Dear Capitol Hill Block Party,

You Need to Book the Bad Things. The thing with this band is that within three songs the crowd will be swaying side to side, by the fourth the dancing will be open and unashamed. Accordion front man Jimmy the Pickpocket leers at the crowd and sings with a captivating energy reminiscent of Shane MacGowan crossed with Frank Black. Seeing them at the Comet on Friday the thirteenth was proof that Seattle loves the Bad Things. You could feel the wooden dance floor move under your feet like a trampoline.

There were four bands on the bill Friday night, and not a bad one in the bunch. It was a night of neo-cabaret, or steam punk music. All of the bands had that vibe. (Read: bowler hats, corsets, accordions.) There were equal numbers of pirates, flappers, and Dickensian chimney sweeps in attendance. It was an extremely interesting and fun crowd.