Through a strange turn of events I ended up late on a Friday night hanging out in Sedro Woolley, WA at a local pub called Boondocks. Sedro Woolley is known internationally as a center of refined art and world culture. *cough*
It happened to be a band’s CD release party – the band Fortune 500. I’m pretty burned out on hearing slacker original bands so it was nothing I was looking forward to. But this band rocks.
Fortune 500 is my new favorite band. The drummer is TIGHT and rockin’ with a great back beat. Most drummers in unsigned bands slop through the fills and let the groove slide all over the place. Not this one. Fortune 500’s drummer had the grooves locked up tighter than a….well…he grooves.
The live mix was great – good thump on the bass and kick with the vocals thinned out over the top of the mix – kind of a Green Day sound. The music was loud but no obnoxious frequencies jumping out. Their songs were very accessible and easy to digest. Because I’m an old fogey, I especially liked their cover of “Ring of Fire” – great feel on that one.
And you know what – I liked the Sedro Woolley crowd at Boondock’s too. Now if you walk down the street then you are on your own. SW is a bit frightful downtown on the weekends.
Through their entire set, there was not a single thing that jumped out that I didn’t like. Fortune 500 should get signed.
FORTUNE 500 BAND:
Matt: Guitar, vox, harp, small keys; Andy: Bass, vox, vibraslap; Scott: Skins, vox
Influences: Green Day, Weezer, Rufus & Chaka Khan, The Who, Bluegreen, J.P. Patches, Steve Guttenberg, Pavlov Jones, Rip Taylor, Hindu Grass, Partridge Family.
Sounds Like: Pete Townshend introducing Green Day to Weezer
Visit Fortune 500 on MySpace.com at:
http://www.myspace.com/f500music
Their video is posted on their MySpace page, or you can watch it on YouTube.com at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcLRV1aYv9c
Boondocks Bar and Grill – 707 METCALF ST. SEDRO WOOLLEY
Read about Boondocks Bar and Grill
Boondocks Article Excerpt:
As we reported in May, the new Boondocks restaurant has opened with a bang, packing in crowds on Friday nights for live music and establishing a family restaurant in the historic Liberty Cafe location where several restaurants have come and gone in the interim since the Liberty closed back in the ’90s. We have more good news: the owners are about to reopen the connected Townsend Club/Independence Hall that faces Ferry Street. If all goes well, they will host an opening party on Friday, October 26, to celebrate Halloween.
The new Boondocks opened in the 700 block of Metcalf on April 23, 2007, then celebrated its grand opening with Nick Vigarino’s blues band on May 18 and the have already restored the old Liberty spirit of George Bellos, who opened the Liberty in that spot in 1929. Partners Ensol and Arcelia Borreli and Wesley Drake have invested in a totally new interior, but the response to their live music was so substantial that they immediately encountered a problem: the central wall that separates the bar from the dining room.
“We needed more room for live music and larger crowds,” Wes explained as he led us through the old Townsend Club and pointed out how they have already stripped it down to the bare brick walls and dismantled the false ceiling that was installed decades ago. The new room will have an 1890s decor in keeping with the history of the merged cities of 1898. As part of the process, the owners ripped out the old false ceiling, expanded the small bandstand at the front, laid new wood flooring for a large dance floor and a rustic seating area and they installed sound baffles to contend with the 14-feet ceiling.
Fortune500 definitely owns the “rawk” beat that has been lacking as of late (especially in the valley). With every show they put on they bring an energy that fills the room and flows over into their crowd. I have yet to see a show where the dance floor isn’t packed with people getting their groove on and having a great time. This is definitely one local band that needs to stop being overlooked and should to receive the recognition that they deserve.
I’ve emailed a friend of mine from the Seattle label that gave Death Cab for Cutie it’s start – hopefully he’ll check the band out in cognito. I wish I could help them out more but I’m getting ready to move to China with Cirque.
To the Fortune 500 band: You guys just keep doing what you’re doing and working the audience. You are fantastic.
Hey Conrad, It’s been a while since I’ve been to your site, I saw this article about Fortune 500. A little FYI, Scott, Andy and I along with Curt Small and Rob Blackwell were all members of Hindu Grass a local band that had a very large, cult like, local following back in the 90’s. From there Scott and Andy, along with Rob, went on to form Pavlov Jones.
They recorded a couple of albums which I thought were great. Very catchy tunes. I haven’t seen my former mates in a while, it was good to read about them.
PS I still have your hard drives and three new DVD’s for you. I’ll get them to your Mom this week end.
Hope all is well.
Jerry Fortier