The edited version of this that appeared on The SunBreak appears to be lost to the internet goblins. Here's my draft version + links + pictures:

I know, I know, you're too cool to dance. I am, too, buddy. I might even be the King of Not Cutting Loose. But every once in a while we should throw down our crowns for a bit and gather together for a bit of enjoyment.

Last week, I was on Spring Break. I spent most of it hiding from the intermittent rain and playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. By the end of the week, I had probably gained about fifty pounds and heard entirely too many pre-teen voices berate me for my lackluster gaming skills using creative homophobic and racist terms. I needed to get out of the house and hang out with some adults. The venerable Sunset Tavern provided me with just that opportunity on Friday night.

Velella Velella bring local indie flavor to the dance party. Let's face it, Seattleites are awesome at playing instruments. So great, in fact, that we get bored of playing one and instead learn to play several. The five multi-instrumentalists of Velella Velella play a clavinet, flute, bass, guitar, Wurlitzer electric piano, a keyboard or two, a drum machine track, synthesizers, tambourines, cymbals, and other various percussion while one or more of them belts out some party tunes. The various instrumentations and contrasting male and female vocals make the band sound slightly different on every song, just like listening to DJ set allows you to experience different tracks.

In general, their sound is reminiscent of funk and soul, but they have brought those classic tones to a modern electronic era. It's something that everyone can get into but not so familiar that it becomes stale. It's an exciting recycling and remixing of the best dance eras that gets people smiling and having fun.

Velella Velella brought so much fun to the Sunset last Friday that even the venue itself seemed to be sweating though the air temperature outside was still chilly. Inside, it was Spring Break while the outside remained Normal Day Job. In the end, Velella Velella succumbed to the crowd's desire for one more song and the very last word of their set -- the word that should end everyone's Spring Break -- was "party."

The folks in Velella Velella have been around quite some time, participating in a wide array of projects. They are split between Seattle and Portland, so play infrequently, but did announce that they are working on a new record that they plan to release soon. If you need a little something to shake up your next cool guy party, pick up that record.