I was pretty bummed when the Neptune converted from a movie theater to a live venue. I mean, it’s way better than getting torn down for condos. But I had a lot of movie memories there. Then I saw Thao and the Get Down, Stay Down there. Car Seat Headrest played that night, too. I already liked both bands, but seeing Thao live I realized she is a legitimate rock star. (I later saw her at Doe Bay Fest, where the folky aspect of the band was on more prominent display). Really, you couldn’t put that space to better use.
Bookstores might be my Tiffany’s. This look back at the haul from my very first Independent Bookstore Day reveals the severity of my tsundoku problem. I still haven’t read any of the books pictured. But Independent Bookstore Day remains one of my favorite holidays. This year they’re doing things a little differently to accommodate pandemic safety precautions, and I’m still not sure how much I’m going to participate. But I think next year will be the year I actually fill my passport.
The Secret Garden was one of my favorite books growing up. So I was delighted to discover a garden hidden away on the top level of the parking garage at McCaw Hall. Years ago, rather than wasting time looking for a “good” spot, I always drove straight to the rooftop when I came to see the ballet or the opera. Somewhere along the line (probably when I started wearing high heels?) I changed my strategy and started parking elsewhere. When I heard that the roof had been converted to a P-Patch, I had to confirm it for myself. And there it was, the UpGarden, a secret garden right across the street from the Seattle Center.
Marduk was a familiar name to me, but I never really listened to them before I saw Marduk at Eistnaflug in 2016. I enjoyed the set, but the presence of meaty rams’ heads on stage as props gave me pause. As a vegetarian, how did I feel about the aesthetic use of animal parts for entertainment? A vegan friend who was also there didn’t even notice them, and was much more enthusiastic about the music than I was.
After a discussion of ethics in heavy metal, we decided it was okay. They eat a lot of mutton in Iceland, and whole sheep’s heads are a holiday special there like whole turkeys in the U.S. It’s not like they actually killed animals for the show. And it did look cool if you didn’t think about it too hard.
Only later did we discover that they also have songs celebrating the courage of Nazi military units, and have refused to distance themselves from white supremacy. I did a bit more research, and it doesn’t seem like Marduk are actually Nazis. It sounds more like an example of white privilege trying to be edgy. But if you prioritize an edgelord aesthetic or obscure mystique of your band over the safety and welfare of actual people, I have better things to do than listen to your music.
It turns out that when something pricks your conscience, there’s usually a reason. Even if it looks really cool.
I got this poster of Goya’s famous print at a Seattle Art Museum exhibition on the invention of cartooning. “El sueño de la razón produce monstruos” (The sleep of reason produces monsters”) has hung on my wall ever since, and for the past few years has felt so much more timely than anything produced in the late 1700s should. I hope to be able to look at it with a little more distance in the future.
