Are You Ready to Jingle Your Bells: A Sneak Peek of Deck the Hall Ball

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Banner Photo courtesy of 107.7 The End

107.7’s annual Deck the Hall Ball is upon us. On Tuesday, December 6th, eight bands will be taking the stage at KeyArena starting at 3 p.m. Empire of the Sun, The Head and the Heart, Phantogram, Band of Horses, Glass Animals and more will all be in lower Queen Anne. Yeah, this is probably going to be the most lit any Tuesday afternoon is ever going to get. The DTHB lineup is stacked this year, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to break it down band by band so you’ll know everything you need to know before Tuesday rolls around.


Empire of the Sun

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Headlining this year’s Deck the Hall Ball are the Aussie duo Empire of the Sun. Best known for their seven-year-old track, “Walking on a Dream,” that has blown up again this year because of car commercials, they also released a new album earlier this year. They’re pretty much always in the press, anywhere from KROQ’s 25 Weirdest Album Covers, to winning awards like Album of the Year at the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards. So, with their aesthetic being solely up to taste, I’m anxiously awaiting what kind of entertaining night they’re planning for us. -AK


The Head and The Heart

The Head and the Heart 2013 Band Photo
Photo by Curtis Wayne Millard

Seattle’s own The Head and the Heart will bring that true-to-form indie-folk tear to your eye, and what is a KeyArena festival without a twinkle of folky nostalgia? Formed right here in Seattle at a Ballard pub’s open mic night, the band’s debut album, The Head and The Heart, found success right off of Sub Pop records (their hit single, “Rivers and Roads,” was featured on the Fox sitcom New Girl, so you know The Head and the Heart is Zooey Deschanel-certified indieTM).

The Head and the Heart released their first major label release and third full length album, Signs of Light, this past September, and they’ll be bringing all of their new acoustic bangers to the table. Early DTHB prediction: at least one member of The Head and the Heart will be sporting a fun indie hat on stage. Just wait, folks. -MK

Ellen + The Head and the Heart = <3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q72yEMWOAU


Jimmy Eat World

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Photo by Jimi Giannatti

Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” is a middle school classic. Released in 2001, the track peaked at #5 on Billboard Top 100. The song was further memorialized as an available track on both Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band 2 games. The song was even lip synced in an Apple Music commercial by Taylor Swift herself. Where could Jimmy Eat World go from there? As if to answer that question, they have gone into production overdrive and simply not. slowed. down. Running with the success of their 2001 album, Bleed American, Jimmy Eat World has since released five studio albums, including their most recent album, Integrity Blues, produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen (of Paramore and Nine Inch Nails fame). Expect a collection of music spanning more than two decades and some emo-core-level angst. -MK


Phantogram

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Photo by TimothySaccenti

I already caught Phantogram as their side project, Big Grams (Big Boi of OutKast + Phantogram), back in June at Governor’s Ball, and then again as themselves when they headlined The Paramount this past October. It also happened to be the record release performance of their third album, Three, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I am beyond excited to catch them again one more time in 2016, as Three has ended up being one of my favorite records this year. Peep my review if you want a longer spiel of their performance at The Paramount. -AK


Band of Horses

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Photo by Andrew Stuart

Another local Seattle/Sub Pop-started band at Deck the Hall Ball! Some more rockers in it for the long hall, Band of Horses formed in 2005 after the break up of Carissa’s Wierd (which also featured local favorite Jenn Champion of S and Grand Archives). Band of Horses has released five studio albums, the most recent being Why Are You OK from this past June. Their most successful single, “The Funeral,” has made many pop culture appearances; the track was featured in shows like 90210, Gossip Girl, and One Tree Hill, as well as being sampled by Kid Cudi and later Soulja Boy. They’re known for drama and raw emotion behind their releases, so bring some tissues and repressed sadness for maximum enjoyment. -MK


Glass Animals

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Photo by Neil Krug

I have been trying to catch Glass Animals since December of 2014, and now, two years later, my time has come. An example of my luck between now and then? They just played my hometown on December 1st, just seven days before I fly home. Every time I’ve been on the West Coast, they’ve been on the East Coast, and vice versa… until now. The quartet out of Oxford, England is known for their strange sounds and off-kilter lyrics, but you know we’ll all be enjoying those peanut butter vibes during their set. They’re coming back to Seattle after dropping their second record, How to Be a Human Being, in August (which I wrote an essay on because I loved it so much), and after also headlining The Paramount in October (which I missed and almost cried over). But, tears aside, I’m beyond ready to catch them on Tuesday. -AK


Coin

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Nashville-based Coin is making their way to the upper-left-USA to share their infectious alt-pop with us Seattleites. The quartet formed out of Belmont University in Nashville, TN, and their tune, “Talk Too Much,” took the summer by storm, topping alt radio stations across the country, including KNDD. I’m pretty pumped to start DTHB with their set and dance the afternoon. –AK


My Goodness

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Photo courtesy of My Goodness | Votiv Records

My Goodness will open the show with some bluesy, punky, grungy rock to get the energy up. Deck the Hall Ball is huge for these guys, which insures that they will bring all of their performance power to the table. With KEXP performances dating back to 2011, My Goodness is itching for a break, and will make getting there on time worth your while. –MK


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If you want to take a break from finals, get to KeyArena on Tuesday, December 6 at 3 p.m. Tickets for Deck the Hall Ball are still available here.


ANNA KAPLAN & MARIA KING | Finals Week Warriors | KXSU Music Reporters

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