He’s the wizard of the electric six-string violin, Geoffrey Castle returns to the podcast as a warm up for his appearance at the annual Synergia Northwest show (Friday, May 6, Moore Theater). And Seattle Weekly editor Mike Seely co-hosts with Marty and offers his take on the the iPhone’s secret tracking program, among other topics.

Marty, Geoffrey Castle, and Mike Seely

mrs-2011-04-22

Watch the WEBcast

On Fridays I like to ask listeners to text me with their suggestions for weekend activities. Here’s what’s up this weekend:

* 17th Annual Procession of the Species in Olympia – Incredible celebration of the natural world.
* Going to the Agony & the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs @ Seattle Rep
* Checking out the Bruce Springsteen Doc in Bellingham

* Seeing the Cave Singers

* Celebrating Earth Day – Earth Day Picnic for the Planet @ Pike Place Market
* EMP to see the Nirvana Exhibit

* Boys & Girls Club-Snohomish Easter Parade @ 11a. From the movie, “Cars” Tow Mater the tow truck will also be there! Downtown Snohomish
* Farmer’s Market in Ballard

* NorWesCon – SeaTac DoubleTree
* Wine tasting – Earth Day style! Molbak’s 13625 NE 175th Woodinvile

Barred from our soothing and aromatic pre-show bathing ritual, as a result of the state’s ban on bath salts yesterday – why does the state hate us for pampering ourselves?! – things were a little more tense than usual. And then Dan Layus from Augustana stopped in for a live preview of their new self-titled record out next Tuesday (watch the video for the song “Steal Your Heart”), and everything was chill in the Moldy Basement once again.

Dan Layus from Augustana, Marty, and Brian Muchinski

Dan Layus and Benjamin

mrs-2011-04-21

Watch the WEBcast

It might be too late for Easter Sunday brunch reservations this weekend, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make plans for a little Sunday morning get-together in the next few weeks. Kathryn Robinson from Seattle Met magazine joined me to run down some of her top picks for brunch. Her list:

Le Grand Bistro Americain in Kirkland
Serafina on Eastlake in Seattle
Tilikum Place Cafe near Seattle Center
Toulouse Petite on Queen Anne in Seattle

Here’s our on-air chat:

kahtryn robinson 042511 brunch

And here are brunch suggestions Mountain listeners texted me throughout the morning:

* Endolyne joe’s in west seattle!! http://www.chowfoods.com/endolyne/
* Breakfast at the hobnob in tacoma. http://tinyurl.com/3ev2sj9
* Flying Apron Bakery - http://www.flyingapron.com/
* The Little Cheeerful, Bellingham - http://tinyurl.com/3lp7tmv
* Maltby Cafe - http://www.maltbycafe.com/info.htm
* Rusty Pelican http://www.yelp.com/biz/rusty-pelican-ca…
* Silence Heart Nest – Fremont http://www.silenceheartnest.com/
* Silverwater Cafe in Port Townsend Wa. We have a killer Sunday brunch… New website coming soon. Cheers, Patrick http://tinyurl.com/43g4toq
* Sockeyes in Monroe. Preservation kitchen in Bothell http://sockeyesrestaurant.com/
* Spring hill__west seattle!! http://springhillnorthwest.com/
* Toulouse Petite on Queen Anne has an amazing brunch! So many options! http://www.yelp.com/biz/toulouse-petit-s…
* Turkish Delight at pike place market http://www.allmenus.com/wa/seattle/first…

Happy 4/20! One of our favorites, Cody Beebe and the Crooks (Crocodile Cafe, Saturday, April 23, 2011 w/ Danial Kamas) return to the podcast from their first gangbuster national tour. A great vibe in the room, until, that is, just before their first song – EARTHQUAKE!! Not a real one, thank God, just a statewide earthquake preparedness drill that as a responsible podcast we participate in. Even Marty’s twitchy bladder does a simulation of how it would react in an actual quake. Meanwhile Yaz doesn’t flinch.

Also, we watch a popular video of a small alien being that allegedly crash landed in the Russian tundra. As with many youtube videos (Watch the video below), this one has inspired thousands of mean people to say mean things.

Marty and Cody Beebe and The Crooks

mrs-2011-04-20

Watch the WEBcast

Some bad-ass music today on the podcast from Hugo, an artist born in London, raised in Thailand – where he enjoyed a successful music career – discovered by Beyonce, signed by her man Jay Z, and then relocated to New York. Whew, just reading the guy’s bio gives you jet lag. His version of Jay-Z’s 99 Problems, a fusion of hillbilly and hip-hop, is freaking awesome and makes us happy. That’s partly due to the banjo.

Plus co-host Bill Wixey from Q13 Fox Morning News shares his impressions of the Nirvana Exhibit that opened last Friday at the Experience Music Project. It’s an excellent show, but amusing how they treat a 20-year-old sweater like it’s an ancient relic.

Marty, Bill Wixey and Hugo

mrs-2011-04-19

Watch the WEBcast

We were all so very charmed by The Head And The Heart today. Good people making great music right here in Seattle. I didn’t have the chance to ask them to put forward my idea for a genre name: Sprout Rock, but I’m sure they’d get behind it. Who wouldn’t want to be a Sprout Rocker??  Here are all 4 songs for your pleasure.

Today marks the long awaited debut appearance of Boise’s Marcus Eaton on the podcast. A singer, guitarist and vocalist of immense depth and talent who opens for Tim Reynolds on May 5, 2011 at Neumos in Seattle, or prior to that at Jazzbones in Tacoma, April 20, 2011.

Also on the show, King County’s Eco-Consumer Tom Watson gets us geared up for Earth Day 2011 this Friday with suggestions for detoxifying your home. He begins by trying to detoxify Marty’s attitude toward Radio Shack and Tom’s of Maine toothpaste.

Marty, Tom Watson, and Marcus Eaton

mrs-2011-04-18

Watch the WEBcast

. . . .and talks about jamming with Mick Jagger and Bono and Peter Gabriel, but he never really answers the question, “how come they want to play with you?”

Jessica Ketola is a suburban Edmonds mom plucked out of an audience at The Gorge by Sting, asked to sing with The Police and encouraged by Sting himself to pursue music, which she does this morning on the podcast. Probably not exactly what Sting had in mind, or maybe so.

Plus today marks the last day of Volunteer Week, so kiss a volunteer! We pay tribute by welcoming Beautiful Existence (her legal name), an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, who through her position helps non-profits recruit volunteer staff. Plus, her name is Beautiful. Enough said.

Jessica Ketola, Marty, Beautiful Existence, and Dick Rossetti

mrs-2011-04-15

Watch the WEBcast