Robb + Jessie Married & in the Badger State
the paradox of the paradox
It looks like the Paradox, the highly influential all-ages concert venue in Seattle, is soon to be no more. Mars Hill Church, which has subsidized the venue’s operations from its start during the Teen Dance Ordinance years to today has decided to pull the plug on its operations for the near future.
The concerts that have been booked over the next six months will continue as planned but no new shows will likely be booked at the Paradox in the short term.
In return for her dedication to the all-ages scene, Mars Hill Church is graciously donating all the proceeds from the next six months of shows to Alicia Blake, the long-time volunteer lead for the Paradox. Blake intends to start a new production company called Make Believe that will continue to provide all-ages shows in Seattle.
Read more at the press release on the Paradox website.
sufjan at the paramount
On Sunday Jessie and I had the pleasure of attending the Sufjan Stevens concert at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. The experience was breath-taking and probably the best concert I have seen.
The band/orchestra/choir came out wearing colourful masks, scout uniforms, and butterfly wings like adults who rediscovered their childhood, but Sufjan was wearing a spread of fiery eagle wings. He and his players used a myriad of instruments including violins, violas, a cello, guitars, drums, bells, trumpets, a trombone, keys, and a saw.
Sufjan performed songs from the last three of his albums. Some of my favourite songs included “The Transfiguration” (of Christ), the new “Majesty, Snowbird” (download), “The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us!” (prefaced by Sufjan with a hilarious 10-minute story of his boyhood summer camp experience), and “Chicago” (as an encore). During “The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts”, the band and their crew threw dozens of half-life-size blow-up Superman dolls (complete with real capes) into the crowd. These were thrown and bounced around by the crowd like beach balls at your average rock concert. The same was done with blow-up Santas during “That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!”.
My Brightest Diamond opened the concert. I would describe them as a more accessible Bjork. Check them out when the come back to Seattle on December 10th at the Showbox.
It was good to see Donovan and Tara before the show and also to see Justin Weeks as well. I’m certain that they were equally moved.
Dustin DeKoekkoek (a guy from Mars Hill) also attended and took pictures and a video.
The Man Of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
hello!
well. i just must say, my last weekend was blissful. so v. relaxing. i even saw sufjan stevens … i have to say, perhaps the best concert i have ever been to.
also, i now have my camera again!
i wanted to let you see one of my favourite families.
so here is the story of the jade family.
Mommy Jade (lives at robb’s house)
Baby Jade (lives at my house)
two summers ago, sean nearly killed Mommy Jade and gave it to the man with the green thumb (robb) to revive her… quickly noticing her new surroundings and actual love that she receiving from her new caretaker, she flourished. and instead of one single leaf on her branches, she grew like no other.
over the course of the next few months, she had some seedlings…
two of them were re-potted this summer by robb and me. now she has offspring.
hopefully they will be reunited in the near future, but for now, they live 106 miles apart in somewhat different climates.
fin.
how i feel
Get up get out get away from these liars
‘cause they don’t get your soul or your fire.Take my hand knot your fingers through mine
And we’ll walk through this dark room for the last time.Every minute from this minute now
We can do what we like anywhere.I want so much to open your eyes
‘cause I need you to look into mine.“Open your Eyes” by Snow Patrol