Video: Camper Van Beethoven live at Easy Street Records

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photos/video by Patrick Sand)
Not much advance notice for Camper Van Beethoven‘s live in-store performance tonight at Easy Street Records, but a full house of fans turned out for the California alt-rockers, who started making music in the ’80s, including their biggest hit, their cover of “Pictures of Matchstick Men,” which we recorded them playing tonight:

Lead singer David Lowery said this was their first performance in Seattle since the mid-’80s (added: but, as pointed out in comments, they were in town far more recently). Drummer (corrected) Chris Pedersen sat on the floor and played the bucket:

They were here to promote their new album “El Camino Real,” officially out next Tuesday (Easy Street is taking pre-orders).

WS taxpayer May 28, 2014 (9:37 pm)

Great time – sounded great! Thank you easy street – you help make west Seattle special!

Jason May 28, 2014 (9:54 pm)

I’m so bummed I ended up missing this, I have many great memories of listening to these guys in the 80s/90s.

Twicksea May 28, 2014 (10:38 pm)

I too heard David Lowery say that tonight about not playing Seattle since the 1980s but Camper Van played the Tractor last February. (Unless I just dreamed being at that great show.) Show tomorrow is at Chop Suey. And thanks Easy Street for all the in-stores!

WSB May 28, 2014 (10:55 pm)

Thanks, Twick! I tried fact-checking that but stalled; however, now that you put a date to it, it comes up. Will amend.

Westside May 28, 2014 (11:08 pm)

Thanks for posting the video. Great song. Haven’t seen Mr. Lowery since Cracker played a show at the Tractor in 2004. Looking a wee bit older but still rocks!

miws May 29, 2014 (7:38 am)

Westside, Many of us look older; some a wee bit, others maybe a wee bit more, but we still rock!

(Some of us just need the assistance of a particular style of chair to do so. ;-) )

Mike

Mel May 29, 2014 (9:24 am)

That is not Michael Urbano on drums (or the bucket, in this case); it’s my cousin Chris Pedersen, who first started playing with Camper Van Beethoven in the 1980s.

WSB May 29, 2014 (9:34 am)

Thanks! Another bit of bad info. Fixing!

Fiwa Jcbbb May 29, 2014 (10:58 am)

Your cousin should be playing drums, not a bucket. This performance was not as good as it should have been because of it, but thanks Easy Street for doing live music….you rule, as always.

blaster May 29, 2014 (12:24 pm)

Again, the thing about them not playing Seattle since the 80’s is wrong. In fact, I saw them play at the Crocodile about 6 years ago. It was a gig that featured both CVB and Cracker.

Eric May 29, 2014 (2:28 pm)

This is their first show in Seattle since the 80s with this lineup of Chris Pedersen on drums.

redblack May 31, 2014 (8:42 pm)

blaster: i was at that croc show! david lowery offered some loudmouth in the front row $60 (the band’s pocket money) to “STFU.”
.
classic.
.
and with lots of mod/ska/reggae danceability. love me the CVB.

Joe S. June 2, 2014 (1:39 pm)

Whaaaaa?? I missed Camper, and in an intimate setting???

Sounds like it was a fun time. Lowrey is a great guy, and Camper is a great band. He’s a resident of my hometown of Athens, GA — bumped into him a few times and he was always friendly. (Also does great things for the community there.)

Would’ve loved to have been there, sporting my Pitch-A-Tent records T-shirt.

Sorry, comment time is over.