If you're like me and were at the Emerald City Comic Con this past weekend, you're still recovering and getting feeling back in your feet. The show was bigger, better, and badder than ever with a multitude of A-Class media guests and the usual amazing artists an vendors. The show was also the first local appearance both in selling and in performing for KIRBY KRACKLE in the convention setting. If you've been reading the past few months, you know that Jim Demonakos and I debuted the band's album in late January and started making the convention rounds in early February first in NYC, and then in San Francisco. The response from the album has been overwhelmingly positive on the road, but we were curious to see how it would be received at home. You always want to be accepted and appreciated where you're from and releasing an album about comic books and video games is really no different in the response you hope to get back. Needless to say, the fans came out and made it our most successful show to date both in sales and in excitement generated regarding what we're all about. It felt completely awesome, made us thankful to say we're from Seattle, and again enjoyed meeting the fans of all ages and walks of life.
Opening at 10:00am, my brother and I handed out headphones, spun discs, and sold swag until 6:00pm that night. Normally Jim would work the show with me but considering it is his and THE COMIC STOP owner's show, he was a little busy. At the end of the first day and and completely spent, we hit dinner near home before I had to go do lights for EXPLONE at The Highdive. I've done show lights for a few bands over the years so when Patrick Porter told me he wanted to know if I knew anybody who could do it, I cut the line and jumped at the chance. Considering I was in Explone for a few months I knew most of the songs and after he had me over to the studio last week to check out the new material, I felt good about complimenting the show. After I brief tutorial was given to me by the sound guy the band hit the stage and kicked out the jams. It was a freaking blast punching the drum hits with purple pulses and trying to set moods as the songs pushed and pulled between shoe-gazy verses and arena-rock choruses. The new material is crazy strong and fans of the band are going to LOVE the new album. Even though I had a few plums (stage going completely black = not good), I felt it went well and would do it again in a second.
I think I wore shoes that weren't the best on Saturday because I woke up on Sunday feeling as sore as when I started running cross-country in high school. Lesson learned in wearing shoes that you can stand in all day and not pay the price later...Sunday was show day for KK and the band met at 8:00 early style to unload at the convention and sound check before it opened. As we were loading in somebody told me we were quoted in the Seattle Times after an interview the day before from this really nice guy who worked for the paper. You can read it here! After a quick set-up and level test we headed back to the booth to promo for the afternoon show to kick off at 12:30. It was amazingly cool to see that some fans who hadn't planned to make it back on Sunday for the concert show up and say that after buying the album they had to catch the live act. I think it's good be to a little nervous before every show (I believe it's a sign you're ready/into it), but was honestly more than usual before this show because its new, and the debut of the full live band locally...and anywhere. My solo backing band graciously volunteered to be the KK live band and worked their asses off just a few weeks before to learn the songs. After two days of pimping the show, we were lucky enough to perform to a packed room with people that understood the material and where the passion for the stories came from. If somebody cared enough to be at the convention, those songs were written for them! We rocked the set and signed albums afterward for KK fans.
After that we hung out working the booth for about 4 hours meeting cool folks and checking out the other exhibitors when we could step away from the booth. It was my favorite convention to date and had a blast through and through. Thanks so much to everyone who helped us, stopped by to say hi (including out of town friends like Christine!) and made it a great weekend! Also, I realize I may be validating the naysayers of events like this after posting all these super awesome outfits (seriously), but hecklers be warned...it's really less that 10% off the folks there so don't hate. Go check out one in your area if you can! Well, the car is done, the man has my money and now it's time for the trek over to Idaho on Thursday. No Obama sticker on my car, got a burned Nickelback album in my stereo just in case, and I'm good to go...
Next week...the new COLLIDER single and CD Release date finally here? YES!
KS
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