This is a perfect example of making lemonade out of lemons.
Tim Rogers, the frontman for the infrickencredible Australian rock band You Am I was ready to embark on a North American tour. The INS had other plans and denied his visa. The Seattle stop was to be at the Sunset this Friday. It was quite the coup for the Sunset to book Rogers and that sadly fell through.
But! Filling Rogers' place on the bill this Friday will be The Whole Damn City, a tribute band to You Am I. According to the Sunset's website, it includes members of The Presidents of the United States of America, The Young Sportsmen, The Riffbrokers, The Doll Test, The Small Change, and The Tripwires.
When You Am I played a showcase at SXSW last year, I wrote:
Huge in their homeland of Australia, You Am I has yet to break in the US — and that is definitely cause for concern, as the band makes great, solid rock and roll. Frontman Tim Rogers has an intimate voice and writes personal but accessible songs: imagine if Elliot Smith fronted the Rolling Stones.
You Am I is not only influential to other musicians, their influence on other musicians is influential on music writers.
Also on the bill are The Small Change and Thee Sgt. Major III. Show is late, at 10 with a $7 cover, 21+.
Here's a video to their song "Berlin Chair":