e*y*e*&*e*a*r*
c*o*n*t*r*o*l*
instore appearance review, Seattle 2000

 
 May 14, 2000
Plumtree is a wonderful punk-pop band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, who played an in-store at Eye and Ear Control on May 14, 2000, along with their tour-mates (and Endearing Records label-mates), The Salteens and Christine Fellows. Christine Fellows arrived at 2:00 and did a lovely acoustic set with cello and even a musical saw on one song! The Salteens and Plumtree, however, were delayed at the border coming down from Vancouver, B.C., where customs goons wouldn't allow them to bring their band T-shirts into the U.S.! By the time Plumtree arrived, it was approaching 5 pm, when Eye and Ear Control closes on Sunday. From the fairly large and rapt audience enjoyed by Christine Fellows earlier, attendance at the in-store had dwindled to about half-a-dozen. The Salteens, who had arrived at 4:15 but were waiting for Plumtree to come up with the gear, had joined Christine Fellows (of whom we cannot speak highly enough--her trio's unplugged set between 2 and 3 pm was absolutely gorgeous and riveting) around the corner at the Fasica Ethiopian Restaurant for some vegetarian lunch. 		 NEWS
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The Salteens were ready to play, even if for our small private party. Everybody set up with the quick efficiency that comes with the practice of being on the road. . . . and they were off! The Salteens are absolutely bratty and adorable and melodic and fun, everything indiepop should be. Scott, their singer and guitarist, has a mischevious face and a winning smile and, with baseball cap sideways on his head, has a palpable good time performing. Along with their drummer Dion, the sweetest guy you'll ever meet, and Meegan, who is a little blonde-haired pixie with loads of attitude (and a righteous bass player), they're just too cool for school. Our friend Chris was bobbing up-and-down in poppy ecstasy to their set; personally, I know that I just had a big goofy grin on my face the whole time they played. Their music and playing is that infectious. What a great band.

Plumtree, hungry and tired, were just the nicest girls in the world, and they too wanted to play for us. (Special thanks to Amanda, who had the readiest smile and was so much fun to talk to, for soldiering on even though she'd just come down with a terrible cold. We put a kleenex box on her guitar amp for her, and she was rather embarrassed to be needing it between songs, silly girl! Catriona was also especially cool--thanks to her for being my telephone contact all day as they struggled to get over the border and down to Seattle.) Unintentionally, Plumtree had a band uniform of sorts, each wearing a solid-colored T-shirt (blue, red, yellow, green). They kinda went with the color-scheme in Eye and Ear Control! The band charged through a short set of material from their latest CD, plus "Scott Pilgrim" from their previous album Predicts the Future that has a great refrain ("I've liked you for a thousand years/a thousand years!") plus a break that features a slightly slowed tempo and a guitar lick that sounds like heavy metal! It's my new favorite song! Plumtree is just the coolest punk-pop band in the world, with their *third* album out, and I can't believe that I only had first heard of them a few weeks ago. They've made a fan for life.

 After everyone had played for us, the vans were reloaded, and Plumtree shopped around a little and took some pictures in front of the store before hitting the road for Olympia. I could tell everyone was feeling a little fried from the long day of getting down here from Vancouver, so we felt all the more grateful that they were so insistent on playing for us, even with so small (albeit so appreciative) an audience. There was a little bit of magic and a lot of good will created by these wonderful musicians, these wonderful people.

Plumtree and The Salteens (with Christine Fellows on some dates) are appearing along the U.S. West Coast through the end of May. I'd strongly urge everyone to check them out. I can't imagine a better indiepop show.

[Eye and Ear Control is a music and video store in downtown Seattle. It's website is http://www.eyeandearcontol.com]