Tonight in Seattle: James Apollo, Lost Lander, and The Shivering Denizens

James Apollo and his Sweet Unknown, Ghosts I’ve Met, and Whitney Ballen @ The Fremont Abbey | 7/27 | 7 pm | $8-$14 (Get Tickets) | All Ages |

Photo courtesy of jamesapollo.com

Preview by Jessica Kaminski:

Traveling light and traveling often are hallmarks of James Apollo. Mr. Apollo and his band have been traipsing across the USA and Europe on a grueling schedule of live performances since 2009. An insatiable wanderlust and panache for poetic live performances make James Apollo a troubadour of moving Americana. Friday night will bring the itinerant Apollo and his raucous road band, The Sweet Unknown, to the Fremont Abbey to debut their latest release Little War, Little Less.

Little War, Little Less is the follow up album to 2011’s Till Your Feet Bleed. Little War, Little Less was released June 5 and produced by indie pioneer Damien Jurado. This latest album is a mix of riotous western themes, dusty melodies and 50s soul that captures the energy and intensity of Apollo’s live show. You can witness that energy and intensity for yourself.  On July 27, Apollo and his band will be joined by an elite selection of musicians cherry picked from the Seattle Rock Orchestra. If you have never seen a show at the Fremont Abbey, Friday will be a lovely introduction to this acoustically stunning venue. It will be a big band and big show in an intimate space — a renovated church. It is the perfect setting for Apollo’s evocative and adventurous songs.

Photo courtesy of ghostsivemet.com

Ghosts I’ve Met will also be filling the Fremont Abbey with delicious and delicate melodies punctuated by a rich assortment of instrumentations.  With haunting and intense vocals, Sam Watts superbly delves into a luscious aural landscape with his immersive and introspective lyrics. Ghosts I’ve Met shouldn’t be missed — so don’t be late.

Singer songwriter Whitney Ballen will be opening the evening with an acoustic dream pop set.

Lost Lander, Janell Kallander, Prism Tats @ Columbia City Theater | 7/27 |  9pm | $8adv (Get Tickets) | 21+

Lost Lander profile photo via facebook

Lost Lander are a synth and guitar-driven pop band (featuring Matt Sheehy and Brett Knopf of Ramona Falls) from Portland who are currently on a West Coast mini-tour. Their album DRRT features complex production incorporating a wide variety of sounds, both synthesized and natural. In addition to the great songs, the CD was packaged in a cardboard case which could be folded to make a miniature planetarium! The entire album can be streamed and purchased here (check out the track “Your Name is a Fire”).

Also on the agenda at the Columbia City Theater this evening are the fuzzy, dreamlike tunes of Prism Tats and a performance by Seattle acoustic singer/songwriter Janell Kallander.

The Shivering Denizens, The Pete Leinon Band @ The New Orleans Creole Restaurant | 7/27 |  8pm |  21+

Photo from facebook

The Shivering Denizens are easily one of the Seattle area’s best country bands. A four piece group (guitar, banjo, upright bass, and drums), they combine classic honky-tonk influences with a fast and furious outlaw country style. Their live show features a lot of uptempo  foot-stomping numbers combined with high lonesome vocal harmonizing. The dark humor of many of their songs combined with the band’s stage antics and great playing make their sets real crowd-pleasers. Tonight is the CD release show for their new album, Baker-Whitely. Some songs on the new album feature punk accordionist Ando “Death Polka” Ehlers who will also be making an appearance tonight.