Emma Pollock and the Hungry Pines

The Delgados were one of the best indie bands of the last decade, but I never got to see them live before they disbanded. They played the Crocodile after releasing their best album, Peloton, but I got sick and missed the show. I've always regretted missing it, and last Thursday's Emma Pollock show at the Crocodile was my best chance to remedy that.

Before Pollock took the stage, The Hungry Pines had their chance. They haven't released an album yet, but I thought they were exceptional. Their lead singer, the quite adorable Irene Barber, hid on the side of the stage and behind her bangs, but her confidence grew throughout the night. She has a surprising voice that allows the band to move from shoegaze to more indie pop sounds.

I found myself bobbing my head happily, getting into the songs in a way I rarely do for openers that I don't know. The rhythm section, center stage like the backbone of the band, was really solid -- and lead guitarist Chrysti Harrison added interest with some great licks. I think The Hungry Pines might become the hot new Seattle band over the next few months. Have a listen.

On to the headliner...

I had high expectations for Emma Pollock based on Watch the Fireworks, her stellar debut as a solo artist. She didn't quite live up to those expectations, but I think it had more to do with the crowd than her performance. The Crocodile is a small venue, but it felt empty as she took the stage. Noticeably empty, feel bad for the performer empty.

I might have started to feel bad for her, but she shook it off and came out rocking. The first couple songs were all glittery guitar goodness. Her voice was angelic -- It has always sounded great on record and it was a revelation live. Her band was solid. I thought I was about to be treated to one of those tiny shows that years later thousands of people claimed to have attended.

But then she slowed things down and the small crowd started to affect her. She did her best to deal with a couple rude drunks and the general lack of energy from the crowd, but I think she wasn't used to the small crowds after playing with the Delgados and then opening for New Pornographers. Despite some good onstage chatter about the Glasgow music scene and filming a video, she had lost her momentum.

I think Pollock's problem was that she didn't have enough songs to overcome the awkwardness of a small crowd. With just one album under her belt, she has only 5 really solid, rocking live songs that work in any situation: "Paper and Glue" (her best song live), "Acid Test", "If Silence Means That Much to You","Adrenaline," and "Hear Comes the Heartbreak." Those songs were great, but it might have been a more dynamic concert if she filled in the gaps with some Delgados songs -- they are partly hers after all. I know that would have helped me enjoy the show more and would have made up for my missing that Delgados show years ago.

It was a still a good show, and I'm still a fan of Watch the Fireworks. I guess my expectations just didn't match the audience.

Upcoming concerts:
Dec 4: Voxtrot, Tullycraft, and Math and Physics Club at Neumos
Dec 7: Scotland Yard Gospel Choir at the High Dive

Hold Steady and Art Brut at the HUB

Time to do some catching up...

A bit over a week ago I saw the Hold Steady and Art Brut at the HUB Ballroom on the UW campus. The HUB Ballroom is more like a high school cafeteria than a real concert venue -- never attend a concert there unless you must. The whole night would be a battle between the high quality of the bands and the terrible venue.

I showed up a song or two into Art Brut's set, apparently after Eddie Argos had a bit of a piss over the lack of booze and early start time at the HUB. He and his band were busy making it up to the still small but growing crowd. He'd ask, "Ready Art Brut?" and they'd bang their way through another song.

Argos's voice is an acquired taste, but he's in on it, which makes Art Brut all the more entertaining. After a couple songs he asked the sound guys to turn off his monitor, noting that he didn't actually sing, that he was fine with being off key, and that his bandmates really didn't want to hear him. The crowd did, though, and he got them going by jumping off stage and pogo-ing around the with crowd for a song.

As Art Brut ended their set, Argos apologized for his earlier negativity, but apologies were no longer necessary. He was already back in the crowd's good graces.

I expected Art Brut to be a good opening act, but with songs like "Emily Kane" and "Good Weekend" they made it more of a twin bill than I expected.

Next up was the headliner, The Hold Steady, one of my favorite, most literate bands. I'd seen the Hold Steady before, so I mostly knew what to expect, especially Craig Finn's hyperkinetic stage presence and twitchy white boy dancing.

I stood at the back of the room last time, so this time I got right up from -- close enough to see the Finn's spit fly, Franz Nicolay's tooth pick dance around his mouth, and Tad Kubler's fingers all over his guitar. Before forming the Hold Steady Kubler and Finn played together in Lifter Puller, and I noticed a camaraderie between them that I was surprised to have missed before.

They played a good mix of their albums, focusing less on Boys and Girls than they did on the last tour, and even trying out a couple new songs. They were particularly on for "Southtown Girls," which has become one of my favorites, in no small part because I grew up a few miles from Southtown Mall and because Nicollet, Lyndale, and Penn were the extent of my geography at a young age.

Unfortunately the sound was a mess for most of the night. "Massive Nights" sounded awful, the sing-along chorus turning into a muddled yell. And there were more stage problems, like the lights causing one of the monitors to start smoking.

The band dwelled on the lack of drinks at the HUB, which was understandable but almost sad as stage banter. The Hold Steady are a bar band, the kind of group you want to see with a drink in your hand, but they're also one of the best live bands around and have at least one of the best albums of the decade. If you can't enjoy them sober, drunk, or high, there's something wrong with you.

I guess that's a good way to summarize the night for me: Despite all the problems with the venue, it was still a good show by really good performers. I left with a T-shirt featuring the Hold Steady's take on the old Twins logo, firmly identifying with my fellow former Minneapolitans and quite content that I'd seen two bands in their prime.

Last Minute Seattle Voters Guide

The election is tomorrow, so I spent a good chunk of the weekend researching the initiatives, resolutions, and candidates on the ballot. Below you'll find a summary of how I plan to vote.

Initiative 960: Require supermajority for budget
Vote no.

This is a Tim Eyman initiative. If you are still reading and not running to vote against it, here's more reason to do so. California requires a supermajority to pass the budget. It always gets stalled, always hurts the state, and always ends up a compromised mess. This initiative relates to raising taxes, but will have a similar effect on legislative effectiveness, leaving us subject to the whims of the minority. To make this initiative even worse, it would cost over a million dollars in unnecessary paperwork.

Measure 67: Insurance Fairness
Vote yes.

If insurance companies wrongly deny claims, they pay a stiff penalty. This type of law exists in almost all states, and it makes good sense. Insurance coverage should not be a guessing game.

Resolution 8206: Rainy Day Fund
Vote yes.

Puts 1% of state revenues in a fund for bad times. While a constitutional amendment to make it happen seems like a bit much, the management of the fund and the rules for how it can be accessed make good sense.

Resolution 8212: Inmate Labor
Vote yes.

Letting inmates work at real jobs (inside prison) helps to pay the cost of the prison system and makes prisoners more likely to contribute to society when they get out.

Resolution 4204: School Levies by Simple Majority
Vote yes.

I don't have any kids, but I always vote for tax increases for public schools. Always. And I'm always disappointed when levies get a simple majority, but not the required supermajority to pass. This resolution fixes that problem and keeps the minority from denying our kids a quality education based on an aversion to taxes.

Resolution 4215: Higher Ed Investment Plan
Vote yes.

They want to invest higher education funds in more lucrative markets. This idea concerned me a bit at first because I don't want universities to lose their money, but state investors have successfully done the same thing with other funds for a long time. I trust them, and I like the idea of universities getting more money.

King County Prosecutor
Vote Bill Sherman.

Both candidates seem reasonably qualified here, but Scatterberg, who claims to be a nonpartisan Republican, was involved in some vote-counting funny business in the last election.

King County Assessor
Vote Scott Noble.

The only tricky thing about this choice is that the opponent's name is Jim Nobles. The guy without the "s" has been doing this job very well for a while. When part of government isn't broken, we should celebrate and vote in favor of that good work.

King County Council District 2
Vote Larry Gossett.

Unopposed.

King County Council District 4
Vote Larry Phillips.

Unopposed.

King County Council District 2
Vote Dow Constantine.

From what I read, Dow's been doing a good job. His opponent, John Potter, doesn't seem to be a serious candidate.

Port of Seattle Commissioner Position 2
Vote Gael Tarleton.

These Port positions are officially nonpartisan, but Gael is the pro-environment Democrat and her opponent is a faux-environmentalist Republican.

Port of Seattle Commissioner Position 5
Vote Alec Fisken.

Same as the other port position, just more so. Fisken eliminated much of the corruption on the port commission in his first term, and we need him to keep doing that.

Seattle City Council Position 1
Vote Jean Godden.

I usually lean away from incumbents and almost always lean toward the more liberal candidate. This is an exception. Godden is just a more complete candidate than Szwaja.

Seattle City Council Position 3
Vote Bruce Harrell.

This was a tight race until Velaquez's racist YouTube video and her drunk driving escapades. Harrell appears well qualified and obviously more responsible.

Seattle City Council Position 5
Vote Tom Rasmussen.

Unopposed.

Seattle City Council Position 7
Vote David J. Della.

This was a tough choice, at least at first. Della has been on the council for one term, and he didn't seem to do much. Burgess has endorsements from all the environmental groups. Based on that data I was leaning toward Burgess. But then I read way too much substantial evidence that Burgess is anti-gay and anti-women. Even if those views don't frequently impact city planning, I just don't want a leader with those views. Let's give Della a chance to show more initiative in his second term.

Seattle City Council Position 9
Vote Sally Clark.

This one is easy. Clark is one of Seattle's most effective city councilors. Her opponent, Judy Fenton, is running on a platform of removing a piece of public art that shows nudity.

Seattle Charter Amendment 17: Preamble
Vote yes.

The city council wants to add an innocuous preamble to the city charter. Doesn't do much for me either way, but blocking it seems stupid.

Seattle Charter Amendment 18: State of the City
Vote yes.

The mayor traditionally gives an address at the beginning of the year. For some reason that city charter says that he should give it at a less logical time. This is just a bookkeeping fix.

Seattle School District Director 1
Vote Peter Maier.

Both candidates are viable, I just don't like a couple of black spots on the incumbent's record. Soriana cost the district much trouble and money when she took her opposition to necessary and prudent school closures outside of the school board and to a legal venue. She also was against a bond to raise money for schools. Maier offers a fresh perspective and a long history of supporting public schools.

Seattle School District Director 2
Vote Sherry Carr.

I've read the the Seattle school board was dysfunctional, and now I've read that much of the blame could be placed on Darlene Flynn's shoulders. Her opponent, Sherry Carr has served as the president of the PTSA and is running specifically to make the board work again. I like the sound of that.

Seattle School District Director 3
Vote Harium Martin-Morris.

The other guy is a complete nut job.

Seattle School District Director 6
Vote Maria Ramirez.

Both candidates are reasonably well-qualified. The difference for me is that Sundquist has a history of helping students that don't need that much help. (Sending his daughter to private school and starting an IB program at his kids' school.) Ramirez has a history of helping disadvantaged students and working in the trenches. While I think that Sundquist might get more done on the job, I think that Ramirez's voice is invaluable for the board.

King County Initiative 25: Make Elections Director elected office
Vote no.

This position is nonpartisan because it is not an elected position. That is a good thing. The operations of an election should not be partisan.

King County Proposition 1: Medic One
Vote yes.

Medic One saves lives and costs little money. No one is against this proposition.

Sound Transit Proposition 1: Roads and Transit
Vote yes.

The proposal is expensive and imperfect, but it deals directly with the single biggest regional problem: transportation. Commuting here is a disaster. I'm excited by the prospect of all that rail transport and I think the money for roads actually makes sense. I'm willing to pay high sales tax for a better quality of life.