Say what you will about the small-town vibe of Seattle's music community, but when it comes down to brass tacks, those who are well respected really have their backs covered in times of need. Case in point: Bonni Suval, the formerly locally based member of the Seattle band Fear of Dolls who last month was the victim of a hit-and-run (the driver is now being charged through the courts). Suval suffered several broken bones from the impact of hitting the driver's windshield as she crossed the street. Her hardworking friend Joel Bergstrom of Black Nite Crash sent an e-mail last week that gave a sobering account of Suval's status since the February 8 accident: She suffered a major concussion, fractured her skull, clavicle, pelvis, lower back, and shoulder blade, injured her knee and femur bones, among other injuries, and will reside in a Burien nursing home, according to Bergstrom, "until she is able to begin to withstand three hours of physical therapy six days a week to rehabilitate her back and leg injuries." It's a devastating story, especially because the accident could have been avoided had the driver who hit her not been such an asshole. There is some good news in all this, though. A great organization called MusiCares--which helps musicians by defraying the cost of medical bills (and which other musicians in need can check out at www.grammys.com/musicares) is helping Suval where it can. On Wednesday, March 23, friends and the general public can also pitch in for the cause--and be rewarded with great music in the process. Neumo's will be hosting a benefit for Suval with Jesse Sykes & Phil Wandscher, Rocky Votolato, Faith & Disease, Mat Brooke (Carissa's Wierd, Horses), Black Nite Crash, and others. The show starts at 8:00 p.m. and costs $8. Amazing talent lined up for what we hope, eventually, will be a speedy recovery.
On a totally different subject, can I please call for a moratorium on smoke machines? Seriously. It's one thing to have billowing white clouds of chemicals covering a band at, say, White River Amphitheatre. But after suffering through four nearly continuous nights of toxic stage theatrics, I'm done. And the culprits didn't come from any one band, but a couple--all of whom, I should add, put on otherwise great sets (the fact that the device the Spits used belched what looked more like smog than smoke only added to the irreverent vibe of their always intoxicating shows). British pop stars Kasabian trashed rumors that their act is all NME smoke and mirrors by proving it's really all smoke and lasers--as far as stage theatrics go. Musically, though, they put on an impressive set, reminding me of the Verve back in the old days, with a little Happy Mondays thrown in for good measure.
