Author Archives: Dylan Portelance

Live at Capitol Hill Block Party: Mad Rad

By Dylan Portelance | Published: July 27, 2010

Fresh Espresso MC and vocoding maniac P Smoov joined fellow rappers Buffalo Madonna and Terry Radjaw along with de facto hypeman DJ Darwin for a fun-filled set on the main stage on a sweltering Seattle Sunday afternoon. Mad Rad, one of the city’s most notorious live groups, everyone expected to cause incessant mayhem. Naturally, theRead more...

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Live at Capitol Hill Block Party: Pepper Rabbit

By Dylan Portelance | Published: July 25, 2010

As LA’s Pepper Rabbit took the Vera Stage on Sunday my first thought was here’s the classiest group I’ve seen at this section of the block party. Their performances matched their dress code as they ran through a short and sweet set of hazy indie pop. Cherishing the turnout, the boys in Pepper Rabbit interactedRead more...

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Live at Capitol Hill Block Party: !!!

By Dylan Portelance | Published: July 25, 2010

For a band that most laypeople have no idea how to pronounce, an impressively full crowd showed up to get their dance on to !!! (chk chk chk). Due to Blonde Redhead’s last minute cancellation, the Main Stage lineup prior to Atmosphere’s performance each shifted to a later slot. Contrasting spotlights against the Capitol HillRead more...

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Live at Capitol Hill Block Party: Cold Lake

By Dylan Portelance | Published: July 25, 2010

Looking at the bill one would think Cold Lake was a little out of place at Capitol Hill Block Party. Nevertheless, as soon as their set began they acquired an audience similar in size to other Vera Stage shows. From the moment the downbeat dropped on the first song and the duel screaming kicked off,Read more...

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Live at Capitol Hill Block Party: Mahjongg

By Dylan Portelance | Published: July 24, 2010

Intent to get the crowd shaking, dance-punk band Mahjongg took the Vera Stage Friday evening. Right away their style was clear -- progressive dance music full of quirky percussion hits, groovy bass lines lasting little more than a bar and clanky, repetitive synth riffs. Throughout the set the band was tight, energetic and appealed toRead more...

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Live at Capitol Hill Block Party: Shabazz Palaces

By Dylan Portelance | Published: July 23, 2010

The in house DJ, playing a quick set between mainstage performances, threw down a few 80s tunes for kicks to get the audience moving. Then it was time to get down to business. Quickly switching the mood he ripped through a few Jay-Z classics as several of front rows lit up their blunts and preparedRead more...

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Album Review: Suckers - Wild Smile

By Dylan Portelance | Published: June 27, 2010

Brooklyn’s Suckers may be new to the scene but their uniquely off kilter folk rock brands them as mature and focused artists. Unafraid to dive head first into the hazardous waste of frenetic arrangements and erratic singing/yelling, the four piece complete their first full length effort, Wild Smile, unscathed by excess. The band scrapes awayRead more...

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Album Review: LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

By Dylan Portelance | Published: June 9, 2010

In a world where the next darling child of independent music will probably arrive packaged with a brand new hyphenated genre tag, LCD Soundsystem‘s label seems plain. For almost a decade now James Murphy, mastermind behind the project, has persistently tossed around “dance-punk” to describe his brainchild. Without LCD as a schema for this term,Read more...

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Hood to Hood West Seattle: The Tripwires

By Dylan Portelance | Published: May 21, 2010

Seattle rockers, the Tripwires, are no strangers to the local scene. In the last few years though they’ve struck a chord with their approach to catchy pop rock. Vocalists and guitar players John Ranberg and Johnny Sangter’s soulful rasps accompanied by dance paced drums and bass pave the way for their propulsive force of sheerRead more...

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Album Review: Pretty Lights - Making Up a Changing Mind

By Dylan Portelance | Published: May 17, 2010

With mashup artists popping up in the last decade like moles waiting to be whacked it’s difficult to give sample-based music a listen without a hint of doubt. The blogosphere thoroughly documents this trend. Thousands of Internet junkies publish newcomers that add wobbling basses to Lily Allen tracks or blend a few one-liners from ProdigyRead more...

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