Rat Paws is playing this Friday at the Blue Moon Tavern AKA where Theodore Roethke AKA Sylvia Path's fav would drink during his time as a professor poetry at the University of Washington in the 1950s. Apparently he also had bipolar disorder. Real Cool Guy alert. (It's my newsletter and I I get to speak lightly and colorfully on topics of psychology if I want to.)
Don't miss it: Rat Paws is going to be coming in hot off some recording sessions last weekend, and we are BUFF from doing take after take of four pretty new and previously unrecorded Rat Paws tunes. Same sharp as nails rhythm section consisting of Mira K. and Henry F. if you've been coming to the shows of late. Pic is Henry, me, and Mira after our session at Mike Springer's Peel Studios in Greenwood.
Jesus is Weed, if you're not a regular at the open mics around town, is a gospel band led by David, a sexagenarian superstar. He loves weed. And he loves his husband. And he loves to sing gospel songs, and especially arrangements by Pat Wright, the former director (Pat passed away in 2022) of the Total Experience Gospel Choir, which she founded in Seattle in the 1970s and took on tour around the world many times over. David was a member of the choir up until it disbanded in 2018. Jesus is Weed was conceived as a musical presence at protests surrounding the election of Donald Trump. Since then, David's been a staunch regular at open mics at Conor Byrne and Darrell's Tavern. Every week, he shows up with a caddy of lights, a stuffed snake, and a big colorful sign emblazoned with the message JESUS IS WEED. Having talked to the man on numerous occasions, I can say that he has solved for himself a mystery that the whitecoats at the FDA are just now getting hip to. Come hear it for yourself, people! And, definitely, get on the floor! (That's where I'll be.)
I'm not familiar with Junkyard Hearts yet but they're also Darrell's open mic regulars and enjoy the bluegrass.
Show order: Junkyard Hearts, Rat Paws, Jesus is Weed
I'll tease the next show, why not, it's only the week after this one. (It's true kids radius clauses are outlawed!) Come on down to cap hill, Madison and 14th ave, bitches, the one and only Chop Suey. Saturday May 27th. Early show. Grab a Montucky tall boy and hang with us, and Ladybug and a band on tour all the way from NYC called DESTROYME! Ladybug (from Seattle) have two songs online. "Tell Her I Said Hi" is a good one. Go and check it out. The vibe is cleverly-spun bitter break-up song, not unlike my favs Nothing Painted Blue (there's a reference to a Nothing Painted Blue song in the flier for the show). Tix are 15 bucks and you can buy them online here. So if you wanna commit that'd be cool -- it makes us seem like hot shit to the booker.
Last thing: keep an eye on Rat Paws socials (fb and IG) tomorrow for what I hope will be a pretty groovy pretty swerv bit of rock criticism regarding the "Trite" EP. Keep yr peepers peeled.
Full list of upcoming shows:
5/19 Blue Moon Tavern (Seattle)
5/27 Chop Suey (Seattle)
6/20 Sunset Tavern (Ballard, Seattle)
6/23 Darrell's Tavern (Shoreline, WA)
7/29 Sarah Douglas Home for Wayward Squirrels and Bugs (house show) (Portland, ORE)
To buy the "Trite You Are" EP (digital or cassette) go to
There's only a handful left!
xoxo
Eleanor