Hardly Raining

Seattle music and culture blog. Features concert photos, show reviews, artist interviews, local events, and more.

somesurprises

Photos: somesurprises at The Sunset

2023-01-22 Hardly Raining Introspective rockers somesurprises played The Sunset on January 22, 2023. The Seattle-based group includes Natasha El-Sergany (guitar, vocals), Josh Medina (synth, guitar), Nico Sophiea (drums), and Laura Seniow (bass). (Read a review of somesurprises and a recent interview with El-Sergany.) On March 2, somesurprises will return to The Sunset with Coral Grief. …

Photos: somesurprises at The Sunset Read More »

20230116 8X9A9606

Photos of the 40th MLK Day March

2023-01-16 Hardly Raining Seattleites marched in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 16, 2023. The 40th annual march began at Garfield High School and wound through the Central District. Outside the new Children and Family Justice Center, speakers called for an end to youth incarceration. Organizers carried banners and led chants in support …

Photos of the 40th MLK Day March Read More »

Os Mutantes

Photos from Freakout Festival 2022

2022-11-13 Hardly Raining Seattle’s Freakout Festival returned to Ballard on November 10-13, 2022. This tenth iteration spanned four nights and six venues, along with a new outdoor stage that featured popular Seattle artists. It was a fantastic lineup from around the world, emphasizing bands from Latin America and the U.S. West Coast. On-brand for Freakout, …

Photos from Freakout Festival 2022 Read More »

Modest Mouse performs at The Showbox in Seattle on November 23, 2022 (photo: Lisa Hagen Glynn).

Modest Mouse (w/ Sun Atoms) at the Showbox

2022-11-23 Hardly Raining Portland indie-rockers Modest Mouse played three sold-out nights at The Showbox on November 21-23, 2022. Formed in Issaquah in 1993, the group has been integral to the Pacific Northwest alternative music scene. Their The Lonesome Crowded West tour commemorates the 25th anniversary of their 1997 album by that title. Most recently, Modest …

Modest Mouse (w/ Sun Atoms) at the Showbox Read More »

Alex Dugdale What We Have On Tap

Photos from the 2022 Earshot Jazz Festival

2022.11.07 Hardly Raining The 34th annual Earshot Jazz Festival returned to Seattle from October 8–November 6, 2022. This autumn’s festival featured 37 jazz shows across a dozen Seattle venues. Headliners included Grammy-winning artist Dianne Schuur (vocals, piano), and NEA Jazz Master Charles Lloyd (saxophone) with his Ocean Trio. Resident artist Alex Dugdale (saxophone, tap dance) …

Photos from the 2022 Earshot Jazz Festival Read More »

Gary Smulyan and Paul Rauch, outside Tula's jazz club in Seattle (photo: Jim Levitt).

Grateful Dead Meetup at the Movies: Confessions of a Modern Jazz Journalist

2022.11.01 Paul Rauch, special to Hardly Raining The Grateful Dead have always defied convention, when it comes to the more commonly accepted protocols of American entertainment. Their refusal to be pop stars despite immense popularity is part of the allure, just a group of six guys playing music without any sort of show business glitz. …

Grateful Dead Meetup at the Movies: Confessions of a Modern Jazz Journalist Read More »

Anders Trentemøller performs at The Showbox.

Trentemøller at The Showbox

2022-09-16 Hardly Raining Danish electronic artist Anders Trentemøller kicked off his North American tour at The Showbox on September 16, 2022. Based in Copenhagen, Trentemøller is a composer, musician, and producer. Joining him were Icelandic artist DíSA (vocals, guitar), Silas Tinglef (drums), Brian Batz (guitar), and Jacob Haubjerg (bass). Trentemøller creates techno that draws on diverse musical influences. …

Trentemøller at The Showbox Read More »