Left Banks Books is an independent bookstore tucked away in Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market. The self described “anarchist collective,” which is employee owned and operated, was founded as a non-profit in 1973. The shop carries both new and used books, and specializes in anti-authoritarian, anarchist, and radical literature. It’s a great place to step away from the Pike Place crowds and check out some rare books, posters, shirts, and other finds. Continue reading or go to my Flickr for more photos.

Here are some of my photos of the Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend checking it out. It is an incredibly cool place to grab some locally grown produce, purchase fresh seafood, or simply people watch. Keep reading for a few more shots, or just head over to my Flickr for the full set.

The move to Brooklyn has been really hectic thus far, and I’m, admittedly, a bit homesick for Nashville. So it was really great to take a break from unpacking and catch up with some friends and one of my favorite Nashville bands (actually one of my favorite bands in general), Heavy Cream. The girls (and guy) played two shows here in NY just a day or two after Keith and I got into town; one at the Mercury Lounge and another at the Knitting Factory. We were able to catch both, and, as always, had a really good time seeing them play. Here are some of my photos of their show at the Knitting Factory. Keep reading for more. The full set can be found here.

I was able to catch Brooklyn locals, ELKS, play a set when they opened up for Valient Thorr, JEFF the Brotherhood and Pentagram at Le Poisson Rouge last week. I truthfully hadn’t heard of them prior to the show, but I ended up really enjoying their set. They manage to blend metal and punk, in a very authentic way, without delving into the painfully overdone realm of metalcore. That is, they stay far truer to the roots of both genres, maintaining that essential grittiness, rather than producing the modernized and excessively refined sound that’s all too prevalent at the moment. ELKS are playing their first headliner at Union Pool in Brooklyn on September 16 and then again toward the end of October (October 21st). They also have a few shows scheduled in various other cities within the next few weeks. I know I plan on checking them out again, and if you get the chance, I’d really recommend you do the same. Keep reading for a few more photos, or head over to my Flickr for the full set.