Today in (Northwest) Music: Seattle Benefits Again

A crowd makes Noise for the Needy
photo by Andy Smull

Ever feel guilty about going to more than a few shows in a week? Or how about two shows in one night? It seems there’s always work you could be doing, friends you could be meeting, or family you’ve been neglecting. If this sounds like you, be prepared to rawk with impunity! This coming week is chock full of guilt-free shows that will actually make you feel better about yourself for attending.

From Tuesday, June 5, through Sunday, June 10, Seattle hosts Noise for the Needy, a nonprofit organization with roots in sunny CA but now an annual even in the Northwest. This year, Okkervil River headlines the event. Over the six nights, six venues offer eleven shows of stellar acts like The Whoremoans, The Cops, CSS, The Lights, Das Llamas, Tall Birds, Sera Cahoone, Cancer Rising, and many others. Check the schedule and plan your week.

This year’s worthy recipient is Rise n’ Shine, a Seattle organization that provides emotional support programs, stability, advocacy, and AIDS education for children and teens affected by HIV and AIDS. You can purchase tickets online, and be sure to participate in the online auction that has already begun!To sample the feel-good rockness, peep this clip from the opening party at the Sunset Tavern on April 19, featuring The Cops:

On Saturday, June 2, KEXP presents the next Audioasis Live Remote Broadcast and Benefit Show at High Dive. Get your groove on with Ghetto Pony while helping support Youth Force, a local non-profit that helps low income and minority teens develop the skills, knowledge and experiences they need to succeed in high school, college, and beyond.

Sharing the bill with the Montreal’s Ghetto Pony are local bands Mob Law, High Violets, Sister Psychic and a reunited Peter Parker.

The show starts at 6 pm and costs a mere $8, which goes directly to Youth Force!

Live Broadcast performances:

6:30 - 7:00 Sister Psychic (LIVE on KEXP)
8:00 - 8:30 The Mob Law (LIVE on KEXP)

Showcase:

9:30 - 10:15 Ghetto Pony
10:30 - 11:15 High Violets
11:30 - 12:15 Peter Parker
12:30 - 1:15 The Mob Law

Also going on this weekend is the Georgetown Music Festival, also featuring a terrific lineup, including The Supersuckers, Voyager One, BOAT, Iceage Cobra, Hypatia Lake, The Trucks, and Earlimart, and that’s just part of the incredible lineup.

A part of the proceeds of festival go toward Edward Reed Arts, a Georgetown-based non-profit that “strives to support independent artists as business owners that are self supporting.”

In addition, the festival has brought much needed attention to an area beloved of Seattle artists but under siege from City Hall.

Daily tickets for the Georgetown Music Festival are $15 each at the door, but you can pick up a weekend pass for $25. Two of the four stages are all-ages, so bring your family.

That should give you plenty to do this next week and a lot to make yourself feel good about helping to promote worthwhile causes, but if you’re still aching for more, KEXP recommends Damien Jurado at the Tractor and Joy Wants Eternity at the Sunset Tavern on Friday, and Gerald Collier also at the Tractor on Saturday.

Briefly, here’s what’s going on in local news…

Beth Ditto of Portland band The Gossip is breaking stereotypes with as a covergirl for NME. In the issue, Ditto talks nice about Kate Moss but disses the system that creates body issues: â€œYou canâ€™t hate a person for dieting, and you canâ€™t blame a person for feeling shit about themselves. You have to blame the machine that feeds it, the thing that makes people feel like that.”

Seattle band BOAT is about (that’s funny for Canadians) to embark on a brief tour. The band, who is performing this weekend’s Georgetown Music Fest, will hold a Three Imaginary Girls sponsored CD release party on July 6 and then swing through the middle of the U.S. before returning for the Capitol Hill Block Party.

BOAT - The Bar Is Too Low To Fail (MP3)

There may or may not be a Temple of the Dog reunion at The Crocodile. The Stranger reports that the Croc booker Eli Anderson denies the rumor. According to Seattlest, people are already selling tix on Craigslist. Stay tuned.

I hinted about it earlier, but The Cave Singers have officially announced signing to Matador records. Check their MySpace page for updates about their forthcoming Invitation Songs.

Finally, a reader named “junebug” asked why Seattle band Arthur and Yu doesn’t get any KEXP love. I’m definitely a fan and am excited to see them play with A Sunny Day In Glasgow on June 21. Be sure to check out their MySpace page for information on their upcoming release In Camera (June 19) and for dates of their supporting tour with The Album Leaf. Lend an ear for this new song “Come To View (Song for Neil Young)” and an eye for this guest spot of theirs on Dntel’s “The Distance”: