review by RJ Cubarrubia
photos by Chona Kasinger

With only one all ages show throughout the week, Noise for the Needy made sure to make it a good one. Combining the electropop producer-trio Miike Snow with the English garage punk of Art Brut, Saturday’s Noise for the Needy show at Neumo’s was a raucous good time. The packed crowd was diverse, from sweaty huge baldheaded beasts of men raging to Art Brut to parents and their kids having good clean fun, leading to hilarious situations like two girls in dresses getting whomped by suspiciously old moshers slamming their weekday cubcicle woes away on teenagers (it’s SATURDAY, everybody parties).

Before the show, I knew these things about Miike Snow: there’s three guys in the band, two from Sweden, one from Brooklyn, and the Swedish dudes produced Britney Spears’ “Toxic” and have worked with Kylie Minogue and Madonna. AWESOME. Unfortunately, although I thought this was going to be a totally awesome pop music dance party, the six person live band and mostly unresponsive crowd turned this set into a confusing experience. There’s a lot to be said about producers who venture out of the studio and into “artist” territory, but the live sound of Miike Snow didn’t have the clean and fresh pop feel of the record, and less people danced. Maybe by taking a more “live band” approach, they want less bump and grind, but listen to tracks like “Animal” and tell me you can’t rumpshake all summer day and night to that jam.

Strangely enough, the same comatose audience awoke with the force of freshly hatched 17-year cicadas when Art Brut hit the stage. The consistently fun and always loud English band rocked everyone’s socks off, turning the floor into a rowdy pit of mindless shoving. Tearing through old and new with Eddie Argos’ signature “Ready, Art Brut?” rally calls, Art Brut raged through songs like “The Passenger,” “Modern Art,” and “Emily Kaine.” After Eddie’s antics carried him into the middle of the circle of ridiculous behavior, the crowd exploded into a frenzy and never looked back. After leaving the stage, the band returned for an encore, teasing the audience with the intro riffs of “Back in Black” before shredding a few more songs and even taking an audience request for “St. Pauli.” Art Brut was just a brutal good time.

Saturday’s Noise for the Needy was a great time for a great cause. You can never go wrong with that. Miike Snow wraps up their summer tour at Lollapalooza, August 8 in Chicago; visit their Myspace page for more information. Art Brut ends their US tour on July 19 in Los Angeles and will return to Europe for a Summer and Fall tour. For more information, visit their Myspace page.

Noise for the Needy gets into full swing tonight all over the city. The second night of the charitable festival features Black Eyes and Neckties at the Wildrose, Art Brut and Miike Snow at Neumos, and Hotels at The High Dive.

Coming in fresh off the release of their third album Art Brut vs. Satan, the titular artist (i.e. not Satan) plays the stage at Neumos alongside Downtown Records labelmates Miike Snow. With each band getting plenty of exposure for singles “Alcoholics Unanimous” and “Animal”, respectively, Seattle will get its first chance to see both of these acts perform brand new material.

Stateside, Art Brut has struggled with being outpressed by countrymen like The Hold Steady and Maximo Park, but their third LP Art Brut vs. Satan proves to be a strong, backbeat and guitar driven effort that stands on its own on the charts with regards to British guitar rock.

Miike Snow is a trio of producers best known for their work behind the board. The group has collaborated with Britney Spears to produce her hit single “Toxic” as well as remixed indie pop artists such as Passion Pit and Vampire Weekend. A few days ago their first full length release, a self-titled LP that clocks in at 11 tracks, officially hit the streets. Once again, Capitol Hill is getting a first look at how the release stacks up in a live setting.

Meanwhile across the canal at The High Dive, Hotels play the stage along with Born Anchors, Furniture Girls, and Anomie Belle. The local synth pop act supports their 2009 release “Where Hearts Go Broke” which features fast-paced, filtered-out, and washed-over pop gems like “Hydra” and Andrew Farriss inspired “Near the Desert, Near the City”. Going to Fremont for a show doesn’t feel as awkward anymore now that Nectar Lounge is regularly booking good shows so there is no reason not to go down to The High Dive to see this.

Hopefully the mixture of positive pop vibes and guitar riffs with kick drums on the down stroke make the entire evening a good time for all bands and fans involved and a huge donation to Noise For The Needy.

For a preview of what’s to come, tune in to KEXP for live sessions this afternoon with Miike Snow at 1:00PM and Art Brut at 4:30PM!

All this week KEXP has been hard at work on their Summer Membership Drive. I’m sure if you are reading this, you are a member like the imaginaries are — but if not, it’s not too late! Join in the fun and make your pledge!

Noise for the Needy is a local Seattle non-profit organization whose goal is “raising money for a beneficiary Seattle charity through a series of annual music events which brings musicians, promoters, artists, and volunteers together to support those in need.” This year’s partner is Traditional Resources, a mental health center and residential program that provides services for people with serious mental illnesses. This year’s event is kicking off Wednesday 6/10 and goes until Sunday 6/14. There are many draws to this action-packed event. Tickets are ridiculously cheap (nearly all under $20), you can impress your friends and sweetheart with your do-goodery (which, admittedly for me will be drinking 3 dollar PBRs and taking notes), and there are nearly 40 bands ready, willing, and able to rock your flip flops off (seeing as it is entirely too hot for socks). Headlining acts include 1990s, Art Brut, Awesome, The Constantines, Point Juncture WA, Grand Archives, Crystal Antlers, Brent Amaker & the Rodeo, Adam Stephens (Two Gallants) and The Finite Plain, I was a King, New Faces, The Whore Moans, and Throw Me The Statue. More bands are to be announced, and a full lineup is available on the website.

I am particularly excited for the Whore Moans, playing on 6/12 at the Underground Events Center. They are the sonic equivalent of putting the Replacements, the New York Dolls, AC/DC and the Clash in a blender, adding a fifth of Jack Daniels, pressing the “Rad” button, and then spraying a little T-Rex on top. I’d bring earplugs to this show, if I were you.

Chona Kasinger

Art Brut make their triumphant return to the Emerald City on 6/13 at Neumo’s, with cheeky Eddie Argos in tow, touring on Art Brut VS Satan. Look at them! They’re still a band! Their live shows will convert anyone on the fence about them and further endear the already initiated. Be prepared for some of the best stage banter you will ever hear, and many many silly jokes about grunge,

If your proclivities point more to the porcine, perhaps the Pigs for Peace benefit might better please you (That’s some alliteration right there, kids. I wonder if I could get a spider to spin that into a web for me). Andy Werth and friends will be playing at Easy Street Records in West Seattle on 6/5/09, starting at 9:00 PM. 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the charity. Check out the Pigs for Peace website for more information and links to hear Andy’s music. You will never crave pork chops again after seeing picture after picture of potbellied pigs snuggling with old barn dogs.

Go forth. Sweat. Spend money. Help people (and pigs). Make your mama proud.

Hello from the Radio Wasteland
Mary Kwatkosky-Lawlor (Imaginary Mimi)
*Three Imaginary Girls*

In high i-pod rotation:
The Apple War
Elvis Perkins
Star Lake Drownings

(Three Imaginary Girls is a Seattle-based website that showcases the great music of the Northwest and beyond to music lovers worldwide. We post a Seattle live show calendar to help you fill your day-planner with loads of great shows, as well as record reviews, live show reviews, and an imagi-blog to entertain you throughout the day.)

Hopefully, the spirit of Record Store Day continues to burn brightly within you. It’s easy to carry forth the message — “support music!” — when there’s such a fine array of releases coming out lately. This week, you can pick up the latest from Camera Obscura, brakesbrakesbrakes, Art Brut, Super Furry Animals, and King Khan and the Shrines. Fans of roots music should grab the new albums by Booker T (of MG’s fame), Slaid Cleaves, Dale Watson, and Wayne Hancock. Other worthwhile releases come from Pterodactyl, The Empire of the Sun, The Devil Makes Three, Manchester Orchestra, and Seattle’s own The Lonely Forest.

Capitol is continuing to release anything it can from Radiohead with a slew of vinyl, and if you’re still jonesing for more dance music from your favorite 80’s bands, you’re in luck: both Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys have new albums out this week. Take a copy of Largehearted Boy’s list with you and keep the dream alive!