You might remember Casey Foubert from the article I wrote on Eastside music last month (if you didn’t know about him already). In-between touring the world with Sufjan and Richard Swift and engineering records he has his own instrumental compositions called Law of the Least Effort. Performing with him last night was a spread of impressive musicians – fellow Sufjan drummer James McAlister, former Crystal Skulls bassist Yuuki Matthews, Josh Ottum on guitar, and trumpeter CJ Camerieri who plays with Sufjan and Rufus Wainwright. The set was eclectic – tunes ranging from blues rock to hints of fusion jazz to Herb Alpert. Though the group had only learned and practiced the songs over the last two weeks the set was phenomenal. These are some of the finest musicians in Seattle, whether they’re backing national acts or jamming out as a bar band. I wished their set was longer than the 25 minutes they played.

Law of the Least Effort shows are few and far between. This show only happened because they had been asked to open by the percussionist of Slavic Soul Party, whom they met in Brooklyn working on Sufjan’s “BQE” project. SSP kicked off their tour in Seattle to an impressively full Tractor crowd. Slavic Soul Party are no independent rock band, and they’re not your average bar band (though they do have a residency at a bar in Brooklyn) - they are a nine-piece marching band playing gypsy funk. As soon as the band starts up the whole vibe of the bar changes, gets… Slavic. There are a row of women in the front holding hands and doing a line dance. When singer Eva Salina Primack comes out do so some vocals the women know all the words. The band is having a great time on stage; they take turns coming up to the front to nail solos. Honestly, this kind of music doesn’t do much for me, but the band is talented and everyone is having fun in the crowd, so no shit need be talked. I stick around for a handful of songs, enough to hear them transition in and out of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” before I’ve had my fill. I guess my soul is hardly Slavic. I go to Moe Bar and sing karaoke Hall and Oates.

photos by Anne Murphy