skylark west seattle

Team Tracy Karaoke Auction 2/13: Help FInd A Cure For Breast Cancer

2012-01-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

go to the Facebook event page

Have you ever wanted the power to make other people sing karaoke songs of your choosing AND help find a cure for breast cancer WHILE sipping on a cocktail? Of course you have! This is your lucky night.

Here's how it works:
You show up at Skylark around 8:00pm and find the lists of people on the karaoke auction block.* Write down the song and bid amount, and watch it for the next hour to make sure you aren't outbid! Singing begins at 9:00pm, regular karaoke afterwards. 100% of the money raised goes to Team Tracy to benefit the Susan G. Komen 3-Day For The Cure.

Confirmed singers so far are:
TRACY DART (eponymous anti-cancer activist/Pat Benatar soundalike)
JAY CATES (Corner Pocket bartender/lead vocals of Bend)
KATIE VOSS (Katie Voss Trio vocalist)
GUY OLSEN (karaoke host at Yen Wor)
ANDERS MARSHALL, DAVE GROSSETT (West Seattle karaoke stars)

ROGER KELLEY (Skylark bartender/golden-voiced crooner)
JESSIE SK (Skylark owner/booker)
and more, including the Skylark karaoke hosts themselves (Karaoke Kelli & Sierra).

If you want to join the auction and have people that will come and bid on you, email Skylark your information in advance. If you want to bid on the singers or donate to Team Tracy, just show up and watch the spectacle!

*karaoke auction idea credit goes to Three Imaginary Girls. :)

February Event Preview! Hint: Whole Lotta Love!

2012-01-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

Whether Valentine's Day makes you warm and fuzzy or murderous and misanthropic, we have entertainment galore in February for you at Skylark.

• Sat Feb 4 Local artist gift event Crafts & Draughts goes monthly with new and repeat vendors. A "make-your-own" table will feature everything you need to make your own valentines in between shopping and drinking.

• Sat Feb 11 is our increasingly popular drag brunch, so you'll want tickets in advance to score a good table or bar seating close to the action.

• Mon Feb 13 we are hosting a Karaoke Benefit for Team Tracy. Fight breast cancer by bidding on local karaoke stars, biz owners, musicians, and young three-time survivor Tracy herself.

• Tue Feb 14 we are bringing back last year's sold-out three course dinner and a show "A Valentine's Day Cabaret" and adding a second dessert & drinks seating. Whisper De Corvo has assembled a stellar lineup and Skylark has developed a scrumptious menu. Tickets available now, second seating tickets available shortly.

• Thu Feb 23 Westside Burlesque Revue brings you an Anti-Valentine's Burlesque Show to soothe your broken hearts. Tickets available now.

Crafts & Draughts: Now Monthly Starting 2/4

2012-01-13T20:41:00.000-08:00

All right artists and crafters, we're making Crafts & Draughts a regular thing starting in February. It will be every first Saturday of the month starting on February 4. It's a short but sweet event starting at 4pm and ending at 7pm. Send us samples of your work if you'd like to buy a table! Tables are still $25 for the small ones and $50 for the larger ones. Email us if you are interested...

New Year's Eve Burlesque is a Saturday this year!

2011-12-21T17:41:00.000-08:00

This is it! Some would say 2012 is the last year of our current civilization...the apocalyptic year...the year of Mayan armageddon. We say whatever, let's continue to party like it's 1999 (like we have been since 1999). The best place to do that is at Skylark in West Seattle on Saturday, December 31st.

Start the evening off with a delicious dinner and/or cocktails, or just be here at 9:00pm for the burlesque and bellydancing entertainment provided by:

Miss Elaine Yes
Julia Ghoulia
Chesty LaRue
Scandal From Bohemia
Ophira
Katana
La Petite Mort
Whisper De Corvo

$10 adv / $12 door
Available at Stranger Tickets.
Includes champagne toast at midnight.

Holiday open mic FRIDAY 12/23 (or Christmas Eve-Eve)

2011-12-20T17:34:00.000-08:00

Since tonight is monthly bellydancing (a special Winter Solstice edition no less), Tuesday's acoustic open mic will be back next week. However! Not only can you come to Wednesday's open mic tomorrow after trivia ends at 9pm (acoustic and/or full band), we have added a second Christmas-themed open mic to Christmas Eve-Eve, also known as Friday, December 23rd.

Any and all holiday season songs welcome, secular or Christmas or Hanukkah...all fair game.

We'll have warming holiday drink specials and hearty meals available of course.

See you on Christmas Eve-Eve!

Crafts & Draughts Last-minute Holiday Shopping TOMORROW

2011-12-16T20:01:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 17, from 4:00pm to 7:00pm:

Get your draughts and browse some crafts while being entertained by DJ Create spinning vintage soul (you didn't want more Christmas muzak, did you? us neither).

Eleven artists/crafters will have their wares on display. See their websites here at the Facebook event.

There will also be a "Make Your Own Ornament" table and some vinyl records for dirt cheap.

Happy hour prices (as always) 3:00pm to 6:00pm, so there's a fair amount of overlap there!

See you tomorrow.

MARCO BENEVENTO comes to Skylark 12/10

2011-12-02T14:41:00.001-08:00

This one is going to sell out, so I recommend high-tailing it to The Stranger Ticketing now to get your tickets...

Saturday

December 10

9pm

$15 adv / $17 dos

Nefarious Productions Presents:
MARCO BENEVENTO with Nefarious Jones

For an exhilarating glimpse into the future of rock piano, look no further than Marco Benevento. A melodically inventive musical adventurer who artfully employs pedals, amplifiers, circuit-bent toys and sundry effects around his acoustic piano set-up, Benevento has forged a fascinating repertoire of songs, including both wildly original compositions and renditions of those by the likes of Leonard Cohen, Pink Floyd and My Morning Jacket.

Benevento first came to national attention with the experimental electric rock influenced Benevento-Russo Duo for which he partnered with drummer Joe Russo. Together they brought a bracing jolt of improvisation into settings like Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock and Bonnaroo. On his own Benevento has collaborated with the likes of Matt Chamberlain, Trey Anastasio and Mark Eitzel, while also holding down keys in the bands Garage A Trois and Surprise Me Mr. Davis. Benevento’s primary focus is his trio with whom he's released three critically acclaimed solo albums that have led to a number of prestigious appearances, including Carnegie Hall, Montreal Jazz Festival and Celebrate Brooklyn. In 2009, he also partnered in The Royal Potato Family, an indie record label that features a growing catalog of groundbreaking releases.

Benevento is currently touring in support of his latest LP, 'Between The Needles & Nightfall, ' however on his upcoming West Coast run he'll also have a new limited edition 7-inch available with two previously unreleased tracks "Escape Horse" and "Fireworks."

Introducing: Weekly Drink Specials

2011-12-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

In addition to our Specialty Cocktails list* and 7-Days-A-Week Happy Hour**, some customers have been--rather persistently, I might add--requesting more drink specials.

God, you guys are greedy...and that's why we love you.

Behold, the new nightly specials (in effect after happy hour ends at 6:00pm):

Monday: The "Liquid Courage" Shot $6 (it is karaoke night after all)
Tuesday: House Wine $4 (enjoy with acoustic-only open mic)
Wednesday: Hot Toddies $6 (pamper your vocal cords for open mic)
Thursday/Friday/Saturday: El Jefe Hefeweizen $4 (brewed locally by Hale's Ales)
Sunday: Mimosas $4 (keep that brunch mood going all evening)

* Specialty Cocktails

Turbo Toddy : Chamomile-infused tequila, muddled orange, Snap ginger liqueur, honey, hot water 7.50
Honey Badger : Honey-infused Vanilla Stoli vodka, Absolut Orient Apple, Bulleit bourbon on the rocks 11
Wildcat Dark & Stormy : Captain Morgan’s spiced rum, Snap ginger liqueur, ginger ale, float of Kraken spiced rum 9.50
Bearskin Reynolds : Jim Beam rye whiskey, muddled cucumber, Aperol bitter orange liqueur, Drambuie 10
Raspberry Riviera : Lindemans framboise lambic, champagne 7.50
Shatner Sidecar : Hennessey cognac, Cointreau, muddled lemons, grapefruit bitters, sugar rim 10
Electra Iced Tea : Earl Grey-infused Absolut Citron vodka, muddled lemons, lemonade 9
Skylark Sunrise : Stoli Vanil vodka, orange and pineapple juices, float of Bacardi rum 9

** Happy Hour is still 3pm to 6pm every day of the week.
$4/$2 menu
$3 wells
AND
$1 off all beer and wine

Ho Ho Homo Holiday Brunch Extravaganza! 12/10

2011-11-30T18:42:00.001-08:00

December brings a special seasonal Morning Glory Drag Brunch, also known as the Ho Ho Homo Holiday Brunch Extravaganza. As always it will take place on the second Saturday at noon (or perhaps fashionably late).

I can't promise that Magnolia Crawford will have baked you a pie as the image suggests, but I do know she has baked up a fabulous lineup of drag queens to entertain you as you knock back a few extra brunch cocktails to prepare for weeks of extended family cohabitation.

We will have delicious and affordable brunch specials, and don't forget that purchase of two tickets to this event gets you a sweet discount ($5 off) on a mimosa carafe for the table. Yum!

Tickets available at Stranger Ticketing now.
Saturday, December 10, 12pm to 2pm
all ages / full bar with ID

Skylark Presents Crafts & Draughts! Coming December 17

2011-11-26T18:45:00.001-08:00

Wow, it's been a while since I blogged. Now I have, like, 5 important blogs to blog. That's what I get for procrastinating. I'll start with Skylark's first craft fair, cleverly named by one Mr. Seazle...

The timing is perfect for last-minute gifts if you celebrate that December 25 thing. Even if you don't need any more gifts, we'll have drinks. (Did you know we have happy hour on the weekends? Right smack in the middle of this neat event? Makes holiday shopping wayyyy more fun! Just don't spill your draughts on the crafts!)

There will be a DJ, we'll have some records for sale, as well as a Make Your Own Ornament table and a book swap (just like it sounds...bring a book, take a book).

The rundown for artists & crafters out there:

Large tables (54" x 30") are $50.

Small rounds (30") are $25.

The event runs from 4-7pm.

Saturday, December 17

Email Jessie to hold a table (6 are already held, so it's ON!).

Come As You Aren't! The 5th Annual Halloween Battle of The Bands 10/29

2011-10-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

For the fifth year in a row, local rockers are going incognito for Skylark’s "Come As You Aren't" Halloween battle of the bands. This show is always free!

All fourteen acts have 3 songs each to wow the crowd and judges, as they out-rock and glam each other for possession of the coveted Golden Cowbell™. Is that Clutch Douglass or Salt 'n' Pepa? Hotels or The Misfits? Behold the supergroup formed from Stevedore and Mannequin BBQ as they channel The Supremes, and shiver as experimental duo Perish The Island entertains with selections from Goblin's soundtrack to Suspiria. Diversity and virtuosity have always set this event apart, and this year's lineup is no exception.

Set times are approximate:

8:00pm Willow & Kevin Wood as GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS

8:20pm Perish The Island as GOBLIN (Suspiria soundtrack)

8:40pm Julia Massey & The Jesus Rehab as ARCADE FIRE

9:00pm Bone Cave Ballet as BJORK

9:20pm Supernauty as THE RAMONES

9:40pm To The Sea as R.E.M.

10:00pm The Mangles as HUSKER DU

10:20pm The Stevedore & Mannequin BBQ as THE SUPREMES

10:40pm Hobosexual as CREAM

11:00pm Clutch Douglass as SALT 'N' PEPA

11:20pm D.evolution.Aires as ZZ TOP

11:40pm Sweet Secrets as THE CURE

12:00am Like Lightning as THE PRETENDERS

12:10am Hotels as THE MISFITS

KEXP DJ and founding member of the Young Evils Troy Nelson, two-time Golden Cowbell winner Lori Campion, Seattle Subsonic writer Dave O'Leary, and Skylark owner-booker Jessie SK will judge the bands.

The Golden Cowbell and runner-up prizes will be awarded shortly following the last set.

This event is free, 21+, and has always been Skylark's biggest night of the whole year.

Saturday, October 29. 7:00pm.

Stop by for Hangover Halloween Brunch on 10/30...9am to 3pm!

Monday 10/31 will be a karaoke Halloween party.

Second Open Mic Night, Hosted By Blvd Park, Every Tuesday!

2011-10-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

If you've tried to get onto the open mic list and shown up at any point after 8:30pm lately, you may have been disappointed. Open mic has been popular this summer...so much so that we have added a second opportunity for you to perform!

This open mic differs from our Wednesday open mic; it will be acoustic-only, all ages for the first two hours, and hosted by Brian Ballentine and Tekla Watefield of local band Blvd Park. They are calling it the...

Artist Performance Series

Tuesdays
All ages 7-9pm, 21+ 9-11pm

"What we aim to present is an opportunity for any and all artists/performers of all ages to showcase/rehearse/preview their art form in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Keeping an overall acoustic/mellow vibe in mind; we're calling all singer/songwriters, poets, comedians, local and touring bands, aspiring actors/actresses, puppeteers etc to bring songs, instrumentation, poetry, comedy, performance art, monologues, etc to life in an intimate, fun, welcoming, encouraging and supportive setting."

For more information:
(916) 257-0079

Morning Glory Drag Brunch Debut Saturday August 13

2011-08-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

Hosted by Magnolia Crawford and featuring a selection of the city's finest drag queens (see here for the August lineup), Morning Glory will start your weekend off properly with a classy brunch and a sassy performance!

Like our love, it doesn't cost a thing.

From 12pm to 2pm every second Saturday of the month, you'll be entertained in style whether you buy VIP tickets or not. If you want to guarantee the best sightlines and seating you can reserve one of 12 tables and pre-pay a flat fee for your brunch entrees at the same time.

VIP tickets include: a guaranteed table in the main room, a cover charge for the performers, and brunch entrees for 2 people. Beverages and sides not included, although VIP ticket holders will also be given $5 off a carafe of mimosas (one carafe = a whole bottle of champagne). Yum!

Skylark's amazing brunch menu is here.

VIP tickets available here.

Attention parents! Skylark's brunch is always all ages. This will NOT be a raunchy show...there may be a few jokes for the grownups that will go over their heads (like Disney movies) but nothing inappropriate for the young 'uns. However, if you aren't ready for your children to know that some men sometimes dress in ladies' clothing for entertainment purposes, you might want to get your brunch before noon...or on Sunday instead. :)

Zach Davidson of Vendetta Red/Sirens Sister Solo Acoustic Debut

2011-05-26T01:07:00.000-07:00

Skylark Celebrates Five Year Anniversary on 6/3 With (Surprise!) A Five Dollar Rock Show

This year Skylark returns to the basics for its five year mark with local musician Zach Davidson, described in the Seattle Times as “a dynamic singer with terrific range, big-time stage charisma and Roger Daltrey looks.”

Davidson emerged on the scene with Vendetta Red, who were signed to Epic Records and charted at #1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers. Following the band’s breakup in 2006, he formed Sirens Sister. We are thrilled to host his first solo appearance for our anniversary show. Opening act is singer/songwriter Chris Bridges.

Highlights of the past year at Skylark have been...

Electrifying! The 4th annual Come As You Aren't Halloween party rocked so hard it caused a surprise power outage during the last act.

Titillating! Sold out New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day burlesque performances, plus the introduction of monthly burlesque on last Thursdays.

Giving! Participated in Dining Out For Life, West Seattle For Japan, Taste of West Seattle, ThinkLocal! and introduced Scrabble Tournaments for local charities.

Growing! We opened Monday nights (featuring Karaoke with Kelli) and started booking singer/songwriters on Tuesdays.

Procreating! Our Kitchen Manager Tony and former bartender Tara made an adorable baby boy, Luca.

Some things never change...

Still presenting live, original local and touring bands Thursday through Sunday, and all ages shows on Sunday evenings.

Still offering bands a high-quality multitrack recording of their set for just $20.

Still providing family-friendly homemade dinner and weekend brunch, full menu until midnight every night but Sunday, and a cheap happy hour from 3 to 6 daily.

Friday, June 3. 21+ Doors are at 8pm. Tickets are available at brownpapertickets or at the door.

Radio8Ball tonight with The Young Evils, one more night only!

2011-05-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

The Radio8Ball show with The Young Evils is tonight! We are very excited to finally see Skylark employee Mackenzie in action on the Skylark stage. Doors at 8pm, $12 cover, 21+ only.

And rather unexpectedly, it is also the last night of Radio8Ball as The Janks have cancelled their Sunday appearance.

Since The Janks were the only act scheduled on Sunday and Radio8Ball does not function without a live musical act, we are closing early at 3:00pm on Sunday May 8 to do some spring cleaning. Sorry for any inconvenience!

Do bring mom down for Sunday Mother's Day brunch tomorrow in between 9:00am and 3:00pm! We'll have a special eggs benedict and a sweet special too. Yum.

AwesomeOke 2011 Preliminaries on Monday, May 9

2011-04-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

Wing-It Productions is seeking karaoke performers for its third annual Education Fundraiser, benefiting Wing-It's Education Programs for outreach and at-risk youth.

Preliminaries will take place at Skylark on Monday, May 9 at 9pm. Ten finalists will be chosen to perform in the final round of competition at the fundraiser on May 15 at 7pm.

Interested performers find full contest rules and sign up to perform here.

Solo acts, or group acts may enter. We encourage costumes, backup dancers, choreography, made up lyrics, anything that will ad to the overall performance value of the act.

Entry fees are $25 for solo acts and $40 for group acts. All fees go to support Wing-It's outreach programs with at-risk youth.

This year's winner will be awarded a performance at Key Arena for the Rat City Roller Girls in front of an audience of 6,000 people!

AwesomeOke 2011 will feature karaoke competition performances, as well as performances from the Wing-It cast, special guest musical performances and celebrity judges.

All proceeds from the AwesomeOke 2011 fundraiser will benefit Wing-It's outreach and at-risk youth programs. Wing-It currently serves 500 students a year through its At Risk Youth programs at Sanctuary Arts and the King County Juvenile Detention Facility.

AwesomeOke 2011 is brought to you by Wing-It Productions, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to enlightening, educating and entertaining audiences of all ages by producing theatrical events which explore theater by utilizing its improvisational roots.

Dining Out For Life this Thursday 4/28 (with boobies)!

2011-04-25T23:15:00.000-07:00

Every year we are pleased to participate in Dining Out For Life. This year it happily coincides with our monthly burlesque event, Westside Burlesque Revue.

We'll be participating for dinner sales, so plan on stopping by sometime in between 6 and 9pm if you want a portion of your bill to go to Lifelong AIDS Alliance. (Just coming to burlesque? We'll have drink specials that benefit Lifelong all night long.)

Please note that burlesque entertainment starts at 9pm, so any diners wanting to see the show (or linger beyond 9pm) will need to pay the cover at that time. Or, you can buy advance tickets for the burlesque here.

Westside Burlesque Revue has a fabulous lineup this month:

the new troupe "Bellylesque"
Persephony Illiri
Boom Boom L'roux
Scandal from Bohemia
Whisper De Corvo

As always, we have Mr.Bawdy as MC and our pick-up artist is Katie Kat!

The Radio8Ball Show with Andras Jones, The Young Evils, and The Janks in May

2011-04-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

The Radio8Ball Show is a musical divination show where we answer audience questions by picking songs at random, and then interpreting the randomly chosen song as the answer to the question.

The opening night, Friday, May 6th, will feature Andras Jones as the host AND musical guest. Jones may be best known as the host of Radio8Ball or for his film credits, but he is also an accomplished songwriter who has released 8 CDs, toured extensively, and whose songs have appeared in numerous soundtracks. This will be his first public musical performance since 2003. Buy tickets now for Andras Jones.

The Saturday, May 7th show will feature local critical darlings The Young Evils. The Young Evils are Troy Nelson (guitar/vocals), Mackenzie Mercer (vocals), Cody Hurd (guitar), and Barrett Jones (bass). They have just self-released their debut album "Enchanted Chapel" which was produced by Barrett Jones (Nirvana, The Melvins, Pussy Galore). They have played several Seattle music festivals including Seattle Weekly's ReverbFest and The Capitol Hill Block Party, and most recently opened for The Vaselines for Seattle City Arts Fest. NPR recently chose their song "Get Over It" as song of the day, and Seattle blog Three Imaginary Girls just named their album "Best local debut of the 2010."
Buy tickets now for The Young Evils.

The closing night on May 8th is an all-ages affair and features the return of The Janks whose last appearance on Radio8Ball still has people reeling. The Janks formed in 2006 in Los Angeles and soon after released their debut album "Delicate Mouthfeels." Over the next three years the band would reform around founding members Zachary Zmed, (Vocals, Guitar and Keys) and Garth Herberg, (Guitar and Keys), adding Wade Ryff (Bass), Lucas Ventura (Drums), and Dylan Zmed (Vocals, Guitar, Keys & Percussion). Since 2009 the band has been touring extensively, playing to enthusiastic crowds across America, while developing their unique sound and live show into an identity that can only be labeled as their own. Buy tickets now for The Janks.

Start thinking of your question now!

Karaoke Mondays - Starting March 7th!

2011-03-04T16:10:00.000-08:00

Karaoke Kelli is the chief of Siren Entertainment, and Skylark's new karaoke hostess! If you like singing and silly hats, you'll be making Skylark your cure for the Mondays.

Kelli brings songbooks packed with over 15,000 (!) tunes including lots of new material, the classics, and an impressive collection of showtunes. You also get a mini flashlight so you can actually look through the book in a dark bar, isn't that brilliant? Spice up your performance with the suitcase of props and costumes waiting for you on stage.

Karaoke Kelli Mondays, 9pm. 21+/no cover

NOTE: Scrabble Tournaments have been moved from Monday evenings to Saturday afternoons. Starting March 5 at 3:30pm, compete and raise money for local charities and get happy hour prices at the same time! 3:15pm sign up. All ages.

Scrabble Mondays Changing to Scrabble Saturday Afternoons in March

2011-02-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the last Scrabble tournament that takes place on a Monday. Starting this Saturday, March 5, Scrabble will commence at 3:30pm on Saturdays instead.

There are three reasons for this...

1. All ages! (Skylark is all ages every day until 9pm, and until 11pm Sundays)
2. Happy hour menu! (3-6pm)
3. Mondays are for karaoke! (starting Monday, March 7, join Kelli and us at 9pm for songs aplenty)

So the schedule will look like this:

3:15pm registration
3:30pm GAME #1
4:30pm GAME #2
5:30pm GAME #3
6:30pm winners announced, prizes dispensed

Beneficiaries of your $5 entry fee are now:
1st Saturday of each month: COMMUNITY HARVEST OF SOUTHWEST SEATTLE
2nd Saturday: DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
3rd Saturday: ANIMALS FIRST
4th Seaturday: BOOKS TO PRISONERS

Knowing the way Seattleites are, I think we'll probably have a summer hiatus...but 9 months out of the year the Saturday afternoon forecast is rain so you may as well come play a board game with a warming beverage and a happy hour snack. =)

Mambo Italiano general admission tickets still available

2011-02-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

VIP tables (with 3 course dinner) are SOLD OUT.

General admission tickets are still available for $10 and gain admission to our bar area and red room only. Tickets do not include food, beverages or guaranteed seating. Bar stools with good views and tables with limited views and no views are available on a first come/first served basis. Limited a la carte snacks available in between 7pm and 10pm.

*The show will begin at 8:15pm and end at approximately 10:00pm.

*Special late-night happy hour prices and menu start at 10pm.

Get your general admission tickets here or take your chances at the door.

Our menu on Tasteepic!

2011-02-02T18:17:00.000-08:00

Tasteepic has launched their Skylark page...if you don't know Tasteepic they take photos of your menu offerings so customers can browse them easily rather than just reading descriptions. Take a look! It's enough to make you want brunch on a Wednesday...

Mambo Italiano Valentine's Dinner & Burlesque tickets are on sale now!

2011-01-24T14:22:00.000-08:00

Squire your sweetheart down to Skylark on Monday, February 14th for a saucy, sultry evening of dinner and burlesque. Watch the glitter and glamour unfold while dining on a delicious 3-course Italian meal.

Featured performers include: Jacquelyne Hyde (performing the act she is taking to Milan!), Sailor St. Claire, Madisun Avenue, Ava Raqs, Scandal from Bohemia and Whisper de Corvo.

Doors 7:30. Show begins at 8:15 pm.

$35 per person for reserved VIP seating including $25 three course Italian dinner:

I. antipasto or caesar salad with a toast of prosecco

II. tricolore pesto lasagna or beef ragu on grilled polenta

III. affogato dessert

$10 per person for bar and limited view table seating.

Note: Regular menu not available after 7pm Valentine's Day only. Limited a la carte snacks while supplies last until 10, then late night happy hour menu and drink specials until midnight.

Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets.

Limited seating so reserve soon!

Ciao, ragazzi!

Burlesque & More Burlesque...

2011-01-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve was a blast. The performers were saucy, the crowd was jolly, and a good time was had by all. It was our first night of burlesque in well over a year and clearly the community had missed it.

Now, we are pleased to present a monthly burlesque event AND a special Valentine's Day dinner & a show event (tickets will be available soon, save the date!).

Every last Thursday of the month, starting next week on January 27, you can get your burlesque fix on the westside. Performers this month are:

Jacqueline Hyde (performing the act she is taking to Milan! Rumor has it there is a 4-foot headdress involved!)
Scandal From Bohemia
Betty Fish
Pinky Shines
Sailor St. Claire
Whisper De Corvo
and your charming host Mr. Bawdy.

Doors at 8pm. 21+/$7

The Valentine's Day event ("Mambo Italiano") will be announced in more detail as soon as we can get online ticketing up and running since seating is very limited for the VIP dinner and a show part. We are very excited to offer a three-course Italian meal with pre-paid table seating, it's going to be molto romantico!

Out with the old, in with the new...club edition

2011-01-09T16:54:00.000-08:00

Out with 2010...

- never a cover charge on any live music show

Live music at Skylark was always free. It was an experiment.

When we opened in 2006, a survey determined that these were the most important things to Seattle show-goers: good sightlines, seating, good sound, and low/no cover charges. So, when I bought Madison's, we raised the stage a foot, built a long bench, upgraded the P.A., and designed a model that paid the bands out of restaurant sales.

This model would prove very challenging. Here's why. Average full-service restaurant profit margins are 5%. Pay performers 10% off the top and you are in the hole 5%. Now pay the sound person. Now pay the door person that the Liquor Control Board "strongly suggests" that you add to your staff, just to card people. Add an economic collapse that caused the lowest restaurant traffic in 34 years.

So why were we free for so long, even after the Blue Moon started charging? Well, we liked our model a lot. No risk for audiences! Guaranteed pay for all bands! Incentive to see lesser-known acts! Not everyone got it, but some bands did. I thought we could single-handedly increase the Seattle show-going crowd and simultaneously create a westside live music scene with this unique gesture of no cover ever.

Last May, we hosted a KEXP Hood-to-Hood Challenge showcase. It was huge! It went great! Bands that night got the biggest payout ever...and had the worst reaction to it ever. Posts appeared online about how little they were paid, and some even called for a boycott. It was surreal. Such was the risk of our 10% model. It guaranteed a little something even for low-drawing bands, but disappointed some popular bands. We usually enjoyed leveling the playing field in that way, and very few bands are in it for the cash, but that situation was a turning point.

Since we opened, we've supported indie musicians with about $120,000. I'm proud of that even if it didn't turn out to be a viable long-term business model for us.

In with 2011...

- low cover live music Friday, Saturday, Sunday (default is just $5)
- still totally free live music Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays

So far, it's working out really well. The payouts to performers are trending higher overall than they would have been from our sales, and show-goers have been unfazed. (We now have an ATM, so not having cash on you isn't a problem.)

We're looking forward to bringing lots of live music to the westside in 2011 and beyond. I hope I can take this thing to the next level. I'm excited about the opportunity to approach bands that outgrew us and ask them back, and to have a sweeter offer for those "headliners" that everyone always wants to open for. I am also pleasantly rid of the feeling that we were bribing people to come "all the way to West Seattle." After 5 years, everyone has finally realized we're no further from Capitol Hill/downtown than Fremont.

Thanks for reading if you made it this far.

Love, Jessie

Out with the old, in with the new...café edition

2011-01-02T01:37:00.000-08:00

Out with 2010 in the café:

- pre-formed 1/3 lb. burgers
- pre-formed sliders, only available at Happy Hour from 3pm to 7pm
- the usual pre-frozen fries
- "fries, tots, soup or salad?"
- decent West Coast Philly cheesesteak approximation
- only vegan Gardenburger, mac 'n' cheese, Caesar salad, hummus plate for vegetarians
- Bailey's Butterscotch French Toast special, occasionally...sells out by 11am

In for 2011 in the café:

- super tasty hand-formed 1/2 lb. burgers (juicy!)
- super tasty juicy hand-formed sliders, available all the time not just happy hour
- hand-cut fries with skins on (Wendy's totally stole our idea!)
- "fries, tots, sweet potato fries, soup or salad?"
- Full-on East Coast Philly cheesesteak with Amoroso roll from Philly! Hallelujah!
- addition of delicious Grilled Veggie Sub (on aforementioned roll) served piping hot with grilled zucchini, roasted red peppers, provolone, marinara and crispy flash-fried red onions for texture.
- Bailey's Butterscotch French Toast on the brunch menu permanently! Give it a try...you'll love it.

We'll be updating the website menu early next week but it's live now...all of it. Please give us your feedback on these new items, we always love to hear from you.

Jessie, owner
Tony, kitchen manager

It's Almost New Year's Eve!

2010-12-30T18:26:00.000-08:00

Embrace 2011, kick 2010 in the ass on its way out!

We'll start up the turntables at 8pm but we open at 3pm like any Friday (with happy hour from 3-7) so come early for dinner and snag a table. If you've been here for our monthly bellydancing events you know tables can get few and far between when there's a show featuring lovely people shakin' it on stage...

Don't forget your sparkly outfits/accessories...that's what gets you the free champagne toast at midnight!

New Year's Eve Burlesque Sparkly Party on Fri, 12/31 / 21+ / 8pm / $7

Skylark: Open Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day with our full menu!

2010-12-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

Happy hour 3pm to 7pm, as always.

Full menu available from 3pm to midnight.

We will have board games, fun Christmas music that you maybe haven't heard repeatedly, and lots and lots of festive beverages to either prolong a happy Christmas morning's mood or obliterate any bad memories.

Skylark: here for you during the the holidays. :)

NW Harvest Benefit Concert TONIGHT! Free, donations accepted...

2010-12-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

Ben Garves and Ramona The Band are putting on a concert at Skylark tonight to help feed hungry children throughout the holidays. Come on down and check out some hip-hop/electronica for a good cause.

We will have someone collecting donations in either cash, check or in the form of canned food and non-perishables. There will be a silent auction for an autographed pair of Ben Garves Nike Air shoes among other prizes.

It's a good night to get any last-minute Christmas shopping done as well, Skylark has a good amount of hoodies and tees in stock as well as the always appreciated gift card (any amount you want).

Time is also running out (2 more days!) to try our December charity cocktail: The Gingerbread Man. It's a tasty concoction of our cinnamon-infused vodka, Goldschlager, Bailey's, butterscotch with a shake of cinnamon. A portion of each sale goes to local food banks. More info here.

To recap:

1) come down tonight and see Ben Garves/Ramona The Band at 9pm (21+)
2) drink a Gingerbread Man

A Burlesque Sparkly Party to Start 2011!

2010-12-13T18:10:00.000-08:00

Join us for an evening of fun and frivolity and count down the new year with some of Seattle's finest burlesque performers: Whisper de Corvo, Ava Raqs, Miss Elaine Yes, Fosse Jack, and Scandal from Bohemia. MC Mr. Bawdy and DJs will keep the party going during costume changes. Wear something sparkly or shimmery to get a free champagne toast at midnight.

8pm/21+/$7

Scrabble Tournament for Charity! Monday, Dec 6th

2010-11-29T14:48:00.000-08:00

Spread the word! Scrabble lovers are coming together at the Skylark to play for charity. Come and flex your mental muscles while raising money for a good cause. Oh, and there will be prizes.

Here's how it works: $5 per person to enter, three 45-minute game rounds with 2-person games. Highest total score and runners up win prizes. Raffle tickets may be available for additional prizes.

The first tournament on December 6th (and every first Monday of the month) will benefit Team Tracy. This 21 person team raises money for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the cure. Team Tracy was founded by West Seattle native Tracy Dart, a breast cancer survivor and former Skylark employee.

Upcoming charities are Furry Faces on the 3rd Monday(s) and Books To Prisoners every last Monday of the month. Come for the charity that speaks to you the most or just to slay everyone with your mad word skillz.

UPDATE! Community Harvest of SW Seattle is the charity every SECOND Monday.

http://www.skylarkcafe.com/

Come register at 7pm. First game starts at 7:15 so don't be late...

Singer/Songwriter Showcase Presents: Jenna Summer Smith

2010-11-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

Jenna Summer Smith, daughter of Michael "Smitty" Smith, original drummer for the NW 60's band Paul Revere and the Raiders, is coming to the Skylark! Smith is headed straight from Corvallis, OR and is bringing a unique freestyle-folky blues style to the Skylark stage. She is a talented songwriter and musician who recently won the 2010 Alchy Award for best acoustic performer.

Jenna has performed up and down the west coast and is currently working on a new album. Come and check her out! You'll be just in time for late night happy hour- $1 off wells, wine, and beer plus a $4/$2 menu until 1am!

Show is on Tuesday, November 23rd starting at 9:00p.m. free/21+
www.myspace.com/jennasummersmith

The Fall/Winter Cocktail List 2010...mmmm

2010-10-19T00:06:00.000-07:00

Riki’s Spiked Cider
Cinnamon-infused vodka, Yazi ginger vodka, Strongbow cider 9

Z’s Dark & Stormy
Sailor Jerry spiced rum, ginger syrup, ginger ale, Myers’s dark rum 9

Roger’s Manhattan
(Ri)1 whiskey, sweet vermouth, chocolate bitters, orange twist 11

Tony’s Hot Toddy
Hennessey cognac, muddled oranges, honey 8

Ryan’s Patron Saint
Patron Silver tequila, St. Germaine, grapefruit juice, muddled lime 11

The Britannica
Hendrick’s gin, Aperol bitter orange liqueur, orange twist 10

Megan’s Sunrise
Stoli Vanil, orange and pineapple juices, Bacardi rum 9

Dawn’s Oatmeal Cookie Cocoa
Goldschlager, Jagermeister, Bailey’s, butterscotch, hot chocolate, whipped cream 8

Halloween Lineup Update!

2010-10-08T17:13:00.001-07:00

8:00pm     LEVI FULLER as The Fall
8:20pm     M. BISON as Elliott Smith
8:40pm     SPEEDMOP as Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
9:00pm     WATCH IT SPARKLE as The Doors
9:20pm     NINE N OUT as Girlschool
9:40pm     LORI CAMPION (of the Hot Rollers) as Van Halen
10:00pm   JEF SHOCKI (members of Apple War) as The Clash
10:20pm   HELEN CHANCE as Blondie
10:40pm   HOTELS as The Misfits
11:00pm   NODDY as The B-52s
11:20pm   THE STEVEDORE as T. Rex
11:40pm   THE MANGLES as Joan Jett's Judas Priest

4th Annual Come As You Aren't Halloween Band Battle!

2010-10-01T02:38:00.000-07:00

More cowbell! For the fourth year in a row, local rockers are going incognito as their favorite stars for Skylark’s “Come As You Aren’t” Halloween battle of the bands.

12 acts have 3 songs each to wow the crowd, as they out-rock and glam each other for possession of the coveted Golden Cowbell™. Is that Watch It Sparkle or The Doors? Levi Fuller or The Fall? Skylark regulars Nine N Out and Stevedore or Girlschool and T. Rex? Helen Chance, who last year channeled David Bowie, will conjure the female form of Blondie. Even Elliott Smith’s spirit will make a ghoulish visit in the form of M. Bison.

This event is free, 21+, and has always been Skylark's biggest night of the whole year. Costumes! Props! Band rivalries!

*Please note this year is NOT on Halloween itself, but the day before.*

This year’s complete lineup:

8:00pm LEVI FULLER as The Fall
8:20pm M. BISON as Elliott Smith
8:40pm ARMED WITH LEGS as Morphine
9:00pm SPEEDMOP as Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
9:20pm WATCH IT SPARKLE as The Doors
9:40pm NINE N OUT as Girlschool
10:00pm LORI CAMPION (of the Hot Rollers) as Van Halen
10:20pm JEF SHOCKI (members of Apple War) as The Clash
10:40pm HELEN CHANCE as Blondie
11:00pm HOTELS as The Misfits
11:20pm NODDY as The B-52s
11:40pm STEVEDORE as T. Rex
12:00am JUDAS JETT as Judas Priest/Joan Jett

Nadamucho.com’s Matt Brown, KEXP DJ Troy Nelson, and Skylark booker Jessie SK will judge the bands on originality, talent, and style. The Cowbell and runner-up prizes will be awarded shortly following the last set.

Don't forget to stop by for hangover halloween brunch on 10/31...9am to 3pm!

Seattle indie pop "for smart, sexy people like you"

2010-08-12T16:48:00.000-07:00

Sweet SecretsPhoto by Sarah Jurado

So, there was this one time. I met a sexy man at a bar. We were shouting over some music until we realized that the music was more interesting than the conversation. Spellbound, we watched the unknown band with mouths open and hands clapping, until the very end! Then we approached the band! How many times do you feel compelled to approach the band to tell them they rock??? And the guy--who cares?!

The band was Sweet Secrets, and the show was at Skylark back in May. These bringers of indie pop "for smart, sexy people like you" (as their site describes), really know what's going on. I mean, vocalist Roger Lloyd has smart lyrics for days, and Corrina MacFarlane can tear up a violin! It's sentimental stuff but not saccharine or cliched in the least. Think Ida if they had ever been rockin'.

We also hear that: "The bass player has a goth-mambo background, the drummer is a dirty punk, the violinist is a dirty classicist, and the guitar player is an extreme bow-hunter."

SWEET!!! And here is some photographic evidence from that May show, snapped by Fredd Luongo.

AND to top this off, headlining the evening is STILL FALLING. For those not in the know:

"Still Falling formed near Seattle, Wa. in 1988. The band disolved in 1992 and reformed in 2008. New shows and recordings in 2009 have begun. Stay tuned."

Members are:

*Patrick Napper- Guit/Vox/Keys
*Rusty Urie- Keys/Guitar/Vox
*Daniel Harper- Bass/Vox

(former members:)
Robert Wheeler
Andy Mitchell
George Aragon

Here is a photo by Damian Lix:

Now I'll tell all you sexy people a secret: YOU BEST COME OUT!!!

Tonight! Rachel Goodrich, The "Queen of Miami Indie"

2010-08-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

Playing her own self-described genre of acoustic folk that she calls "shake-a-billy," Rachel Goodrich launched on to the independent music scene in 2009 with her self-released debut full-length Tinker Toys. Licensing placements on the hit Showtime series "Weeds," MTV's "My Life as Liz" and commercials like Crayola have helped her popularity spread nation-wide.

The New York Times calls Rachel the "Queen of Miami indie" and the Austin Chronicle chose her as one of their main picks for SXSW 2009. Rachel is currently in the studio with Grammy nominated producer Greg Wells (Katy Perry, Mika, Pink, Rufus Wainwright) working on her follow up album.

Pictured: Rachel Goodrich (Tuesday, August 10th at 9pm with Timmy Sunshine & The Conductors)

Brunch: By Definition

2010-07-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

Deep Thought 9000, er, Wikipedia, defines brunch thusly:

"Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch.[1] The term is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch. Often, it is a heavy meal meant to take the place of both breakfast and lunch."

So much for AI!

Still, check out that lovely vocabulary word portmanteau. Shouldn't it always be italicized, just 'cause? As our Moms would say, look it up!

Still does not compute? You can enjoy the bounty of brunch, the delirious pleasure of consuming bacon and champagne at once, all over this fair city. And many of its citizens find the Skylark's brunch really hits the spot. Our bloody mary--a secret recipe muddled with lemons and limes, and garnished with happy little artichokes and green beans--has garnered rave reviews. You can turn it into an "Empress" by adding Absolut Peppar vodka, or a "Maria" by trading vodka for tequila. Either way, she will dance your hangover into submission with her fetching good looks and stealthy seduction!

Brunch early birds enjoy 10% off EVERYTHING and $20 mimosas carafes before 11 a.m.

So what about our food, the food you eat between or instead of or in addition to breakfast and lunch? Survey Says: SUPERB!

Riki and Tony cook up two great specials each day. One sweet, one savory. Savory options have included a mindblowing variety of Benedicts and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink scrambles! Sweets have included flapjack options such as strawberry/blueberry, and the unbelievably orgasmic candied walnut/banana and pineapple/macadamia nut combos! Also, Riki's been known to douse the french toast in Kahlua or Bailey's. And who doesn't love french toast anyway?

SKYLARK BRUNCH: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Sunday. Hooray. Bonus points for counting the number of times "breakfast" and "lunch" appear in this post.

Down & Dirty, Folkalicous Rebel Roots Rock in August!

2010-07-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

Somewhere between Alaska and Burning Man, Sacramento's charming neo-honky-tonkers BLVD PARK are landing at the Skylark. Precisely, on Friday August 6th, along with Charles Hargis & The Northern Hunger, who are celebrating a CD release.

The ragtag group of instrumentalists in BLVD PARK infuse their music with a joyful folk-punk edge and a bit of bluesy swing. With roots in gypsy, gospel, R & B and rock, they call it "Spaghetti Western Desert Folk." We call it "Awesome!"

This is music you better dance to! These pics of the band and a rowdy audience doing just that are courtesy BLVD PARK's Myspace page. Take a listen and shine up your shoes!

And we can't think of a better match for this lineup than Hargis and his Northern Hunger! Word on the street is that:

"Chuck McCammon of "Halophile" has given birth to his alter-ego "Charles Hargis", a solo performance of acoustic guitar and a dark heart singing such sweet lullabyes of sorrow and redemption with humorous twists of poor crowd banter."

Bring it on, ya'll!

Why pay for studio time when we can record your show live?

2010-07-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

“It’s like the cheapest studio time you’ve ever had!”
-- Unknown, somewhat tipsy Skylark musician

Did you know we’ve got toys at Skylark that let us do things that even the big clubs can’t do? With our Presonus StudioLive 16.4.2, we can offer multi-track recordings of every show.

Let me say that again slowly. Your whole performance. Recorded. Multi-track.

At the end of the night, you just give us $20 (we pay the sales tax) and get to take home a high-quality recording of your show to remix and tweak to your heart’s content using whatever software you want (ProTools, GarageBand, etc.). You can also give the files to your favorite engineer for mixing. You're not paying much more than you would for a board recording (which is usually all vocals and kick drum with the rest of the band at the bottom of a well--in my experience anyhow).

Suggestions:

release your first double-live album
add a secret live track to your EP
supplement your facebook/myspace with live tracks
videotape your performance and sync it up later with our high-quality sound
fix a flubbed note, edit out embarrassing stage banter
add backing vocals or instrumentation
completely remove that bongo player you just fired*

Don't feel sorry for yourself if you love this idea, but don't have a show booked at Skylark in the near future. Every single Wednesday night is open mic, which is fully backlined for bands. Why not record your open mic set?

P.S. Come to open mic or purchase your show recording before the end of July and only pay the low introductory price of $15 + tax.

*Sorry Steve, we’ve been meaning to talk to you for a while.

Pseudo Slang: Hip hop at the Skylark

2010-07-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

"Rap is something you do, Hip Hop is something you live!"

Pseudo Slang image from hiphopanonymous420.blogspot.com

The motto of NYC's Fat Beats Records, a retail spot established in '94, serves the artists on their boutique label as well. Coming to Skylark on Thursday, July 15 is Buffalo crew Pseudo Slang, whose smooth, smart flow and sampladelic relics bring to mind the good old mid-'90s: think Digable Planets and Common, but with even warmer grooves. Their debut album Keep Looking is out on Fat Beats this summer. It's sure to turn some heads, so check yours here first.

Joining Pseudo Slang are openers APOC and Modill, and local headliners Proper Etiquette. Of APOC, San Diego City Beat says: "[Their] music sounds like the last 30 years of hip hop and electronic music happening at once." Day-um! That's a whole lot of goodies tossed in the blender, and we can't wait to get a taste!

Chicago duo Modill brings rhymes by Racecar and production by funk drummer K-Kruz, to get the party started. Their impressive debut, Midnight Green (EV Records) is a great accomplishment, representing a city that should be known for way more than Kanye.

Seattle's own Proper Etiquette is a six-person project aiming to bring back live instrumentation to hip hop. As they note on their page,

"Proper Etiquette is about putting the right work back into urban-style roots music. Paying the right homage to the genres that not only birthed Hip-Hop, but also that Hip-Hop has borrowed from over time such as Jazz, Soul and World/Ethnic music while not limiting themselves to a specific genre classification."

Five Alarm Fire, featuring John Maurer of Social Distortion! This Saturday!

2010-06-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

Back in the day, when MTV still played videos, the singles from Social Distortion's self-titled third album were all over it--remember "Ball and Chain" and their ass-kicking version of "Ring of Fire"?

Now the music industry has been turned upside down, but it's good times for former SD bassist John Maurer, whose new band Five Alarm Fire is gonna burn down the Skylark this Saturday!!

On FAF's Myspace page, he says, "It's a new music world out there; the days of the controlling record company suits are OVER."

We do things differently at the Skylark too. Like bringing Maurer's band to you FREE on a Saturday night! That means more $ in your pocket for a 'lil libation or two.

The 'hard-rockin' riffs and hard-livin' lyrics' will please Social D fans looking for a fix. Maurer says:

"Punk almost falls under roots based music nowadays. We're not tryn' to reinvent the wheel here. Five Alarm Fire is just good ol cowpunk, rock-n-rolla, she left me for a bottle of whiskey, urban blues let's have a flipn' beach party and a pop."

STORY OF MY LIFE!

Every Second, Every Moment...

2010-06-08T00:56:00.000-07:00

We've got to, we've got to make it last!

(Apologies to OMD, who played the theme to Andie, Duckie and Blane's prom in Pretty in Pink).

But yeah, our prom totally ruled.

Click here to view the whole set, shot by the one & only RJB Photo.

Here's How Our Prom Will Be Different!

2010-06-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

Some of you may hear the word "prom" and think of overpriced banquets, awkward photo shoots set up by the parents, and the hassle of smuggling hooch past the chaperones. I'm here to assure you the Skylark Rock 'n' Roll Prom will have none of these terrible things, quite the opposite! Here's a handy list of ways our prom will kick your prom's ass on the playground...one reason for every year Skylark has been bringing original live music to the westside.

There will be no plate fees, limo fees, or any other fees. Not even a cover charge to get in and see the three wonderful live bands and awesome D.J. Our full menu will be available all evening and night. Beat that, high school.
There will be a rock 'n' roll photographer to take your photo. Say goodbye to those frozen-faced grimaces as your mom poses you in the yard for endless photos. RJB Photo, pro pin-up and band photographer, will be on hand should you desire a memento.
There's no need to smuggle in hooch or spike the punch! Our punch comes pre-spiked. (Some have said smuggling booze is what makes prom "prom," but we say a full bar and 12 beers on tap is what makes being a grown-up RULE.)
There's no need for a date or an expensive outfit. All these things are relics of a more conventional past that we can take or leave here at the 'lark. You've come of age, your life is your own, and you can interpret "rock 'n' roll" to mean a variety of sartorial things. Recycle an old dress, rent a powder blue tux, come dressed as Cyndi Lauper...it's up to you. There are no cliques here to shun you!

Skylark's 4th Anniversary Rock 'n' Roll Prom
Saturday, June 5th
8pm / free
featuring DJ Create and prom bands M.Bison, Zack Stokes Knows Scholarly Gentlemen, and Danielli.

Skylark's Turning 4!?! Let's Boogie!!

2010-05-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

Four years, how they go by so fast. One minute you're navigating through vicious cliques, struggling to prove your coolness--the next, you're stranding boys at the drive-in and kicking ass at the prom dance-off! Oh, wait...

A lot has happened in four years at Skylark too. Yeah...we let Rizzo get us drunk and pierce our ears. Peer pressure is a $*#@! Now, we're the hottest thing in leather pants. We've been rocking and rolling the Delridge neighborhood since opening in 2006, so it's tres appropriate that we're celebrating our anniversary with a ROCK & ROLL PROM on Delridge Day, June 5. One of DD's themes this year is "fitness"--limbo, anyone?

Get your best moves ready, quick! You could be up against The Best Dancer at St. Bernadette's (or Pigeon Point):

PROM ENTERTAINMENT will be provided by Zack Stokes & the Scholarly Gentlemen, Danielli, and M. Bison! More details on the bands, photo booth and special treats coming soon! Mark your calendars!!!

Taste of West Seattle: You Gonna Eat Your Tots?

2010-04-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

This is what can happen at food festivals. Get ready. This summer's full of 'em, and Skylark Cafe is officially in the mix.

Why not get pumped for July's Bite of Seattle--that T.rex of local foodie events--by getting a Taste of West Seattle on Thursday, May 20th? The Hall at Fauntleroy is offering nibbles and bits from close to 35 of W. Sea's beloved eateries, caterers and "beverage houses."

Now, we could rave all day about the culinary delights cooked up by Tony, Riki, Ryan and DeLeon in our lil kitchen. My West Seattle tastes like their tender tuna melts, creative daily pasta specials, warm homemade soups and at least TWO pocketfuls of tater tots! And don't forget our Yelp-tested, Yelp-approved Bloody Mary and all its variants.

Tickets to this chowdown of epic proportions are $35 if you get 'em now, and are available at Metropolitan Market, Hotwire Coffee, Husky Deli and Capers. Or call 206-932-2746.

Taste of West Seattle
6-8:30 p.m., Thursday, May 20th
THE HALL
at FAUNTLEROY
9131 California Ave SW

Confirmed May Shows Are Blowing My Mind

2010-04-30T00:25:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Confirmed Shows

Shows are 21+ and start at 9pm unless otherwise specified. Check the website calendar often for additions and cancellations, or to hear music clips.

5/1 POST HARBOR, YOU MAY DIE IN THE DESERT, ARMED WITH LEGS
5/2 [All Ages!] GRAVES, MESTIZO, EXISTEREO, CADALACK RON

5/5 SINEM SANIYE (NYC) featured artist at open mic

5/6 Ninkasi Brewing Presents EMKAYTWO, KRISTI NELSON, TYLER FORTIER

5/7 THUNDERBIRD MOTEL, THE BOURBONITES,
JEFF GRANT (of M.Bison)

5/8 BEND, THE VAGUE PROPHETS, ABRAHAM

5/9 [All Ages!] Mother's Day

GIRLS ROCK! benefit show 3pm-6pm

GHOST LOBBY, AMBER DARLAND

TEAM TRACY benefit show 7pm-10pm
JULIA MASSEY, ABI GRACE, ANNIE LOCKWOOD
5/13 MAN ON THE WALL, FOUNDRY FIRE, CHOKING MONA

5/14 TO THE SEA, THE FUZZ, guests
5/15 MINIREX, THE LITTLE PENGUINS, STROPPY

5/16 [All Ages!] TO PAINT THE SKY, ALABASTER, AMSTERDAM,

REBEL STRIKE
5/18 7:30pm ALAUDA freeform bellydance

5/20 PENESIS, THE TAILENDERS cd release party, CHARLES HARGIS (of Halophile)
5/21 KEXP Hood-to-Hood Showcase with THE TRIPWIRES, THE FUCKING EAGLES, THE HOTELS, DJs Troy & Hannah
5/22 THE STEVEDORE, CASEY RUFF & THE MAYORS OF BALLARD, guests

5/23 [All Ages!] HI-FI RESET, guests

5/27 INNUENDO, SUBURBAN VERMIN, guests
5/28 THE DIGNITARIES, GLAD GIRLS, SOUTH SOUND BUREAU CHIEFS

5/29 CADY WIRE, JONES FAMILY FORTUNE, SWEET SECRETS
5/30 [All Ages!] PETER HANKS, JACK STAFFORD FOUNDATION, guests

Tuesdays OPEN TURNTABLES 6pm
and LATE NITE HAPPY HOUR 9pm
Wednesdays TRIVIA with Britannica 7pm
OPEN MIC 9pm (signup 8pm)

It's All Good in the Hood: KEXP reps W. Sea on May 21st!

2010-04-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

The Tripwires, courtesy their Myspace page.

Hop on your hog, rent that Zipcar, bus it on out to Skylark on Friday, May 21st, when West Seattle celebrates its victory in KEXP's Hood-to-Hood Challenge! No, it had nothing to do with switchblades down by the harbor. Our triumph represents our community's willingness to support Seattle's rockinest radio station. During pledge drives, the station pits neighborhoods against each other to see who can raise the most bread. And guess who's got the dough this time!

Since we won, KEXP is sponsoring and hosting shows all over the neighborhood, including our killer triple-bill featuring The Tripwires, the Fucking Eagles, and Hotels, and hosted by KEXP DJs Troy Nelson and Hannah Levin.

Can't sleep in the wee hours of Saturday morning? Ever come home from the bar sad and alone? You've probably tuned into Troy (below) doing his variety mix from 1-6 a.m. on Friday night.

Photo courtesy of KEXP

At the helm of Audioasis every Saturday from 6-9 p.m., Hannah (below) spins Northwest-centric tunes and hosts amazing in-studio guests. Recently, that included students from the School of Rock. She's truly on the case when it comes to what makes Seattle's music scene so special.

Check KEXP's Hood-to-Hood page for a schedule.

May 8th and 9th: What a Weekend!

2010-04-27T16:24:00.000-07:00

Can you say "junk in the trunk"???

Skylark kicks off a happening weekend of Mother's Day festivities and TWO benefit shows by joining West Seattle Yard Sale Day!

The West Seattle Community Garage Sale is in its 6th year, and this community is not playing around. On Saturday, May 8th, there are approximately 200 yard sales for you to scavenge through, all referenced via an online map or ~~an 8-page~~ a 12-page .pdf (!!).

But you know you want to start your search at Skylark! (We are 53 on the map there, under the words "Harbor Island.") Not only will our parking lot be filled with items such as glassware, retro chrome sconces, scrap lumber and snowboard/boot combos, but maybe our cook Riki will even throw down her famous Kahlua french toast for the occasion. Brunch is the bomb here at Skylark...be sure to check your May email newsletter for 50% off a mimosa carafe with purchase of any yard sale item. Not on our mailing list yet? Better go sign up for next month.

Bring mom for a flower-filled brunch on Sunday, May 9th and stay for one (or both) of our exciting benefit shows.

First up! From 3-6 p.m. we're hosting an all-ages benefit for GIRLS ROCK! This radical non-profit encourages 300 girls a year to creatively express themselves through music. How I wish I'd had access to such a thing in my teens--I'd be able to play more than one song on the guitar I've had now for 15 years! (Although, it is "Livin' on a Prayer.")

Representing the rawk are the band Ghost Lobby (who slayed Skylark last month!) and sassy singer-songwriter Amber Darland (pictured below).

NEXT! At 7 p.m., "Mommies & Mammaries" is a showcase to benefit breast cancer research, with proceeds going to the Susan B. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walk (via Team Tracy) in September. M & M is "a call to celebrate feminine creativity in it's many forms," featuring musicians Annie Lockwood, Abi Grace and Julia Massey (below). There will be a raffle for an awesome gift cards package from many local women-owned businesses.

Next Thursday: Dining Out for Life!

2010-04-23T17:34:00.001-07:00

Lifelong AIDS Alliance holds a special place in my heart. The organization, which has been supporting and advocating for those living with HIV/AIDS in the Northwest since 2001, also happens to run one of the baddest-ass thrift stores in town. The trash jewelry of countless Grandmas and drag queens has become my shiny treasure time and again!

So I'll be sure to wear my secondhand pearls while working my lunch shift next Thursday, April 29th, when Skylark takes part in Lifelong's annual Dining Out for Life event. All day long--we're participating from 11:30 a.m. til 9 p.m.--30% of the proceeds from your meal will benefit Lifelong, and "the fight against illness and hunger in our community," as they say.

PLUS! If you make a donation of at least $25 to Lifelong while dining at Skylark, you'll become a member of the 20% Off Tuesdays Club. This means that every Tuesday, ALL YEAR, that you dine with us, you'll receive 20% off your total bill! Sweet!

Learn more about this vital organization here.

Then check out our online menu to plan your visit. Will it be our comforting mac & cheese, perhaps with bacon and bleu? A hearty burger? Our famous grilled steak salad with roasted red peppers?

A portion of our beverage sales will also be included. Psst...we've got a few new cocktails on the menu, featuring the use of Aperol, rye and (the favorite of genteel ladies everywhere) Hendrick's gin.

We look forward to living it up with you!

Skylark Stars in a "MOHAI Minute"

2010-04-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

Holla!

We've been profiled in a short video made by the Museum of History and Industry here in Seattle. It turns out that our building has quite an interesting history. The West Seattle Blog passes on the word that the video "puts the hysterical in historical." See for yourself!

Kisses, Hugs and Hammered Dulcimer!

2010-04-03T20:50:00.001-07:00

Portland's Loaded for Bear. Photo: Jonathan January.

Come out of hibernation and enjoy the musical bounty of the great Northwest (and beyond) this month at Skylark. Birds are a-chirpin', beer is a-flowin' and musical wildflowers of every color are popping up in our meadow.

Don't miss our sweet triple bill on Friday, April 16th, featuring the Rose City's Loaded for Bear (pictured above). The foursome describe their songs as "pieces of hills and fog and trees and creeks and space and old-world carnival and a compass rose." To us, that sounds like vintage Macha, or Red Stars Theory with a five-day scruff.

Exohxo features Danny and Jasen from local pop-punk darlings Speaker Speaker, plus five partners-in-crime, playing folk-tinged songs that are wistful and raucous. The critics have been drooling on this ensembles' skilled musicianship and remarkable politesse.

Finally, our headliners are SHiPS, AKA Jacob, Laurie, Chase and Garrett, who bring the "noise," "positive attitude" and hammered dulcimer to our music hall. Their fantastic sounds will ease you into psychedelic realms without landing you in a coma.

Friday, April 16. 21+/9:00pm/no cover

Confirmed April Shows At Skylark

2010-04-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

4/1 EIGHT LEGS TO NOWHERE, KRIS SPECIAL, THE QUICK & EASY BOYS
4/2 BLUE STAR CREEPER, GHOST LOBBY, HALF LIGHT
4/3 GUNSTREET GLORY, HELEN CHANCE, DUSTIN SCHMIDT, RUBY HILL (duo)
4/4 {all ages} SEEING BLIND (duo), TAMARA POWER-DRUTIS
4/8 TWISTING FATE, FEEDING GEORGE, PERPETUAL JET LAG
4/9 OPEN CHOIR FIRE, CROWN ARUBA, THE GLAD GIRLS
4/10 WE WROTE THE BOOK ON CONNECTORS, DEAD AMERICANS, CAROUSEL
4/11 {all ages} WAY SOUTH, THE WHOLE BOLIVIAN ARMY, ADHD
4/15 GRAVES, VERSE THE VILLAIN
4/16 SHiPS, EXOHXO, LOADED FOR BEAR
4/17 TBD
4/18 {all ages} CHELSEA SPEED PARTY, THE KLEENERS, RAZORS & RED FLAGS
4/22 WAH WAH EXIT WOUND, LETHE
4/23 NATHAN WADE & THE DARK PIONEERS, ERIC MILLER, JIBRAN
4/24 THE HOOT HOOTS, VARNISH, SHINING SKULLS
4/25 {all ages} PONYHOMIE, EVELYN BOSKER
4/29 GREEN HANDSHAKE, THE POPULAR MONSTERS, MIDDLE AGE CRISIS
4/30 KLED, THE PLAID PERSPECTIVE, JOHNSON COUNTY

Tuesdays OPEN TURNTABLES 6pm
and LATE NITE HAPPY HOUR 9pm
Wednesdays TRIVIA with Brittanica 7pm
OPEN MIC 9pm (signup 8pm)

Ninkasi Debuts Its "Spring Reign" Ale Here On Tuesday 3/30

2010-03-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

Spring forward with this refreshing seasonal ale. Notes of toasted malt up front, ﬁnished with a bright and refreshing Northwest hop aroma, it’s a session beer that everyone can enjoy!
6% alc./vol. 38 ibus.

Reps from Ninkasi Brewing Co. and their distributor Odom will be on hand Tuesday, March 30th from 5:00-7:00pm to play some records (Tuesday is Spin Your Wax night after all), toss back a few pints, buy a few rounds if you're lucky, and discuss and enjoy Ninkasi beers with the Skylark customer. It's going to be an even happier happy hour than most, and may go beyond!

March show calendar! Local & national acts...

2010-03-03T22:02:00.001-08:00

3/4 HUNTING GROUNDS, BREAKER BREAKER, GOLDEN GREYS
3/5 ARMED WITH LEGS, POST ADOLESCENCE, THE SWEET DOMINIQUES
3/6 SHIFTLESS LAYABOUT, SATELLITE 4, SUPERMASSIVE
3/7 {all ages} JAMES COATES, THE WELCOME MATT, JACKIE DAUM
3/11 THE SHOTS, GOLDEN CITY RIOT, LEAFY GREENS, BRENDAN BOOGIE
3/12 NINE N OUT, KINK ADOR, CANDYSOUND
3/13 THE RESETS, HORACE PICKETT, JOHNNY UNICORN
3/14 {all ages} HELEN CHANCE, KRISTI NELSON, BRADY BANKS
3/18 POLAND, GAVIN GUSS, RUXTON TOWERS
3/19 THE GOOD LUCK NUMBER, JULIA MASSEY & THE FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT, 3 NINJAS, CRAZY BOY FLOYDS
3/20 SPACE HOTEL, DONERAIL, THE MOIRES
3/21 {all ages} KILL CUPID, HELLA SUNSHINE
3/25 TAYBOT, DEATHSTAR, HELLO SQUARE
3/26 THE GLASS NOTES, HALOPHILE, WORKER BEE
3/27 CASEY RUFF & THE MAYORS OF BALLARD, HORSE OPERAS, LENA LOU
3/28 {all ages} HOLLY FIGUEROA O'REILLY, CHRISTOPHER DALLMAN, AIDEN JAMES

Ladies, Bring Your Tramps To Skylark On Valentine's Day...and Valentine's Night

2010-01-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2010

Seattle, WA - Sunday, February 14th, 2010 – Skylark Cafe & Club is hosting our third annual Valentine's evening with dinner, dessert, a bottle of wine and live music. This year we are also adding a romantic brunch to the offering...if "romantic" means a full carafe of mimosas to you. And doesn't it always?

Sunday brunch for two on 2/14 is just $30 and includes:

• two mixed-berry flapjacks
• an egg breakfast with two eggs, home fries, and your choice of meat (bacon, Black Forest ham, sausage links)
• a mimosa carafe (1 liter)

Dinner for two on 2/14 is just $40 and includes:

• starter salad
• spaghetti and meatballs family-style
• an amazing dessert from Shoofly Pie Company in West Seattle
• a bottle of Cycles Gladiator Syrah

Skylark’s regular menu and beverages will also be available all day and night. No reservation is necessary, just come on down and grab a table unless you have eight or more people in your party (then a phone call is appreciated). Weekend brunches are 9:00am to 3:00pm. Valentine's dinner will be seated from 5:00pm to 10:00pm while supplies last.

Live music in the evening will transport you with two excellent female vocalists:

8:00pm Indie folk band LEMOLO
9:00pm Down-tempo electroacoustic band THE DEEPSLEEP NARCOTICS COMPANY

Contact: Jessie SK
206-935-2111

This Sunday 1/24 100% of Brunch Profits Go To Haiti

2010-01-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

LOCAL SEATTLE RESIDENT ORGANIZES DINE OUT SEATTLE FOR HAITI
Seattle Restaurants Support HAITI Disaster Relief on Sunday January 24, 2010

After hearing that a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the island nation of Haiti on January 12th, local Seattle resident Monica Mendoza made her own personal donation to NetHope to support disaster relief efforts. Yet, as she watched the constant updates of the unbelievable crisis the people of Haiti are facing on the news and on online she was moved to do more.

She got to work quickly to begin organizing Dine Out Seattle for Haiti. She made countless number of phone calls and wrote several emails reaching out to many of the local restaurants in Seattle and the surrounding area asking them to directly donate a percentage of that night's proceeds to NetHope or the organization of their choice.

Through her efforts she has proven that one person can make a difference and has pulled together the support of fourteen Seattle area restaurants so far which includes:
    •    Dinette
    •    Restaurant Zoe
    •    Quinn's Pub
    •    Le Gourmand
    •    La Rustica
    •    Skylark Café (donating 100% of Sunday brunch proceeds)
    •    La Isla - Puerto Rican food in Ballard
    •    Café Venus (donating a % of Brunch/Sunday night karaoke proceeds)
    •    Tavolata
    •    How To Cook A Wolf
    •    Barking Frog - in Woodinville
    •    Springhill
    •    Feedback Lounge
    •    Mission Bar

On her Facebook invite Monica states, “this is a devastating blow to a country that has already suffered a great deal for decades due to poverty, violence and unrest.” She hopes that a great number of Seattle residents will make plans to dine out for Haiti at one of the participating restaurants on Sunday January 24 as well as make their own personal contribution to relief efforts in Haiti.

Here at Skylark, we hope you'll spend some time with us in between 9:00am and 3:00pm on Sunday January 24th for a delicious weekend brunch, and then perhaps head to another participating restaurant above for dinner. Double donations to a suffering nation!

Memphis Radio Kings Bring Their "Cow Punk Boogie" to Skylark Saturday January 9th

2010-01-03T18:04:00.000-08:00

These westside favorites are finally performing on the Skylark stage, and it will be a fabulous party. Says a writer on Rhapsody Music Service:

"Fans of the Americana sound who feel betrayed by their heroes leaving the twang in the dust to pursue more radio-friendly music may now bow down to the Memphis Radio Kings, who fuse some of that Bo Diddley rhythm with dexterous Telecaster picking and melodies that stick like cactus candy. Oh, and their songs rule."

With Gunn & The Damage Done, Nathan Wade & The Dark Pioneers. 9pm / free

End of The Year Festivities...

2009-12-18T18:52:00.000-08:00

OK, next week bring your Christmas and/or anti-Christmas records to Spin Your Wax: open turntables (6pm onward) on Tuesday, December 22.

On Wednesday December 23 we will have normal hours, trivia and open mic as usual. It's very possible I will do "Santa Baby" since it was really easy to figure out on guitar. C, Am, D, G...repeat ad infinitum.

Please note that on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we will be closed all day. Hopefully any ice storms this year will be kind enough to show up then. Happy birthday baby Jesus. Did you know that in Spain, they have a tradition of nativity figurines that are taking a poop in the manger? I did not make that up.

On Saturday, December 26th, we'll be open for brunch at the normal time of 9am. In the evening, we'll be hosting an End-of-the-decade Party. Dress as your favorite person, event, meme, or thing from the years 2000 to 2009. Best costume wins $100 Gift Card, and there will be runner up prizes and recession-friendly drink specials aplenty. 8pm.

On Sunday, December 27th, we'll be donating 20% of brunch sales from 10am to 1pm to Team Tracy. Tracy herself will be here to say hi between those times. Please stop by and know your tasty breakfast will help find a cure for breast cancer. :)

Thursday, New Year's Eve will feature local acts Stevedore and Guns & Rossetti to help ring in the new decade. Dress to the nines...or not. Food and drink specials all day and night. Get here early to grab a table for a nice hearty dinner. No reservations necessary. No cover charge. (What other New Year's event has no cover charge? Probably none.)

Friday, New Year's Day Brunch! Okay people, you asked for it...you got it. We are kick-starting the first weekend of 2010 with three days of brunch instead of two. Did you know eggs (the l-cysteine in eggs, specifically) have been scientifically proven to help hangover symptoms? It's true. You've always said you wanted us open for Brunch on New Year's Day, so show up and chow down. 9am to 3pm.

Happy Holidays,
Jessie SK

Skylark Was A Bar Before You Were Born...

2009-11-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

...unless you are in your 90s. Check out this awesome photo of the "Youngstown Tavern" in the 1920s. It wasn't officially open during Prohibition, of course, but there are rumors of bootlegging operations until the repeal of Prohibition and immediate return of the renamed Delridge Tavern in1932. This neighborhood was called "Garlic Gulch" back then because of all the Italians. So it's fitting that us Italians are serving Baked Ziti here now.

Our landlord (born in 1917) tells a fascinating story of the history of this area (and the taverns in the Skylark building) here. Slingshot gang wars, gravel truck accidents, shuffleboard championships, drugstore thieves, salmon fishing on Andover Street, go-carts made out of salvaged wheels from the city dump. History buffs will love it.

Missed Show Me Your TIFFs on 10/8? Check Out The Video!

2009-11-12T01:02:00.000-08:00

show me your tiffs: 10 years of music photography by jenny jiménez from Patrick Wright on Vimeo.

The Riffbrokers and Unsmashable Records Celebrate 10 Years on Saturday 11/7

2009-11-06T14:36:00.000-08:00

Nick and Heather Millward formed the Unsmashable Riffbrokers in Boise, Idaho in the fall of 1999. A few years after relocating to Seattle, they dropped the first half of the name and used it to launch their own record label. The label became a DIY vehicle for a close circle of musician friends to release their own albums. Under the banner of Unsmashable Records, The Riffbrokers have self-released four of their own albums. In 2006 they contributed a song to a Buffalo Springfield tribute compilation on Not Lame Records. In the first half of the '00s, The Riffbrokers toured the western states regularly, and even pulled off one haphazard cross country trip.

Nick Millward's songwriting is heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, The Byrds, and John Prine. The band's sound remains a blend of Americana twang with powerpop guitar and growling vocals.
The Riffbrokers will celebrate their ten years as a band by inviting friends onstage to perform their favorite Riffbroker songs. Friends include Michael Dean Damron, 50 Grit, The Tripwires, Young Sportsmen, Crown Aruba, The I Love Myselfs, Paul Lynde Fan Club, Radio Nationals, North Twin.

I joined Julie and Jennifer and friends on The Menage on KKNW radio Wednesday to chat about the Saturday show and talk a bit about Skylark. We ramble aimlessly in true morning-radio-style about the hotness of the Skylark staff, the ladder in the basement that goes into the bowels of hell, microphone technique, orgasm-titled drink specials, and other miscellany. Take a listen. (I join them about a third of the way through the clip.)

~Jessie SK

Multitrack Recordings Available of Your Show

2009-11-01T16:32:00.000-08:00

As bands who've played here in recent months know, we offer you a multitrack recording of your performance (on DVD, but there's no video) for $15. This is not just a board recording like you may have purchased elsewhere, it's individual tracks...so you can mix them down yourself in the software of your choice and enhance or tweak as you desire. This means you can't just put the DVD in a player though...those tracks you see on the DVD are not your individual songs but individual tracks of the whole performance. If you have a Mac it comes with GarageBand now and that works just dandy, or you can go to town with ProTools or something more sophisticated.

If you want to try something cool, record a video of your show and then sync up our sound with your video. Mighty Shiny did this for a few songs of their September show and it came out really well (much better than any camcorder sound I've ever heard, for sure).

We are building up quite an archive for posterity...your purchase of show DVDs goes towards hard drive space (those files are enormous).

Any questions about this process or our PreSonus digital mixer? Email cha at skylarkcafe dot com.

Third Annual Halloween Battle

2009-10-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Come As You Aren't
Skylark's Third Annual Halloween Battle For The Golden Cowbell

Seattle, WA – October 31, 2008 – It's the third annual Come As You Aren’t Halloween battle of the bands showcase with ten bands performing as another band or concept for just one evening. Each band plays a three-song set to showcase their skills as their chosen band. The winners will be awarded the coveted Golden Cowbell™ and bragging rights until next year.

This event is free, 21+, and has always been Skylark's biggest night of the whole year. Costumes! Props! Band rivalries!

This year’s lineup features:

8:20pm        CHRIS MESS as Frank Sinatra
8:40pm        JULIA MASSEY as The Little Mermaid
9:00pm        RADIOLAKE as The White Stripes
9:20pm        HIGH DIVIDE as Black Sabbath
9:40pm        THE MANGLES as The Bangles
10:00pm    HELEN CHANCE as David Bowie
10:20pm    THE RIFFBROKERS as X
10:40pm    M.BISON as The Band
11:00pm    MOUNTAIN KIDS FANTASY as DEVO

Matt Brown from Nadamucho.com, Jessie SK, Skylark's booker, and Starr Harris (of The Camellias and The Snakebites) will judge the bands on originality, talent, and style. Prizes will be awarded around midnight.

ABOUT SKYLARK CAFE
Skylark Café & Club is an award-winning bar, restaurant, and live music venue just minutes from downtown Seattle off the Delridge exit on the West Seattle Bridge. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday 11:30am - 2:00am, Saturday 9:00am – 2:00 am and Sunday 9:00am to 11:00pm. For menus, entertainment calendar, and press clips, see www.skylarkcafe.com.

Skylark Cafe & Club
3803 Delridge Way SW
Seattle, WA 98106
206-935-2111; 206-935-3249 fax

last year's winners: We Wrote The Book On Connectors as The Beastie Boys
picture credit: Josh at www.soundonthesound.com

# # #

Robin Lane Comes To Seattle Friday 10/16

2009-09-27T22:25:00.000-07:00

Lane, born and raised in L.A., began performing in clubs while still in her teens, and a hook-up with Crazy Horse led to her appearance on Neil Young's Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere album in 1969. By the end of the 70s, she formed the Chartbusters in Boston with Leroy Radcliffe and Asa Brebner (formerly of the Modern Lovers) and signed with Warner Brothers. Her self-titled debut album featured the single "When Things Go Wrong," which scraped the national charts in July 1980. After one additional album for Warner, Heart Connection, Lane semi-retired. During the late 80s and into the 90s, she contributed songs to Susannah Hoffs among others, and supported Warren Zevon, Taj Mahal and John Hiatt in concert. She returned in 1994 with Catbird Seat, recorded for the Ocean label.

Performing with Robin Lane at Skylark are locals Rusty Willoughby, Gretta Graves & Lance Ballard, and Gavin Guss.

Vote McGinn For Mayor!

2009-09-25T00:51:00.000-07:00

MIKE McGINN'S SEATTLE MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE POLICY

Seattle’s music scene is already nationally recognized and admired, and our many bars, nightclubs, and performers are essential revenue sources for the city. But it can be even better if the city helps continue its growth by encouraging it as we do other industries.

In 2008 alone, the music industry in Seattle directly created over 11,000 jobs, with more than 2,000 businesses generating $1.2 billion in annual sales, as well as $487 million in earnings. The industry also generated $90 million in state and local sales and B&O taxes.

Beyond revenue, our music scene also creates vibrant and active neighborhoods, with customers from bars and clubs patronizing other local businesses throughout the day and night.

Nightclubs, bars, pubs, and other music venues — along with Seattle’s many bands, DJs, and entertainers — deserve a safe and supportive environment to earn their living. Similarly, residents living near music venues have the right to enjoy their homes in safety and peace.

I believe that reasonable people can work together to develop rules governing nightlife and nearby development — rules that keep Seattle’s music scene thriving.

PUBLIC SAFETY

• In order to help ensure safety and peace around bars and clubs, late-night patrols should be increased in “hotspot” neighborhoods.

• To help cut down on incidents after establishments close, the city should work with the state Liquor Control Board to encourage staggered closing times.

• To help cut down on drinking and driving, transportation choices such as light rail, taxi service, and buses need to be accessible until at least 3 a.m.

NIGHTLIFE & DEVELOPMENT

• New residential development must not be able to drive out existing nightlife establishments.

• Any new development within the proximity of an existing bar or club should be required to build sound-proofing measures into their plans.

• To maintain an open dialogue between the nightlife community and the city, the Seattle Music & Nightlife Association should have quarterly meetings with the mayor.

ENCOURAGING MUSIC AND OTHER ARTS

• The Seattle Office of Film + Music must remain open and active.

• In order to help maintain an environment where Seattle’s music scene can continue to thrive, the Seattle City of Music Initiative must remain in place and will be improved upon through work with the Seattle Music Commission.

• To further encourage the arts, the next Families and Education Levy should include funding for music and art programs in Seattle public schools.

Show Me Your TIFFs: Ten years of music photography by Jenny Jimenez

2009-08-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

Seattle's premier music and wedding photographer, Jenny Jimenez, is celebrating an anniversary of sorts with “Show Me Your TIFFs: Ten years of music photography", exhibited from September 28th - December 14th at Skylark Cafe in West Seattle.

The opening bash on Thursday, October 8th, will showcase a retrospective of Jenny's work with large black & white prints and feature live performances by singer-songwriter Damien Jurado and ethereal songstress Amy Blaschke. 

 Jenny got her start in 1999, when she moved to Seattle from New York on a whim. Armed with her best friend in town, a 35mm SLR, she would camp out in front of the stage to catch the seminal bands of the day; Death Cab for Cutie, the Gossip, Built to Spill and Sleater Kinney. Jenny’s reverence for self expression and utter love of music shaped the progeny of her personal style of photography. Her work brings attention to those fleeting moments of a musician's performance, like the seconds between Beth Ditto inhaling, grabbing her chest and belting, "Honey, I wanna hear my name", or when Jesse Sykes leans forward, hair swinging down behind the arm of her guitar rocking along to "Lonely Still". Moments that can't be seen listening to an album or your radio.  

 Bands took notice and began hiring Jenny to photograph their album art and promotional portraits. She joined forces with local music photojournalist Justin Dylan Renney and they served as the in-house photographers for the Crocodile, where she was a constant presence in the early half of the decade, and the Showbox, where her framed image of Karen O. chomping on a microphone still hangs.

As a portrait artist, she has been commissioned by prominent record labels Barsuk (Aqueduct, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Say Hi), Matador (the Cave Singers), Merge (Telekinesis), and Epic (Vendetta Red). As a photojournalist, Jenny has freelanced for numerous publications including Spin, the Stranger, the Seattle Weekly, No Depression, Paste Magazine, ROCKRGRL, 'Sup Magazine, Tablet Newspaper and YRB.   While her subjects have since expanded to include people in love, she still covers the occasional rock show and shoots a recurring "Seattle People" slideshow for the Seattle Weekly. You can keep tabs on her current ventures through her blog.   

 “Jenny Jimenez is easily one of the most talented photographers in town. I have worked with her regularly for several years, and we’ve documented many moving moments together, from the final Sleater-Kinney performance in Portland to a Merle Haggard and Neko Case double-bill last year. She has a truly unique, incisive gaze, and an extraordinary ability to capture musicians at rest and in motion in ways that brightly convey the weight of their work.”  - Hannah Levin, Seattle Weekly

Contact: Erika Long / erika@barsuk.com

SKYLARK CAFE HEAT WAVE MENU

2009-07-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

July 2009

Dearest customers,
We have turned off our ovens, grill, and fryer to make you more comfortable while the heat is above 90 degrees this week. We imagine you don’t want to eat hot food right now anyhow, but we welcome your feedback if we have misjudged this unusual situation. We present this menu to satisfy your hunger. We are working on the A/C and hope to have it performing better soon. Enjoy!
Love, Skylark

Hummus Plate
Our homemade roasted garlic hummus served with feta cheese, sliced red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and warm pita bread. 7.95

Spinach Salad
Fresh spinach tossed with grilled chicken breast, toasted walnuts, diced green apples, red onions, bleu cheese & champagne vinaigrette. 9.95

Caesar Salad
Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with Caesar dressing, housemade croutons and parmesan cheese. 6.95
Add grilled chicken breast for 2

Veggie Wrap
Roasted garlic hummus, spinach, feta cheese, sliced red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and roasted red peppers wrapped in a tortilla with potato salad on the side. $7.95

DELI-STYLE SANDWICHES 
All sandwiches come on toasted sourdough, with your choice of potato salad or side salad.

The Rachel
Pastrami and cole slaw on rye. 8.95

Turkey Club
Piled high with flavorful sliced turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato. 9.50

Tuna Salad
Our secret-recipe all albacore tuna salad with swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato. 8.95

The B.L.A.T.
Yummy bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato. A combination made in heaven. 8.95

Roast Beef
Roast beef and cheddar with lettuce and tomato. 8.95

DESSERT
Shoofly pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream...still delicious not heated!

Blackberry Raspberry or Strawberry Rhubarb

Early Bird Special Saturday AND Sunday brunches!

2009-07-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

Starting tomorrow, Saturday July 11th we are offering a special deal to the early birds of summer. Order in between 9:00am and 11:00am on Saturday or Sunday and get an automatic 10% off your entire ticket.

Skylark Celebrates Three Years In Business With Four Local Acts

2009-05-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady-Owned Rock Club

SEATTLE, WA - June 5th, 2009 - The party commences at 8pm with throat-singing, tabla-playing DJ Baba James, continues with the downtempo Deepsleep Narcotics Company, kicks it up a notch with westside country-punk heroes The Stevedore, and culminates with indie rock awesomeness The Apple War. The traditional third wedding anniversary gift is "leather," but we don't recommend wearing it to this show. You'll overheat.

http://www.myspace.com/babajames
http://www.myspace.com/thedeepsleepnarcoticscompany
http://www.myspace.com/thestevedore
http://www.myspace.com/theapplewar

Skylark Cafe & Club is quite happy to announce its third year beating the odds. "Bad news affecting the industry is everywhere these days and people are definitely adjusting their lifestyles," says Jessie SK, owner and booking agent. "We've never charged a cover, and now we're adding a $5 lunch menu and a few domestic draft beers to help lower your tab this summer."

Highlights of the past year have been...

• Playing some of our favorite local acts on the air with Megan Seling at 107.7 The End's Locals Only
• Hooking up turntables to the sound system and launching Spin Your Wax on Tuesday evenings
• The amazing 2008 Halloween party with Apple War, We Wrote The Book On Connectors, H Is For Hellgate and more local bands battling to win the Golden Cowbell: http://www.soundonthesound.com/2008/11/03/halloween-at-the-skylark-cafe/
• Getting this sweet review on notfortourists.com: http://notfortourists.com/viewRadar.aspx?city=SE&radarID=24865

New stuff we are excited about...

• Partnering with Shoofly Pie Company to bring you a variety of freshly baked desserts: http://shooflypiecompany.com/
• Offering bands multi-track recordings of their set (!) in partnership with The Brewery: http://www.reverbnation.com/thebreweryrecordingco
• Redesigned website at http://www.skylarkcafe.com

Some things never change...

• Free, live, original local and touring musical acts Thursday through Sunday, all ages shows on Sunday evenings
• Family-friendly homemade lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch for great prices
• Full menu until midnight Tuesday through Saturday
• Yummy cocktails with premium wells, discounted daily from 3 to 6pm
• Open turntables, open mic, karaoke and weekly chances to win cash money for trivia

ABOUT SKYLARK CAFE
Skylark Café & Club is an award-winning bar, restaurant, and live music venue just minutes from downtown Seattle off the Delridge exit on the West Seattle Bridge. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday 11:30am - 2:00am, Saturday 9:00am – 2:00 am and Sunday 9:00am to 11:00pm. Skylark becomes 21+ at 9pm every day except Sunday, when it remains all ages until 11pm.

For menus, photos, entertainment calendar, and press clips, see www.skylarkcafe.com.

Now Available At Skylark: Shoofly Pie!

2009-05-06T01:27:00.000-07:00

We are proud to announce a sweet partnership with Shoofly Pie Company up at the West Seattle Junction. Starting this week, we will be offering delicious desserts by Kimmy and her team of talented bakers, starting with the classic "shoofly pie" itself. If you've never tried it before, you are in for a treat! Think crumbles of molasses, brown sugar, and butter...flaky, sticky, carmelized...mmmmmm. We'll be serving slices oven-warmed and a la mode. Just the thing for after dinner, or for a midnight snack after a show!

"Shoofly Pie Company began in 2004 with a single strawberry-rhubarb pie baking in the oven of the Ballard apartment shared by Kimmy Hsieh Tomlinson and her husband, Zak. Kimmy fell in love with the art and science of baking, and the beautiful simplicity and rustic quality of a good, handmade pie. She started sharing this with friends and family, and soon the dreams of opening a small retail bakery were born."

On Friday we're getting a strawberry-rhubarb pie to celebrate impending summertime, so you can order that one all weekend as well...while supplies last. Don't make me eat it all myself (because I will).

This Month We're Gleefully Giving To Girls

2009-04-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

Girls Rock! Benefit (Friday, May 1)
Girls Rock! is a nonprofit organization working to encourage positive self-esteem in girls and emphasize the importance of creative expression through music. Donations to help them grow here in Seattle will be gratefully accepted at the female-fronted band showcase this Friday: Whiskey Romance, Danielli, and Lucy Bland. Bands begin at 9pm. 21+

Breast Cancer 3-Day Benefit:
Mother's Day (Sunday, May 10)
Two of us Skylark employees are walking 60 miles (!) in the Breast Cancer 3-Day this September.

On Mother's Day, a portion of brunch sales will go directly to Team Tracy. We're all ages all day and night on Sundays, so bring grandma and the baby.

Or join us that evening for the Karaoke Auction. Also all ages, full bar with ID. Bid on your friends and family! When the moment of truth arrives you can choose to sing your highest bid or top it and sing whatever the heck you want. 100% of bids go to Team Tracy.

3. Can't make it but want to donate or want more info about the charities you'll be supporting at these events? Go to the Breast Cancer 3-Day site. Just click on Donate Now and search for my personal fundraising page (my full last name: Summa-Kusiak).

Coming to the Red Room gallery April 14th

2009-04-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

Insider Looking Out: Photographs by Todd Gehman

Todd Gehman is a fine art photographer based in Ballard but veering wildly between locations, cameras, formats, and styles. Insider Looking Out is a selection of abstract/minimalist street photographs shot in black and white in Seattle and around the world.

We played locals only on Locals Only!

2009-03-19T17:49:00.000-07:00

We were on the 107.7 The End's Locals Only show last Sunday night, and we had a blast playing a number of local bands that have played Skylark since we opened a few years ago. I had a much longer list of course, but alas this was commercial radio and so there were these things called commercial breaks (I'm so spoiled by KEXP), AND I had to limit it to bands I had CDs from (not so many, really, in this digital age). Anyway, it was really fun, but I'm glad I didn't have to man the controls. That sound board is crazy.

8pm to 9pm archived here.
9pm to 10pm archived here.

Our playlist was:

8 pm

The Stevedore - “Black Cat Contraband”
The Apple War - “Fifteen Sixteen”
Bend - “Multiply” “
Danielle - “Geranium”
Venus Verse - “Dreaming Again”
Crown Aruba - “Sexy Robot”
The Delusions - “What Are You Going to Be For Halloween?”
Spanish for 100 - “Mood in the Clouds”
Mars Accelerator - “Clandestine”
The Riffbrokers - “Evaporate”

9 pm

Tea Cozies - “Transciting”
We Wrote the Book On Connectors - “Almost Magical”
Fading Collection - “Blood Red My Shovel”
Star Lake Drowning - “Close to Home”
H Is for Hellgate – “Belt of Light”
Ghost Lobby - “Right Is Wrong”
Wow & Flutter - “A Little Help”
Celebrity Orphans - “Let Me Tell You”
I-9 - “3″
Bone Cave Ballet - “Bonnet Tied”
Man Plus - “Sister Says I’ll Love Again”
Black Whales - “Running in Place”
DJ Baba James - “Goodbye”

The Top 3 Myths About Skylark

2009-03-09T16:41:00.001-07:00

Myth #1: Jessie is no longer booking/no longer works here.
No one can remember where they read this, but I have always booked bands here and I couldn't stop working here if I tried, since I'm the owner. It's easy to see how people could get confused about this though, since I have had help over the years from several awesome ladies. Local comedian Jen Seaman booked some comedy and music shows last year. Jamie Henkensiefken (of kickass local band H is For Hellgate) booked Thursdays for a few months. Currently I'm lucky to have a music writer on staff–Jessica Harbert–and I regularly force her to write press releases and send confirmation emails when she is not slinging brunch here or writing for Seattle Sound Magazine. Apparently I only hire women whose names begin with the letter J. Because we are the best.

Myth #2: We are pay to play.
Haven't heard this one in a while but I did once get a curious email from another local booker wanting to know my secret and how I got away with it. I think he may have wanted to start charging bands too! Wow. For the record, we don't charge a cover and never have, and we are not pay to play in any way. Bands are always paid according to their draw–to the tune of about $20k per year plus another $17k in drink tickets and food discounts. It's not much money for each band, I wish it could be more, but it's a guarantee. Bands are not charged for the sound person, the door person, or any of our marketing costs out of that guarantee. At the end of the night bands get a receipt with their cash that shows them exactly what they earned and how it was calculated.

If you choose to submit an EPK to Skylark through SonicBids, where I have an account, SonicBids charges you a fee. Last I checked it was $5. I get half of it, which ends up being about $62 per year. If you don't want to pay SonicBids, there's no need to. Just send booking a direct email instead.

Myth #3: We are going out of business/our space is for lease.
Nope, you must be thinking of someplace else. The "For Lease" sign on our building pertains to the space next door, not Skylark's space! Here you can get a delicious home-cooked meal for under $10. Our live music is always free. We have a buy-seven-get-the-eighth lunch or brunch free punchcard. We have happy hour sliders for $4. I have basically always run this business as if it were during the Great Depression, because we were determined to beat the odds. We were just barely profitable in 2008 and are profitable so far in 2009, which no one expected except for us. I keep a close eye on costs and try to advertise as smartly as possible (sorry, print weeklies). My motivation is that I do not want to go back into the corporate world! I love running a venue and want to keep doing it and someday–even–get paid for it.

Of course, times are hard everywhere lately and yes, sales fluctuate. Cash flow is tighter than usual, and we never had it where we wanted it before. Closures due to bad weather do not help at all, so this holiday season was a bitch. A few people seem to be dealing with the economy by drinking a lot but not tipping, which is tough when employees rely so heavily on tip income. And then there's the problem that's hard to call a problem: I have more quality employees than I have shifts to give them. So come on down more, so I can justify adding some extra shifts to the schedule!

Really, if you're worried about us staying in business, the best thing to do is just come on down and order something. If you're not a fan of our establishment and are just looking for us to fail because you want some good gossip, keep looking. I surely can't predict exactly how stock market collapses and mortgage foreclosures will affect the restaurant business as a whole–I can't imagine it will be pretty–but I don't see any basis for the rumor that we are going out of business any more than anyone else. Don't worry your pretty little head about it. I am going to go back to booking bands for June now. Our 3rd anniversary show is going to be incredible.

West Seattle Art Walk 2009

2009-03-04T21:03:00.000-08:00

The West Seattle art walk is a monthly art event that is held the second Thursday of each month 6pm to 9pm year-round. Mike Capp is our featured painter until April 13, so come visit if you are doing the artwalk on Thursday, March 12th. We also have the insanely talented and popular bands STEVEDORE and BEND playing that night with opening act Jeremy Burk, so make it your last stop. Stop in for dinner and snag a table for the show.

Shamrock 'n' roll! (Do I win worst pun award?)

2009-02-28T22:28:00.000-08:00

Guinness is petitioning to make March 17th an official holiday. I think March 18th would be more appreciated by just about everyone, but it's a sweet idea nonetheless. Sign the petition, then mark your calendar for a night of Celtic Karaoke at Skylark.

Karaoke will be supplemented with Irish tunes so brush up on The Pogues and U2. Also, be ready to belt out some traditional Irish drinking songs, since there will be special prizes for those who lead the bar in singing the classics. Karaoke hostess Pirate Jess (neé Jess Lynch) has promised "surreal leprechaun movie visuals" to accompany your crooning. Whatever that means. I shudder to think. I will be saying magically delicious all night, since I already kind of do that. Oh, and dibs on "With or Without You" by U2!

But I digress. Tony will have Shepherd's Pie ready to serve as hearty ballast for the inevitable green beer specials, black and tans, irish whiskeys and Bailey's irish coffees. Tuesday night happy hour prices will make all this fun possible without breaking the bank. And hey wait, there's no more banks left to break!

So, pass the Jameson's.

The evening's entertainment begins with Spin Your Wax (open turntables--bring Irish vinyl of course) at 7:00pm and is free as always. Karaoke signup starts at 9:00pm.

Jessie

Skylark's blog now lives here.

2009-02-27T15:44:00.000-08:00

Our blog used to be on myspace, but that had its limitations. You had to have a myspace account to view it, and it didn't like Macs much. So from now on, I'll be posting here.

Within the next few months we'll be launching a new and improved skylarkcafe.com website that has a link to this blog or wraps it, I'm not yet sure which. I've started making the twitter-type updates via hellotxt.com--a nifty site that allows you to update all your social networks at once.

Here's how I'm thinking about all these social networks: The new website will have your run-of-the-mill written-in-third-person marketing copy, your hours of operation, your events calendar. Twitter, myspace and facebook updates will be informal up-to-the-minute info about show cancellations, drink specials, snowstorm closures, etc. Pretty much as you'd expect.

But this blog will be different than the myspace blog. If you've read the myspace blog, it's basically Skylark press releases, which are fascinating, but I think it can be--and should be--more. For example, I am lucky to have a music journalist on staff (Jessica Harbert, who writes for Seattle Sound magazine as well as slinging brunch here on weekends). I think I can convince her to write some posts. Maybe I can get Charlie and Matt to write some posts about doing sound. And I have plenty of thoughts about booking, running a rock club, Seattle nightlife, and life...which may or may not interest anyone. We shall see.

Jessie SK