Sup Pop's 20th Birthday


I'm not sure how I lucked out on such a great job up here. Not only do I get to meet artists and interview them, but I also get invited to industry events and this week it was Sub Pop's 20th Birthday celebration at the top of the Space Needle. Please check out their website if for some reason you are not familiar with this iconic Seattle label.

I almost didn't go. My co-workers at the last minute decided not to go and two of my friends weren't feeling well and another of my friends is deathly afraid of heights. I didn't really want to go on my own, but I knew I would kick myself if I didn't at least check it out...plus it was a free trip to the top of the Space Needle, one of my favorite places in the city and so expensive to go up in at this time of year.

I arrived just as the sun was setting so the Needle was lit up a bright orange. The sky was bright blue and I just loved the contrast of colors. I would have loved a couple of bright white clouds in this picture, but I'm not going to complain about a cloudless Seattle day!

I headed for the line to board the elevator for the top. I felt as though I was literally surrounded by an Urban Outfitters store. Everyone looked the same, dressed the same and it made me feel like I knew everyone. Like all of Silverlake or Echo Park had taken the trek up to Seattle and I was going to run into someone I knew. It was unsettling and made me glad I had decided to wear a hoodie with jeans instead of trying to conform to some hipster type ideal. Are dark rimmed glasses and beards the new flannel for the Northwest? I digress...


As soon as I got to the top I was let off right into the line for the bar where I proceeded to order a Jack and Coke and then headed for the food. I wandered around looking for a place to sit, but the entire area was now so packed that there was hardly any room to wander around let alone sit down and eat. I quickly ate, sucked down my beverage and then headed out to the observation deck.

If you have never been to the Space Needle before, the top consists of two parts. One interior, where the party was held, and then an outdoor section that circles around the top giving you 360 degree views of the city. The sun was setting and I tried my hardest to capture the sun setting behind the Olympic Mountains as they were back lit beautifully, but I just don't have the skill yet and I faultered....miserably, as you can see from the above photo. I almost didn't want to post it as the colors are atrocious and it's so blurred, but I decided I might as well. I'm not a professional and it gives you an idea of what I was looking at. So there :)


At this point I've realized there is no way I'm going to take a decent shot from here, and besides they are all touristy photo's anyway. I went back inside to get another drink and listen to some music.


The lines are stupidly long now as it's around 10:15 and the party is in full swing. After finally obtaining another beverage I went over to check out Death Vessel, who had just started their set. The acoustics were terrible, the sound man wasn't paying attention and there was a lot of feedback coming from the speakers, but damn could those boys play. I am really interested to see them live as they blew me away even with all the sound issues.

As you can see from the picture above, it was really dark in there and since the band was moving it was next to impossible to get a picture of them that was clear. My first call when I finally left the party was to Del and I asked him "I need to learn how to take a picture of people moving in a really dark place" to which he replied "Oooohhh hahahahahahaha, good luck". I guess I have my first challenge.


As I left I took a quick picture of this poster which, besides the flag on the top of the Needle, was the only mention of the party I had just attended. I'm glad I went because I would have always wondered, but as far as venues go I would have preferred it be in the nearby EMP. The Space Needle just wasn't the right space for this, but I applaud them for their effort!

Comments