Anyone who's visited KEXP in Seattle has surely seen the giant building next to us: KeyArena, home to basketball teams the SuperSonics (for almost 40 years) and the Seattle Storm (for over 20), and site of some amazing concerts, from Elvis Presley in 1970 to Arcade Fire in 2017. KeyArena will be shutting its doors soon for a renovation, and it seemed like the perfect moment to reflect on some of the bands we've seen there over the past 23 years. KEXP's DJ Troy Nelson curated three playlists featuring those artists, which you can stream below via Spotify. (You might also hear his mixes being broadcast from the International Fountain on the Seattle Center campus!)
"I put these playlists together to document some of the amazing artists who have performed at the KeyArena from the day it opened until now," Troy explained. "It’s incredible to see acts from The Beatles to Childish Gambino and everything in-between. I got to go down memory lane reminiscing about the shows I have seen there, like Beastie Boys to Arcade Fire to Elliott Smith during Bumbershoot! There’s a ton of history there and I wanted to showcase the artists that have played there over time. "
Listen now:
