With so many all-ages shows and events happening on Capitol Hill,
it’s not always easy to find an excuse to make it out to the sleepy
little town of Ballard. But when you evaluate your life and realize you
haven’t left “the Hill” in over two weeks, maybe it’s time to expand
your horizons.
On a gloomy Wednesday night last week, I made the long trek out to
Ballard to check out a show at the Josephine, a new all-ages DIY
venue. My crappy car broke down and I had to ditch it in a
convenience-store parking lot and make the remaining 25-block journey
on foot—forget what I said about Ballard being little.
I finally got to the Josephine, a brick-fronted building that’s half
warehouse, half actual house, inconspicuously tucked into a shallow
alley between two bars (for hosting loud shows, you couldn’t ask for
better neighbors).
The place immediately conjures up the old S.S. Marie Antoinette, the
amazing Seattle show space in a 50-year-old yacht factory shut down
last year after a touring band lit off fireworks in the steak-house
parking lot next door. Like the SSMA, the place is dark, with weird
hallways, and scattered stair-
cases; it’s even got the extinct
venue’s boathouse banner hanging above where bands play. Also bringing
back fond memories is the smiling face of Malaki Stahl, former
leaseholder and captain of the SSMA. For Stahl, the Josephine is a
second chance at continuing what he and his ambitious family of artists
and friends set out to do at their old home. But the SSMA didn’t come
close to the Josephine’s spaciousness. The main show room, which
features a strong sound system, streamers, a disco ball, and assorted
kitsch, looks like it could comfortably fit at least 100
people.
Wednesday night’s show—featuring Vancouver shoegaze duo Terror
Bird’s lulling, layered vocals and energetic new-wave synths, and fuzz
punks Nü Sensae’s furious set of about 15 songs in as many
minutes—was small and mellow, typical of a weeknight, but
definitely a glimpse of the place’s potential. If you’re underage,
the Josephine is easily the coolest thing Ballard has going for it. I just hope you have an easier time getting there than I did. 