My MFNW: Wheedle's Groove and The Kills

Music Fest North West assumed control of Portland on Wednesday with over 20 different stages at clubs and theaters throughout the city. With so many bands and venues it can be a tough call on who to see and who to miss; when I sat down to plan my schedule I had to make a few heart wrenching decisions. Wheedle's Groove, however, was an easy choice. Browsing through the MFNW lineup I came across the trailer for the film. I knew from about fifteen seconds in that screening at The Mission Theater would be my main event on Wednesday. Just watch it yourself.

See? Doesn't that look awesome? It turns out Wheedle's Groove is a bunch of things. A song,
 a compilation album of Seattle's Finest Funk and Soul, the movie itself and, most awesomely, a band comprised of surviving members of the Seattle soul scene. If you ever get a chance to see/hear any one of these things take it. Following the film there was a Q & A with the director and then the band Wheedle's Groove came out and played. I mean really played.

The band was hot. The lineup of the members changed around during the show, each version a reborn incarnation of one group from back in the day. One after the other they played their old tunes and set the place on fire. The crowd wasn't huge and was mostly confined to the chairs they were sitting in but where there was room people danced. Everyone seemed to be  enjoying the hell out of themselves. I could give a rundown of my favorite highlights (like Robby Hill, Patrinell Staten and Portland's own Overton Berry) but really the whole thing was a highlight and to shine a light on any one performer would do a disservice to the rest of the band. I don't know how often these guys play out but it would be worth a drive up to Seattle to see them.

When they played their last song and said goodnight the crowed wouldn't have it. The bandleader yelled, "Are you sure you want more?" We indicated that we did. They jammed on for another twenty minutes or so as they introduced each member of the band, finally bringing it to an end with an uptempo, funky-soul version of Paul McCartney's Blackbird. They smoked. I left very happy.

Being that it was only 11:30 or so I thought I might take a stroll over to the Crystal Ballroom to see if The Kills were still playing. They were. I wondered in. It was freaky hot and loud in there. The first thing I noticed was that The Kills are awesome. The second thing was that somebody around me smelled pretty ripe. I moved. Not just get away from the smell but also to get a better view. The view got better but the smell didn't. Panic began to set in. I was thinking, "My god, is that me?" It took me a bit before I was able to  confirm to myself that it was not... it was everyone else. The entire place smelled like b.o. and backsweat. I guess that is all I wanted to tell you about The Kills. They bring awesome, freaky hot, loud and smelly rock and roll.