***
A celebration of a different kind took place at Experience Music Project on Thursday, January 31, as loads of folks showed up to fete the opening of the museum's newest exhibit, The LP Show. The guest list was a veritable who's who, as local rock stars and industry luminaries showed up to admire the beautiful and wacky collection of album covers. Sub Pop co-founder Bruce Pavitt made a rare appearance, as did the label's general manager, Megan Jasper. Mark Arm, Steve Turner, and Peter Bagge were three more notable looky-loos. Members of 764-HERO and Pretty Girls Make Graves were also among the masses, but made a hasty exit when the buzz spread that Crictor would be taking the I-Spy stage at the ungodly hour of 9:30.
DJ Cherry Canoe and I beat tracks over to the club just as Crictor began, and witnessed Seattle's newest obsession wowing the crowd with enthusiastic, propulsive, gut-rumbling metal. In a complete contrast to her work in Carissa's Wierd, Jenn Ghetto beamed as she feverishly fingered her Warlock, proving to all who were present that she was born to rock out. And we can add Creighton Barrett (who also plays in the New Mexicans) to the short list of Seattle's finest rock drummers. Barrett is a recent transplant from the South, and I can vouch for his charm and social graces: I invited him to a dinner party at my house last summer, and I'll be damned if he didn't show up with a bouquet of flowers. Sweet guy, kick-ass drummer, and one half what might be the cutest sludge metal band in town.
***
Friday night, Kim Warnick and I headed down to the Catwalk to check out a band called, simply, Grunge. Billed as a "tribute to the Seattle Sound," it was a dare that was just too good to turn down. A bewigged ringer for Chris Cornell sang the hits of Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Nirvana, and Stone Temple Pilots as the band flailed about in hammy form. But any fun was ruined when Grunge finished with a rendition of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" that was very hard to take, given the wigs and all. Afterward, Kim asked why they didn't do any Mudhoney, and the fakey Chris Cornell replied that the crowd only wants to hear the hits. Pheh!
***
Speaking of Ms. Warnick, she's put in her notice as singer/bassist for the Fastbacks, the band she's fronted for 22 years. Her last Seattle appearance with her old cronies happens this Friday, February 8, at the Sunset. Botch has also announced that they'll disband, although exactly when is still up in the air. The band told everybody the sad news onstage at the Old Fire House last Saturday night.
