It's perfect that The Shivas borrow their name from the Hindu god of destruction and restoration since they totally destroyed it this morning from our MusicFestNW broadcast at the Doug Fir Lounge.
Kicking off the morning with a scream (literally!), this Portland, OR band tore through tracks from their latest album, White Out, and even debuted a few brand new tracks from their forthcoming release. (Guitarist Rob Mannering says it should be out early next year.)
Frontman Jared Wait-Molyneux is a lanky firework of perfectly-thrown hair and shuffling red sneakers, harmonizing flawlessly with drummer Kristen Leonard. Their psychedelic surf-rock blew the audience away, especially on the dynamic track "Swimming with Sharks" with its fierce slow/fast stomp. Audience and KEXP staff alike left declaring The Shivas as their new favorite band.
"I know it's still early, but we can still rock a little bit," grinned Ernest Greene, aka Washed Out, to a packed house from our MusicFestNW broadcast.
Led by Toronto veteran Katie Stelmanis, Austra's emotionally expressive brand of dance-driven pop has taken the band from the Canadian art-rock scene onto an international stage. Emotionally commanding but never diva-esque, Stelmanis' classically-trained voice is a Corin Tucker-like siren that she …
