11:50 - Just Arriving & the line is going to be LONG… So far it’s been about a twenty minute wait & the crowd is… Well, stoned. It smells of sweet ganja all through Seattle for a good mile around the park where Seattle Hempfest is held each year.

12:20 - Finally about to “arrive” after my $5.00 donation. Now I get to decide what I want to eat… Do I want a yummy veggie / fallafal gyro? Do I want some curly fries? Perhaps I’ll buy a cookie or two from some of the men selling ganja food.

12:45 - I’m watching some band play some psychedelic guitar non lyrical based song… Everyone around me is staring in awe & I can tell many people are not just partaking in the herb but in some magical mushrooms or some LSD… I won’t bother asking but I know that I am feeling intoxicated from all of the smells & smoke around me ( Not complaining).

1:30 - Now browsing through a bunch of the local art seen in many of the stands around The 2010 Seattle Hempfest & I am extremely delighted to see many political paintings, shirts & other types of really trippy art. Its easy to say that if you are not someone who uses Marijuana that you would still have a great time at the festival by browsing the art, listening to the music & tasting some great organic foods (used with hemp as well). Hemp is showcased throughout the festival showing us all of the great uses & benefits of hemp. There is hemp clothing, bracelets, gyros, medicines, drinks, etc. All which are a great natural/hemp alternative to the products we use today.

Obviously there is no replacement for Bradley Nowell, the lead singer of Sublime, but Rome is a great top notch replacement for him. Currently they are on tour throughout the U.S (Although the West Coast isn’t getting a lot of them) with The Dirty Heads. I’m going next Saturday to check them out so I should have a nice review to post up.

Dirty Heads Feat. Rome of Sublime with Rome) - Lay Me Down.
Beatles Vs. Sublime - Lady Madonna is What I Got

27 Year old Kristian Matsson is The Tallest Man On Earth, which is one artist who lives up to his name.

He released a new album, titled “The Wild Hunt”, which has been receiving some great reviews around the online/indie scene.

“Sometimes at the end it’s hard for me to explain what my own songs are really about,’’ Matsson says. “I’ve never gone out with a plan, with a story. I just go in with a feeling, an emotion.’’

And emotion is all over “The Wild Hunt,’’ from the subdued arpeggios of “Love Is All’’ and the propulsive “You’re Going Back’’ to “Kids on the Run,’’ the only recorded Tallest Man on Earth tune to employ a piano instead of a guitar. “We’re walking our crooked path home,’’ Matsson sings on “Kids on the Run,’’ his voice bleeding into a series of heavily saturated minor chords. “Will we ever confess what we’ve done?’’

The Tallest Man On Earth made a HIT at the 2010 Sasquatch Festival this year with people knowledgeable of Matsson’s talent flourishing to watch him perform live with just an acoustic guitar & a chair.

Tallest Man On Earth - Honey Won’t You Let Me In (Live on KEXP)

Unfortunately he isn’t going to be around the NorthWest scene too much… Or the United States at all for that matter this summer. He is playing the MusicFestNW in Portland come September which also has The National, Menomena & The Decemberists headlining which will be a great festival to attend!

Here are some free MP3’s to get you hooked on him while you wait for MSBands.com’s next Under-Rated Artist.

Tallest Man On Earth - You’re Going Back
Tallest Man On Earth - King of Spain
Tallest Man On Earth - Love Is All

Capitol Hill Block Party has been going for 13 years & this year is the first time the festival is three days as well as we are seeing some of the biggest acts before this year. Atmosphere hasn’t been to the northwest in nearly two years!

Blue Scholars

Let’s make a full list of the noteworthy bands playing this year & give you a few MP3s!

Atmosphere: - Sunshine
Atmosphere: - The Ropes
MGMT: - Brian Eno
Holy Fuck: - PIGS
BLONDE REDHEAD: - Not Getting There
Blitzen Trapper: - Furr
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (They aren’t playing…yet) - 40 Day Dream

So uhh for $60 bucks for a 3 days pass?
Why wouldn’t you go?

Capitol Hill Block Party’s Official Website.