Father's Day

The KEXP Kid's Dance Party
Dark.
Chaotic.
Intimidating.
Claustrophobic.
High carb snacks leading to an inevitable crash.

When the parents finally moved out of the way and let the kids have the floor, disappointment followed there as well. This photo was taken by Chad Syme for KEXP shortly after Eli got shoved during some breakdancing lessons -- his disappointment on full display. I was vicariously disappointed as well... I guess I should have known they'd overfill Neumo's.

It wasn't all bad though... coloring the walls on the balcony was great fun for Zane.

Hours away from Ballard Day

KEXP is taking over my little neighborhood of Ballard tomorrow, broadcasting from various stores throughout the day, starting at 6AM.

Live performances include Common Market (7AM,) Arthur and Yu (9AM,) Throw Me the Statue (11AM,) Mochipet, Man Plus, Velella Velella, and Cloud Cult (5PM). Then, in the evening, KEXP DJ's will be spinning at various venues/bars. Here's the map and schedule of events for the day (pdf).

Playlist: Ballard Day 2008

Michael Franti was one of last year's highlights, here playing from Sonic Boom Records:

Locals only

One week ago today, Seattle radio station KEXP wrapped up their year with their annual Top 90.3 of the year (as voted by the listeners,) running from 8AM all the way to 4:30PM. This year, folks voted close to home, with Band of Horses and The Decemberists taking the top spots, and even the next two had NW ties - Neko Case (Tacoma/Vancouver) and Silversun Pickups (who recorded their album in Seattle with local legend Steve Fisk.) After TV on the Radio (mine and plenty of others' number one pick) came two more with local ties: The Black Angels (on the best little basement run label in the Northwest - A Light in the Attic Records) and Built to Spill. And if we move a bit further out, geographically speaking, there's only two foreigners (Thom Yorke, Belle & Sebastian) in the whole top twenty.

Playlist: KEXP's Top 90.3 of 2006
Listen to the broadcast here

And while it hurt your chances on this list to be from elsewhere, if you were a hip-hop artist you were doomed. The Roots (#33,) Michael Franti & Spearhead (#45) barely made a splash, and Ghostface Killah came in as an afterthought (#90,) and let's be honest - Gnarls Barkley (#14) barely counts.

Where's the hip-hop love, KEXP listeners?

tags: playlist, music, best of 2006, year end list, indie rock, kexp, radio, tv on the radio, tvotr, band of horses, the decemberists, neko case, light in the attic, silversun pickups, black angels, rhapsody