Shorthand For Epic hiatus

Hat tip to Three Imaginary Girls for this, since I missed the original myspace bulletin, which read:

If you like the SFE at all, you'd better to come to our High Dive show on Saturday, October 13th.

Here are the reasons you need to come:

1) It is Stormi's birthday and you should buy her drinks and bring her presents.

2) The line up is totally the balls, as the kids would say, as we will be playing right between Ms. Led and The Ruby Doe, which is quite the rock sandwich

3) The aforementioned Ms. Led will be shooting their music video that night, so you have a chance to be captured forever on film ... in the Phantom Zone!!!

4) It is sponsored by Dewar's so cheap whiskey all night! Woot!

5) Last, but definitely not least, it will be our current bass player Larry's last show with the band. It is also, as we found out last night, our current drummer Stormi's last show with the band. As such, we will be going on hiatus for a while to recharge our batteries and figure out how to recalibrate the beast that is SFE. So this will be your last chance to see us play for an indeterminate length of time. Get it while the getting's good.

Cantona, Shortand For Epic & Hot Toddies photos

I took in the Nada Mucho show down at The Comet last night. I was totally low on energy all night, and came close to leaving three times before I actually headed out the door halfway through the Hot Toddies set.

The first band was already playing when I arrived. I don't even know their name, to be honest. The guitar player had some pretty good song ideas and a strong voice, but the rhythm section was pretty pedestrian. I actually felt sorry for them at one point, because the crowd was not particularly patient nor welcoming, and at one point someone yelled "you f#@king suck." That's harsh for someone to hear regardless of how "ready-for-stage" they may or may not be.

Up next was Cantona, who I've only managed to see once previous (at one of last year's Studio 66. I enjoyed them quite a bit last fall. Tonight they were short one member -- the bass player, who was stuck in New York. A show like this makes you realize how much the bass guitar is needed. I'm not talking about a group like The White Stripes or locals The Snakebites, where there is a purposeful absence of bass. Rather, when a group normally has bass (and has all their songs prepared thusly) is all of a sudden lacking in that department, it's obvious. Cantona did as well as could be expected under the circumstances. But, even as a fan, it was lacking.


Cantona - Leslie Beattie

Shorthand For Epic came on next. But, before I talk about their show, I want to get a chuckle at either Brooke's or my expense.. not sure which. I was leaning against the wall under the big neon "C" next to the stage as she brought her keyboard stuff into the room. As she walked past me, I said in a fake, deep voice, "hey lady." Well, she proceeded to stick her keyboard stand into my sternum, thinking I was some random lame dude.

In fact I was a specific lame dude. But, funny that she didn't recognize until they were almost playing their show that it was me, at which point she walked off stage and came over to apologize and say a real hello. It was a funny moment. But, note to self, be less convincing as the creepy deep voiced guy. :)

Anyway, once they started up, they rocked the house. They've always been good, but I think they've been practicing, as they were as tight as I've ever seen them. Stormi rocks the drums... she's a little loose at times, but is 100% going for it at all times, which I love. They provided the most rocking set of the night. I was going to say if I have any complaints about SfE it's that their songs are too long, but if you have the word "epic" in your band name, I suppose that's to be expected.


Shorthand for Epic - Larry and Brooke, laughing as a song ends


Shorthand For Epic - Billy from down low


Shorthand For Epic - Billy from up high

Closing out the night were the Hot Toddies from California. They have obviously made a splash here in town by having a song called Seattle (in addition, of course, to just being catchy and good), which contains the lyric "I get so horny when I'm in Seattle." The crowd went nuts when they played it (smartly done 2nd in the set to avoid some of the less cool folks [read, jerkwads] in the crowd from starting to call for it). The crowd felt a little icky at times, like a bunch of dudes hooting and hollering at cute girls.

Of course, in this instance, the cute girls are on stage and playing bouncy and fun pop tunes that are thoroughly modern in their lyrical content but backed by 60 pop melodies. I don't know if the Shangri Las ever envisioned singing something along the lines of "w w w, sha la la la, dot com." But, there it was. Cute, campy, catchy, and I was done after 6 songs because it was late on a friday and I suck.


The Hot Toddies - Jessica


The Hot Toddies - Sylvia

The Hot Toddies, Shorthand For Epic, Cantona...

The Hot Toddies, from California, have a tune called "Seattle" in which they declare "I get so horny when I'm in Seattle." I suppose you now have the opportunity to put that to the test. They're going to be live on KEXP tomorrow (Friday, 2/23), and then will be at The Comet Tavern that night with a great line up.

The show is presented by Nada Mucho. This is a solid pop show, my friends. Make your plans now.

Post-punk(ish) show tonight

This is happening at Chop Suey tonight if you're looking for something to do!

The Stranger on Shorthand for Epic

There's a piece on Shorthand for Epic over at The Stranger (and I assume in the print version this week, as well).

It's a "getting to know you" piece that thin on discussion of their music -- save for the one-line description of "their the-Jam-playing-Arcade-Fire-songs-produced-by-Phil Spector sound" and Billy's assertion that their song structures share some commonalities with Foreigner. But, it's good to see them getting more press, even if they take the opportunity to make some un-PC comments about "retards love them some Huey [Lewis]." .... you'll just have to read the article for context on that one. :)

You can catch them at the show that I am dubbing "the young guns of Seattle indie rock" show at the Paradox this Saturday with Boat, Speaker Speaker, Ghosts & Liars, and Patience Please. This is the last show at the Paradox before that venue makes changes the ladies of Make Believe go off and do their own thing in the realm of show booking and promotion.

Photos: Shorthand for Epic and H is for Hellgate

I snapped a couple of photos of Shorthand For Epic and H Is For Hellgate tonight at Cafe Venus.

Bands that came to mind while watching Shorthand For Epic's set tonight (in no particular order): Stiff Little Fingers, Wire, Tullycraft, Pylon, Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, The Jam, and Devo. Good set, guys.

Unrelated to these bands, but related to these pictures: I'm getting slightly better with my new digital camera. I'm down to maybe taking five pictures for every good one. Before it was like ten to one.


Shorthand For Epic


H Is For Hellgate

Shorthand For Epic ep & show

So, I arrived at home this evening to find this envelope waiting for me:



How great is that?

Now, generally speaking, I'm not a fan of "jokey" bands. I'm a fan of comedy and I'm a fan of music. But, rarely can the two co-exist in my world. So, when I first saw pictures of Shorthand for Epic I was thinking they were going to be precious at best, annoyingly jokey at worst. Thankfully, beyond the humorous publicity photos, they're not a jokey band.

Instead, they churn out golden nuggets of confectionary pop delights -- angular, new-wavish hooks, and dancable, head-bobbing beats. Pop, pop, pop. My head is about to pop, they're so fun. I hear traces of many groups that have come before, but in their hands these influences sound fresh, fun and new.

But, it's also easy to be deceived by the kitchy photos and toe tapping sounds. Methinks there is more going on with this band. Sublimely subversive lyrical content. Perhaps pop is the new revolution? Maybe Shorthand for Epic is the next Nation of Ulysses? Nah, probably not. But, much like the transformers, this band has "more than meets the eye."

In short, their self-titled, three-song EP has left me wanting more. Therefore, you will find me at Cafe Venus and Mars Bar this weekend checking out their show (see flyer below). But, Shorthand For Epic, I must tell you that you've set the bar awfully high with this EP. It's going to be hard to top in a live setting. But, I look forward to hearing you try!

Shorthand For Epic vs. Central Services

It's another night for choices in rock music.

First up, Three Imaginary Girls presents Parks and Recreation, Central Services (album release), Patience Please (ep release), and Jace & Hannah at Chop Suey.

But, simultaneously over at The Comet Tavern is a band that I've recently fallen in love with: Shorthand For Epic, along with Via and The Hungry Pines. It's the CD release for Shorthand for Epic, as well.

Sigh... I love having the choice, but I hate having to choose. You know what I mean? I think I'm going to go to Chop Suey, as I really want to see the new Central Services. But, let me really strongly point you to Shorthand For Epic's myspace page to give a listen to their new wave-ish pop rock blend. It's sweet.

vs.