Preview: Maximize Your Time at Capitol Hill Block Party Day 1

By Derek York

Thursday, 21 July 2011

Look at all the awesome bands named on this poster “You can only attend one day of the Capitol Hill Block Party, which one do you want?” That was the question posed to me.

With sets from great bands like Battles, Explosions in the Sky, Grynch, Cold Cave, Champagne Champagne, and He Whose Ox Is Gored spread over the Seattle festival’s three days, how does one choose?

Let’s see. On Friday I can see Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, Cults, and Fucked Up in a single day, as well as local favorites Fresh Espresso, the Absolute Monarchs, and Theesatisfaction?

That is an absolutely killer lineup. Now I just have to figure out how to pack all of it into a single day.

I plan to get up the hill in time to let Seattle hip-hop crew Fresh Espresso get my afternoon going, and will most certainly begin the slog through the sweaty crowd to get up close for sets by Vile and Moore.

Three sets back-to-back-to-back on the Main Stage will make me very thirsty though, so some visits to the beer garden and heralded dive bar the Comet Tavern will be in order.

After an afternoon in the sun, the dark confines of Nuemos will feel great at 7:45 to catch Cults and Fucked Up, two bands that shouldn’t be missed. I can’t stop listening to either of their new releases.

This will be my first time seeing Cults’ super-catchy ethereal dream girl hair shaking music live, but I’ve seen Fucked Up a few times. This band – brave enough to put out a "post-punk rock opera" double album – will fuck YOU up! Trust me.

That being said, it’s gonna be packed and pretty rough in there, so if you want to check out Elephant Rider, Ra Ra Riot, or Constant Lovers instead, I won’t stop you.

I will need some Cha Cha time after that onslaught, so the Absolute Monarchs will be the perfect fix. In case you haven’t heard, the Absolute Monarchs are mad at you and are going to yell at you until you submit to their wild fantasies.

Cold Cave ("Brrrrr!") From there, the short stagger over to the Vera Stage won’t be too bad, but having enough strength in my legs for yet another great Seattle hip-hop act, Theesatisfaction, will be a test of my conditioning.

If you think you can keep up, follow me around at twitter.com/nadamucho.