I just moved here. So far I like it pretty good. Good record stores (Sonic Boom and Singles Going Steady). Some good and not so good clubs, but you can see a half-decent band almost every night of the week. Lots of Greek food. Rent's not too bad if your standards aren't too high. Oh, and there's a Goodwill AND Value Village within walking distance from my apartment.

Unfortunately, there's a lack of good video stores. Rain City is okay. Scarecrow is good, but too far from where I live. Looks like I'll be signing up for Netflix. The band I'm in can't get arrested in Seattle, but I think that's just as much our fault as the city's.

Anyone else live here? Anyone moved away 'cos they fuckin' hated it?

Hey, I was offering to say hi to the folks at the shellac shows this past weekend, but you said you couldn't go. Given that you have a sweet lil' baby in your arms in your pic, I can understand why going to shows may be tough for you...

But as for "lack of good video stores".... ???!!! Scarecrow is too far away? Scarecrow is probably the equivalent of Powell's (in Portland) to books. It's probably the single best video sale/rental place in the country. GO! I don't hear people who live in outer Portland saying Powell's is too far away! (I don't mean to browbeat you... I'm just hyperbolizin'.. but also trying to make a point.)

Also, Rain City Video varies from location to location. The Fremont one is really good, but there are also some corner ones that are eh. As for the Fremont one, I mean if I can rent a video tape of Flipper doing a live show on public access there, it's probably a good video store, imho.

Also, you really really need to go to Easy Street records in Lower Queen Anne, and Everyday music in Capitol Hill, for just general purpose record shopping. TONS of used CDs, DVDs, and the new sale prices at the former are ridiculously cheap.

Also, Wall Of Sound records is great if you're into more experimental stuff. Pretty much the Sun City Girls infocenter.. as Geoffery from Climax Golden Twins is the co-owner of the store... and KNOWS ALL. (well, enough about the off-kilter stuff happening.)

I don't know how much vinyl you buy, but if you're into that... then that's an entire whole new speech from me that I'm happy to provide.

Oh, and I love this city. not crap 0
It's the only city I will live in if I have to live in the U.S.

Oh, can we say September festival mania?

Bumbershoot 2005 : Sept 2-5

Wooden Octopus Skull : Sept 8-11

Decibel Festival : Sept 22-25

Lightning Bolt playing outside at full volume couldn't get arrested in Seattle. Literally.

The cops came, but they were just there to make sure no one got hurt. The noise kids were hugging the cops after the show.

Scarecrow is awesome, but being in Ballard and trying to make a point of driving as little as possible with gas prices the way they are, Rain City it is. Actually, I thought Rain City was really cool the couple times I went.

My perspective is probably tainted by the fact that my girlfriend makes me go to Hollywood Video (yech) once or twice a week because she has the MVP program.

So, I retract my video store statement. Really, I should just suck it up and drive to Scarecrow, or force my girlfriend to go to Rain City.

Probably skipping Bumbershoot. Not much of a festival person, though I did go to the Capitol Hill Block Party. Saw a few good bands, and a lot of crap.

Will check out those record stores, although I can't imagine anything in print that I'm looking for not being at Singles or Sonic Boom. Maybe I'll check out Wall Of Sound, and see if they have any used Jandek vinyl.

...and wild blackberries....growing everywhere. Over growth even! DAMN. I love a place where you can just walk down the street and reach over and grab and eat wild blackberries.

It is also the only place I drink hot coffee on purpose. Why is it so good there? I wet my pants over a cup I got at a carwash. True story.

blackberries! there is nothing quite like a blackberry pie a la mode on the edge of mt ranier with the family. or picking them out of your grandfather's backyard, as they grow there wildly. virtually everyone on my father's side (outside of sweden) live in the seattle/tacoma area so we spent many a summer there and my dad can always be found with at least one seahawks cap and t in his collection. i don't know much about the counterculture relevant spots but the weather, she is beautiful, and the horses, they are kind. and then there is the music.

my dad put together and manages a website (i may have referenced once before, so pardon if this be true) collecting all the seattle/pacific northwest garage/rock bands of the 60s. you can check that out here: http://www.pnwbands.com

i visited a while ago and it rules

does anyone know anything about the crocodile club or sunset tavern? anyone played there? also, how about mootsy's in spokane? sorry to change the subject a bit.

The Sunset and Crocodile are both good places to see a show, but never played either.

rob v. wrote:does anyone know anything about the crocodile club or sunset tavern? anyone played there? also, how about mootsy's in spokane? sorry to change the subject a bit.

played at the croc approx. 500 times

good sound, good place

sunset used to be a bar for hardcore alcoholics only. i saw robbie fulks there a month ago, and they have a sign by the front door now that says 'no drunks.' suffice to say it has changed. it was a good place to see music.