USC Events' birthday bash is always a prime spot for catching some of the biggest names in electronic music. And the Crystal Method is among the big deals coming to USC 12, which is set for Saturday (May 30) at Seattle’s WaMu Theatre.

Recently, I caught up with Scott Kirkland, half of the electronic duo, which is best known for '90s hits "Keep Hope Alive" and "Name of the Game." Click the links to hear what he had to say about …

… early tour experiences in Seattle …

… collaborating with Peter Hook, Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle and others on the new “Divided by Night” album …

… and the increasingly blurred lines between electronic music and other styles.

Just added a fresh batch of local cuts to the South Sound Mix Tape player in case you haven't noticed. Check 'em out and click the artists' links. Recently added:

"Newton's Third Law" by Leanne Trevalyan, from her new solo joint "Dandelion" ... See her Saturday at Jazzbones.)

"The Eternal Battle" by John Walker and the Hitchhikers from their "Why Can't I Have a Normal John Walker and the Hitchhikers Like Everyone Else?" disc

"Wanna Fall in Love" by Vicci Martinez, recorded live at the Swiss Pub

"Lay Me Down" from Matt Coughlin's "Let It Go" disc

"Walking Down the Sidewalk" by Tacoma's Deborah Page

Randy Oxford just texted me back. He's moving the Wednesday night jam from Jazzbones to Chopstix. You know, way over on the other side of the street and a block away. I'm slightly taken aback since I was guessing Masa or Sax.

Trumpeter Randy Oxford has run the Wednesday night jam over at Jazzbones for 4 1/2 years, and tonight is the last one. He just sent out a text saying there will be an announcement about moving to another Sixth Avenue location. Hmmm. That narrows it down a bit.

One Reel announced another round of artists that have been added to Bumershoot 2009, which is scheduled for Sept. 5 to 7 at Seattle Center. The latest additions include Jason Mraz, Kasabian, Audrye Sessions, the Knux, Akron/Family, Vivian Girls, the Devil Makes Three, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Maximo Park, Wale with UCB, Mira, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, 3 Inches of Blood and U.S.E.

Find a full schedule and ticket information here.

OK, so I’m not live from Sasquatch any more. But I had to share a few more pics. Plus, this post is kind of a Critic’s iPod thing, too, since you can click on the links in the cut lines below to hear samples from all the CD’s I picked up at the Gorge.

Also, scroll down the Nine Inch Nails set list and click on the first couple of songs for something special (but well within “fair usage” standards. Too bad my recorder conked out before Reznor and company covered Gary Numan’s “Metal.”

South African indie-rock outfit BLK JKS features (from top) singer-guitarist Lindani Buthelezi, guitarist Mpumelelo Mcata, Molefi Makananise and drummer Tshepang Ramoba on the Yeti Stage. I knew next to nothing about the band - which blends prog-rock and dub into its trippy, uplifting sound - but checked them out on the Yeti stage at the insistence of Seattle Weekly’s new music editor, Jonathan Cunningham. I like! Good pick, J.C. Listen: "Summertime, "Lakeside".

ERNEST JASMIN

=> Read more!

Neko Case's homecoming concert will take place in less than a week at the Pantages. And I stumbled onto this cool interview she did with Canada's QTV. Been a while since she's wanted to do interviews with her hometown paper, though. I'll have to see if I can dig up the tape of the last one I did with her and convert it to MP3 for you all between now and the show.

I was planning to wait until I got back to Tacoma to post a Sasquatch photo gallery. But after witnessing Tel Aviv garage-rock madmen Israel's Monotonix over at the Sasquatch Music Festival's Wookie stage, I had to give you a little taste of what you may have missed. Check it out.

Things I learned about Monotonix today: They don't like the actually use the stage, instead preferring to set up shop amid or even on top of their fans. Ring master Ami Shalev demands lots of crowd participation. Plus, he sweats a lot. (Ewww! He got some on me as I took these shots.) And just in case you still doubt their bad boy credentials, their bio in the Sasquatch festival guide says they've "had the cops called on them more times than you." Unless, of course, you're DMX, of course. Click here to see what happened last time they did Bumbershoot.

ERNEST JASMIN

TV on the Radio's set at Sasquatch earlier today? Fabulous, befitting a band that will, deservedly, be headlining arenas next couple of years. "Young Liars" was transcendent absolutely transcendent. And it was fun seeing comedian Aziz Ansaris (and a couple of other celebs I couldn't identify from where I was standing) helping out with percussion on "A Method."

"I wish I could go back in time and tell my teenage self that I would be playing music on the same stage as Jane's Addiction," shaggy bearded singer-guitarist Kyp Malone early in the set, after "Wolf Like Me." "It's pretty sweet."

"It's pretty f----- sweet," agreed singer and "Rachel Getting Married" star Tunde Adebimpe before the band launched into "Blue Down Here" from the "Return to Cookie Mountain" CD.

Apologies to Jane's Addiction, though. But Nine Inch Nails set should have topped the bill today. I am covered in sweat and beer and probably bruises after jumping around in the pit. And I'd have to rate it one of my favorite concert experiences ever, all the more memorable for being Nails' final Washington tour stop, if Trent Reznor's declared intent to quit touring is to be believed. Let's hope not.

“This is one of my favorite places in the world to play. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than here right now,” said Reznor, one of several artists (also Mos Def, TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone) to shout out the Gorge's majestic beauty.

Nails' set was equally gorgeous. Reznor and company shed the mind-blowing special effects from last year's tour and, through the haze of faux fog, let the music do the talking.

During a set list that focused a little more than usual on 1999 double album "The Fragile," the songs spoke volumes. Nails' set featured heaviest version of "Terrible Lie" I've heard the band; a reverent cover of "Metal," an underrated cult classic by Reznor's idol, Gary Numan; Nails rarity "Burn," from the "Natural Born Killers" soundtrack; and intense performances of "The Becoming" and the title cut from the aforementioned "Fragile" disc. Before making way for tour mates, Jane's Addiction, the band capped things off with a cathartic encore that consisted of just about the only track Reznor could say good-bye with - signature ballad "Hurt."

Not sure I can give you the entire set list considering how badly the ink in my note pad is smudged. But here's most of it, anyway. Anyone else who witnessed this happening feel free to chime in on the cuts the cuts I'm missing here.

Nine Inch Nails set list *
Sasquatch Festival, Gorge Amphitheatre
May 24, 2009

Home
Somewhat Damaged
1,000,000
Terrible Lie
March of the Pigs
Metal (Gary Numan)
The Becoming
Echoplex
I Do Not Want This
Burn
Gave Up
La Mer
The Fragile
"Ghosts" instrumental/ The Way Out Is Through
Wish
Survivalism
Hand that Feeds
Head Like a Hole

Encore:
Hurt

* Props to reader Aaron K who helped fill in a couple of gaps in my soggy notes.

The early Saturday Sasquatch buzz was about super-group Street Sweeper Social Club. But this afternoon that was overshadowed by the over-the-top spectacle of Murder City Devils front man Spencer Moody, whose belligerent antics are sure to warrant a few mentions in Spin and the other nation media on site.

Said antics included staggering and rolling around the main stage; stuffing the microphone in his mouth and screaming when (I'm guessing) he forgot the words (and he did this often); pausing, appearing to unzip his pants, possibly to water the front row. [Update: A source tells me he was actually giving one of the photogs a special but probably unwanted shot]. Oh, and he made out with several dudes, including guitarist Dann Gallucci and some skinny fella he picked up carried across the stage for several moments.

Based on Moody's semi-coherent ranting there seemed to be some underlying point about homophobia. “Sometimes now we play these shows,” he slurred a few songs into the set, “and I just see a bunch of disgusting high school jocks in the audience, and what we do is for all the beautiful (ironically used gay slur).”

He continuously baited the crowd and, at one point, demanded that all the heterosexuals turn around and face the other way lest he assume they were "homosexuals like us." I didn't see any morons fall for this, though I did spy a few one-finger salutes. And while I don't claim to know anything about Moody's sexual orientation, I'm guessing his shenanigans were mostly calculated to piss a few close-minded people off, add to his band's notoriety and maybe generate some publicity in the process.

As a fan of Iggy Pop/Jim Morrison-style nuttiness I found the whole thing pretty hilarious, even if the shtick wore thin after a minute. And I have to admit to being a bit bummed as Moody plodded and screamed through and off-beat rendition of my favorite MCD cut, "I Want a Lot (So Come On)," seemingly only vaguely aware of what his band mates were playing. But, hey, whaddaya gonna do?

OK, enough typing. TV on the Radio is on, and that means I gotta bounce. Big time. Check back for updates.

A few of you may remember back in 2006 when I broke some news about the Coup’s Boots Riley and Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave shredder Tom Morello teaming up for a new super-group, called Street Sweeper Social Club.

Well, it took long enough for 'em to unveil their project to the world at large, but looks like it’s gonna be worth the wait based on their main stage set here at Sasquatch this afternoon.

SSSC has easily generated the biggest buzz on day two of the festival. The band’s self-titled debut is due on June 16, so mark your calendars. And I managed to scored a bit of face time with the pop provocateurs shortly after their set.

Click the links below to hear clips from my interview. After I get back in Tacoma, I’ll see if I can't get you all some video to look at, too.

Boots (first voice) and Tom talk about how they hooked up.

Tom on how even he was surprised by the three-quarters Soundgarden reunion that happened when they played Seattle in March.

OK, so I’m finally connected and I’ve got a couple of things to report from Sasquatch. For starters, Live Nation has switched the layout around quite a bit. The comedy/dance stage has migrated to the field where the Wookie stage was last year and it’s a lot bigger and covered. I’m blowing off the massively annoying Tim & Eric’s performance there as we speak. And the Wookie stage is a lot bigger, too, and looks kind of like a scaled down version of the main stage.

I’ve been dealing with tech issues and have been trying to stay hydrated. It’s hella hot this year, y’all, with Honey Buckets that feel like old-school prison sweat boxes, but stinkier. But I’ve managed to check out a full set by the oddly named Mount St. Helen’s Vietnam Band which, thanks to savvy marketing and an odd back story, seems destined to follow Fleet Foxes as Seattle’s next “it” band.

I was skeptical of the hype, which led to a recent mention by Spin, since it didn’t seem as if these guys have actually played many shows. They play an angular style of dance-rock that’s sure to draw comparisons to Franz Ferdinand, with lots of stop-start rhythms. And I kind of dug ‘em. Will have to pick up a copy of their self-titled debut at the merch booth to fully digest.

And I spoke to drummer Marshall Verdoes, who has generated a little buzz of his own, and not just because of his kinetic, Brann Dailor-style drum fills, but also because the guy won’t be able to drive legally for another two years. He told me he just turned 14 after the set. And he’s actually band leader Benjamin Verdoes brother, despite the fact that they look nothing alike and Benjamin is 13 years older. The singer-guitarist's mother adopted Marshall when he was a baby, according to the Spin profile, which you can read here.

Forgot to ask him about his bands odd uniforms, which feature mustard-colored pants and wallpapery vests. Oh well. I’ll have to look that up later.

OK, less typing, more music. Think I’ll hoof it on over to the Wookie stage for Mos Def next.

Top: Mount St. Helens Vietnam band's Benjamin Verdoes and percussionist-wife Traci Eggleston. Bottom: The new comedy-dance stage setup.
ERNEST JASMIN

In case you haven’t guessed by now, I’ll be headed down I-90 to the ol’ Sasquatch Fest this weekend. It’s a no-brainer. All those amazing bands in one spot? That breathtaking backdrop? The fresh, desert air? I looove the S’quatch! It’s a highlight of my year every year. You know, in spite of the two-hour shower lines. And even when the weather gets all apocalyptic and whatnot, like the time hail and lightning chased Neko Case off the main stage a few years back. (Note to self: Think like Bear Gryls when you pack tonight.)

Anyway, the point is that you should check back often this weekend. The plan is to post photos, updates and maybe an interview clip or two a couple of times a day depending on who's hanging out near the press trailer.

Kings of Leon, Jane’s Addiction and Ben Harper’s new band, the Restless 7, will headline the main stage this year, on Saturday, Sunday and Memorial Day, respectively. (See the full lineup here.) But I’ll focus on several of the acts playing Sasquatch’s three stages and the comedy tent earlier each day, too. You better believe I’ll have something to say about Nine Inch Nails’ possibly last tour stop in Washington. (Trent Reznor announced plans to quit touring indefinitely, in case you missed it. Read Paste's report on that here.) And hopefully I’ll get a chance to snap a few pics of our local boy Vince Mira, who tells me he’s added some new originals to his set, along with his Johnny Cash and Dylan covers.

Bookmark, and check out the Twitter, yo. Out.

The view at Sasquatch 2008.
ERNEST JASMIN

OK, I feel a little guilty about spending so much blog space pimping Sasquatch this week. Hey, what can I say? I love the Gorge, Nine Inch Nails and TV on the Radio. Put ‘em all together and I get a little geeked.

But here are 10 Memorial Day weekend options that are closer to home and, frankly, cheaper. Click the links for more info:

Tacoma Jazz and Blues Festival, featuring Rich Wetzel’s Groovin’ Higher Jazz Orchestra, Michael Powers, Charles White and more, Saturday @ Freighthouse Square, Varsity Grill and Harmon Brewery

D.O.A., Saturday @ Hell’s Kitchen

Randy Hansen, Saturday @ Jazzbones

Daniel Blue’s Motopony @ Point Defiance Casino

K.C. & the Sunshine Band @ Emerald Queen Casino

Gabriel Rutledge, Friday and Saturday @ Comedy Underground (Cans)

Pam Tillis, Saturday @ Snoqualmie Casino

The Melvins and Green River, Friday and Saturday @ Showbox at the Market (and just try not to bang your head as you watch this clip of King Buzzo playing "The Bit" with Mastodon.)

Map the Soul Asian hip-hop showcase, featuring Epik High, Far East Movement and Kero One, Saturday @ King Cat Theatre (Epik High will do an in-store at the Verizon Wireless store at 2125 S. 320th St., in Federal Way at 1 p.m. Sunday)

Northwest Folklife Festival, Friday through Monday @ Seattle Center

The South Sound Mix Tape just didn't seem complete without something from the Ventures. You know, only the biggest and most influential band to hail from T-town. The version of "Surf Rider" I just posted comes from "Two Car Garage," the 50th anniversary CD they recorded with fellow hometown heroes, the Wailers.

You can also click here to listen to some of my most recent interview clips with the Ventures' Don Wilson and the Wailers' Buck Ormsby ...

... or here for a recap and set list from the 50th anniversary shindig at the Moore.

Federal Way’s Vince Mira may have just turned 17, but he’s already parlayed quite a bit with his spot-on Johnny Cash covers. The Teen in Black (a.k.a. Juanny Cash) mostly played for tips back in 2007, the year an appearance on Seattle's Channel 5 led to gigs on “Good Morning America” and “Ellen: The Ellen Degeneres Show."

Last year, Mira released his debut album, “Cash Cabin Sessions,” which was produced by Johnny Cash's son, John Carter Cash. His appearance at Pike Place Market’s 100th anniversary concert a while back led to a friendship with Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard who recently recorded Mira for a forthcoming Hank Williams tribute. And at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, the teen troubadour will take the main stage at the Gorge’s Sasquatch festival for the first time.

Not bad for a guy who’s barely old enough to drive. Hey, before long he may be as famous as that other guy from Todd Beamer High School. You know, the Sanjaya? And what are they putting in the lunches up there, anway?

Click here...

... to listen to outtakes from my interview with Mira expressing his desire to be more than a Johnny Cash tribute act and laying out his plans for the rest of 2009.

Music fans who are sticking close to home for Memorial Day weekend will want to check out the sixth annual Tacoma Jazz and Blues Festival, which will take over three Tacoma venues on Saturday (May 23). The schedule is below. Click on the band and festival links for more info.

Big bands at Freighthouse Square

1 p.m. Johnny Lewis Big Band
2:30 p.m. Roadside Attraction
4 p.m. MOJO (Mukilteo’s Outrageous Jazz Orchestra)
5:30 p.m. Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra

Jazz combos at Varsity Grill
12:30 p.m. Cayuco
2 p.m. Hook Me Up
3:30 p.m. Darren Motamedy
5 p.m. Michael Powers

Blues at the Harmon Brewery

12:30 p.m. In The House
2 p.m. The Michal Miller Band
3:30 p.m. Maia Santell and House Blend
5 p.m. p.m. Charles White

Two more acts I plan to check out at Sasquatch over Memorial Day weekend. Two more days, y'all!

The South Sound Blues Association's Gary Grape sent me an updated lineup for the upcoming Back to Beale Street Blues competition this morning. The event will be held on June 7 at Jazzbones, and the aim is to pick local a local act to compete in the Blues Foundation International Blues Challenge, which is slated for Jan. 20 to 23 in Memphis.

Back to Beale Street Blues Competition lineup
Doors open at 1 p.m. June 7 at Jazzbones

Solo/duo acts
2 p.m. Malcolm Clark
2:30 p.m. Heather BBlues & Hurricane Andrew
3 p.m. J.D. Hobson
3:30 p.m. Junkyard Duo

Bands
4 p.m. The Randy Oxford Band
4:45 p.m. Stacy Jones Band
5:30 p.m. The Wright Brothers
6:15 p.m. The Mary McPage Band
7 p.m. Cold Shot
7:45 p.m. The Al Earick Band
8:30 p.m. The Wired Band
9:15 p.m. Blues Redemption
10 p.m. The Cody Rentas Band

Two more reasons to be geeked for Sasquatch this weekend. Here's Erykah Badu performing her ethereal jam "The Healer." She'll hit the Gorge's main stage at 7:30 p.m. Monday (May 25).

Last time I saw her, she was at Dave Chappelle's Block Party show in Seattle. Hmmmm. Who else rocked it that day? Oh yeah! The mighty, mighty Mos Def, one of my favorite hip-hop lyricists of all time. His set is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday on the Wookie stage. But you never know. Maybe you'll catch him kickin' it in the middle of a cipher like this ...

Conan O'Brien takes over NBC-TV's "The Tonight Show" on June 1, and Seattle rock heroes Pearl Jam will help him celebrate the occasion. So will Will Ferrell who hopefully isn't out promoting another horrible sports comedy coming out this year. I still want my money back from "Semi-Pro." More details on Pearl Jam's fan site.

I just added "Red Tape Parade," from Seaweed's "Actions and Indications" disc, to the South Sound Mix Tape player. I put Deborah Page's ballad "Down" on there, too. Still working on a clean copy of Gold Teeth's ridiculously awesome "Robots vs. Zombies." You know, one that doesn't sound like garbage if you're using Internet Explorer. It plays fine on my computer if I use Mozilla's Firefox. Or just surf on over to their MySpace, which is right ... here.

Just got an announcement about country megastar Kenny Chesney making surprise appearances in parking lots along his summer tour. He'll be at Qwest Field on Aug. 1 with Sugarland, Montgomery Gentry and Lady Antebellum adding support. But simma down, stalkers. If he learned anything from what happened to Tim McGraw when he was last here, he'll have extra bodyguards in tow.

From the press release:

Four-time winner of the Academy of Country Music Awards’ Entertainer of the Year Award, Kenny Chesney, will appear, not only on stage, but in stadium parking lots this summer for the Corona Tailgate series on his “Sun City Carnival Tour.”

[snip]

Never one to miss a good party with Corona beer, Chesney plans to surprise and mingle with fans at two undisclosed Corona Tailgates out of eleven select cities on his “Sun City Carnival Tour.”

Portland singer-songwriter will be there, hopefully playing my favorite song of his, "Requiem."

Sasquatch is a highlight of my year every year. The full schedule for this year's festival is available here. And in the days leading up to this weekend's action, I'll post some cool clips I found featuring some of the bands I'm most excited to see. For starters, here's live video of Trent Reznor playing mellow Nine Inch Nails rarity, "Non-Entity," and TV on the Radio's howling delivery of "Wolf Like Me" from Letterman. Enjoy!

Two things have been in abundant supply for Fleetwood Mac during the band’s first four decades: Smash hits and behind the scenes drama.

The legendary rock outfit packed plenty of the former into a monster, 22-song greatest hits set Saturday night at the Tacoma Dome. And early on, singer-guitarist Lindsey Buckingham got a laugh, alluding to the drama with a dry, understatement about his band’s “fairly complex and convoluted emotional history.”

That history, of course, includes his past romantic entanglements with smoky-voiced band mate, Stephanie “Stevie” Nicks and bassist John McVie’s ill-fated marriage to departed keyboard player, Christine McVie. Those rocky relationships tested the band’s stability over the years while adding creative tension to cuts like “Second Hand News” and “Storms,” a song that Nicks introduced as being about “stormy people in dark, dark, stormy relationships” Saturday night.

But against all odds, Fleetwood Mac has endured through all that “Behind the Music” turmoil, not to mention roughly a gazillion lineup changes. And Buckingham declared, “Every time we come together there’s a sense of forward motion.”

Granted, that statement that seemed a tad ironic in one sense, since the Unleashed tour is all about revisiting the band's '70s/'80s heyday. Fleetwood Mac doesn't have a new album for 2009 (“yet,” as Buckingham emphasized.) Not that all those cheering Baby Boomers at the T-Dome seemed to care.

But Fleetwood Mac is a legendary band seemingly back in peak form after seeing its share of troubles. And at times Saturday’s set did seem like a triumph, as if the veteran group had moved on to a happier, more stable place.

The quartet - also big, wild-eyed drummer Mick Fleetwood - was backed by a great supporting cast: Neale Heywood on guitar and backing vocals; Brett Tuggle on keyboards; and Sharon Celani, Jana Anderson and Lori Nicks (Stevie’s sister-in-law) on backing vocals.

And while Fleetwood and John McVie may be the band’s namesakes, with Christine McVie long gone, Fleetwood Mac has essentially become the Lindsey Buckingham/Stevie Nicks show, with Buckingham’s manic intensity contrasting and often overshadowing Nicks’ icy detachment.

Buckingham’s buoyant, finger-picked melodies elevated early set numbers “Monday Morning,” “The Chain” and “Dreams.” Later, the guitarist held little back, whooping and stomping like a revival tent preacher after nailing cathartic passages in “Never Going Back” and an intense, solo, acoustic delivery of “Big Love.” An especially invigorating moment saw Buckingham swatting at his fret board, as if he were banging a set of bongos, during an epic solo that turned “I’m So Afraid” into a late set highlight.

And the comparatively aloof Nicks did her share of thrilling, too, most notably on “Gypsy” (about she and Buckingham’s early days in the San Francisco outfit Buckingham Nicks); “Landslide” (one of the most elegant ballads of the mid-1970s, which she dedicated to her friend, Valerie); and “Gold Dust Woman” (during which Nicks belatedly seemed to hit her stride, delivering a few twirls as psychedelic haze wafted across projection screens behind her.)

The show started half an hour late, and usual set closer “Silver Springs” got the axe as 11 o' clock curfew approached. But bubbly “Rumours” era smash “Don’t Stop” seemed a more fitting finale for the new show's feel-good vibe, anyway.

Fleetwood Mac set list
May 16, 2009 at the Tacoma Dome

"Monday Morning"
"The Chain"
"Dreams"
"I Know I'm Not Wrong"
"Gypsy"
"Go Insane"
"Rhiannon"
"Second Hand News"
"Tusk"
"Sara"
"Big Love" (Lindsey Buckingham solo acoustic)
"Landslide" (Stevie Nicks and Buckingham acoustic)
"Never Going Back Again" (Nicks and Buckingham acoustic)
"Storms"
"Say That You Love Me"
"Gold Dust Woman"
"Oh Well"
"I'm So Afraid"
"Stand Back"
"Go Your Own Way"

Encore:
"World Turning"
"Don't Stop"

Rolling Stone's got a must-read report about an Atlanta robbery involving Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament. Click here. The band is working on its next album in Atlanta with producer Brendan O'Brien. And let's hope Jeff's OK and they catch the losers that robbed him before they hurt somebody else.

I've been slacking on the posts this week since I’m taking a few days off before summer concert season heats up. But I couldn’t go without posting a few clips from my interview with comedian Daniel Whitney, a.k.a. Larry the Cable Guy, a.k.a. the main attraction Friday night (May 15) at the Tacoma Dome. Click on the links below to hear the “Get R’ Done” guy talk about …

… when he realized he had a hit with Larry …

… sleeveless chic …

… the stories behind his blue collar catch phrases.

Read more in Friday's GO section. Now back to loafing and watching "The Office."

Yes, it's a real holiday, recognized in Vegas, baby, Vegas! And, yes, it's named after that guy. I think I'll celebrate by rapping over instrumental b-sides to all my favorite '80s songs. Or maybe I'll force some wannabe pop stars walk across Tacoma to get me cookie. Word!

Ha! The stupid pig flu may have slowed my blog posts down for a minute, but no more.

At least I choose to believe swine flu has been the source my aches and sniffles the last couple of days, even if no fancy shmancy doctor told me so. Call me trendy. But whatever the bug I've had, the Theraflu has been working my white blood cells are giving it a good ol’ fashioned boot party. And since I feel way better, I had let you know about a killer show going on tonight at the New Frontier Lounge.

The lineup features Seattle buzz band, the Girls, which I first witnessed delivering its brash brand of synth-punk last summer at the Comet Tavern. The clips below are from my interview with the Girls’ Shannon Brown (actually a dude.) Among other things, we talked about …

… the band’s influences, from Dada to “Saturday Night Live” and ...

… the odds that he’ll strip down to his tighty whities tonight.

Don’t let that last bit scare you off. The Girls are pretty tight. Listen here. I'm partial to "Dope Disguised as Nuns," myself.

I haven't seen them live yet, but headlining band Hotels sounds pretty sweet, too. Judging by the dramatically sweeping sounds of its new CD, "Where Hearts Go Broke," the Seattle band listens the Smiths and a gang of other post-punk bands from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. But they put a fresh spin on that sound. "Near the Desert, Near the City" is one of the most lush and compelling tracks I've heard all year. But you can judge for yourself by clicking here.

As mentioned a few posts ago, Cody from the Nightgowns (the artists formerly known as the Elephants) handed me a copy of their brand, spankin' new album, "Sing Something," the other night after they opened for Frank Black's new band, Grand Duchy. So I stuck "Big Bang" and "Narwhal Aerobics," a couple of my favorite tracks, over in the South Sound Mix Tape player. So check 'em out, and then head over to their MySpace page for official CD release party info.

Cody Jones (foreground) and Trevor Dickson from Tacoma's Nightgowns last Sunday at Jazzbones playing an opening set for Grand Duchy.
ERNEST A. JASMIN

Through the grapevine I've been hearing about some shindig called Riot in the Park that's apparently headed to Wright Park. Somebody told me that Tacoma garage-punks Girl Trouble were behind it. But after checking in with front man K.P. Kendall I know they're just playing in it. Here's what he wrote:

Yes Aug. 22ND IN Wright’s Park 16 bands!! Bennett Thurman is in charge. So far all I know in for sure, is US, THE PLASTARDS, I think The F------ Eagles and a few others. I am hoping he’ll get some younger bands like Durango 95, The Gypsies, Don’t Tell Sophie or at the very least Paris Spleen or The Drug Purse. They are tryin to get Zeke and I also heard The Supersuckers. Two stages, too, so when one band is done the other is playing. Food, and I will personally be manning the white-rusty-no-window-panel-van-face-painting-“booth” RUN KIDS!!

The CD release party for KPLU-FM's compilation "KPLU School of Jazz - Volume 5" has been called off due to performers' scheduling conflicts, according to station promotions director Brenda Goldstein-Young. The show was set for May 17 at Seattle's Museum of History and Industry. The CD will be released on May 19.

Ticket pre-sale for Wynnona Judd's Sept 21 appearance at the Puyallup Fair with the Tacoma Symphony has kicked off. It runs through 9 a.m. Saturday. The Puyallup Fair folks even e-mailed a password to use with Ticketmaster: sing. Reserved tix are going for 15 to 50 bucks.

Green Day's first North American tour in three years will kick off on July 3 at Seattle's KeyArena, Warner Brothers announced today. The band's new album, the Butch Vig-produced "21st Century Breakdown," is set to drop on May 15, and tickets for the Seattle show go on sale the next day.

Ticket prices will range from $25 to $49.50, according to Warner's press release. Find more up-to-date info here.

You've probably noticed a flurry of activity over at Sax, the new nightclub that's setting up camp over at 2309 Sixth Ave. Well, I just spoke to Sax GM Micha Cornelius, and he has Thursday (May 7) penciled in as the new opening day, assuming the venue passes final inspection by the Health Department. Cornelius has the Carter Brothers, the Hybrids and DJ Butter lined up for opening night entertainment, and a grand opening party slated for May 14.

And did I mention that their web site is up and running? Check it out here.

Just added "Robots vs. Zombies" by Tacoma's Gold Teeth to the ol' Mix Tape player (down and to the right.) And wouldn't that be a killer concept for the next Robert Rodriguez flick? I'd pay money to see it, anyway.

[Note: As pointed out in the comments field, the clip sounds mangled if you listen to it using Internet Explorer, a browser that routinely annoys the @#%@%@ out of me. Sounds fine if you use Mozilla Firefox, though. Try that until I can reload.]

The Hoff leaves Tacoma, where he filmed material for "America's Got Talent" last week, and a minute later he's knee-deep in a big ol' scandal. Well, a little and possibly overblown one, actually. TMZ has details.

Come back, David, come back! TMZ's reach doesn't extend to Tacoma. So it's kind of like the tree-forest thing. If something crazy happens to you and there are no paparazzi to document, did it really happen? Hmmmmm?

A few pop big shots have called Tacoma their home in recent years (or at least one of their homes.) Rickie Lee Jones kicked it here for a bit. Ditto with Nirvana's Krist Novoselic and ex-boy bander and Rainiers co-owner Nick Lachey. And could the Pixies Frank Black and wife Violet Clark be next?

The couple made their first Grit City stop Saturday as their first tour with their new pop project Grand Duchy wound through Jazzbones. Clark seemed especially enamored with what they saw before the show. “We’re real estate addicts, and there are some cool houses,” she remarked a few minutes into Duchy’s set.

Hey, they only live a few hours down the road in Eugene, Ore. as it is. I'm thinkin' Mr. and Mrs. Black Francis should pack up their stuff, round up the kids and come on up. It's a buyer's market, right? Just sayin'.

Anyway, the couple recorded all of Grand Duchy's debut album "Petits Four" on their own. But on tour they're joined by Black Francis drummer, Jason Carter, and a keyboard whose name I didn’t catch. (Sorry, keyboard player.) I didn't take down the entire set, but I can tell you the quartet played most of the new album and their remake of the Cure's "A Strange Day," previously recorded for the Cure tribute album "Just Like Heaven."

Sketchy sound plagued the early set, and I was a little bummed that Clark’s vocals were nearly muted during “Lovesick,” one of my favorite pop songs of 2009 so far. But the bugs seemed to get worked out for the most part, and the set was a nice showcase of the Duchy’s eclectic sound, with breezy pop numbers (the aforementioned “Lovesick,” set closer “Fort Wayne”); euphoric new wave cuts ("Seeing Stars"); brooding post-punk (“Black Suit”); and an alt-rock cut or two that more overtly recalled the Pixies (notably set opener “Come On Over.”)

Frank Black (a.k.a. Black Francis, born Charles Thompson) hung out for a spell after the show, and he told me that he hoped to swing back through Puget Sound with Duchy later this year. Hmmm. I'm thinkin' the One Reel peeps need to give him and his wife a jingle before their Bumbershoot lineup firms up.

Frank Black and Violet Clark brought their new band, Grand Duchy, to Jazzbones Saturday night. Check out cuts from the new CD on their MySpace page or hear clips mixed in sound bites from my interview by clicking here.
ERNEST A. JASMIN

It had been a minute since I caught the Nightgowns (Trevor Dickson and drummer B.J. Robertson in photo, Cody Jones and Kyle Brunette out of frame.) As a matter of fact, they were stilled called the Elephants last time. During their opening slot Saturday, the Tacoma synth-pop outfit previewed cuts from forthcoming collection “Sing Something.” The CD release party is set for May 16 at Tacoma underground venue, the Warehouse (you know, where Kulture Lab was held) followed by a June 2 gig at EMP/SFM’s Skychurch. Cody handed me an advance copy of the disc. And if it’s OK with the fellas I think I’ll stick a track or two in the South Sound Mix Tape player this week. Check back soon.
ERNEST A. JASMIN