Shin Yu Pai’s Poetry Orchard
Wednesday, August 19, 2015 9:40 — 1 Comment
Shin Yu Pai’s latest project, HEIRLOOM, is a site-specific public art project where she printed language on antique apples in Piper’s Orchard in Carkeek Park, Seattle.Using vinyl stencils and the light of the sun, she “burned” words into the peels of ripening apples. The words on the apples, she says, represent the titles of individual sections from a long poem (below) written in the form of an abecedarian, or alphabet poem, which explores the history of it and our human connection to it. (Image above by Thendara Kida-Gee) Jake Uitti: So tell me about your latest project! Shin Yu Pai: I just […]
Ever-so-Android’s ‘Disconnect’
Monday, August 17, 2015 15:20 — 0 Comments
Ever-so-Android’s new record, Disconnect, is a series of battle cries. They’re aggressive, passionate songs where banshee front woman Hope Simpson wails over jagged sonic landscapes laid out by electric guitarist Drew Murray. The duo, who’ve been together since 2011, charge forward in search of new game and new territory on each track of the record, the first since their 2013 self-titled EP. Bolstered by instrumentation for shows by drummer Ben Hillzinger and bassist Ian Forrester, ESA’s live performances aim to override audiences with a carnal thrust. This same mood lives and breathes on Disconnect and is most evident on “Leash,†which […]
Google Autocomplete Poem – Nate Brantingham
Monday, August 17, 2015 10:10 — 1 Comment
This is the type of poem you look at happening for a moment and then immediately situate yourself so you can see the whole thing transpire. The questions asked here are the ones we ask ourselves - questions about appearance, God, family. The piece plays with doubt, but the sort of doubt that arrises within an accusatory society living and breathing all around. How do we fit in? And does poetry have any place left? Nate Brantingham turns the simple and common, here, into beautiful art that lasts in our minds, transforming these moments of doubt into moments of community.
Spekulation’s “Can’t Wait”
Wednesday, August 12, 2015 10:12 — 0 Comments
The latest offering from one of Seattle’s brightest MC’s features a bouncy beat, a soulful, catchy hook, a collection of dope rappers and a necessary message: don’t wait, do, take what’s yours. It’s the type of song (and video) that inspires you to move, create and work on the projects you’ve always want to work on. We thought it would be fun to hear from the people featured on the track. How did the project come their way, what did they think of the work? So, without further ado, here are their voices: Spek:Â I played the beat for Mic […]
Feast Arts Center: a New School
Tuesday, August 11, 2015 9:36 — 0 Comments
Artists and co-parents Todd Jannausch and Chandler Woodfin are in the midst of creating a new art school in Tacoma, WA, called Feast Arts Center. Says Woodfin, a painter, “The guiding concept at Feast is the belief that community involvement enriches personal experience, that personal experience informs art-making, and that art-making strengthens communities. So how do we do that? Well, we believe that we achieve this by providing a place where community and art-making can merge.” The school will provide free community events, including offering free meals, supplies and studio time to those “in need,” says Woodfin, as well as outdoor […]
Prom Queen Fundraiser
Monday, August 10, 2015 10:31 — 0 Comments
On Saturday, the magical candy noir band, Prom Queen, will take the stage at Cafe Racer and play for you. Their music floats like smoke off the tip of a 9″ cigarette. It wafts and waves and, when completed, returns to the genie bottle from where it was born. On Saturday, their performance aims to raise money for the band, which is heading on a west coast tour together. We ask that you please donate a little bit of money (or a lot of bit of money) to their fundraiser here. And before you do, remember they are the band that […]
Spek On Marvel
Tuesday, August 4, 2015 22:30 — 0 Comments
Along with being one of the dopest rappers and producers in the town, Matt ‘Spek’ Watson is one of the most well-versed Marvel/superhero aficionados I know. We had a chance to talk about his suspicion of the new Fantastic 4 movie, his love of Deadpool and our shared curiosity at why there’s hardly ever any good bad guys in these big superhero flicks.Â
I Had My First Kiss! – Elizabeth Austen
Tuesday, August 4, 2015 9:53 — 1 Comment
My niece’s text arrives as the newscaster
Lexi Lee’s Jewelry
Monday, August 3, 2015 11:43 — 0 Comments
Lexi Lee makes stunning, homemade jewelry. Knowing Lexi some, she is the type to take extra care to make sure the piece is ready and beautiful before sharing it with the world. Given this, it’s clear that, along with being excellent with craft, she’s also prolific. We had a chance to chat a bit with Lexi about her work and to show off some of the pretty pieces, which you can buy here.
Three Songs To The Head vol. 32
Thursday, July 23, 2015 12:43 — 0 Comments
Hello and welcome back to Three Songs to the Head where we share three songs that moved us, three songs we love, three songs we can’t get out of our heads! Today, we’re featuring Sundog, Sisters feat. Sol and The Dusty 45’s feat. Annie Ford and Gus Clark. Enjoy! –Jake Uitti Sundog’s “Roadrunner” is a ramped up, vamped up, jam-packed jaunt down Ragtime Keys Lane, turning onto Rumble Bucket Drum Boulevard and ending with donut-down beats around ‘n around the cul-de-sac. It’s the kind of song that picks you up no matter where your spirit level is at. Check the […]
The answer isn't poetry, but rather language
- Richard Kenney

Book Release and Reading Feb. 6
January 6th, 2016
Hello fellow readers, travelers and Monarchians! Our first book, Traveling Light, written by Seattle author, Jim Brantingham, is now for sale! And we will be throwing a release party for it Feb. 6 at 6pm in Ravenna Third Place Books (on the corner of 65th and 20th NE). Jim will be reading from the book and there will be guest readers accompanying him. Space is limited, so we suggest you come early. Books can be bought through this link here or at Ravenna Third Place Books (which just ordered it’s second wave of books). We are super excited for this release and […]