augustus sweetheart/math & physics club
monday, august 16th, 2004 • the hideaway, seattle wa


review: This was our first visit to the Hideaway since the space's transformation from the dear departed Sit-N-Spin, which was a Seattle institution for being a combination laundromat/nightclub. We loved the Sit-N-Spin for its wacky dual nature, the vintage board games on the walls, and the addictive Bubble Bobble console, and we have fond memories of seeing acts like Barbara Manning and Jenny Toomey there. By comparison, the Hideaway is a nondescript club with a bar in the front and the show room in the back. It's nice enough, and it did have a couple of other vintage game consoles, but it definitely lacks the zany charm of its former incarnation.

It was also the first proper club show for our friend Corey's band, Augustus Sweetheart, and for the first band, Math And Physics Club. MAPC are a delightful indiepop band from Olympia that can be described thusly: if Morrissey got confused and showed up for practice with the Lucksmiths instead of the plain Smiths and never realized his mistake, you'd have something like MAPC. Their set went off without a hitch, and singer/guitarist Charles gave us a friendly hello afterward.

Next came Augustus Sweetheart, who filled the room with Lucas's dynamic rhythm guitar, Corey's indiepop-styled 12-string leads, keyboard basslines and other sounds, and drummer Faustine's fast & furious rhythms. Faustine was like an underage punk girl version of Bun E. Carlos, chainsmoking, posing under a lamp with an Elvis-silkscreened lampshade, and pounding it out. Corey tells us she plays roller derby! Unfortunately, Corey's amp was too low, so we could barely hear him. Turn it up, Corey!

By this time the show was running about an hour late, and it was a school night, so we had to miss the other 2 bands, Sweetness and Via Ventura. But it was an exciting atmosphere to see these 2 young bands with so much potential as they're just starting out, and it was totally worth the trip out. (mike.08.04)