It’s a slow week in the wake of the delightful clusterfuck that was
Capitol Hill Block Party and in advance of Labor Day weekend’s
sure-to-be-overwhelming Bumbershoot Festival, but it’s not entirely
without activity, both good and bad.
* * *
First the bad news: Local mope rock quintet Siberian have
decided to call it quits, announcing their decision via a MySpace
bulletin on Monday, August 4:
“After a little over four years of playing music together, we’ve
collectively decided to move on to other things. We’re all extremely
grateful to everyone that’s supported us over the years. To all the
bands we’ve played with, the folks that helped us make our records, and
the fans that’ve come out to our shows and picked up our music, thank
you. You’ve made everything worth it.
Love, Siberian”
Aw.
* * *
On a brighter note, the Saturday Knights landed themselves on
the number-one spot on CMJ’s hiphop charts last week with debut album
Mingle. Anybody who saw (and was sober enough to remember) their
“secret” set at Neumo’s on Saturday night of the Block Party will know
why this makes sense: The Saturday Knights are goofy, good-time rap
with enough live action to win over the most steadfast rockers and with
enough true MC mettle to keep the hiphop heads’ respect. Plenty of ink
has already been spilled here on the merits of Mingle, but to
reiterate: This is your summer 2008 party soundtrack, Seattle.
Congrats, Knights.
* * *
In nightlife business, King Cobra remains on the market after
a brief six-month run. And on Wednesday, July 30, an ad was posted on a
Craigslist for a “Pike Corridor” restaurant/bar/lounge with a “prime
Capitol Hill location,” “2 bars plus 1 portable bar,” “high ceilings
with loft seating,” and a capacity of 600 people—asking price
$300,000. The ad doesn’t identify the bar, and there’s a nondisclosure
agreement involved, but let’s speculate: The only clubs with that kind
of capacity and features on the Hill, let alone on the advertised “Pike
Corridor,” are King Cobra and Neumo’s. Neumo’s booker Jason Lajeunesse
says Neumo’s is not for sale. If it’s King Cobra, though, it’s asking
$125,000 less than the owners initially sought just last month.
And, as reported on Slog on Monday, August 4, historic club the
Crocodile, which unexpectedly closed nine months ago, may have a
new owner: Marcus Charles, current owner of the Bad Juju Lounge
in Belltown, and formerly of Neumo’s and Spitfire, has applied for a
new liquor license for the Crocodile Cafe. 