The Octopus Project

I went to see The Octopus Project last night at the Paradox. It had been ages since I'd been to an all-ages show. It's funny, all ages shows were the only decent bands touring in Huntington before I left. I went to them all the time but over the years I felt creeper and creeper being the bald guy with a bunch of kids down at the YWCA. That tops the list of creepy Huntington feelings and reasons I’m here in Seattle today.

I was excited to see The OP because before I moved out I had booked them to play a show (at a bar) in Huntington. No one had heard of the band so I worked really hard to get people to the show, going as far as walking around with a CD player and making people listen to them. The day of the show they called me with the sad news that their van was stolen that day on their way out of NYC! They were devastated, I was devastated, it was a disappointing situation all around.

I even had a great idea for a poster (that was fully realized by Ben (the mastermind behind designing boptart.com)and K. Thor Jensen) that played upon the southern phenomenon of Donkey basketball, thusly Octopus Basketball.



So at last nights show we arrived an hour before The OP started so we sat around eating M&Ms and drinking coffee for about ten minuets before someone suggested we go to a bar. Actually, I think that someone suggested going to a bar as soon as we got there but it took ten minutes of a terrible screamo band to rush along the decision.

After a beer at a neat little Ballard bar near the Paradox, Mike's Chili Palace or something, we headed back to the show.
I’m so glad I went out, The OP were amazing. It was loud gritty drums, guitars, and a Theremin, with no vocals. Some of the better moments reminded me of seeing Spiritualized (for lack of a better term) "jam out" when you see them live. Really, really really, good. They had great set dressings too. On stage they had crafted sheets made to look like huge monsters that they and put over the speakers with Christmas lights under them.