Slow Skate, again

I know, I only just posted about Slow Skate a couple weeks ago, but a) they’re good people and good friends of Ball of Wax; b) they are an excellent band; and c) they’re playing their CD release show for Count the Days with Me tomorrow night at the Columbia City Theater. So deal.

Slow Skate in the Pussy Room. Photo by David Werk.

If you had asked me a few days ago what the perfect venue in which to see Slow Skate live might be, I would have said The Columbia City Theater. Its vintage charm, high-end sound system, and excellent acoustics (not to mention the grand piano!) are a perfect setting for the languid, moody, reverb-drenched sounds wrung forth by Caitlin Sherman, Jason Goessl, and newest member Robb Davidson. But that was before I had witnessed the, er, “Pussy Room” (really, that’s what it’s called) at the Copper Gate in Ballard. This past Monday, the members of Slow Skate were kind enough to host an intimate preview performance, which served the dual purpose of letting them do a dry run of their new material for the first time in front of a (friendly, low-pressure) live audience and giving those of who live on the northern edge of the city a way to see them and celebrate their new record without driving down to Columbia City (which you, being probably not as old and lazy as I, should absolutely do tomorrow night). The band was set up in the Copper Gate’s previously-mentioned function room, which, with its plush upholstery and curtains, dim lighting, disco ball and mirrors, really is the exact right place to soak up the music of Slow Skate (preferably with a glass of whiskey in hand).

Most recording and performing artists are content to let their recordings and their live performances live in separate worlds. They acknowledge that there are some things they can do in the studio with multi-tracking and all the time in the world that they can’t – or don’t want to – pull off on stage. I think we’ve all had the experience of seeing a band live and telling our friends “ah, you should hear their album,” or listening to an album and thinking “they were so much better live!” The three members of Slow Skate seemed to do everything in their power to translate the layered, subtle sounds of their new album to their live show, and they succeeded admirably.

All three members handled multiple instrumental roles (sometimes at the same time) with aplomb. Caitlin sang, of course – sometimes while playing a guitar, and sometimes while playing the keyboard. While she was playing the keys she would switch seamlessly between sounds: here a grand piano, there a harpsichord or organ, a little toy piano over there. Jason swapped as needed between lead guitar and bass, as always impressing with his perfect combination of substantial chops and tasteful restraint. Robb seemed to have the most going on at any one time: sometimes seeming to be playing the drum kit, manipulating sampled vintage drum machine beats and electronics, and playing lead lines on the baritone guitar all at once.

If that sounds chaotic or frenzied, it was anything but. This band has a way of being practically perfect seemingly without effort, and also without leaving you feeling like you just witnessed a sterile performance by a bunch of studio pros. They have obviously worked very hard to bring their songs to the level they are at today, whether on record or live, and they want you to experience them as they were intended. Whether that’s in a tiny, awkwardly-named room in Ballard or a gorgeous theater in Columbia City, it is an experience I strongly recommend.

Slow Skate celebrates the release of their new album Count the Days with Me this Friday, April 8th at the Columbia City Theater with Thomas Hunter & White China Gold and Dane Ueland. Get tickets here.