A Critical Sun SX Send OFF with Furniture Girls, Sightseer, In Cahoots, The Januariez and Rob Marcus

Furniture Girls

Furniture Girls doesn’t sound like a Seattle band. You won’t get any twang, folk-pop harmonies or atmospheric, shoe-gazing riffs from this quartet. Instead, they just crank out the jams; brash, bold, funky-as-hell electro-rock that gets a crowd moving.

With a seasoned lineup that includes producer/guitarist Bubba Jones, vocalist stayC Meyer, bassist Jim Watkins and drummer Thane Mitchell, Furniture Girls have been filling clubs throughout the Northwest with audiences hungry for something dynamic and different since 2007. In that time, they’ve performed with alt-rock luminaries like Sky Cries Mary and My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult and shared the stage with countless musical guests, including the legendary Dr. Fink (of Prince and the Revolution), guitarist Michael Cozzi and soul singer Darrius Willrich.

Even though they fly under the hipster radar, Furniture Girls have become one of the most respected bands in Seattle’s music community, with annual appearances at music and arts festivals like Noise for the Needy, the Comcast Bite of Seattle, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon and the University District Street Fair. The band’s critically-acclaimed debut album, How I Learned to Crawl, was released by Critical Sun Recordings in August of 2010. 

Sightseer

Sightseer is a female-fronted rock band with an alt-country twist backed by drums, bass, electric and acoustic guitars, keys and occasionally violin. Soulful, passionate vocals with a broad appeal that evoke images of whiskey nights and heartbroken mornings. Sometimes vulnerable, sometimes tough... always memorable.

In Cahoots

Discovering a band that churns out songs so catchy and infectious that the choruses get stuck in your head for days is diamond-rare, and Seattle, Washington’s In Cahoots is exactly that kind of gem of a band. In Cahoots, with their crushing guitar riffs, down-tempo melodies, and soaring, golden vocals, is the real deal. They hit sweet spots with energy to spare, blanket crowds with fuzzy tones, and uplift with expert songwriting that transports those lucky enough to catch them onstage to an exalted place.

After having played extensively in the Pacific Northwest, the band recorded their debut self-titled EP in 2011 at Hey Darlin' studios with producer by Nathan Ackley. Mastered by rock icon Kurt Bloch (Fastbacks, Young Fresh Fellows), the EP proves that In Cahoots is way more than just a wonderful live band—in fact, their recorded material actually may be some kind of addictive drug.

Vocalist and guitarist Christina Cramer doesn’t just practice rock: she lives it. Cramer has taught vocals and songwriting at Seattle’s Rock School, and is a professionally trained music theorist and jazz performance artist. The In Cahoots song "Borrowed Time", written by Christina Cramer, was a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Lead guitarist Joshua Turner is the virtuoso of the band. Having studied at the Berklee School of Music and the Musicians Institute, Josh has also played in the band Eyes to Earth.  Bassist Tim Wellman cut his teeth on punk rock in his previous band, Incognito, while drummer Dave Crossett has graced the presence of many bands, including Criss Crass and Pleasure Victim. Often likened to Seattle darlings Visqueen or vocal heavy-hitters The Gossip, In Cahoots is a shining example of a band that thrives alongside the amazing female-fronted bands in their region. Discovering a band that churns out songs so catchy and infectious that the choruses get stuck in your head for days is diamond-rare, and Seattle, Washington’s In Cahoots is exactly that kind of gem of a band. The trio, with their crushing guitar riffs, down-tempo melodies, and soaring, golden vocals, is the real deal. They hit sweet spots with energy to spare, blanket crowds with fuzzy tones, and uplift with expert songwriting that transports those lucky enough to catch them onstage to an exalted place.

After having played extensively in the Pacific Northwest, the band recorded their debut self-titled EP in 2011 at Hey Darlin' studios with producer by Nathan Ackley. Mastered by rock icon Kurt Bloch (Fastbacks, Young Fresh Fellows), the EP proves that In Cahoots is way more than just a wonderful live band—in fact, their recorded material actually may be some kind of addictive drug.

Vocalist and guitarist Christina Cramer doesn’t just practice rock: she lives it. Cramer has taught vocals and songwriting at Seattle’s Rock School, and is a professionally trained music theorist and jazz performance artist. The In Cahoots song "Borrowed Time", written by Christina Cramer, was a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Lead guitarist Joshua Turner is the virtuoso of the band. Having studied at the Berklee School of Music and the Musicians Institute, Josh has also played in the band Eyes to Earth.  Bassist Tim Wellman cut his teeth on punk rock in his previous band, Incognito, while drummer Dave Crossett has graced the presence of many bands, including Criss Crass and Pleasure Victim. Often likened to Seattle darlings Visqueen or vocal heavy-hitters The Gossip, In Cahoots is a shining example of a band that thrives alongside the amazing female-fronted bands in their region.

The Januariez

The Januariez started playing music together in late May 2011. Two months after bassist, Gorilla J., and drummer, Reno, met J-knee January at an open mic north of Seattle, Reno and Gorilla J. joined her onstage for a few songs. She knew they were the ones. "They intuited the songs," she recalls, "so I asked them to join."

Knowing that this band would be no ordinary venture, Reno and Gorilla took some time to consider. Both are active in the Seattle metal scene as members of A Sic End, and Reno plays in the nerdcore band, Southside. J-knee, the primary song-writer and a veteran musician herself, most recently known as Nancy Frieko, focuses most of her time on The Januariez.

These hardworking players began practicing once a week behind a muffler shop, then scheduled two days a week, and two days a week grew into hanging out, going to shows, and sharing ideas. Gorilla J., J-knee, and Reno's efforts melded their styles to create an alchemy of rock, punk, metal, blues, and funk. In August The Januariez played their first three gigs - in three hours, at three different venues, benefiting Music Aid Northwest. A weekend tour with Furniture Girls finshed out the month.

Described by Innocent Words Magazine as "T.Rex with a little Thin Lizzy and Veruca Salt fronted by Ani DiFranco," The Januariez have a little something for everyone. The band is recording their first full length album with Critical Sun Recordings in October 2011. The album Authentic, set for release March 2012, will be followed with a trip to SXSW and a Mid-South tour.