Two months ago, Pandora Radio re-introduced me to Alice in Chains. I made a Toadies station, because the Toadies fucking rock, and naturally, the station played a healthy dose of Alice in Chains. These bands share a moody, creepy sound that I don’t hear much in today’s Rock music. Of course I remember AIC tracks like ‘Man in the Box’ and ‘Rooster’ all over the radio as a child, but I didn’t appreciate them like I do today. Growing up, my choice genre was 80s Metal (and I’m sure it always will be), so Grunge was off-limits. Grunge murdered my Metal….
But listening to Alice in Chains today, I have to argue that they ARE a Metal band…and I simply cannot get enough. I cleared out Amoeba’s AIC section and have read just about every book about the Seattle music scene Amazon has to offer. Fuck, I bet my checking account balance is getting low.
I digress…
But listening to Alice in Chains today, I have to argue that they ARE a Metal band…and I simply cannot get enough. I cleared out Amoeba’s AIC section and have read just about every book about the Seattle music scene Amazon has to offer. Fuck, I bet my checking account balance is getting low.
I digress…
My best friend Anna lives in the University District of Seattle (OMG, that’s where Layne lived!?&^@&@!!!) and because I had just finished ‘Grunge Seattle’ by Justin Henderson, I was constantly harassing Anna with “have you been there?!” questions. Vaden Todd Lewis (Lead Singer, The Toadies) happened to be performing a one-man acoustic show at the Triple Door in Seattle, December 6th and Southwest was constantly bombarding my inbox with discount flight notifications. Wanna get away? Fuck yeah, I do.
So I did, and my three day stay in Seattle was amazing.
So I did, and my three day stay in Seattle was amazing.
THE TRIPLE DOOR: The first drinking destination of the trip was The Triple Door, an intimate music venue with acoustics that will BLOW YOUR MIND. We took the bus to avoid drunk driving and parking difficulties, and arrived right as the opening act, Kate Lynne Logan, began to play. I’m not generally into folky singer-songwriter types, so I was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed her angelic performance. Maybe it was the acoustics, maybe the booze, but I’m guessing Ms. Logan is just damn talented. I enjoyed some chicken pot stickers as she played.
Vaden Todd Lewis came on shortly after. One song into his set, one of his guitar strings broke and he had to use Kate Lynn’s guitar for the remainder of the show. It was exciting being in that intimate of a setting, and the few technical errors only made the show more interesting, more human, and that much more memorable.
Aesthetically, The Triple Door is elegant and modern, without feeling pretentious. The starry black backdrop and vast stage enhance the majesty of the musicians. I don’t go to seated concerts very often, but given the nature of Vaden's performance, I didn’t feel any urge to head bang or stage dive. The waitresses are available when needed, but they truly don’t disrupt from the talent onstage. Cocktails aren’t terribly expensive, about $10 a drink and you have the option of ordering food if you get hungry.
Vaden Todd Lewis came on shortly after. One song into his set, one of his guitar strings broke and he had to use Kate Lynn’s guitar for the remainder of the show. It was exciting being in that intimate of a setting, and the few technical errors only made the show more interesting, more human, and that much more memorable.
Aesthetically, The Triple Door is elegant and modern, without feeling pretentious. The starry black backdrop and vast stage enhance the majesty of the musicians. I don’t go to seated concerts very often, but given the nature of Vaden's performance, I didn’t feel any urge to head bang or stage dive. The waitresses are available when needed, but they truly don’t disrupt from the talent onstage. Cocktails aren’t terribly expensive, about $10 a drink and you have the option of ordering food if you get hungry.
ROYAL BAR: After the Vaden Todd Lewis show, it was impossible to call it a night. Buzzed and ready to explore Seattle, Anna and I stopped in the Royal Bar, a UW hangout down the street from her apartment. The Royal Bar was nothing fancy and I probably wouldn’t recommend it to any future visitors, but it gave us an opportunity to drink and loathe humanity. The bartender was a novice and got really angry when I called his name off a Christmas stocking to get his attention. Once again, not the best bar experience of the Seattle trip, but it provided shelter from the 25 degree weather outside.
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