Sonic Boom Records

free live in-store performance: MAD RAD

9/15/2008 9:35:42 PM

MAD RAD
free live in-store performance
Friday, September 19 at 6PM
Capitol Hill

Warn your neighbors! Hide your daughters! Stash your leftover pizza and cans of Sparks! Seattle's bona fide party rappers MAD RAD have been unleashed on the streets of Seattle and they're hungry. Fresher than white bread straight out of the bakery, these three rhyme jesters who put the "potty" in "party" have just released White Gold, their debut full-length on Out For Stardom Records that has drawn comparisons to Spank Rock, 2 Live Crew and Mickey Avalon. After a year of relentless D.I.Y. promotions around town, playing everywhere from cramped living rooms to headlining some of the cities best small to mid-sized venues, Sonic Boom on Capitol Hill is proud to welcome MAD RAD to it's stage for a free, all-ages performance this Friday, September 16 at 6pm.

Free in-store performance: The New Year

9/11/2008 5:58:40 PM

The New Year
Free in-store performance
Saturday, September 27 at 4PM
Ballard Store

Over the last seventeen years, in the 1990s with Bedhead and for the last decade with The New Year, Matt and Bubba Kadane have done all they could to avoid feeling rushed in making a record. Records need time to be coherent, and coherence — even thin thematic coherence — is what makes records worth more than a mere collection of songs. Join us for an intimate performance and head to the Sunset Tavern later that night.

Free All Ages in-store: Pica Beats

9/16/2008 2:44:48 PM

Pica Beats
Free All Ages in-store
Tuesday, September 23 at 7PM
Ballard

Beating Back the Claws of the Cold is the effortless result of this singular vision—an arrestingly understated collection of songs that is both timeless and entirely contemporary. Please join us in celebrating the release of the Pica Beats debut release, Beating Back the Claws of the Cold, with a free all-ages in-store.

Free all ages in-store: Damien Jurado

9/19/2008 10:34:00 AM

Damien Jurado
Free all ages in-store
Saturday, October 11 at 4PM
Ballard

Best known for his dark, yet fragile, first person fictional tales, Damien Jurado now unlocks the door and invites us into his own enigmatic world with an energy and intensity that is all-consuming. Close friends and band mates Eric Fisher and Jenna Conrad collaborated on the compositions — some more rocking than Jurado fans are used to, but as intense as ever.
Join us this Saturday, Oct. 11 at 4pm!

free live in-store : Lykke Li

10/11/2008 2:42:19 PM

Lykke Li
free live in-store
Wednesday, October 29 at 7PM
Capitol Hill store

Sweden's Lykke Li presents one of the most perfect pop albums you'll hear all year. Just as her music sometimes seems to have arrived from another planet, she's not quite like anyone you've met before. "Imagine The Neptunes remixing 'Joe Le Taxi' as performed by Peter Bjorn & John and you're about a tenth of the way to what Lykke Li's come up with" - NME.
See her later that night at Neumos.

www.myspace.com/lykkeli

Free all-ages in-store: Lady Dottie and the Diamonds

10/12/2008 9:56:51 PM

Lady Dottie and the Diamonds
Free all-ages in-store
Tuesday, October 28 at 6PM
Ballard Store

A staple in San Diego for more than a decade featuring some of the most talented musicians around (boasting current and former members of Jejune, Earthless, Fu Manchu, The Freaks, and more) Lady Dottie and the Diamonds are the regions premier blues act. It's a boogie-woogie dance party that goes all night. Join us for a once in a lifetime intimate performance on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6pm!

Free live in-store: Japanese Motors

10/17/2008 2:56:20 PM

Japanese Motors
Free live in-store
Wednesday, November 5 at 6PM
Ballard

Reigning from Costa Mesa, California, The Japanese Motors are made up by main vocalist Alex Knost, guitarist Nolan Hall, bass player Chris Vail and drummer Andrew Atkinson. Making a unique brand of rock The Motors are renown for throwing parties and shows that draw crazers of all sorts - beach bums, surfers, skaters, models, actresses, fashion dorks, arty crowd, music nerds, stoners, underagers and overages.

Discusses the Rock Bible: Henry Owings

10/17/2008 3:20:43 PM

Henry Owings
Discusses the Rock Bible
Sunday, November 16 at 3PM
Capitol Hill

Henry Owings is the publisher of the widely recognized Chunklet Magazine based in Georgia. He was in Entertainment Weekly's "It List" for his confrontational "100 Biggest Assholes In Rock". His second book, the Rock Bible, is out now. Henry will be discussing how it was conceived/created/written and will delve into his own history and work with Chunklet. He will then open up the floor to a Q&A, followed by a signing. Please join us for this intimate discussion.

Free All Ages in-store: Fences

11/4/2008 5:25:19 PM

Fences
Free All Ages in-store
Saturday, November 22 at 3PM
Ballard

Fences' The Ultimate Puke EP, the band's debut, is a hauntingly beautiful thing, expertly and effortlessly written. Conjured and recorded in Chris Mansfield's apartment, each song is plaintive and soulfully raw in the way the best spontaneous songs are-they're melodies with immediacy and urgency. Quiet and delicate though some parts of Fences' music may be, the music is a stark contrast to Chris's seemingly tough exterior. Come see for yourself on 11/22.

Free live all-ages in store: Supersuckers

11/17/2008 5:50:17 PM

Supersuckers
Free live all-ages in store
Saturday, November 29 at 2:30PM
Ballard

The Supersuckers turn 20! Damn. Come on down and help them celebrate. We'll be giving away a free Fan Club CD with purchase of their new release, Get it Together, and you'll get a chance to win a pair of tickets for the 20th Anniversary show at the Showbox on Nov. 29th (w/ Mudhoney and Zeke). See you here!

Free All Ages in-store: Devon Williams

1/7/2009 5:20:51 PM

Devon Williams
Free All Ages in-store
Tuesday, January 20 at 6PM
Capitol Hill

As the leader of one of most infamous SoCal and Epitaph punk rock bands during the late '90s and early 2000s, Devon Williams from Osker has inspired hearts and souls all over the world. Since the band's break-up in 2002, he has moved on to different musical projects such as the folk quartet Lavender Diamond, his own Fingers-Cut Megamachine and more recently his pop/rock band called Devon Williams & The Obvious Answer. Join us at our Capitol Hill store next Tuesday at 6pm!

Free All Ages in-store: Kurt Vile

1/20/2009 3:36:24 PM

Kurt Vile
Free All Ages in-store
Thursday, March 12 at 6PM
Capitol Hill

Our man Kurt Vile plays with a serious classic rock fixation in one hand and an accomplished home taper vibe in the other—think Springsteen meets Suicide meets John Fahey, mitigated with the sort of song craft you'd expect to hear out of Anton Newcombe or Robert Pollard, and you're close to the stonewashed, hazy green pallor effusing from this disc. Vile's songwriting style is incredibly nuanced for the sort of no-budget action he's after, actually using all the tools (drum machine, guitar, keys) to his advantage. The seasoned comfort displayed within his general sound palette is quite telling of the years he's been chasing this dream. There are no obvious reaches towards a time period or unoriginal "copycattin'" present here. This is his music, his voice, and he's proud to bring it out on display. This is an in-store not to be missed.

Free All Ages in-store: Phosphorescent

1/20/2009 3:47:37 PM

Phosphorescent
Free All Ages in-store
Tuesday, March 10 at 6PM
Ballard

On 'To Willie,' Matthew Houck (Phosphorescent) has selected 11 of his favorite Willie Nelson songs and does much more than just simply cover them. He has not selected the greatest hits, but rather digs deep, offering renditions of hidden Nelson gems and lost classics. The songs collected here seem cracked from Phosphorescent's proprietary mold with Matthew Houck's unmistakable voice leading the way. They feel lived in, they feel weathered and they feel just like Phosphorescent. Recalling the finest moments of the late-'70s work of Waylon Jennings and Nelson himself. Great times!

Free All Ages in-store: Point Juncture, WA

1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM

Point Juncture, WA
Free All Ages in-store
Friday, February 20 at 6PM
Ballard

With a transparent mixture of both acoustic and electronic music, shimmering melodies with full sparkling clarity, P.J. WA has the ideal disc for the emo rock and dream pop fan who never thought they could get both on one album (especially with a little dub mixed in for even more depth and sonorities). Hands down, a stunning project. Come see for yourself what everyone is talking about.

Free All Ages In-store: Laura Gibson

3/3/2009 5:37:20 PM

Laura Gibson
Free All Ages In-store
Saturday, March 28 at 4PM
Capitol Hill

“One of the year's most breathtaking albums. Beasts of Seasons is nothing short of a masterpiece, both for its flawless and often haunting execution and for its inspired statements on the human experience.” - NPR

Enough said. See you at the in-store.

Free All-ages In Store: Sebastien Grainger

3/16/2009 5:48:25 PM

Sebastien Grainger
Free All-ages In Store
Wednesday, April 1 at 6PM
Ballard

Former drummer/singer from Death From Above 1979 has gone solo. The dance punk anthems have been replaces with delicately layered folk-rock ruminations rich with energetic arrangements and deep melodic undercurrents.

Free All Ages In Store: White Lies

3/16/2009 5:49:54 PM

White Lies
Free All Ages In Store
Tuesday, April 7 at 6PM
Ballard

The first breakthrough artist of 2009 in the UK, will arrive straight off the acclaimed NME Awards Tour, the annual tour that has previously broken Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand and The Killers overseas. MOJO: "Epic British Indie Reborn!" NME: "Majestic Rock doesn't get more haunting than this." See them in a small intimate setting while you still can!

Free All Ages In Store: Marissa Nadler

3/16/2009 5:50:53 PM

Marissa Nadler
Free All Ages In Store
Thursday, April 9 at 6PM
Ballard

Little Hells is Marissa's fourth full length release and finds her in the grip of her own hell in the wake of personal loss. As you may expect it's pretty, dark and atmospheric.

Free All Ages In Store: Heartless Bastards

3/16/2009 5:53:09 PM

Heartless Bastards
Free All Ages In Store
Saturday, April 11 at 3PM
Ballard

Awesome garage rock trio from Dayton, OH.

Free All Ages In Store: Marianne Dissard

3/16/2009 5:54:44 PM

Marianne Dissard
Free All Ages In Store
Sunday, May 3 at 4PM
Ballard

If you're a fan of modern French pop and rock, this in-store is for you. Marianne Dissard is a French expatriate living in the American Southwest, a Tucson-based musician and filmmaker who befriended the band Calexico.

Free All Ages In-store: Jeremy Jay

3/27/2009 5:20:16 PM

Jeremy Jay
Free All Ages In-store
Sunday, April 12 at 3PM
Capitol Hill

Come one, come all.: RECORD STORE DAY!!

4/10/2009 3:19:48 PM

RECORD STORE DAY!!
Come one, come all.
Saturday, April 18 at 10AM
BOTH SONIC BOOM'S

What is record store day, you ask? Well it's a celebration of your local record store, the music community and everything in between. This is the second annual event and there are hundreds of stores across the country and world that are participating.

What is so special? Well, we have tons of exclusive releases just for this day as well as free stuff that labels and bands have sent. (There will be a full list available but you can get a peek at www.recordstoreday.com) We'll be having in-store performances and DJ sets all day long. (Schedule below). 10% of our gross sales are being donated to Seattle Public School's Music Programs and we'll be silk screening whatever you want (shirts/totes/paper) out front asking for donations for a scholarship to Seattle School of Rock. If you go to both stores you can get both sides of the locket!...you'll see.

In addition, we've organized businesses in Ballard that will be offering discounts for any Sonic Boom shoppers on Record Store Day. How cool is that? Remember: Think Local/Shop Local.

Ballard:
12pm - DJ Woogie "D"
1pm - Peter Blecha (DJ's and signs his new book called Sonic Boom)
2pm - SAY HI (In-store performance)
3pm - Claude Balzac (DJ)
4pm - VETIVER (In-store performance)
5pm - Andy Harms (107.7 the End - DJ)
6pm - Stupid Fresh (DJ)

Capitol Hill:
2pm - Cheryl Waters (90.3 KEXP DJ)
3pm - TELEKINESIS (In-store performance)
5pm - DJ El Torro

We'll also have tons of bargain sidewalk sale stuff!