Here we are at the end of KEXP's New Home Grand Opening: one long day, well over 7,000 guests, countless bottles of KEXP Transistor IPA, and 7 acts later, it's time for our closer. KEXP's Gathering Space has been filled to capacity since the day began, but this time the cool night air battles the emanating body heat as we all wait in anticipation. Our closing act, Car Seat Headrest, perfectly embodies Seattle's music ethos - it's three young dudes making banging, garagey arty rock, beautifully unpolished and sublimely honest, the exact sort of rawness that drove grunge from our basements to the rest of the world.
... at least, not until Car Seat Headrest ripped through their set, proving that great music has a future, that there is always more to discover and new bands to inspire us all. This is why KEXP has a new home, a place for music fans locally and worldwide, to find that inspiration and discover the wealth that musicians - younger or older, untried or tested, raw or venerable - can still offer us today.
None of this great day could have been done without the support from KEXP's listeners and collaborators. We want to thank everyone who came out and the talented artists who graced our stages and airwaves with their talent and hard work, and to all those who have also financially supported KEXP now and throughout the years, simply because they believe that great music deserves to be shared.
Fifty fans christened KEXP's live room during an exclusive tear-soaked performance with José González, all to benefit KEXP's New Home. The Swedish singer-songwriter, whose history with KEXP dates back over a decade, broke listeners' hearts for a full set of gorgeous, heartbreaking bliss, while shar…
As we waited at the Paramount Theatre for the Father John Misty show to begin, a fellow show-goer said to me, "Sometimes he walks around the crowd during the opener. He followed me on Twitter today and I literally died, so I'm gonna say hi to him if I can find him." I wondered in my head how this g…
At 7PM during KEXP's New Home Grand Opening, we were blessed with a magic hour: the sun had passed behind our wall but the dusk was still light. A crowd of fans spilled out into the courtyard from having just witnessed Hey Marseilles in the standing room only Gathering Space of KEXP. Now, they coul…