Seattle Twist

“From Comix to Critiques” was the focus of seminal Seattle publisher Real Comet Press. Founded in 1981 by arts activist Cathy Hillenbrand, then owner the Comet Tavern, this prescient enterprise published an amazing array of books that foreshadowed Seattle’s ascendance to the forefront of international pop culture. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery celebrates the legacy of Cathy Hillenbrand with “Real Comet Press: A Retrospective” opening Saturday, March 10, continuing through April 10, 2012. This exhibition features art, graphics and book works by regional artists nurtured by Real Comet Press including Lynda Barry, Michael Dougan, Art Chantry, and Ruth Hayes, among others.

As owner of the Comet Tavern in the late 70s, Hillenbrand became an advocate for Seattle’s avant garde artists. In 1980, Lynda Barry won a contest to design the Comet’s matchbook cover, beginning a long association with the young Capitol Hill cartoonist. A year later, Hillenbrand published the text to “Propagandists Lament,” a performance work by Seattle artist Annie Grosshans. She soon sold the tavern to devote full time to publishing. Real Comet Press went on to publish four books by Lynda Barry – Girls + Boys, Big Ideas, The Good Times Are Killing Me, and Naked Ladies, Naked Ladies, Naked Ladies – as well as East Texas by Michael Dougan, Instant Litter by Art Chantry, and a series of animated flipbooks by Ruth Hayes. In addition, Real Comet Press published catalogues, criticism, and feminist theory by artists, curators and critics such as Lucy Lippard, Jo Spence, Douglas Kahn, Rini Templeton, Ernst Friedrich, James Turrell, and countless others. Many of Hillenbrand’s books and memorable marketing materials were designed the brilliant graphic artists associated with The Rocket magazine.

Join us on Saturday, March 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM to fete the former publisher. Real Comet alumni Hayes, Dougan and Chantry will host the celebration, which includes an exhibition of art, books and ephemera from the Real Comet archives. A limited number of out-of-print Real Comet Press titles will be available for sale (including the iconic Lynda Barry poster “Poodle with a Mohawk”). This reception coincides with the colorful Georgetown Art Attack featuring arts presentations throughout the historic neighborhood.

On Saturday, March 24 at 6:00 PM Fantagraphics Bookstore presents Susan Kirtley, author of Lynda Barry: Girlhood Through the Looking Glass from University of Mississippi Press, in conversation with Cathy Hillenbrand. This enlightening discussion will be followed by an informal reception and book signing.

On Friday, March 30 at 6:00 PM, Hillenbrand joins cartoonists Ellen Forney and Jim Woodring, and Fantagraphics associate publisher Eric Reynolds on the panel discussion “Northwest Noir: Seattle’s Legacy of Counterculture Comix” moderated by Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid at Emerald City Comicon at the Washington State Convention Center.

This is HONK! Fest West’s first sponsored event of 2012. Celebrate the amazing artistry and noise which comes when music and dance from all over the world slams together in a burst of powerful intensity and help bring all the cool HONK! Fest West bands to the Seattle area.

A fun evening with musical sets from Tubaluba, VamoLá, Nu Klezmer Army, and the brilliant gypsy-inspired DJ Makedon, alongside performances from Miss J9 Fierce, Lesley Rialto, Skin Deep Dance, Lynnette Day Kanelos, award-winning bellydancers Mecia and Melody Anderson, and the Emerald Rain dance troupe.

The event is all-ages. Tickets will be sold in advance for $15, and at the door for $20. Kids under 15 are $10.

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE NOW. Get them in advance for $15, via Brown Paper Tickets:

The fabulous Moonspinners will be playing at Cafe Racer 5825 Roosevelt Way NE  on Tuesday, February 14th on Valentine’s Day.  Since it’s a school night, they’ll be playing several sets starting at 8pm.

Don’t miss this Friday’s fundraiser for Downtown Emergency Service Center.

Performers:
The Dusty 45s
The Maldives
Lazy Susan
The Young Evils
Betsy Olson
Davidson Hart Kingsbery
The Purrs

More info about the show.

Billy Joe’s family has been touched with mental illness, as his brother has been ill for a number of years. You can read the families incredible tale in this story by Cydney Gillis in Real Change. With Downtown Emergency Service Center’s assistance in getting his brother off the street, he now has his own apartment and is safe and has a chance of healing.

More info about Downtown Emergency Service Center

Mini-Rex plays tonight at Cafe Racer starting at 9pm.

Friday at noon at the Copacabana terrace. Hope it doesn’t rain!

Nectar Lounge in Fremont, on Wednesday, Feb. 8.

Soul Jelly starts at 8:30 and will play for an hour, followed by Beet Oven and Luau Cinder playung some funky grooves.  And, it is free!

Fantagraphics Bookstore kicks off Black History Month on Saturday, February 4 with the debut of two diverse books. Seattle-based music scholar Pat Thomas, author of Listen, Whitey!: The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965 – 1975, will be joined by Seattle authors Mark Long and Jim Demonakos, who together with cartoonist Nate Powell created the graphic novel The Silence of Our Friends.

While researching this book project in Oakland, archivist Pat Thomas discovered rare recordings of speeches, interviews, and music by noted activists Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Elaine Brown, and others that form the framework of this definitive retrospective. Listen, Whitey! also chronicles the forgotten history of Motown Records’ Black Power subsidiary label, Black Forum, which released politically charged albums by Stokely Carmichael, Langston Hughes, Bill Cosby and Ossie Davis, among others. Obscure records produced by African-American sociopolitical organizations of the period are examined, along with the Isley Brothers, Nina Simone, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Watts Prophets, Roland Kirk, Horace Silver, Angela Davis, H. Rap Brown, Stanley Crouch, and others that spoke out against oppression. Thomas will give a slide and music presentation, and limited number of advance copies of the book will be available to the public. Also making its debut is a companion CD of the same title from Seattle-based Light in the Attic records. The album features rare tracks from African-American activists like Dick Gregory, Eldridge Cleaver, Last Poets, and others, with protest music by Bob Dylan, John and Yoko Ono, Gil Scott-Heron, Roy Harper, and more.

The Silence of Our Friends is the semi-autobiographical tale of Mark Long. Set in 1967 Texas against the backdrop of the civil rights struggle, a white family from a notoriously racist suburb and a black family from its poorest ward cross Houston’s color line, overcoming fear and violence to win the freedom of five black college students unjustly charged with the murder of a policeman. Co-authored by Jim Demonakos (founder of Seattle’s Emerald City Comicon), and drawn by award-winning cartoonist Nate Powell, The Silence of Our Friends is a new and important entry in the body of civil rights literature.

Join these remarkable authors on Saturday, February 4 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, located at 1201 S. Vale St. (at Airport Way S.) in Seattle’s colorful Georgetown neighborhood. Phone 206.658.0110.

Vito’s 927 9th Ave (at Madison) Seattle

Friday, Jan 27th from 9pm-midnight – never a cover !

Lushy at Vito’s Jan 27th  -  Facebook event page link

In celebration of the upcoming Seattle “Elvis” Invitationals that is happening on Saturday, January 14th at EMP, Top Pot Doughnuts has come up with a special commemorative “King’s Rings” doughnut, a raised ring covered in maple cream frosting and smothered in caramelized bacon.

The King’s Rings will be available for sale at the Top Pot Doughnut shops on Friday, January 13th. However, if you’d like to sample these luscious creations for free, plus see a great performance by Billy Joe Huels of the Dusty 45′s, go to the taping of the New Day Northwest TV show at KING-5 on Thursday, 1/12. You’ll need to email the Audience Coordinator Suzie Wiley- newdaytickets@king5.com before 8am Thursday, so they have a head count.

In 1962, Elvis visited Century 21 Seattle World’s Fair and made a film,

“It Happened at the World’s Fair”.

Fast-forward, 2012 is the 50th anniversary of the Seattle World’s Fair.

To commemorate this event, Elvis will be returning to the Seattle Center for the 15th annual “Seattle Invitationals”, the search for Seattle best amateur Elvis Tribute Artist (ETA)

The event is at Experience Music Project (EMP) at the Seattle Center on Saturday, January 14th. Doors at 7:30pm, show at 8pm

Tickets available from EMP and Brown Paper Tickets -21 and over with ID required

WEBSITE: http://www.SeattleInvitationals.com

All Elvi perform with a live band, The Kentucky Rain Band with special guest Billy Joe Huels, plus punk-rock Elvis band The Graceland Five.

Master of Ceremonies (and amateur Elvis) Jim Dever from KING-5 TV

Celebrity judges include Nancy Guppy, Mark Christopher from KVI and Vern Fonk-guy, Rob Thelke.

Tickets available from EMP and Brown Paper Tickets

21 and over with ID required

More Info Here

and the Facebook Event page link is here

Friday, December 23rd 9-midnight-no cover.

Lushy will be playing songs from their Xmas album Snowflake Surprise and then some !!!

Below is a Video by Marlow Harris that’s from a past Holiday party where Lushy played Snowflake Surprise.

Vito’s

Illustration by Rod Filbrandt

Come celebrate the festive 5th anniversary of Fantagraphics Bookstore on Saturday, December 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Holiday cheer galore! Opening reception for “Playing Possum: The Pogo Art of Walt Kelly,” music by Sawsome (a female banjo and saw duet), complimentary refreshments, wandering Christmas carolers, and more!

We can hardly believe it’s been 5 years already. This wonderful experiment in promoting comix culture has been an amazing experience. Make plans to join us on this momentous occasion. The party coincides with the lively holiday edition of the Georgetown Art Attack with open art studios, exotic shopping, diverse dining and imbibing throughout the historic arts community.

We’re located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) only minutes from downtown Seattle. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110.