Bloglander

SEATTLE — With a crowd of thousands ranging from young girls with flower crowns to full-grown men in cowboy hats, Harry Styles enchanted all during his performance at Key Arena in Seattle on Saturday.

Though he's touring his first solo album, Styles projected an air of confidence that made it seem like he'd been doing it for decades. Granted, he had plenty of previous experience from his time with boy band One Direction. And honestly, I'd be pretty self-assured too if I could make a crowd of people lose their minds by just flashing a smile.

Ear-bursting shrieks erupted at the sight of Styles, who sported a sheer, sparkly top, high-waisted white trousers and a cheeky grin.

He played the entirety of his self-titled album, but not before expressing his gratitude to the crowd for showing up to support an artist with only 10 songs to his name. In addition to his solo material, he played some new songs as well as a couple of One Direction covers, which pleased the inner 15-year-old in me immensely.

Styles kicked off the show with "Only Angel," a biting, Rolling Stones-esque hit that shows off his vocal range. The 24-year-old not only channeled his inner Jagger through his music, but through his stage presence as well. His dance moves were all hips and flailing limbs, and we couldn't get enough of it.

But the show was more than rock 'n' roll. It was a space where people of all ages seemed to come together to celebrate inclusivity. At the beginning of the show, Styles addressed the screaming fans, saying, "Please feel free to be whoever you would like to be tonight."

Rainbow flags dotted the crowd, and Styles paraded his own around stage during a grown-up cover of "What Makes You Beautiful."

The name of the next music venue opening in Spokane: the Lucky You Lounge.

It's the latest business venture from Karli and Caleb Ingersoll, the owners of all-ages concert venue the Bartlett, and it will fill the space formerly occupied by the Sunset Junction tavern at 1801 W. Sunset Blvd. in Browne's Addition.

At an unveiling event at the Bartlett last night, the Ingersolls said they hope to have the new place open by October or November.

"The people that fill up this space have made it possible for us to dream about the next space," Karli Ingersoll said after playing a video showing the progress of the new location. "When you guys come to shows and support live music, it makes us dream bigger."

"We wanted to make this space the best small venue you've ever been to," Caleb Ingersoll said to applause. "It's been amazing to see the life this place has taken over the years."

During the event, the Ingersolls announced that the Bartlett sold 14,000 tickets in 2017. They name checked the owners of the Observatory, the Big Dipper and the Red Room Lounge for supporting their ventures and helping create a more vibrant music scene in Spokane. They also praised local business owner and developer Dan Spalding, who leases both the Bartlett and the Sunset Junction building to the Ingersolls.

Some other details about the new space: Lucky You will be a 21+ venue, and it will be equipped with two full bars and a restaurant. Unlike the Bartlett, Lucky You will be open every day for business, regardless of whether a show is going on. The capacity will likely be between 350 and 400; the Bartlett's current capacity is 150. The Ingersolls hope the larger space will attract touring bands that typically skip over Spokane.

According to the Bartlett's Instagram, they've raised $35,000 to finish the project and are aiming for a fundraising goal of $40,000. You can purchase shirts, tickets and passes here to contribute to the cause.

You can follow Lucky You on Facebook for updates.

If you ever doubt the power of nostalgia to inspire people to pluck down their hard-earned money and party down, you should check out one of these traveling package tours like the "I Love the '90s" show that stopped by Northern Quest Resort & Casino Thursday night.

A lineup of Young MC, Color Me Badd, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Salt-n-Pepa and Vanilla Ice nearly filled the newly reconfigured outdoor stage at Northern Quest, drawing fans of all ages (thanks to parents bringing their kids along) to pay between $40 and $80 for a few hours of fond memories, and performances that ranged from lackluster to highly entertaining.

The best part of these multi-act packages is that they're designed to be all-killer, no-filler, meaning the audience gets the hits and few (if any) new songs. That would explain why opener Young MC only did two songs (maybe three — it was hard to tell as I was stuck in the Will Call line when he started, more on that issue below), and "Bust a Move" was clearly the one the crowd knew. Good thing, since the not-so-Young MC had the audience "sing" roughly every other line.

The rest of the artists involved all had plenty of fans going totally apeshit at the sounds of, say, Color Me Badd's "I Wanna Sex You Up," or Salt-n-Pepa's "Push It." It seemed like there were a lot of birthday parties or bachelorette parties going on — either that or people have started wearing the exact same Vanilla Ice t-shirt in groups of 10 when they go out together.

Cut the mics: Sasquatch!, the annual music festival that has taken over the Gorge Amphitheatre every Memorial Day weekend since 2002, is reportedly coming to an end.

"I will no longer be producing the Festival, nor will it take place in 2019," Sasquatch! founder Adam Zacks wrote in an email announcement that was reprinted by Willamette Week earlier today.

"17 years is a long time to do anything. The Beatles lasted a mere 8 years, a fact so astonishing it is difficult to believe," Zacks' statement continues, referring to the breakneck pace with which the Fab Four released its string of groundbreaking albums. "While we didn't accomplish anything as indelible as 'Hey Jude,' the Festival left a lasting mark and proudly represented an independent spirit."

Several Inlander reporters attended the most recent Sasquatch! just last month, which attracted thousands with a lineup that included the likes of Bon Iver, Modest Mouse and David Byrne. Over the years, Sasquatch! has brought everyone from Kanye West to the Cure to Coldplay to the small town of George, Wash., and the fest was regularly selling out (often in a matter of hours) at its height.

But attendance had been dwindling since a failed attempt to expand Sasquatch! to two weekends in 2014. It was reported in the Oregonian that despite the Gorge's 25,000-person capacity, only about 11,000 ticket holders showed up in 2016. Passes for the festival had also ballooned to $325 this year, a price tag that doesn't include the additional cost of camping for the weekend.

Regardless of the reason, the cancellation of Sasquatch! is clearly a major loss for the festival culture, and for live music in Washington.

"May the spirit that made Sasquatch! so special live on. Onward to the next adventure," Zacks' statement ends.

Consider yourselves warned: the Insane Clown Posse is heading to Spokane for a show at The Pin! on Aug. 14. The Detroit duo will be joined by a slate of guests yet to be announced, but suffice to say, ICP is the reason every Juggalo in the region will be descending on downtown Spokane on a Tuesday night when Tech N9ne isn't around.

The makeup-clad hip-hoppers are considered a full-on gang worthy of FBI attention by some, and revered as the inspiring heads of a vibrant creative community by others. I don't know their music well at all except for the occasional YouTube clip, but I always like reading the entertaining stories about their various controversies.

ICP tickets are $25 and on sale now through the Monumental Shows website. 

Veteran punk rockers D.O.A. got a taste of one of Spokane’s most prevalent crimes after playing a show at the Pin on June 16.

The band’s “D.O.A.” banner had been stolen, along with various band merchandise, gear and drummer Paddy Duddy’s “legendary snare” after their van was broken into. While that’s all infuriating, “the big hit,” the band says was the stolen banner, which they've had since 1985.

“It's irreplaceable, we need to get it back. Spokane folks and punks everywhere. You can't miss it, it's 20 feet wide. Reward is being offered, no questions asked,” the band reported on Facebook.
On behalf of Spokane… Sorry! That seriously, seriously sucks.

Dusty O’Brien from local Spokane band Wasted Breath said it even better:

“I want to formally apologize for what happened with your gear and banner. It's always VERY embarrassing when things like this happen in our hometown. It doesn't very often, but when it does, the entire community feels responsible."

So true. Except it does happen pretty often, if you recall our February story on Spokane’s vehicle-theft rate.

“We are doing our best to get the word out. We have our record label, promoters, friends, & other local bands keeping an eye out. Collectively we will work towards finding as many of your belongings as possible. We hope this doesn't deter you from returning to the area in the future. Saturday night was amazing & Spokane punks rarely have have an opportunity to play with bands of your stature in the Inland Northwest. It is a huge disappointment when the actions of few can potentially ruin opportunities for the many good & respectable musicians in the area. We will keep in touch!" O'Brien continued.

So. If you happen to possess a giant punk-rock banner that isn’t yours, we’d ask that you remember: “Reward is being offered, no questions asked.”

The owners of the Bartlett, one of downtown Spokane's most popular all-ages music venues, have announced they will be opening a second — and bigger — venue.

"We've seen a need in the music community for a larger, high quality space and we are ready to make that happen," reads a Facebook event page titled "Kickstart The Bartlett 2.0." "We have signed a lease on a 10,000 square foot space and we are thrilled."

That location? The former Sunset Junction dive bar at 1801 W. Sunset Blvd., a red and white rectangular building on the edge of Browne's Addition that was most recently a Mexican restaurant. Construction has already begun, though a grand opening date has yet to be announced.

The Bartlett was opened in 2013 by owners Karli and Caleb Ingersoll, who have long been involved in Spokane's music scene and envisioned the venue as a go-to spot for both local and touring musicians. The current space holds 150 people, and though the new location's capacity has yet to be determined, the Inlander confirmed that it will exceed the Bartlett's.

Details about the new venture will be revealed during a fundraising event at the Bartlett on June 28, which has a lofty end goal of $40,000. The evening will be open to the public, and you can buy tickets here for $20.

Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy is swinging through Spokane on Wednesday, Sept. 26, for a show at the Bing Crosby Theater.

Tickets for the show, $49 and $60, go on sale at 7 pm on Thursday, June 14, via the Bing's website and TicketsWest outlets.

Tweedy's solo tours have become celebrations of the singer/songwriter's sprawling career that includes nearly a quarter-century fronting Wilco, seven years and four albums with Uncle Tupelo before Wilco's formation and writing and producing for the likes of Mavis Staples, the Minus 5 and others.

His most recent solo album, Together At Last, is essentially a version of his solo shows — it's him in a studio reconfiguring songs from his past Wilco, Golden Smog and Loose Fur releases. Expect to hear those and many more at his show in Spokane this fall.

Here's a clip of Tweedy doing "Sunken Treasure" solo-style:

A few years back I was watching a Steve Earle concert when I had one of those realizations that comes along every now and again when you're witnessing something special:

"Don't ever miss Steve Earle in concert."

Those are true words to live by for any fans of the notoriously loudmouthed, country-tinged troubadour, and even for folks who aren't privy to his excellence (yet) — so prepare thee to get some tickets for his just-announced show this fall, where he'll be joined by his band the Dukes for a gig at the Bing Crosby Theater.

Tickets for Steve Earle & the Dukes, playing Oct. 1 at the Bing, are $39.50 and $50, and go on sale this Friday at 10 am through the usual TicketsWest outlets and the Knitting Factory website.

Earle, a three-time Grammy winner and 11-time nominee, has released 20 albums over the course of his career. His latest with the Dukes is So You Wanna Be An Outlaw, and it's another fine addition to a catalog that moves between country, folk, rock and blues with ease. I've seen Earle several times through the years, most recently on his tour through Spokane with Shawn Colvin; that show was killer, and he's never disappointed when I've seen him.

In addition to making music, Earle is an actor, novelist, playwright, radio host and activist who works tirelessly in opposition to the death penalty and in favor of removing vestiges of the racist American South. So leave your Confederate flags at home, please.

Here's the title track from Earle's latest album:

It's the Tuesday after Memorial Day, and another Sasquatch! Music Festival is in the books. Was it a success? Well, I don't know. Would you call a weekend that involves hundreds of people "mass twerking" toward the Columbia River during Lizzo's awesome show a success? I'd say so.

Of course everyone has their own unique experience during the festival, but overall this year's Sasquatch! went relatively smoothly. The weather (mostly) was comfortable, there were no major cancellations and, most importantly, everyone made it out alive. In case you missed out, or you want to relive a great weekend, here are some of the highlights, along with some things to keep in mind for next year.

Butterflies were a thing
Every year there seems to be a new fashion trend at Sasquatch!. Last year, it was glitter everywhere. In 2015? Flowers. This year, I saw people wearing what looked like butterfly wings all over the place. It makes sense — it's much more comfortable in the hot weather than, say, the guy walking around in a hotdog costume.


Vince Staples knew his crowd
With the crowd in the palm of his hand during his show, Vince Staples did what any good performer does when they're about to play another hit song: He asked everyone to sing along. But then, he paused for a second, looking out at the sea of mostly white faces, and added, "...if you feel comfortable." The song had the N-word in the chorus, and as it turned out, not very many people did feel comfortable. It didn't really impact the vibe. But the "who can say the N-word" conversation is one that Staples would rather not have, as he tweeted recently. Later, he made fun of the crowd for only being there to see Bon Iver, who came on later Friday night.