Deck The Hall Ball 2016
It’s the time of year where music lovers gather at the Key Arena to enjoy some great tunes sponsored by our favorite 107.7 The End. Deck The Hall Ball is one of our favorite events during the holidays as it helps kick off our December celebrations. Many were already showing their holiday spirit by wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, pajamas, Santa hats, that were paired with the turquoise glass frames that were given out. The station has set a high bar for good acts and this year was no exception to their long list.
Below are our favorite moments from the 2016 DTHB
The event started at 3pm with Seattle band, My Goodness that completely rocked the Key Arena despite of the early slot. It is always nice to see a local band start the show exposing them to a larger audience and giving them some well-deserved attention. Their latest EP “Islands” was just released and it is a great follow up to their 2014 debut “Shiver + Shake”.
The next band that followed was Nashville based COIN who only had time for five songs but wasted none winning over fans. Their performance drew great buzz after they played and they quickly became one of the favorites of the night. “Talk Too Much” was one of most memorable songs at DTHB which quickly became an early afternoon dance party.
Band of Horses had a fairly early slot but that didn’t stop lead singer Ben Bridwell from motivating the audience. In between every song he would stop and throw candy at the fans to show his appreciation. He shared that the last couple of songs were written down the street here in Seattle where the band formed. “No One’s Gonna Love You” and “Funeral” were highlights that follow that soft slow start which lead into an exploding chorus.
Glass Animals receiving probably the most adoration of the night. This was no surprise since their latest record, “How to be a Human Being”, has launched them into the mainstream. Dave Bayley showed us his sweet moves as he performed barefoot, but all eyes were focused on drummer Joe Seaward when he was using his pineapple shaker. These guys know what they are doing and we can’t get enough of those peanut butter vibes.
When Sarah Barthel of Phantogram shared a fun fact about one of the band’s tour members. “Our keyboard player’s first concert was here at the Key Arena” as everyone started cheering and clapping, “Don’t clap just yet”, she laughingly said, “It was Kenny G!”. Favorite moment was “Cruel World”, as Barthel got into it and is a song that sounds so different played live.
Jimmy Eat World not only rocked the Key Arena with their own songs but threw in a cover of “Last Christmas” that completely got everyone in the holiday spirit. “In the Middle” was one of the highlights of the night as everyone sang along to the old hit.
Head and the Heart saying that they hung out at the Space Needle like old times and thanking The End for their support and the Sonics for being the greatest team ever. The band who played three sold out shows last month at the Paramount, wowed the crowd with their songs and live chemistry. Charity Rose dedicated “Rivers and Roads” to her thirteen year old niece in the audience before showcasing her vocal abilities, leaving everyone in the crowd silent.
The night ended with Empire of the Sun that felt a little out of place in comparison to the rest of the bill. That didn’t stop them from putting on a great show that had an extravagant stage setup making us think that they really might just be from another planet. Their dancers were on point along with their enticing visuals that captivated everyone’s attention. The set concluded with the Emperor smashing two guitars that felt a little unnecessary but a part of their “show”.
