What a weekend! Musical extravaganza wraps up under sunny skies
P-I staffers review concerts performed in conjunction with the opening weekend of the Experience Music Project, with heavy emphasis on Sunday's shows. Among the shows reviewed are Northwest Showcase at Memorial Stadium and Early Northwest rock at the Mural Amphitheatre.
Big Jay McNeely was in supreme form; Bo Diddley was a charmer Roberta Penn: Big Jay McNeely took his show into the crowd, making his sax squawk and squeal like a healthy newborn. He was in supreme form and delighted the lawn full of old bikers, aging yuppies and their nouveau bohemian children.
DJ Nasir and the Sweet Mother Sound System in delicious groove D. Parvaz: Local openers DJ Nasir and the Sweet Mother Sound System did a beautiful thing and kicked off Saturday night's show at the Flag Pavilion with a delicious groove. We had spinnin' rekkids, booty-kicking conga drums, a guitar that sounded like something off the soundtrack for Shaft and this Clevinger that pulled its own weight and then some.
A bright afternoon doesn't do justice to IQU's music
Winda Benedetti: The sun sizzled and so did the music, as the open-aired Flag Plaza played host Saturday afternoon to four bands that ran the spectrum from electronica to country - a little something for everyone.
Friday
Rock marathon ushers in EMP
Get down, Seattle. The Experience Music Project's rock 'n' roll coronation ball nearly blew the doors off Memorial Stadium Friday night.
Patti Smith makes an impression Winda Benedetti: Patti Smith had a message for the EMP crowds last night. "So, you want to be a rock 'n' roll star," she growled, singing out the lyrics to the song of the same name. It was the second song of her set at Mural Amphitheater and it couldn't have been a more perfect selection considering the evening's celebration.
'Funk Blast' at Artist's Journey gives your booty a good shaking Winda Benedetti: Leave it to the EMP to put a spin on funk music with Artist's Journey, the music museum's much-ballyhooed "ride." I'm sad to say that for the kind of beaucoup bucks they put into "Funk Blast," the movie aspect of it is a bit underwhelming. The good news is, as far as the ride goes, Artist's Journey is pretty groovy.
Rickie Lee Jones gives fans a 'deluxe' performance Roberta Penn: Though her show started nearly 40 minutes late, singer/songwriter Rickie Lee Jones promised her fans a "deluxe set," and that's what she delivered last night in the Bagley Wright Theatre.
Pedro the Lion performance more of a meow than a roar Bill White: Pedro the Lion took the Flag Plaza stage promptly at 3 p.m. Friday with their passive folk rock. Carried by David Bazin's pleasant but inexpressive vocals, the band typifies a recent trend among Seattle bands, exemplified by wordy lyrics sung on fuzzy melodies over standard chord changes.
Brown delivers the goods Bill White: Outfitted like a character from a Jim Thompson novel, Junior Brown comes across like a Texas carnival barker circa 1954. The difference between Brown and a snake oil salesman is that Brown delivers the goods.
'Emerging Musicians' at EMP were as loud as they were diverse Jim Peterson: With music as diverse as the crowd, some Northwest rap, punk and indie rock groups and DJs were up bright and early to perform for the EMP's "Emerging Musicians Showcase" Friday on the Seattle Center's Mural Amphitheater stage. And, boy, was it loud!
EMP in Review
