"Be careful with that beach ball," a grinning AC Newman said one song into the fourth Sasquatch appearance of The New Pornographers' career. At this point, Newman, de facto co-frontwoman Kathryn Calder, and the group are Sasquatch veterans, and they made sure everyone knew it in a particularly unor…
Even with a full band backing her on stage at the KEXP Gathering Space Stage on the second day of the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, it seemed like Seattle singer songwriter Shelby Earl hardly needed a mic. Her voice rang clear, powerful, and true even when she stepped back from her mic to …
Expansions began in late 1995 as the brainchild of Riz Rollins as a response to the burgeoning acid jazz scene that was enjoying popularity in local clubs but underexposed on the local airwaves. Even at its inception, it has always been important that the show not be commanded by any monolithic sty…
It's our first-ever Shoegaze-themed Runcast, featuring songs picked by, and some even written by, Greg Bertens of Film School.
Katie Kate stormed Hilliard's Beer Taproom with a performance so stunning, even the children attending were floored. Alongside a live drummer and beat-maker, Katie Kate showed everyone in the audience what she was truly made of. Even if hard beats and surprising rhyme aren't your cup of tea, there…
It is a treat to review a show at the Tractor Tavern because, at its heart, it has to be a review of listening to music in the neighborhood of Ballard. Ballard Avenue on a September evening is everything that is beautiful in the world.
This past Sunday evening, the legendary Tacoma band The Sonics played their first hometown show in six years. Martin Douglas explores their influence from the perspective of his twenty years as a Tacoma resident.
Evelyn Mandac was the first Filipino to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, but her story reveals even more of a life lived learning.
Montreal-based band The Barr Brothers return to the KEXP studio for a live set of folk-pop. Recorded 12/05/2014 - 4 songs: Love Ain't Enough, Even the Darkness Has Arms, Half Crazy, Come in the Water.
A year after his debut album release, it is no doubt that Benjamin Booker is a rockstar. He's played the festival main stages, toured across the country, and even guitar dueled with Jack White. It's deserved notoriety for a man who makes such a unique blend of punk, rock, blues and folk. And even w…
Record stores across the city are not only carrying RSD releases, but also offering other deals, in-store performances, and even donuts. Start planning your record hunt with this breakdown of events happening around town for RSD 2018.
Mirel Wagner has an uncanny ability to conjure haunting atmospheres with little more than an acoustic guitar and her chilling, sparse vocals, but what's even more striking is the narratives she chooses to craft with those talents. Mortality, family, and love are just some of the themes that colored…
Recently, Seattle Weekly posted a piece called "A Year of Emergency". While the piece deals with the city's prevailing homelessness epidemic, the societal range to which the phrase could be extended this year is nearly infinite. Human empathy is facing a year of emergency, and for better or worse, …
On Wednesday, January 18th, spend your lunch break with KEXP and Brownout. The funky 8-piece outfit from Austin, Texas will perform their unique renditions of Black Sabbath songs, trading trombones for heavy metal guitars, with a Latin beat even Ozzy himself can't resist.
KEXP's Owen Murphy chats with Doe about roster of contributors, what made L.A. more fun than other scenes, and the legacy that lives on even though many of these bands have since broken up.
Wow, what a way to open our last day of music live at Kex Hostel! We were fortunate to host legendary Icelandic musician Megas. Considered the father of Icelandic rock, Megas is one of Iceland’s most influential rock musicians. He's been working as a professional musician since 1968, when he publis…
Seattle's i///u took home the top prize, but the evening provided fiery sets from Baja Boy, Huey and the InFLOWentials, and Alex Cade.
It's the return of the Runcast to the Weekly Mix! Hopefully this soundtrack inspires you to run, to keep running, and maybe even train for your first race. Whatever your level, this mix featuring Bombay Bicycle Club, DJ Shadow, Sibille Attar and Washed Out, is here to motivate.
The owls may not be what they seem, but neither does David Lynch. As a director, writer, musician, actor, artist, even furniture designer, he truly does it all. It's no surprise that his surrealistic influence extends to the music world, so on today, his 69th birthday, KEXP pays tribute to Lynch wi…
London-based group The Veils stopped by KEXP for a live session rich in gorgeous textures and thoughtful, lyrical compositions. Immediately, even before bandleader Finn Andrews' vocals begin, the joyous production strikes listeners via jaunty piano runs, bright brass melodies, and lively guitar rhy…
