{Photo borrowed from Mash Hall Facebook Page}

Sprouting from the THC-soaked cyber-seeds of Seattle entropysploitation rap band Mash Hall/They Live!, Don’t Talk To The Cops is the new electronic-resistance enhanced marriage of rhyming fire and beats taut like wires. I spoke with emzee and emissary Gatsby (Larry Mizell, Jr.) about his further work with his B-Boy collaborator, and what we’ll have no minds capable to wind inside the machine they unleash on Saturday, 6:45 p.m., in the love dungeon of the Cha Cha.

And: Mash Hall is playing again too, and Lar defines below the differences in the natures of both of these collaborations and prior joints. Mash Hall is playing Sunday, 11:30 p.m., on the Neumos Stage. Since that night’s later line up also includes Grynch, Mad Rad, Metal Chocolates, Darwin, and aBeat Connection DJ set, it’s the Closing Party NO ONE should miss.

TIG: Who is in Don't Talk To The Cops and what is your group's mission, sir?

Gatsby: DtttC is BlesOne and Emecks. I am the DJ/hypeman. The mission far as I can tell is to make shit you can dance to. Bles is a lifelong bboy and Emecks is a choreographer/hiphop dancer so they wanted to kinda cater to that. Not that's it's fuckin' rave music or anything.

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{photo: April Brimer}

Virgin Islands is one of Seattle’s best live rawk and roil bands, souped up on speed-ball breakneck paces and reeling through the gears left behind from The Cops. Fronted by Michael Jaworski (vocals and guitars), and tuned in by two-lane blacktop hard by Aaron Ball (drums and percussion), Charles Keller (bass and vocals), and Christopher Meyer (guitars and vocals), they’re bringing dapper mayhem to the Vera Stage during the Capitol Hill Block Party (2011!) on Sunday, starting at 3 p.m. sharp.

I spoke with Mikey about the festival, the band’s recent full length debut, and love for Cap Hill!

 

TIG / Chris Estey: Is it a particular thrill to be playing the Block Party? What is it that's more special about playing the CHBP than a usual show in the area?

MIKE: It is thrilling to play the Block Party! It really does feel more special than a regular show in the area. In my opinion, the Block Party is the coolest and most grass-roots festival in our area and it's an honor to perform for it. It takes place in an extremely cool and vibrant neighborhood and it caters to such a great cross-section of humanity. It's just a great street party with awesome bands and we're honored to be a part of it! Not to mention, Jason Lajunesse and crew book artists that truly represent the diverse music scene in Seattle and some of the best national touring acts around. I think you'd be hard pressed to find another music festival that does it so well, especially in a block party setting.

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(Photo: Explosion 5000) from the Imaginary Flickr Photo Pool)

Last week I had a dream that I found out that Carissa's Wierd is going to play the Capitol Hill Block Party this year. Sometimes my dreams prove prophetic, sometimes they make me wonder what is going on with my subconscious (and involve eating pizza and/or hanging out with Michael Stipe). My fingers are crossed that this Carissa's Wierd sleepy vision will come true. You never know, right?

Who do you want to play the 2010 Capitol Hill Block Party (subconscious or otherwise)?  Any rumors flying around the locker room?

And while we're talking summer Seattle festivals... has anyone heard any Bumbershoot whispers?

 

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Here's my first installment of running commentary for the Capitol Hill Block Party, as I live only two blocks away from the bash. I must say, coming home to drink a beer is MUCH cheaper than paying for one at the beer garden.

One of my favorite things about festivals, besides the music of course, is canoodling with tablers and vendors. If you're thirsty and don't want to pay for water, Snowboard Connection is giving bottles away for free, and they told me all about some great sales on gear. There's many a-Pro-choice activists at the Party, if you're a supporter of such opinions. I deeply questioned an upstart artist collective booth, who said they wanted to revive the Dadaist movement, so we'll see if they start stirring up the modern way of thinking as the original movement did. Middle of the street art installations? Hmm...

Of course the volunteers at the KEXP booth were extremely friendly, as always, and I picked up a free poster, stickers, and buttons to support the station. Sign-ups for an AIDS awareness walk were available at another booth, with their volunteers also very friendly.

Musically, I was going to check out Talbot Tagora, but their sound check was taking much too long, and it's extremely hot to stand around. Natalie Portman's Shaved Head... well, I'll just say that personally I'm a fan of the Fitness. The Saturday Knights were pumping up the early crowd though, which makes me interested to see the rest of the hip-hop acts [especially since I'm supposed to be reviewing them!]

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at Capitol Hill Block Party

Check back often, and please chime in with your comments about the event -- we'd love to hear all about your Block Party too!

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In case you've been living under an indie-rock rock that's larger than the city of Seattle... this weekend, Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood will be inundated with 45 or so local and touring bands to rock our socks off Friday and Saturday.

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The winner: PWRFL Power, a solo acoustic act with quirky little songs like "The Tomato Song."

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The eight finalists have been announced, and the competition goes down this Friday, June 15th at the Vera Project. The show is all-ages and free, it starts at 7:30, and the competitors are...

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The Capitol Hill Block Party just sent us some exciting lineup updates for this year's festival. Check 'em out...

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Attention star-bound bands: the fine folks at the Capitol Hill Block Party just emailed us with news of a contest that will "get you on the radar of all the Seattle tastemakers."

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