Nolan Garrett
Crocodile, Seattle, WA
01.05.17

From electric soul to seething rock, the Northwest has no shortage of musicians to showcase. Look beyond the local grunge heyday and you’ll find uniquely talented artists consistently popping out of the woodwork. Such was the case at the storied Crocodile for headliner Nolan Garrett and crew. The tremendous abilities of the entire bill showed that the Seattle movement is still going strong.

First up were the soul-pop stylings of Saint Claire – née John Sinclair – with violin in hand. Sinclair’s sound was buttery and smooth, with some heavy beats mixed in. He had a great presence and showed his energy throughout the performance. The crowd responded in kind, dancing and grooving along with him, especially to “Medication,” his latest single. Soul and a violin are not the likeliest of combinations, but Sinclair made it work in spades.

“SHOWTIME! IT’S SHOWTIME!” is what Anthony Briscoe, Down North‘s lead singer, exclaimed right before they started their set. The band unleashed an arsenal of punk-rock funk upon the crowd, starting from the first note they played. Briscoe, wearing highwater pink pants and Michael Jackson-style loafers, had unbelievable charisma. His dancing was a mix of MC Hammer, James Brown, and MJ rolled into one.

The band fed off of each other and their chemistry was evident. To illustrate, not a lot of lead singers will go to their drummer, lift their shirt, and let the drummer use their tummy as a tom-tom. That was the relationship Briscoe and drummer, Conrad Real, had; and it was beautiful. There was so much explosive talent on that stage that at the end it was hard to comprehend.  It was an amazing set; a definite must see Seattle band.

Then it was Tacoma native, Nolan Garrett’s turn. With his boyish smile and style, Garrett made it tough  to associate his presence with the raw power of his album and tracks like, “Watch It Explode.” But doubt dissipated when he began to bounce around the stage, shredding on his stratocaster. His guitar chops were very impressive for such a young man, recalling a young Jonny Lang.

When you sift through the rawness of Garrett’s sound, you will find songs with pop sensibility. A great example would be “Brick Lanes,” a song with a powerful guitar lick that is still approachable. The hometown crowd went crazy when he and his band simply jammed and Garrett showed his showman chops. Simply put, the man can put on a show.

Review and photos by Phillip Johnson

Nolan Garrett, Saint Clare, and Down North