"ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!" -- PHOTOS & MORE FROM THE LAST BIG HURRAH AT CHOP SUEY, SEATTLE, WA. 1/18/15

It was coming, and we knew it was coming for months, but that didn't really make it any easier. The buyout, closing, and rebranding of one of the few remaining small clubs for Seattle's "musical misfit" community, Capitol Hill's Chop Suey, is a personal punch to the gut. Booker Jodi Ecklund worked her ass off to not only bring in awesome national and international bands to Chop's stage, but was and is a true champion of local music, multi-cultural awareness, and charity. All the punks, funks, queers, geeks, freaks, thrashers, bashers, moshers, paraders, and even geriatric suburban moms like me were welcomed with open arms, never judged, and always entertained. The shaggy old Chinese dragon hanging from the ceiling greeted you upon arrival, and didn't say anything if you left after a show covered in beer and sweat, smiling from ear to ear.

So be it. Change is here, and we will figure out a new home one way or another. But it was important to have one last big show honoring Jodi and all the good times we had together. "Another One Bites The Dust!" quickly sold out with a stellar and super-fun local lineup: Blood Drugs, Childbirth, Sashay, Chastity Belt, Deep Creep, Kithkin, Universe People, wimps, Pony Time, and Tacocat, with DJ Dave Hernandez keeping it all grooving between sets. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to go -- a major illness has kept me on the low n' slow side for the last month, and has also affected my eyesight to where I can't drive nor take photographs (my peepers should be back to normal within a month, whew) -- but DAMMIT, I HAD TO BE THERE so got there for the last few hours of the event. Talk about a lovefest! Just about everyone I know in town was there, hugging, laughing, talking, dancing, moshing, and remembering. A few tears here and there, but the vibe was still so positive, and nearly every person left that night for the last time covered in beer and sweat, smiling from ear to ear.

My dear pal and fellow Wisconsinite Jerkaminski offered to photograph the show for me for most of the earlier hours, which was SO NICE and then got even nicer when I got there and she brought me SNACKS! I tell you, I'm one lucky punk. Bring it on, Clint Eastwood, bring it on. Please to enjoy her images right now!

 Deep Creep

 

 Chastity Belt

 Kithkin

 

 

OK, OK, so I get jittery if I'm not taking photos at a show so here are a few from my phone, and a bonus video! BOOYAH! Oh, wimps came out as the Grim Reapers, complete with tombstones naming other Seattle Clubs of Demise. I love them very much. They performed a roaring, crowd-rousing, super-fun set, as did Pony Time, who also destroyed/killed/murdered/decimated with their two-person assault rumble. Delightful pop punks Tacocat closed it out with a dancing crustacean, an all-woman stage rush to sing along to "Hey Girl," and plenty of crowd surfing.

wimps

 "Another One Bites the Dust!" show clips, Chop Suey, Seattle, WA. 1/18/15


"Another One Bites The Dust!" clips - Chop Suey, Seattle, WA. 1/18/15 from Marianne Sp on Vimeo.

Thank you to all the bands, Jodi Ecklund, Jessica Kaminski, Kitty Page, and all the marvelous people in the Seattle music community. You are all just the damn best.

UPDATE 1/26/15: It's been announced that Chop Suey will be retaining talent buyer Jodi Ecklund! Hurray hurray hurray!