Ohio". Mad Rad's P-Smoov played keys and rapped through his vocoder. There was a panda head, and at least one mannequin head onstage. Someone apparently fell offstage and broke their arm.
Kerri Harrop's account says it all:
"Friday night was the first time Mad Rad has played the Croc, and also the first time I have seen them perform. They absolutely won my heart. I get what the hype has been all about, and it is much deserved. That finale was mind blowing — HLAK pounding it out, with Dyme Def keeping the flow going, and Mad Rad all over the stage like a party you never want to stop. Plus, Tilson! And Zera Marvel, Graig Markel, et all. Seattle is doing huge things right now, and that is not just idle talk."
"The crossover between rock and hip hop is nothing new, but the way it is being played out on stages around town right now is exactly how it should be done. I’m not talking some wack ass Limp Bizkit kind of shit, nor am I even conjuring the beautiful groundbreaking glory of RUN-DMC with Aerosmith as a comparison. I am talking about an organic melding of musical genres, each steadily blowing up within the same city, and coming together to form a more perfect union."
"It is a poetic thing, and I hope fools recognize the importance of what is going on culturally in this city. you saw it at the Funhouse on Thursday, the Croc on Friday, and all over the 206 on any given night."
"You know that show was a major one when Mad Rad wins over the head of security, which is exactly what they did Friday night. Well done to all, and thanks for making good times happen at the Croc."
Sounds like a beautiful thing, and the product of genuine fun and excitement- not mere PR. Man, I've seen PR try to create that sort of excitement here before, and it's just not the same. Well done, people.
- The Stranger
Discography
"Cut to Chase, Chorus and Fade", Full-length, 2010
Photos
Bio
The Animals at Night is Producer and Head Like a Kite contributer Graig Markel, joined by multi-instrumentalist Joe Patterson. They are joined in the studio by a revolving cast of characters that include Jeremiah Green (Modest Mouse), Larry Knechtel (legendary wrecking crew, Pet Sounds, Phil Spector, Motown, Elvis Costello, the Byrds and much more), Dave Einmo (Head Like a Kite), Daniel G. Harmann, Zera Marvel, and more.
Graig Markel has a long list of songrwriting, producing, and engineering credits, including Head Like a Kite, Nada Surf, Band of Horses, The Nachos, Jim Carroll, Transmissionary Six, Zera Marvel, Daniel G. Harmann, the Spits, A-Frames, and many more. He has co-written and sung many Head Like a Kite songs, including "No Ordinary Caveman", one of John Richards' (KEXP) favorite singles of 2008.
"Cut to Chase, Chorus and Fade" debuts Graig Markel's vocals with the Animals at Night, melding downtempo, hip-hop and rock into something Trent Moorman of the Stranger has called "Broken Soul". Drawing influences from the classic R&B of Eddie Floyd and early hip-hop / soul of Gil Scott-Heron, to the synth work of Michael Andrews and rock guitar of Sonic Youth.
Playing as a 3 piece live or as a DJ duo, the Animals at night has already blown away audiences opening up for the United State of Electronica, Head Like a Kite, Lymbyc System, Chow Nasty, Rafter, Talk Demonic, Panda and Angel, and more.
Links
