VIDEO: The Sonics rock Record Store Day to its final moments @ Easy Street

It was another chapter for Easy Street Records in The Junction in the rock ‘n’ roll history books: A raucous conclusion to Record Store Day 2015, with legendary, regrouped The Sonics performing a benefit show announced only a day and a half earlier:

If you don’t know their backstory – which spans half a century, and then some – this might help.

The benefit was for KEXP’s new HQ, with tickets at $100 each – and it was promised that surprise guests would make the price more than worth it. We couldn’t stay past the first few songs and are excruciatingly regretful to have missed said guests, who turned out to include Eddie Vedder (photo, photo) and Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, Chris Ballew (photo) from The Presidents, Matt Lukin (photo) from Mudhoney and The Melvins, Emily Nokes (photo) from Tacocat … and more. Video of the guest performances will certainly surface – KEXP was shooting, as were countless phone-hoisting showgoers. The Sonics, meantime, are touring to support their first record in half a century, “This Is The Sonics,” which brought them to ESR just last month for a signing party.

ADDED 11:34 AM: No one else had uploaded to YouTube by the time we went off duty this morning, but that’s changed since then. Thanks to those who pointed this out to us – the upload is by @marnankev2:

ADDED 1:48 PM: Another perspective – during the show, outside Easy Street. Artist Joshua Boulet says he was in The Junction to catch the Route 50 bus when he drew the crowd:


He also made a quick drawing of Junction-based Seattle Fire Engine 32, which was outside for a while (it left the same time we did) on safety patrol:

(You might recall his drawing of SFD firefighters at work in our coverage of a Beach Drive fire last fall.)

ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Charles R. Cross‘s review of the “magic night” is up at SeattleTimes.com.

11 Replies to "VIDEO: The Sonics rock Record Store Day to its final moments @ Easy Street"

  • Jtm April 19, 2015 (7:36 am)

    It was an awesome, fun night. So grateful for Easy Street in our ‘hood!

  • kate April 19, 2015 (9:48 am)

    THANK YOU EASY STREET!! Great fun was had by all.

  • Craig April 19, 2015 (11:13 am)

    Gotta love our little village neighborhood.

  • athena April 19, 2015 (2:39 pm)

    Crazy fun night
    Thanks Easy Street, KEXP & all the awesome artists!!

  • burglarbustindad April 19, 2015 (2:51 pm)

    Thanks Easy Street and WSB…what a night! Took me back about 50 years.

  • JoB April 19, 2015 (4:21 pm)

    this makes me wish i stayed up

  • Mr. The horse April 19, 2015 (7:54 pm)

    wow. that was pretty awesome. i was part of the crowd outide and we may have actually had some of the best seats in the house. super fun and thanks to easy street for opening up the doors so we could all rock.

    –mr. thee horse

  • jetcitydude April 20, 2015 (12:50 pm)

    How did I miss that? Oh I was in the hospital..:(

    • WSB April 20, 2015 (1:26 pm)

      Hope you’re healing, JCD!

  • Snack April 21, 2015 (9:00 am)

    I just heard of event late Saturday afternoon so I was outside on the sidewalk with my rockin Belvidere neighbor Randy. Having been a Sonics fan since day one, this Tacoma boy of the 60’s had to make this historic event.

    Keep On Rockin in the Free World.

    Cool Dude!

  • marnankev2 April 22, 2015 (8:58 pm)

    Such a great night…thanks for posting!

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