Black Friday is upon us, and nothing makes us happier than the blackest black of a vinyl record! This year's Black Friday is extra special for us, as local label Light In The Attic Records will be opening a store in the KEXP Gathering Space, bringing the exclusive, limited-edition releases right to…
Recent losses getting you down? The weather seeming too bleak? Then come down to the Tractor Tavern this Wednesday for My bubba. The Nordic duo might not cure all your ills, but their infectious "sensual folk" is sure to offer at least one night of bliss. Their last (and first!) show in Seattle thi…
A sizable crowd gathered at KEX Hostel quite early in the day to catch strange and wonderful music from young English experimental electro-pop duo Let's Eat Grandma. The teenage band is comprised of lifelong best friends Rosa and Jenny, who display wisdom and musical prowess well beyond their years…
When I first ever heard of Steve Albini's provocatively-named band between Big Black and Shellac (after they'd ceased operations) I was already a fan of his, so I just kinda rolled my eyes and thought "ah, there goes ol' Steve again, ruffling feathers and pushing buttons." Being a fairly sheltered …
DJ Goo Goo is the alias of Travis Ritter, a Seattle-based record collector, DJ, writer, graphic designer, and the founder/curator behind Aesthetic Mess, a monthly showcase that happens every second Wednesday at Timbre Room, featuring local post-punk and electronic live acts and guest DJs. Ever sinc…
Every year, EMP's Sound Off! competition showcases emerging stars in the all-ages music scene. Previous winners have included The Lonely Forest, Dyme Def, Sol, Kithkin, Brothers from Another, Manatee Commune, Fauna Shade, Schoolyard Heroes, Tomten, and Brite Futures, just to name a few. COSMOS took…
What happens when you strip away the feedback and distortion that defines a genre like shoegaze? Without all the fuzz, what of value remains? In the case of British band Ride, apparently quite a lot. Somewhat like shaving a cat only to find a bigger one underneath, we discovered during an acoustic …
Who could forget that impassioned performance from Future Islands on the Late Show with David Letterman last year? (Watch it again here.) Letterman was so wow'ed, he brought the guys back last night where they performed their single "The Chase," just released the other week for Record Store Day. A…
Sometimes a record excites you so much that you lose your critical and verbal faculties, and all you can do is jump up and down and shout "Woooooo-hooooo!" - or perhaps control your muscles just enough to write "Wooooooo-hooooo!" on a little sticker and slap it on said record. Executive Slacks' Nau…
It’s time to blast off to 1992... in 2015! Cairo’s EXPO 92 mini-festival takes place this Thursday through Saturday at the Capitol Hill all-ages venue and vintage store, showcasing exciting and vital local talent. Now in its seventh year, EXPO’s three day lineup is as much an opportunity to let you…
Both Friday and Saturday's Decibel Festival festivities were stacked top to bottom with incredibly good sets, at pretty much every venue in the greater Seattle area. And somehow this year, the festival organizers have done an incredible job at giving each set an incredible sense of creative continu…
Earlier this month, KEXP returned to the magical space of the Bunny Glade during Pickathon 2014 to capture intimate acoustic sessions in this wooded oasis. Each of the 17 exclusive performances were special, but one of the most endearing moments for sure took place during Valerie June's set when a …
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosp…
Join us for Hood-to-Hood Day 2014. Today, KEXP invades Ballard to celebrate the ninth-annual Hood-to-Hood Day! From noon to 5:00 PM, we'll be broadcasting live from Hillard's Beer Taproom, featuring three bands for free, all-ages performances among the many fermentation tanks in the brewery. Today'…
If, after hearing Juana Molina's surreal yet powerful music, we were to tell you that that the Latin American legend has also voice-acted as Elastagirl for the Argentine dub of The Incredibles, would you believe us? Would you trust us if we told you that she began her career in show business in ord…
Last year, local label Barsuk Records celebrated its 15th anniversary, and to celebrate we invited three of their artists to the KEXP studios: Nada Surf frontman Matthew Caws, Jesse Sykes, and The Long Winters frontman John Roderick. All three of these artists were celebrating the 10th anniversary …
Get ready of an alt-country battle royale when local musicians take on the songs of Uncle Tupelo vs. The Jayhawks on Thursday, January 30th at the Tractor Tavern! Don Slack of KEXP's Swingin' Doors will referee the rockin' ruckus, but really, everyone wins because all proceeds from this event go to…
Five years is way too long for a visit from Midlake, but let's just say the hauntingly-beautiful folk-rock group from Denton, Texas had a good reason. After spending two years recording in the farm, frontman and founding member Tim Smith announced he was leaving the band. Rather than break-up, the …
There’s no sleep for The Flaming Lips this year. After releasing the uncharacteristically dark (but well received) concept album The Terror in the first half of the year and playing a string of supporting dates (including a headliner spot at this year’s Capitol Hill Block Party), the Lips went back…
As festival organizers can tell you, sometimes everything doesn't go to plan. With all of the moving pieces involved in a fest, it's not too uncommon that you have to replace an act, and occasionally cancel parts of the festival. (In one recent case, one festival had to evacuate 60,000+ people in t…
