STG Presents Jim Gaffigan at Paramount Theatre, 10/9

Broadway World
BWW News Desk

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) present Jim Gaffigan on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 7:00pm at the Paramount Theatre.

Jim Gaffigan has proven himself a major talent beloved to a wide range of audiences after achieving milestones in stand-up, acting and writing. As approachable as he is edgy, Jim is responsible for some of the funniest and most memorable moments in recent television (primetime, cable and the late-night circuit) and film.

As a stand-up comedian, Gaffigan's clever, quiet style has earned him an unprecedented number of appearances on both CBS' LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN and NBC's LATE NIGHT WITH Conan O'Brien. His recent one hour Comedy Central Special, CD and DVD, all entitled "Beyond the Pale" have catapulted Gaffigan to one of the most popular touring and recorded comedians in the country today. The DVD for "Beyond the Pale" went Gold within the first six months.

After Gaffigan's first appearance on DAVID LETTERMAN, the host personally chose him to develop a sitcom for World Wide Pants. Eighteen months later, WELCOME TO NEW YORK debuted on CBS to critical acclaim. He then co-starred with Ellen Degeneres on her CBS sitcom THE ELLEN SHOW. For two years he had recurring roles both on FOX's THAT 70'S SHOW and NBC's ED. Jim has also had roles on SEX AND THE CITY, THIRD WATCH and each of the LAW & ORDER shows, among others. Jim can be seen this November in MY BOYS, TBS' first original scripted comedy series.

On film, Jim has endeared himself to audiences by taking on vivid supporting characters in a number of genres. In the cult hit SUPER TROOPERS, Gaffigan got huge laughs and famously helped add "meow" to the lexicon of Vermont state troopers. Jim's quiet dramatic turn in THE GREAT NEW WONDERFUL, a meditation on the aftermath of 9/11, took audiences and critics by surprise as he embodied an office worker broken by tragedy who ultimately explodes in rage.

Gaffigan's other recent film credits include the forthcoming independent films THE LIVING WAKE and STEPHANIE DALEY. He has also been featured in TRUST THE MAN, 13 GOING ON 30, THREE KINGS, FINAL, IGBY GOES DOWN, ENTROPY and THIRTY YEARS TO LIFE. In 2004, he co-starred in TNT's BAD APPLE, with Chris Noth.

Gaffigan recently signed on to co-write and lend his voice to 20 new episodes of PALE FORCE, a series of animated shorts that will air regularly on CONAN and on the internet via webisodes starting in October. The series focuses on two pale crime-fighting superheroes that, like Gaffigan and O'Brien, are equipped with fair skin.

Many recognize Gaffigan from his numerous award-winning commercial campaigns, which include Sierra Mist, ESPN, Saturn and Rolling Rock. His commercial presence earned him Business Week's 1999 "Salesman of the Year" honor.

Gaffigan currently lives in New York with his family.
Tickets: $46.75 & $36.75, not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale Friday, March 12th at noon at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount box office (Mon-Fri 10am-6pm), 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-784-4849, or online at www.STGPresents.org.

About STG
Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

Seattle Theatre Group Presents CIRQUE DREAMS ILLUMINATION 5/20-5/23

Broadway World
BWW News Desk

Get ready for the all new CIRQUE DREAMS ILLUMINATION from the creators of the groundbreaking hit and only show of its kind to ever perform on Broadway: CIRQUE DREAMS Jungle Fantasy (shown at The Moore Theatre in 2007). Hailed as, "Dazzling! A reason to stand up and cheer," by the New York Daily News, CIRQUE DREAMS ILLUMINATION will ignite Seattle when it performs at The Moore Theatre beginning May 20 for six performances. Tickets on sale Friday, March 5, 2010 at 10:00am.

Journey with fascination into the depths of a city that ignites with illumination when Cirque Dreams imagination, suspense and theatrical innovation turns EVERDAY ORDINARY...INTO BRIGHT AND EXTRAORDINARY! Audiences of all ages will marvel as city dwellers reinvent familiar objects, balance on wires, leap tall buildings and redefine the risks of flight in a story filled with astounding occurrences. One of a kind artists populate the streets of this magical metropolis and breathe energy into its landscape with urban acrobatics and never before seen phenomenal thrills of disbelief. Cirque Dreams' critically acclaimed dazzling costumes come alive to the sounds of jazz, ballroom, pop and more in this original score.

Created and directed by Neil Goldberg, Cirque Dreams Illumination is the latest brainchild of Goldberg's theatrical imagination and the Cirque Dreams brand of entertainment, creators of international performance, touring and Broadway sensations Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Cirque Dreams Pandemonia, Cirque Dreams Coobrila, Cirque Ingenieux and the first show of its kind at sea...Cirque Dreams & Dinner on board the Norwegian Cruise Line EPIC. Over 50 million fans have attended a Cirque Dreams show throughout the U.S. and abroad in the past 5 years.

"Cirque Dreams Illumination" is the company's 14th production since originating in 1993. "The Cirque Dreams brand of quality, originality and value combined with Broadway theatrics and international circus artistry continues to transcend imagination and appeal to audiences of all ages" says Goldberg. Critics and audiences alike have praised Cirque Dreams shows as "A whiz-bang family friendly spectacle" (LA Times), "Pure talent on a stage" (New Yorker) and "Executed to perfection." (Chicago Sun Times).

Tickets: Cirque Dreams Illumination tickets are $30.00 - $50.00 and are on sale Friday, March 5 at 10am. Purchase tickets online at www.stgpresents.org, by phone at (877) 784-4849, in person at The Paramount Theatre box office, Monday through Friday 10:00am-6:00pm and The Paramount and Moore Theatre venue kiosks, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, powered by Tickets.com. The Moore Theatre is located at 1926 2nd Ave. in downtown Seattle.

Special $10 off discount available for students 14 years old and under. Group discounts for 10 or more are available by calling 866-798-7469.

About STG: STG is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

Seattle Rock Opera Hosts A Tribute To David Bowie 3/26

BroadwayWorld.com
BWW News Desk

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents the Seattle Rock Orchestra performing a tribute to David Bowie on Friday, March 26, 2010 at 8:00 pm at the Moore Theatre.

The Seattle Rock Orchestra (SRO) will pay tribute to the glam rock years of David Bowie, featuring a 70 piece orchestra, backing band, the Kindness Kind, and guest vocalists John Roderick (the Long Winters), Jon Auer (the Posies), David Terry (Aqueduct), Nouela Johnston (People Eating People), Alessandra Rose (the Kindness Kind) and many more. The Kindness Kind will open the show, as well. SRO is directed by bassist and orchestrator Scott Teske.

Comprised of some of Seattle's best freelance classical and pop musicians, the Seattle Rock Orchestra collaborates with bands and artists to produce one-of-a-kind symphonic shows. Formed in December of 2008, SRO has since accompanied favorite local artists such as Jeremy Enigk, Jesse Sykes, Damien Jurado and Rosie Thomas, and bands Black Swedes, Exohxo and Grand Hallway. Most recently SRO performed a tribute to the Arcade Fire, performing their iconic album Funeral in it's entirety with help of guest vocalists from the likes of The Purrs, Hey Marseilles, with Friends Like These, The Kindness Kind, Shenandoah Davis and others.

Tickets: $15.00 in advance, $18.00 day of show, not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale Friday, January 22nd at 10am at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount Theatre box offices (M-F 10am-6pm), 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-784-4849, or online at STGPresents.org.

Seattle Helping Haiti To Feature MxPx, Sweet Water, The Maldives And More

BroadwayWorld.com
BWW News Desk

In conjunction with the American Red Cross, Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents the Seattle Helping Haiti on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 8:00 pm at the Moore Theatre.

Our mission is to unite members of the Seattle community to raise funds and help those affected by the recent earthquake in Haiti. With the help of the Red Cross and the Seattle Theatre Group, The Seattle Helping Haiti Concert and Auction was born. All net proceeds from the event will go to the earthquake victims in Haiti.

A collection of Seattle's favorites bands new and old have come together to create a one of a kind concert experience. Bands donating their time include Sweet Water, Vince Mira, MXPX, The Maldives, The Classic Crime and The Memphis Radio Kings. The event will also include a silent auction with donated items from local businesses, athletes, and musicians. The show will be hosted by numerous radio personalities, all of whom will be encouraging attendees to donate throughout the evening.

All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross' relief efforts to Haiti. Red Cross local chapter CEO will be speaking at the event, and the Red Cross will have a large onsite presence. The Red Cross recognizes Seattle Helping Haiti as a fully sanctioned Red Cross event and are promoting it throughout all their channels.
Tickets: $15.00 not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale now at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount Theatre box offices (M-F 10am-6pm), 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-784-4849, or online at STGPresents.org.

About STG
Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

Seattle Theatre Group Presents 311 with Special Guest, The Wailers, 3/1

BroadwayWorld.com
BWW News Desk

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents 311 with special guest, The Wailers, on Monday, March 1, 2010 at 7:30 pm at the Moore Theatre.

311 have always been a band that's defied easy description but Uplifter, the band's latest album, finds the group harder than ever to pin down. What other band releases their riskiest, richest record after almost 20 years together? What other band had its biggest radio hit in the mid-90's but is more popular than ever a decade later, selling out amphitheaters even when they haven't had a new album in almost four years? What other band is so intent on challenging themselves while inspiring listeners to have an open mind? Clearly, there are no other bands that are quite like 311, a band that blurs borders between styles so thoroughly that they wind up blurring preconceptions of what a rock band can be. Uplifter, their ninth studio album, stands as the best evidence of 311's eclecticism and is, in many ways, the boldest, best music they've ever made.

The key to realizing the band's potential didn't lie in changing the band, but rather strengthening their existing identity. "We were trying to be bold and expressive, never compromising and being as eclectic as possible," says bassist P-Nut. Chad recalls, "Bob said 311 is a band that has a characteristic sound and he wanted to take those characteristics and enhance them and simply bring out the best of 311." Nick agrees: "We explored our diversity with hard rock, reggae, power-pop, etc. To me, the music is positive and fun. It reflects the mind state we were in when we made it. There are themes of personal struggle in the songs, but as always with 311, there is a resolution. There are some songs about relationships ("Two Drops in the Ocean") that are straight from the heart. There's a balls-to-the-wall burner about the fun of touring ("Never Ending Summer"), a thank you to the fans that I think is destined to be a live anthem. There's a heavy song about the magic of creativity ("Something Out of Nothing"). And our first single, "Hey You" is an ode to music itself...our "constant companion." Nick continues, "To me, it sounds like 311 taken to the next level. The reggae, rock, and hip hop are there, but there are new guitar textures and tones that will surprise people. There is a funkiness to the reggae that I love and a danceable-ness to the rock that is new. Space in the riffs that makes you want to move."

This diversity has been part of 311 since they formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska (where all 5 band members grew up). After two independent releases, the group relocated to Los Angeles and signed with Capricorn Records who released the band's major-label debut Music in 1993. 311 supported Music by literally living on the road, playing show after show, and building a fan base that thrives to this day. They saluted this burgeoning following with the very title of their second album, 1994's Grassroots. The album that broke the doors down for the band was the following year's 311, commonly called the Blue Album. 311 gave the band their breakthrough hit "Down," a single that climbed all the way to number one on the Modern Rock charts, as well as produced another Modern Rock Top Ten hit in "All Mixed Up," songs that helped the album go multi-platinum in the US and turned the group into an international force.

311 continued to gain momentum in the back half of the '90s, as they released Transistor in 1997 - which generated the hit "Beautiful Disaster" -- and then 1999's Soundsystem, which gave them another Modern Rock Top Ten in "Come Original." The most dramatic evidence of 311's increasing popularity was the institution of "311 Day" in March of 2000 - 311 Day being a celebration of the band's music and fans, where the group throws a huge concert in New Orleans every other year, playing sets lasting well over 60 songs. Following From Chaos in 2001, the band signed with Volcano/Jive Records, releasing Evolver in 2003. After having a hit with a cover of the Cure's "Love Song" -- featured in the Adam Sandler 2004 film 50 First Dates - they released Don't Tread on Me in 2005. While the record may not have sold as much as its predecessors, 311 began selling more concert tickets than ever, regularly playing to audiences as large as 18,000 people, all without the presence of a current hit single. Encouraged by these dedicated fans, the group continued to tour every summer, knowing that they had an audience of faithful that would be willing to wait for the right album, just like how the band was willing to wait.

Tickets: $37.50 & $31.50, not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale now at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount Theatre box offices (M-F 10am-6pm), 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, or online at STGPresents.org.

Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

The Cranberries reunite, will bring their tour to Seattle 12/7/09

Maria Christensen
CultureMob in Music, Seattle

Although The Cranberries never actually used the words “breaking up,” they certainly haven’t released a new album in eight years – the last being ‘Wake Up and Smell the Coffee’ in 2001 – or been on tour together for the last seven years.

While each band member has had plenty to keep them busy with new projects and solo acts, apparently the time is right for some kind of new iteration of The Cranberries. Lead singer Dolores O’Riordan has been quoted as saying, “I’ve decided to reunite with my former band members in The Cranberries and we will be writing new songs and performing tracks off my new album as well as our greatest hits during the shows.”

The new tour brings them to Seattle to perform at The Moore Theatre on December 7. Tickets are $33 and can be bought through STG Presents.

Kathy Griffin to appear at The Paramount

Kathy Griffin returns to Seattle for two shows in January, 2010.

By Marian Liu
Seattle Times staff reporter

The famous D-lister is back.

Kathy Griffin returns to the Paramount Theatre for two shows, Jan. 28 and 29. Tickets are $45.50 to $75.50 at LiveNation.com, Tickets.com, 24-hour kiosks at the Paramount and Moore Theatres or charge by phone (877-STG-4TIX).

The last time the popular comedian came around to Seattle, her tickets went fast.

Griffin is known for her Emmy-Award winning series for Bravo, "Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List." She also won "Celebrity Mole" on ABC, hosted the NBC reality series "Average Joe" and the MTV series "Kathy's So-Called Reality." Kathy is also well known for playing Brooke Shields' colleague on the NBC sitcom, "Suddenly Susan."

STG Presents Grizzly Bear 10/16 At The Moore Theatre

Broadway World

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) & Sealed With A Kiss present Grizzly Bear on Friday, October 16, 2009 at 8:00pm at the Moore Theatre.

Grizzly Bear released Yellow House in 2006. It was a slow, steady and stunning ride-boundless in scope and elegance. Given the album's otherworldly charm and staying power, it's hard to believe three years have gone by.

That might seem like a long time. But given Grizzly Bear's hectic touring schedule, including stints with Radiohead, TV On The Radio and Feist-as well as several performances during a five-night tribute to Paul Simon at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music, a co-headlining show with the L.A. Philharmonic, and the release of Friend, a 10-song EP of re-recorded and re-worked songs, collaborations and covers-all of this seems very reasonable. They've been busy.

But about a year ago, singer/songwriter Ed Droste, drummer Christopher Bear, bassist Chris Taylor and singer/songwriter/guitarist Daniel Rossen -whose other band, Department of Eagles, released the sublime In Ear Park last fall-began passing demos around and working together creatively in different pairs and permutations. A few months later, blessed with producer/engineer Chris Taylor's willingness to transport his recording equipment, they began the recording process for Veckatimest, which would unfold over the next six months in three very singular locations. And in many ways, it is the recording process that reveals this record-each space catalyzing different interactions, inspirations, and ultimately, songs.

In July, the band spent three weeks at the Glen Tonche house in upstate New York. The beauty, mystery and surrealistic feel to the estate made anything seem do-able, possible and even magical. Though still finding their feet, much of the album's groundwork was laid there. After breaking briefly for the Radiohead tour in August, the band convened at a house on Cape Cod (graciously provided by Droste's grandmother) where they re-addressed and solidified the compositions they'd started at Glen Tonche. Lastly, Grizzly Bear came home, to a church in NYC, to fine-tune and complete the album-named Veckatimest, after a tiny, uninhabited island on Cape Cod that the band visited and was inspired by, particularly liking its Native American name. Following initial mixes by Chris Taylor, the band brought Gareth Jones (Interpol, Liars) over from England for a final mixing session with Taylor. The album was then mastered by Greg Calbi. Artist WilLiam O'Brien created Veckatimest's colorful, hand drawn artwork-a perfect compliment to the album's enigmatic title.

There is an unbelievable clarity of sound and vision to Veckatimest: vocals (a duty now shared by all band members) are sharper and more complex, arrangements are tighter, production is more venturous and lyrics more affecting. Having opened the creative dialogue at such an early stage, Grizzly Bear was able to realize these 12 songs together as a band, making it their most collaboratively compositional album to date. Taylor's artistry as a producer and engineer has only gotten stronger, both Rossen and Droste's conviction as singers and lyricists has swelled, and Bear's authority behind the drums is striking.

This yielded an unexpected mix of material that feels more confidant, mature, focused-and most of all, dynamic. From songs like "Dory" (a gracefully psychedelic, ever-evolving work),"Ready, Able" (a synth-y opus, and one of four songs that boasts string arrangements by composer Nico Muhly) and "Foreground" (a plaintive, vocal-driven send-off, and one of two songs to feature choral arrangements also by Muhly) to more resounding pop songs like "Two Weeks" (an other-worldly doo wop featuring backing vocals from Beach House's Victoria LeGrand) and "While You Wait For the Others" (a triumphant and melodically cacophonous pop masterpiece), Veckatimest is an album of the highest highs and lowest lows-an unbelievably diverse collection of songs that celebrates the strength of each band member, and the power of the whole. It was well worth the wait.

Tickets: $25.00 not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale now at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount Theatre box offices, 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, or online at STGPresents.org. More information can be found at SealedWithAKissPresents.com, as well.

Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

STG Announces SWITCHFOOT, Added To The Blue October Show 7/30 At Moore Theatre

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) is pleased to announce the addition of Switchfoot to the Blue October show, with Longwave on July 30th, 2009 at 7:30pm at the Moore Theatre.

Switchfoot are a critically-acclaimed San Diego band, who are known for their energetic live shows. Following the huge success of the The Beautiful Letdown & Oh! Gravity, Switchfoot will be releasing a new album in the Fall of 2009.

Tickets: $35.00 not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale now at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount Theatre box offices, 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, or online at STGPresents.org.

Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

STG Presents Psychedelic Furs & Happy Mondays 9/14

Broadway World

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents Psychedelic Furs & Happy Mondays on Monday, September 14, 2009 at 7:30pm at the Moore Theatre.

The Psychedelic Furs are back and currently preparing to once again unleash their distinctive brand of smartly tripped-out grooves for audiences. Reforming after 10 years gone, the Furs are headlining a spring tour in support of Sony/Legacy releasing The Psychedelic Furs Greatest Hits. In addition, the band is working on a bundle of brand-new songs that will be recorded later this year.

During the Furs' first tenure (1978-91) the group garnered tremendous respect from critics and fans alike for the music's unpredictable mix of punk rock, poetic lyricism and seductive rhythmic hooks. Fronted by vocalist and chief songwriter, Richard Butler, the Furs earned a reputation as one of the most riveting musical forces to come out of the early 80s post-punk, new wave era. The band charted big hits with "Love My Way," "Pretty In Pink," "Heaven," and "The Ghost In You," in all releasing seven studio albums on Columbia and spawning several compilations including a box set in 1997, "Should God Forget: A Retrospective."

In their finest moments on albums including 1980's Talk, Talk, Talk and 1984's Mirror Moves, Butler's husky vocals and often-brooding lyrics ingeniously intertwined with the edgy musical textures provided by brother Tim Butler on bass and John Ashton on guitar. Even when their releases didn't scorch the Top 10, Furs records remained innovative and adventurous force in early alternative music and maintained a steady presence on college radio.

Through it all, Butler's rubbery baritoNe Yowl became one of the 80's most recognizable sounds, often managing to be both introspective and aloof at the same time. It was quirky and darkly cynical faire that expressed the detachment of the times and the itchy struggle of a generation to find meaning in the turbulent headwaters of what would later become the dawn of Information Age. Gaining much of their fame as part of MTV's first wave of video artists, Butler and company will be forever identified with a time when the stale musical paradigms of 70s were forever cast aside and replaced by the new rock of an angrier and faster world.

Throughout the Fur's reign, critics routinely compared the group's enigmatic sound to an impressive slew of art-rock icons including David Bowie, The Velvet Underground and The Doors, as well as to punk progenitors, The Sex Pistols. Growing heavier and more guitar-oriented in their later releases, the Furs have since been placed loosely in the rock pantheon somewhere between early punk and the alternative hard rock and grunge that would rise in the band's wake during the 90s.

After twelve years of recording and touring, Butler and the other band members grew tired of being the Psychedelic Furs and in 1991, they decided to go their own ways. "It was really very amicable," Butler recalls. "We had been doing it for so long that the process became predictable. I think we all wanted to do different things. We had a great run, but after you've been playing 'Pretty In Pink' almost every night for ten years, things are bound to feel pretty old. There weren't any surprises left, so we moved on. "

In 1994, Butler formed a new band called Love Spit Love. The group recorded two albums and met with moderate success but never captured the sort of loyal following the Furs had enjoyed. In 1998, Butler and wife Annie had a daughter, Maggie Mozart Butler, and the artist who was once described as a wiser Johnny Rotten and a sober Jim Morrison decided to concentrate on being a parent. Spending much of his time at home in Cold Springs, New York, Butler began writing songs for a solo project.

According to Butler, it was interest in developing this wealth of new material that gave rise to the Psychedelic Furs' second coming. "I was working on songs for a solo record, when I got together with Tim to do some writing. When he saw all the songs I had, he was pretty impressed and he asked me if I had ever thought about doing a Furs' record. I hadn't really given it much thought, but then our manager called and asked me if I'd be willing to do some shows. Those two things sort of coincided so it seemed like the time was right."

During the Fur's decade-long hiatus, guitarist John Ashton was also busy, producing and performing with the likes of Marianne Faithful, Mercury Rev and Red Betty, among others including Spiv, a local band in Ashton's hometown of Woodstock, NY. Like the brothers Butler, Ashton says he ready to plug in again with the Psychedelic Furs.

"It's been fun hanging out and writing Furs material again," he says. "There's always been great tension in energy in what we do. However, our audience has always been the other half of the story. Without them we wouldn't be here."

For his part, Butler says he's warmed to the idea of tackling the old favorites as well, not only to make long-time fans happy, but also to rediscover the work itself in a fresh context. "When we decided to do this, I went back and listened to a lot of our records, and honestly, I was really surprised by how good I think they are. We did some good work and I'm really looking forward to playing those songs. I guess you could say it's like getting to know some old friends all over again.

"I'm especially delighted to be working with Tim and John Ashton. It's going to be interesting to see what influences we've all absorbed over the past few years and how those ideas will come out in the music," Butler says.

With a career spanning the rise and fall of punk, MTV, glam metal, grunge and hip-hop, Butler is wizened and happy to be in a position to communicate with an audience. "As long as there are people, who enjoy music and have fun going to shows, there'll be a place in the world for artists who try to do something interesting and different," he says. "I don't really think you can change the world making music, but it sure is nice to think that you can enable people to have a good time."

Demand for the Furs has obviously never waned, with Sony/Legacy releasing The Psychedelic Furs Greatest Hits to coincide with their latest trek across the U.S. and Canada.

Tickets: $29.50, not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale now at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount Theatre box offices, 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, or online at STGPresents.org.

Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Paramount Theatre

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents Bob Weir & RatDog on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 7:00pm at the Paramount Theatre.

Broadway World
BWW News Desk

Bob Weir already has a secure place in rock history as the Grateful Dead's co-vocalist and what Andrew Clarke (in one of England's leading newspapers, "The Independent") called the genre's "greatest, if most eccentric rhythm guitarist." When you have a modest, anti-promotional personality - and when you spend 30 years next to an icon - it's easy to fall under the radar.

There's a second reason he doesn't always get quite the attention he deserves. Although always a gentleman, Bob Weir can be...contrary. This is the man who, when his muse required that he go study music, chose McCoy Tyner - not exactly a rock rhythm guitarist - as his model. And just as his personality has a discriminating antiauthoritarian streak that leads him down his own road, his composing is just as distinctive and impossible to classify. So that in "Lazy Lightnin'" he combined r & b/disco chords and a time signature in 7. His go-your-own-way point of view is perfectly articulated in John Barlow's lyrics for "Throwin' Stones," which Weir called an "anarchist diatribe." And the dry, offbeat humor of so many of his songs lets you know - his is a nuanced, special voice. Bob Weir was born in San Francisco in 1947 and grew up in the suburb of Atherton. After less-than-popular-with-the-family-and-neighbors experiences with piano and trumpet, he glommed onto the guitar at the age of 13, and hasn't let go since. He soon became the most-junior member of a folk scene that centered on a Palo Alto, California, club called the Tangent, which hosted such future legends as Jerry Garcia, Jorma Kaukonen, and Janis Joplin. Kaukonen was his guitar-picking role model (Garcia, at that time, was a banjo player), and Weir soon became a full-fledged, if young, folkie, listening to Lightnin' Hopkins, Joan Baez, and the Greenbriar Boys, as well as the Everly Brothers and Chuck Berry.

By 1964, at the age of 17, he'd become a fixture at a Palo Alto music store called Dana Morgan's. That summer, when Jerry Garcia went off on a bluegrass odyssey, Weir assumed responsibility for his guitar students. In the wake of "A Hard Day's Night," rock and roll had swept away even the most purist folkies' doubts, so that when late that year Ron "Pigpen" McKernan urged Garcia to electrify their jug band instruments and become a rock band, Bob Weir - already a Beatlemaniac - evolved from jug to the rhythm guitar chair. They started as the Warlocks, played a lot of bars, and then in the fall of 1965 underwent a trial by fire, serving as the "house band" for a series of psychedelic explorations thrown by Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, the "acid tests." By early 1966, the tests had grown into events involving many thousand people, and history was never quite the same. And the Warlocks had become not only unimaginably fused brothers, but also the Grateful Dead.

Weir was "the kid," and while his first Dead song, "The Other One," was not only brilliant and enduring - The Dead play it to this day - his early songwriting had its up and downs. His next song, "Born Crosseyed," was actually out of his vocal range, and for a while he gave up songwriting.

Finally, in 1970, he regained focus with a number of tunes. One was "Cassidy," about a young woman of that name whose birth he attended, combined with the same-sounding legendary hero of "On the Road" and the acid tests, Neal Cassady. With this and other songs, he began a songwriting partnership with John Perry Barlow, an old school friend, which would last 20 years and more. After adding legendary songs like "Truckin'" and "Sugar Magnolia" (written with Robert Hunter) to the 1970 Grateful Dead masterpiece "American Beauty," in 1971 Weir proposed to do his first solo album, which would be called "Ace." For various reasons, his backup band turned out to be, for the most part, the Dead. The album was a classic, and it's no surprise that five songs from it made it on to the "Weir Here" list, including "Playing in the Band," "Cassidy," and "Mexicali Blues."

In 1974, the Dead took a nearly two-year vacation (their only lengthy break in 30 years), and during that period Weir took up with a band called Kingfish, really his first side effort from the Dead. Weir took from Kingfish - aside from a massive amount of fun - the songs "Lazy Lightnin'" and "Supplication," and a huge dose of encouragement for the idea that, in order to be a creative contributor to the Dead, he needed to do things for himself.

As a result, the year after the "Kingfish" album was released (1976), he began a solo project with producer Keith Olsen that would come to be called "Heaven Help the Fool." A brief tour to support that album brought him in contact with various session players, including, eventually, Brent Mydland (who would join the Dead in 1979), Bobby Cochran, Alphonso Johnson, and Billy Cobham. This was the genesis for Bobby and the Midnites, who would tour in the early 1980s and produce two albums, including the eponymous debut album, here represented by "(I Want to) Fly Away."

Later in the '80s, Weir hooked up with the talented multi-genre bassist Rob Wasserman at a benefit, forging a partnership that would last 15 years. They began as a duo. Working on Rob's album "Trios," they joined forces with Neil Young to produce "Easy Answers," and then in the period after Jerry Garcia's death in 1995, added drummer Jay Lane and ex-Kingfish harmonica/guitar player Matthew Kelly to become a blues band called the Ratdog Review.

Eventually, Rob moved on, and a settled lineup featuring Lane, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, lead guitarist Mark Karan, reeds man Kenny Brooks, and bassist Robin Sylvester was RatDog.

Tickets: $39.50, not including applicable fees. Tickets on available now at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount or Moore Theatres box offices, 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, or online at STGPresents.org.

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Paramount Theatre

Maxwell To Perform At The Paramount On June 23

The Seattle Medium

Live Nation welcomes R&B artist Maxwell to the Paramount Theatre on Tuesday, June 23 at 8:00 p.m.

BLACKsummers'night, the heavily-anticipated new studio album from the groundbreaking modern soul artist Maxwell due for release on Tues., July 7, is the first full-length Maxwell release since Now, his critically-acclaimed third studio album, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 in August 2001.

BLACKsummers'night is the sensuous opening installment of the artist's monumental BLACKSUMMERS'NIGHT trilogy. The trilogy's subsequent chapters, blackSUMMERS'night and blacksummers'NIGHT, are slated for release in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

BLACKsummers'night reunites Maxwell with long-time collaborator Hod David, who serves as co-producer and co-writer of the album. Striving for an emotional authenticity and real world sound for the album, Maxwell and Hod recorded the entire album live in the studio with an a-list ensemble of elegantly sympathetic musicians.

Maxwell began redefining classic soul music for a new generation with the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, in April 1996. Fueled in part by the RIAA gold single, ''Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder),'' the Grammy-nominated Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was certified platinum in March 1997, less than a year after its release, and achieved double platinum status, in recognition of sales of more than 2 million copies in the US alone, in 2002. Maxwell followed up with his MTV Unplugged EP, released in July 1997 and certified gold in September 1999. His second full-length album, Embrya, was released in June 1998 and certified platinum in May 1999. Another Maxwell single, the hit ''Fortunate,'' was certified gold in June 1999. To date, Maxwell has achieved 10 gold and platinum certifications from the RIAA for his albums and singles.

Tickets are on sale at Tickets.com, Tickets.com 24-hour kiosks at the Paramount and Moore Theatres, or charge by phone (877) STG-4TIX. All tickets subject to applicable service charges and fees.

Industrial Band KMFDM Comes To The Moore Theater 10/12

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents KMFDM on Monday, October 12, 2009 at 7:30pm at the Moore Theatre.

Broadway World

Spawned in Germany during 1984, KMFDM pioneered the crossover between techno/dance and heavy metal with their signature industrial sound. Moving to Chicago in the mid-80' s KMFDM was the pride of Wax Trax Records during the label's peak. Rapidly evolving year by year through intense experimentation and touring; the band has redefined themselves with each new release.

Spawned in Germany during 1984, KMFDM pioneered the crossover between techno/dance and heavy metal with their signature industrial sound. Moving to Chicago in the mid-80's KMFDM was the pride of WaxTrax! Records during the label's peak. Rapidly evolving year by year through intense experimentation and touring; the band redefined themselves with each new release.

Venturing on to dabble in side projects and then re-establish KMFDM in Seattle during 1999, Sascha's revolving band of misfits have stood the test of time. To quote themselves, "The future belongs to those of us still willing to get our hands dirty". Living by their D.I.Y. philosophy, KMFDM launched their own online store, KMFDM Store and record label, (KMFDM Records).

Helmed by the dual vocal attack of the band's founder Sascha and siren Lucia KMFDM celebrated 20 years of musical excellence by performing 62 shows in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia in 2004. In 2005 they embarked on a World Tour of 18 countries in support of their full length CD Hau Ruck. 2006 saw the release of a new remix EP titled Ruck Zuck and the Hau Ruck Zuck USSA Tour. 2007 brought Tohuvabohu, featuring a grand mixture of the band's many styles. In 2008 the band, now relocated to hometown Hamburg, Germany released their first full blown remix album ever, Brimborium.

Celebrating their 24th Anniversary on February 29th, KMFDM announced KMFDM 24/7, a series of twenty four seven inch vinyl singles featuring tracks from the band's original 12" singles and classic album cuts. The singles will be released on the first of every month in the order they were originally released for 24 months culminating on Feb 01, 2010 with a brand new exclusive single. Each of the 24 singles is available in a Limited Edition First and Only Pressing of 250 copies. All tracks have been remastered specifically for vinyl and the covers for all the singles will feature original classic KMFDM artwork, most by famed KMFDM cohort Brute!. All KMFDM 24/7 releases are exclusive to the KMFDM Store.

KMFDM remain a musical entity to be reckoned with. Through relentless musical exploration and reinvention they have continued to top themselves. KMFDM's new 2009 album, Blitz, is no exception. Featuring an electro cover of The Human League's "Being Boiled", the Russian language "Davai", the German sung "Potz-Blitz!" and the disco-amped "Strut".

In addition to Blitz KMFDM presents - SKOLD vs. KMFDM, the new 22 track album by Tim Skold and Sascha Konietzko. The juggernauts of the alt-underground come together again to tear it apart. SKOLD vs. KMFDM is available from KMFDM Records exclusively through the KMFDM Store in fan-friendly CD, audiophile Vinyl and high quality MP3 formats.

As further evidence that their 25th year, 2009, will be one to remember, the band are set to take Europe by storm, hitting a number of festival and headlining dates across ten countries in the Spring and Summer. Later this year they will make their way back to the US and Canada for more stops on the Kein Mitleid Tour 2009.

In addition to their new material KMFDM has re-released their entire back catalog from the band's WaxTrax! Records era as KMFDM Classics via Metropolis Records/KMFDM Records. All KMFDM Classics are remastered with deluxe booklets and some contain extra tracks. Their ten classic albums, What Do You Know, Deutschland?, Don't Blow Your Top, UAIOE, Naive, Money, Angst, Nihil, Xtort, Symbols and Adios are available now.

To accompany the KMFDM Classics, KMFDM has released Extra, a three volume set of double disc collections of all KMFDM tracks not included on the ten KMFDM Classic albums. It features remastered tracks from the band's 12" singles and CD singles. All of the material on Extra has been out of print for many years. Extra Vol. 1, Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 are out now on Metropolis Records/KMFDM Records.

The classic KMFDM side project Excessive Force has had their entire catalog re-released with the same treatment given to the KMFDM Classics by Metropolis Records/KMFDM Records. Both Conquer Your World and Gentle Death are out now.

As can plainly be seen, the self-proclaimed fathers of industrial-rock show no signs of stopping.

Tickets: $27.00 not including applicable fees. Tickets went on sale Friday, June 5 at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount Theatre box offices, 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, and online at STGPresents.org.

Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Seattle Theatre Group

Seattle Theatre Group Presents KEANE At The Moore Theatre 9/10

Broadway World

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) & Mike Thrasher presents Keane on Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 8:00pm at the Moore Theatre.

Keane are back. After over 8 million sales of Hopes And Fears (2004) and Under The Iron Sea (2006) combined, sold-out arena tours, awards spanning Ivor Novellos to BRITs, plus an undeniable collection of hits including Is It Any Wonder?, Everybody's Changing, Crystal Ball and Somewhere Only We Know, one of Britain's best-loved bands are about to surprise and thrill all over again.

Avowed believers in never retreading old ground, Tom Chaplin, Tim Rice-Oxley and Richard Hughes return with Perfect Symmetry, a Technicolor explosion of stellar pop songs and pure, unashamed energy; the joy in which is audible in every finger-click and life-affirming chorus. As different as piano-helmed classic debut Hopes And Fears was from its darker cousin Under The Iron Sea, Perfect Symmetry finds Keane at the height of their powers. Confirming Rice-Oxley's position as one of the finest British songwriters to emerge this decade, the 11-song set sees Keane throwing any last vestiges of caution to the wind and simply letting the music take them where it will. The result is a thrillingly bold album that's as pleasurable to listen to as it was to make.

While millions of paid-up Keane fans will immediately recognise Perfect Symmetry as a body of work that could have come from no other group, others are likely to be knocked sideways by their various leaps into uncharted territory. Indeed, after hearing download-record-breaking first taste Spiralling, it's possible you might not have even recognised it the work of "the Somewhere Only We Know band". Certainly, Perfect Symmetry is the first Keane album to feature musical saw, saxophone, vocals recorded through a drum; studio sessions in Berlin, Paris and London; their first self produced album, with input from esteemed producers Jon Brion (Rufus Wainwright; Kanye West) and Stuart Price (Madonna; Les Rhythmes Digitales) and the sound of three men yelping a delighted 'Oooh!' as virtually the first thing you hear.

"We've always said we want to challenge ourselves," says Hughes. "Most bands, when they release an album, always say they've pushed themselves. But we're all music lovers and we sit there and read these things and think 'Great, can't wait to hear it!' and then you put it on and you think 'Oh. Hang on a minute...'"

"There's nothing that our record company would have loved more than for us to have delivered Hopes And Fears three times," he continues. "But we've already done one, and one's enough."

"I think by a million miles it's the best thing we've put together," says Chaplin. "I can't wait for people to hear it."

Tickets: $35.00 not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale Friday, May 29 at 10am PST at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount Theatre box offices, 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, or online at STGPresents.org.

Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

STG Presents THE TRAGICALLY HIP 6/17 At The Moore Theater

Broadway World
By BWW News Desk

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents The Tragically Hip on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 8:00pm at the Moore Theatre.

Formed in 1983 in Kingston, Ontario, The Tragically Hip came together with childhood friends Gordon Downie (vocals), Bobby Baker (guitar), Paul Langlois (guitar), Gord Sinclair (bass), and Johnny Fay (drums). The group took their name from a Michael Nesmith video entitled Elephant Parts and focused on making a name for themselves in the local scene during the mid-'80s. While performing Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern, MCA Records president Bruce Dickinson was impressed by the Hip's infectious live presence and offered them a deal. A self-titled eponymous EP appeared in 1987, but it took the band two years to get critical attention.

Their proper studio debut effort, 1989's Up to Here boasted the swagger of "Blow at High Dough" and Downie's powerful songcraft was blossoming. College charts were instantly attracted and fellow Canadians were appreciative of The Tragically Hip's insatiable appeal. Road Apples, issued in 1991, was moderately successful; however, the band's third album, Fully Completely (1993), allowed for international crossover. Singles such as "Courage" and "Wheat Kings" became mainstays in pockets of Michigan and New York; the Hip were slowly being noticed and American fans began cherishing them as much as their Canadian loyalists. They continued with a steady rise for 1995's somber storm, Day for Night, and their star power was burgeoning. Sold-out tours across Canada and Midwest America and a spot on Saturday Night Live catupulted the vibrance of "Grace, Too" onto modern rock charts. The Tragically Hip were becoming an anthemic band among the split indie and rock crowds, practically on the verge of being an arena attraction.

Trouble at the Henhouse, their first for Atlantic, was blistering with similar passion of Day for Night, but released too closely to the previous effort. It wasn't radio-friendly enough for America, either, but the band wasn't concerned. The Hip trudged on, selling out countless dates in North America. Downie, who was also a poetic madman, composed a frenzied stage presence and the band's tight rhythm was infectious. The mix of roots rock and light country tinges was something tangible for the mid-'90s grunge reign. While touring in support of Trouble at the Henhouse, the Hip recorded their first-ever live album, Live Between Us (1997). This particular album captured an astonishing night at Detroit's Cobo Arena in 1996 and was uncut and unfearing. The band was at the top of its game, never selling out to corporate ideals. They were a stadium sensation without ever having a major hit in America. The rest of the '90s were a time of rest, but also a period when the band returned to basics of true rock & roll grit.

Phantom Power (1998), the band's sixth studio album, eighth overall, marked their most cohesive work to date. It was also their debut for Sire Records. The album was recorded in the band's hometown of Kingston and the songs themselves were cathartic and seductive. "Fireworks" and "Poets" were again mainstays on college radio. A showcase at Woodstock '99 proved glorious for Canadians the next summer. Music @ Work followed in summer 2000 with subsequent U.S. tours with Guster. The next year, Gordon Downie put his pen to paper for a book of poetry and a solo album, entitled Coke Machine Glow. Downie returned to the studio in 2001 to join his bandmates for another Hip record. Producer Hugh Padgham (Split Enz, XTC, Phil Collins) was also on board to tweak The Tragically Hip's ninth record, In Violet Light, issued in June 2002. In Between Evolution, the band most instrospective work yet, followed in summer 2004. The following year saw the release of Hipeponymous, a limited-edition box set that included the two-disc greatest-hits compilation Yer Favorites and the live DVD That Night in Toronto: Pierre & Francois Lamoureux as well as a bonus DVD of all of the group's videos. Fellow Canadian and famed producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe) signed on for the Hip's 11th studio LP, World Container. Intimate club shows in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and Montreal were also scheduled in celebration of its release in fall 2006.

The Hip have recorded 15+ songs at The Bath House Recording Studio in Bath, Ontario, twelve of which will appear on their upcoming 12th album. Short videos showing the recording process of the new album have been posted at thehip.com, the newly re-launched official website of the band. A new live recording is also posted in the media player section of the frequently updated site. The new album is again produced by Bob Rock, will be released in North America on April 7th, 2009 and is titled We are the Same.

Tickets: $35.00, not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale Friday, March 6 at 10am at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount or Moore Theatres box offices, 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, or online at STGPresents.org.

About STG
Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

SEATTLE THEATRE GROUP
911 Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98101 · Telephone (206) 467-5510 · Facsimile (206) 812-3272

Stars of "Spinal Tap," "A Mighty Wind" to come to Paramount "Unwigged & Unplugged"

Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer will perform music from their film "mockumentaries" "This is Spinal Tap" (heavy metal) and "A Mighty Wind" (folk) at Seattle's Paramount Theatre on April 20.

By Marian Liu
Seattle Times staff reporter

Prepare a night of hilarity.

The trio behind the nutty mockumentary "A Mighty Wind" are hitting the road. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer will perform folk music from their 2003 film satire, along with metal from their fake band from the 1984 film "This is Spinal Tap," on a six week, 30-city multimedia acoustic tour.

And true to their silly vibe, they promise a show without wigs and electric instruments.

Guest, McKean and Shearer will be at Seattle's Paramount on April 20. Tickets are $35 to $75, and go on sale 10 a.m. Friday, March 6 at www.tickets.com, at the 24-hour kiosks at the Paramount and Moore Theatres, or you can charge by phone at 206-STG-4TIX.

Along with "A Mighty Wind" and "Spinal Tap," Guest, McKean and Shearer have orchestrated such comedies as "Waiting For Guffman" (1996), "Best In Show" (2000) and "For Your Consideration" (2006).

To get a preview of their show — appropriately named, "Unwigged & Unplugged" — go to www.youtube.com/user/TAPUNWIGGED.

STG Presents THIEVERY CORPORATION 4/21 At The Paramount

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents Thievery Corporation on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 8:00pm at the Paramount Theatre.

Recording in their Washington DC based studio, Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, better known as the international production and DJ duo Thievery Corporation, have released their fifth studio album, Radio Retaliation, through their independent music label ESL Music. The 15-track opus features the duo collaborating with a roster of International all-stars to create the strongest statement yet from Thievery Corporation.

"Apart from a few independent bastions, there is no musical or informational freedom on the US airwaves anymore. The traditional public commons have been sold to the highest corporate bidders. Music is suffering and society is suffering too. Radio Retaliation is about an exodus of conscious people who are willing to acknowledge something is wrong with the 'official version' in news and culture. Therefore, we need to create our own channels," explains Hilton.

The tone of the album underscores the freedom of expression that only independent outlets can provide in a society dominated by corporate sponsors and agendas. Garza and Hilton have long positioned themselves as fiercely independent voices within the music industry, successfully building their label over the past decade through continued belief that great music will find its audience - with or without US commercial radio assistance.

"Unfortunately our daily experiences via mediated radio, print and televised programming are primarily the results of hype, propaganda, and calls to consume. From fake wars, fake celebrities, a fake political system - Rob and I checked out of it long ago," Hilton says. "It's more important to do something we truly believe in and let people experience it uncensored and real."

Washington DC has long been home to a music subculture legendary for strong, independent artists, a staunch do-it-yourself work ethic, and conscientious social activism. This was especially exemplified by genre-defining pioneers like indie punk rockers Bad Brains, Minor Threat and Fugazi. Likewise, although some may lazily pin Thievery Corporation as the soundtrack to their cocktail infused late night soiree, the duo have always drawn deep from the well of independent and confrontational music subculture their home town is known for, to produce an ever expanding globally conscious catalogue of music that is difficult to classify.

Starting in 1996 with two international underground hit vinyl singles "Shaolin Satellite" and "2001 Spliff Odyssey," released on ESL Music, Garza and Hilton soon released Sounds from The Thievery Hi-Fi; an album that defined a genre and crystallized their distinct "outernational sound" aesthetic. Over the next decade the duo would remix the likes of David Byrne, The Doors, and Sarah McLachlan, and record three more critically acclaimed albums of original material, each one transcending the last in scope, style, and message: The Mirror Conspiracy (2000), The Richest Man in Babylon (2002), and The Cosmic Game (2005).

"This record is also our most internationally oriented," adds Garza, describing how Radio Retaliation touches upon the eclectic sounds of Jamaica, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. "The roots of our inspiration have always come from what is happening globally, and at the moment there is so much that demands the attention of all of us."

With Radio Retaliation, Thievery Corporation raise the bar with a new cast of musical collaborators, including Nigeria's afro-beat heir Femi Kuti, Brazilian star vocalist and guitarist Seu Jorge, Indian sitar virtuoso Anushka Shankar, Slovakian chanteuse and violinist Jana Andevska, and Washington DC's own go-go originator Chuck Brown. Also returning are long time microphone co-conspirators Sleepy Wonder, Lou Lou, Notch, Zee, and Verny Varela.

A defining element of Thievery Corporation's sound has always been its decidedly organic quality and this is clearly evident in the rich productions of Radio Retaliation and recent live tour dates. Despite their minimal beginnings, Garza and Hilton have adopted a growing cast of collaborators over the years, vital musicians and vocalists who contribute to a dynamic 15 member live band. Playing sold out venues and festivals worldwide, Thievery Corporation dazzle thousands of music fans every year with their kaleidoscopic live show.

With the help of long time partners, the UN World Food Programme, Thievery Corporation also aim to provoke conscientious thought among their audience. Garza explains, "We definitely want to contribute to the opening of ears, eyes, and minds. With our live shows it's a poignant example of music and culture mixing together in an explosive vibrant way. To see a Persian singer singing in Farsi, as America debates on a war with Iran, next to other band members from all corners of the earth singing in Spanish, Portuguese, French and so on, it makes people wonder... and if you can get people to question the things around them, just a little, then that's not such a bad thing."

Tickets: $35.00, not including applicable fees. Tickets went on sale Saturday, February 28 at 10am at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount or Moore Theatres box offices, 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, or online at STGPresents.org.

About STG
Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

Tickets.com to Provide Advanced Ticketing Solutions for Acclaimed Seattle Theatre Group

COSTA MESA, CA – January 12, 2009 – Tickets.com, a leading worldwide provider of integrated ticketing solutions, has signed the prestigious Seattle Theatre Group as a new client. Seattle Theatre Group is a non-profit performing arts organization that operates two historic venues, the Paramount Theatre and Moore Theatre. Under the freshly inked long term agreement, the Seattle-based group will utilize ProVenue®, the newest and most advanced ticketing system from Tickets.com, for its ticketing operations at both locations.

“Seattle Theatre Group is a respected organization that maintains its commitment to preserving both of its theatres with extraordinary programming as well as outstanding community and educational outreach,” said Larry Witherspoon, chief executive officer, Tickets.com. “We’re honored to have the opportunity to provide them with leading-edge ticketing solutions, so that patrons of these legendary venues can have the best possible experience, from point of purchase through curtain call.”

Built with funds from pioneering Hollywood film studio Paramount Pictures and opened as the Seattle Theatre in 1928, the 2,807-seat Paramount adopted its new name in 1930, operating as a golden-era movie palace and home to theatrical stage shows. The 1,419-seat Moore Theatre opened its doors in 1907 as a premier vaudeville showplace, and is the oldest operating theatre in Seattle. Today, both venues, which continue to rank in Pollstar’s Top 100 Worldwide Theatre Venues, present a mix of concerts, live entertainment, Broadway touring engagements, theater productions, speakers’ series, and more. With the new ticketing services contract, Tickets.com continues to expand its high profile performing arts client list.

In addition to the advanced ProVenue® ticketing solution that maximizes transaction speed, efficiency and flexibility, the Seattle Theatre Group will employ innovative Tickets.com technologies such as the latest in mobile ticket delivery functionality, Tickets@Phone™. Other software products and features include: Access Control, Tickets@Home®, and local area kiosks to provide patrons with on-demand ticket printing, delivery, and management. Tickets are also available at STGpresents.org or by calling 1-877-STG-4TIX.

“Given Tickets.com’s reputation for innovation in the marketplace, we are confident that we’ll be able to continuously offer the best and most advanced ticketing solutions available,” said Seattle Theatre Group executive director Josh LaBelle. “We were especially impressed with the company’s ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive client services and breakthrough technologies. We believe this will contribute to our ability to give patrons an exceptional event-going experience to remember.”

Learn more about Tickets.com >

Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Seattle Theatre Group

Paramount, Moore theaters unveil new services
The Paramount and The Moore Theatre have launched some new features: a new Web site, 24-hour ticket kiosks and a new ticketing system through Tickets.com.

By Marian Liu
Seattle Times staff reporter

Seattle Theatre Group, the parent nonprofit company that runs the Moore, above, and Paramount theaters, has a new Web site and 24-hour ticket kiosks.
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Building on their growth over the past year, The Paramount and The Moore theatres are launching a rebranding effort and some novel features: a new Web site, 24-hour ticket kiosks and a new ticketing system.

The Paramount and the Moore are run by a parent nonprofit company called Seattle Theatre Group, which also has started presenting shows at other venues. In 2008, STG hosted Kanye West at KeyArena, David Byrne at Benaroya Hall, and other artists at The Triple Door, Town Hall and The Showbox.

"Over the last year, business went really well. We had five to six performances a month outside of our own venues," said STG executive director Josh LaBelle. "At the same time, it's been a bit confusing, seeing STG outside of the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres."

Now, STGpresents.org will be a "mother site" to the two theaters' Web sites: www.theparamount.com and www.themoore.com.

"We're a nonprofit, but we had a dot-com as an address," said LaBelle. "We have not been as clear about who we are, under theparamount.com, so for us, this really is very important to improve our nonprofit branding."

The site will also include promotional offers; links for easy access to news online; social networks such as Facebook and MySpace; and social messaging services like Twitter, as well as a new blog.

Along with the new Web site launch, STG is transferring the majority of its engagements from Ticketmaster to Tickets.com.

"I've got nothing but respect for Ticketmaster," said LaBelle. "But we're a pretty unique organization, in terms of ticketing needs. In a given season, we sell 500 to 600 thousand tickets. At any time, we sell 3,000 tickets in 4 minutes."

The switch, adds LaBelle, will be cheaper for patrons as well, averaging at 20 percent less.

Currently tickets.com serves more than 2,000 clients and venues worldwide, such as the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, along with 13 Major League Baseball teams.

"Our best differentiator is our technology," said Brian Roberts, vice president of sales of Tickets.com.

The service's most recent innovation is the ability to purchase and deliver tickets via cellphone. A bar code for each ticket is sent to a phone and the code can then be scanned off the phone's display by a ticket taker at the venue.

Tickets.com is owned by MLB.com, the official site of Major League Baseball. So, LaBelle is hoping STG can utilize some of its features, like the video playback system, so patrons can review performances online. Potentially, customers can order their tickets and concert merchandise at the same time online.

There will also be new 24 hour ticket kiosks near the theaters, so fans can purchase tickets at their own convenience.

"It's like a brand new world for our staff, and eventually for our patrons," said LaBelle.