[Photo by Abiel Hoff]

It’s gonna be a week since Capitol Hill Block Party and everyone is back into their usual swing, or are they? It seems like all the local artists have something up their sleeves for this summer, whether it be a new album release or a new direction for their music. Either way, they are being very productive. 

As for the Major Lazer crew, lately, the “usual” has been the most unusual. Since the Major Lazer project dropped in 2009, it’s propelled DJ/Producer, Diplo, into sweaty, moshing crowds of dance music lovers. DJ/Producer, Switch, parted with Major Lazer in 2011. The crew is now comprised of Diplo, Walshy Fire, and Jillionaire - who got into Seattle a day before the show to check things out. He’s a good friend of ours, and we wanted to show him what’s good in Seattle. 

[Photo by Abiel Hoff]

Friday night block party was a great day for that, with all the local acts playing back to back from the start of the day all the way through the night: Kung Foo Grip, Spac3man, Fly Moon Royalty, Allen Stone, Keyboard Kid & DJ Darwin, Fresh Espresso, Blue Sky Black Death & Nacho Picasso, and then the after party with Tiger Beat and Mikey McClarron, too.

[Photo by Ashley Genevieve]

Despite playing to thousands of people on a regular basis, Jillionaire is pretty low-key guy.  He was able to play the Go Hard. Superstar. launch party, as well as walk around Block Party with us pretty much un-noticed. That being said, stepping into the Fresh Espresso show at Neumos was intense.

[Photo by Zoe Rain]

DJ Darwin and Keyboard Kid have been doing their thing this year and for those that hadn’t been keeping up on what they were working on, Block Party was the night to experience it. 

[Photo by Zoe Rain]

Along with Blue Sky Black Death, Nacho Picasso continued to hold it down a the Vera Stage. 

[Photo by Ashley Genevieve]

Despite his newfound stardom, Allen Stone still managed to get back home to play on his block. I think I’ve seen him play like 8 times now. It’s what happens when you reach that stage, you just keep going, and going, and going. Everyone’s heard about you. They’re curious to see what’s all the hype all about. Now you have to show them what you’ve got. 

[Photo by Zoe Rain]

Block Party, as well as this summer’s Bumbershoot are great festivals to showcase local talent. And as many times I see a band/artist perform, it never really gets old. Not if you love this town like we do. Not if you root for the artists in town like we do. Not if you know what it means to see your dreams unfold with each performance and new fan. Not if you can appreciate a good ol’ block party. 

[Photo by Ashley Genevieve]

And though I’d like to end this on a positive note - cause I’m on a roll here - I have to mention how extremely bummed out I was to have missed getting backstage at Major Lazer (due to unfortunate circumstances) but you know when it comes to music festivals, things don’t always go as planned. I did get to enjoy the show with the rest of the festival crowd and with my girl Shaprece. Remember those buckets of water being dumped on the crowd? Yes, we got soaked and ended up at the front of the stage by the end of the night anyways. I heard the stage at Neumos turned into a dance floor by the end of their set.  

Other members of Go Hard. Superstar. didn’t have to fight the crowds and made it backstage. Nice pic Ashley! 

Major Lazer crew, we’ll meet again… my block party isn’t over. 

My old friend Dylan “DimSum” Foster of of IndaStreet Lyfe Music hosted “RELENTLESS” this month at Nectar, a showcase of local artists that have become family to him over the past few years.

“RELENTLESS” was fitting, as all the featured artists have been on their grind so long that we can call them “old school”. I first saw Island Trybe when I was 16 years old. They’re from Tacoma and their island style rap has attracted those that identify with the islands and Tacoma lifestyle. Because of their strong, niche, community and fan base, their music has reached radio airwaves in Hawaii to the stage of Hempfest in Seattle.

“RELENTLESS” is when you and your family have suffered personal losses and heartbreaking conflict like the Island Trybe family has, and move forward, but still fight the good fight and keep the movement going. “RELENTLESS” is when you’ve been at it for so long that you look back and thank your lucky stars that your wife is still by your side (and thank her on stage, as JC Flow did). “RELENTLESS” is when you’ve tried everything you thought was the route to take and then put the faith in yourself with a DIY (do it yourself) attitude.

“RELENTLESS” applies to a lot of the artists here, so you never know who’s going to show up when you go to a show. It wouldn’t be a NW show unless there were homies in the crowd and homies on stage: Dice, Spac3man, Sam Tea, and more.

[Sam Tea]

‘

[Kevin “A.K.A.” Johnson]

[Drew “Dj Bebop” Thompson]

[Dylan “DimSum” Foster]

[JC Flow]

[Spac3man]

[Island Trybe]

[Po Boxx]

The night’s featured acts:
- Island Trybe
- PO Boxx
- JC Flow
- UN tha Rhyme Hustla
- AKA

A few of us attended SXSW with no real agenda but to hang out, see what it was all about, and see what we could get away with. SXSW is kind of a meet-up/reunion for those in the music scene so it was only natural that we’d be there, too. 

And I couldn’t pass up the invite from fellow music journalist and my partner in crime, The Urban Nomad, to hang out nomad style. He is sponsored by Red Bull and was on a mission to lock down some interviews with some of the biggest names attending SXSW. He’s a journalist/band manager like me so his other job was also to find gigs for Luc Reynaud from his band, Luc and the Lovingtons, who are based in Seattle. 

A day before the music portion of SXSW started we got word that Jason Mraz included Luc’s song, “The Freedom Song” on his new album, set to release this April. They were going to release the official lyric video for the song. That meant we had to get the Lovington’s website ready with information about how the Freedom Song came about. Having thousands of people view the video, and then perhaps land on the Lovington’s website, was an opportunity we had to be prepared for. So, we spent all night updating the website and Luc got to tell all the people he performed for that week the exciting news. Our jobs are always work and play. There’s really no other way.

The music portion of SXSW started, more people started getting into town, and then it was on.

Gian, founder of Go Hard. Superstar./FRANCO. joined us and we connected with some very good artists backstage at various shows and found out that the shirts were a hit. People were reading “Go Hard. Superstar” on my tank and high-fiving me all day long.  Spac3man even told us that people were jocking the shirt we gave him so at one point he just gave his away. Better to help spread the word and have others wear FRANCO. in other states then keep them all to yourself. Good looking out Space! That’s what’s up.

Read More

I pointed out in my introductory blog post for Go Hard. Superstar. that we’re not creating this community from scratch, this is not the beginning of it all, just a continuation of what we already have in the NW, a community of artists that respect and support each other, show it, and know each other’s stories. I was referring to this special something that I noticed in the artists that rep “The Town.” 

I don’t know everyone in this camp personally, nor do I pretend to, but I’ve always been watching. Geo invited me backstage for Grynch’s “Perspective” Album Release Party over the weekend and even though it seemed like everyone knew each other, every person I came in contact with looked over and said, “Hello, how are you?”

I’ve been backstage enough to know that this doesn’t always happen. Backstages are either filled with random people with cameras and free t-shirts that you can walk past without making eye contact, or close friends. And if you’re picky about who you surround yourself with, you’re curious to know who the “stranger” is.

This was an example of what I envision is going to “put Seattle on the map.”

Read More