About Jimmy the Pickpocket

Born in the shadows of the evergreens and the cornstalks. Born to howl sad songs at the stars to the wheeze of the blessed accordion. They call me The Pickpocket. Look for me by the train tracks. Cheers!

The Bad Things 3.0

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Has it really been two years since we posted here? Is that right? It’s like there was a worldwide pandemic or something. The pandemic impacted us as it did many of you and we had two members get the hell out of Dodge (or Seattle in this case): bass player Mad Wilcox moved to Portland and banjo extraordinaire Captain Panto to the sunny climes of Mexico.

Austin is still willing to commute but we found a new (or old) banjo slinger in Professor McBee, original Bad Things banjo player circa 2002-2004. That’s him you hear on the first album. Since Captain Panto has big shoes to fill, we also added a guitarist in Devin Carlen (Bad Things nickname forthcoming). We knew him when he was in the great band from back in the day Gunstreet Glory. He was a natural fit with the band’s sound and aesthetic and we can’t wait for you to hear him.

You can witness this new lineup on Friday, May 26th at the Rabbit Box Theatre in the Pike Place Market – former home of Patti Summers Cabaret and, most recently, the Can Can Cabaret. Both were regular haunts of the Bad Things of yore and it’ll be a hoot returning to the scene of the crime(s). Better yet, the show is all ages until 11pm PST. If there are some young Bad Things fans out there that have always wanted to witness us live, now’s your chance. You can get tickets here, which we recommend given the limited capacity.

So glad to be back and expect much more action on the show and new song front now that we have a hungry and excited new lineup. See you all on the 26th!

Our Triumphant Return to Seattle Stages!

After almost two years of no Seattle appearances, Seattle’s kings of junkyard cabaret return. While our first attempt had to be cancelled due to Delta variant concerns in indoor venues, we’ve relocated to the outdoor stage at Slim’s Last Chance Saloon, in our beloved homeland of south Seattle.This will truly be a triumphant return (assuming we still know how to play the songs) and we can’t wait to see all your smiling, drunken faces.Joining us will be the always epic Chaotic Noise Marching Band. Been many years since we’ve shared a stage and they’re sure to get the party started right! Might even sit in on some Bad Things tunes, you never know.

Advanced tickets available here.

Cabaret Macabre Returns This Saturday!!

That’s right. You thought it was dead but no, it’s rearing it’s ugly head again. Cabaret Macabre returns to the Columbia City Theater this Saturday, October 26.

Cabaret Macabre had a solid run of 13 years before we decided to call it quits three years ago. Life got in the way and handling production and promotion duties for this show just became impossible. So, when our friend Kali of Freaksheaux To Geaux fame asked if she could take over production duties if we would agree to headline, it seemed like a no-brainer.

She’s put together a hell of a lineup: Baby Gramps, Vito and the One Eyed Jacks, Strangely (also holding down MC duties), Mai Li Pittard (Debaucherauntes, Pickpocket Revue) and Sasha Berenstein, Jenny Penny, La Petite Mort, Kino B. Demented, Anna Clara Buoyant and our lovely hostess Mistress Kali. Many of the dancers will be performing live to Bad Things songs and we’ll be adding some special guest musicians as well. Whew! What a night!

Advanced tickets are available here and are highly recommended as this has always sold out in year’s past. Plus they’re cheaper.

Also heard there will be T-shirts for sale of this incredible poster design by Robert “Nix” Nixon.

Feels good to be back. Link to the event page on Facebook and tell us you’re going. We can’t wait to see all your creepy crawly mugs this Saturday.

New Album (Sort of) and a Show in Seattle This Weekend!

Wow, has it really been since January 2018 since we’ve posted anything? Hard to believe. We apologize for the radio silence but middle-aged reality has taken over, leaving little room for our “other” lives. We still get out 2 or 3 times a year but that’s about it.

Luckily for us, our much older friend Danbert Nobacon, has been a busy little beaver up there in Twisp. He remixed the 2010 album “Woebegone” at Mell Detmer’s Studio Soli in West Seattle and the result is “Woebegoner.” The new mix sounds amazing. We miss Miss Funi’s vocals, but Miranda Zickler’s voice offers a great new take on the Liliithiana Red character. The mix is much warmer with a lot of that reverb-soaked space that Mell is known for and that we’ve grown to love. Pick up your own digital copy here. Physical copies should be available soon as well.

We will also be making a rare appearance this Saturday, February 16 at the Owl & Thistle. This has become one of our favorite dives to play. They don’t charge a cover, the crowd dances and we get to play two sets. It’s all Bad Things, all night long. Feel free to throw a little money in the hat and maybe pick up the Bad Things album that’s been missing from your collection. You can find all the details here.

Here we are doing “Evolution 9” off “Woebegone” at the Owl N’ Thistle back in 2017:

And we promise it won’t be over a year until we post on here again. Really. Seattle friends, we’ll see you on Saturday and everyone else, thanks for continuing to support. I know, why not take a trip to the beautiful Pacific Northwest for our next shindig. We’d love to see you.

Rockin’ the South End in February

348sBeen a while since we’ve posted on the old website but don’t fear, we’re still around. Just don’t get around much anymore, as Duke Ellington once said.

We’ll be rearing our ugly old heads in February at our favorite dive bar on the banks of the old Duwamish, Lucky Liquor. This one is just us all night long. Our last few shows have been with no support and we’ve found it works well for us. We get to dust off old classics, play our favorite covers and by the time the second set rolls around, we are nice and warmed up and ready to party with ya’ll. Last time we played Lucky Liquor, things got a little rowdy. Here’s some video evidence. Can’t believe it’s been two years already.

So, that’s Saturday, February 17th at Lucky Liquor. Advanced tickets are $8 and we highly advise you grab some as it gets mighty cramped in there mighty fast. You can pick those up here. See you on the South End!

We’re Back! And in Georgetown!

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It’s gonna feel good to come home! Fifteen years ago, The Bad Things started making noise in a Georgetown factory and performing ramshackle live performances at the local watering hole, the 9LB Hammer.

Georgetown was a different place then but the Hammer remains true to the neighborhood’s original spirit. A spirit which birthed this band. A little punk. A little blue collar. A little weirdo. And a little old-timey.

It’ll be just us all night long so expect a night of dusting off old nuggets from the past, playing old favorites and throwing in a few covers here and there. As always at the Hammer, there is no cover so that means you have no excuse not to be there. We always seem to play well when we’re there. Feels like home.

This is also your only chance to see us this fall as we are not doing Cabaret Macabre this year. As sad it is to say, that event ran its course, had a good run but don’t worry, we’ll be doing more cabaret-themed shows in the future. We’re not that easy to get rid of.

See everyone on Saturday, September 23rd at the 9LB Hammer – 6009 Airport Way South. If you want, go ahead and RSVP on the Facebook page.

This ain’t no April Fools…We’re Opening for The Blasters!

0401THEBLASTERS-COLORYep, that’s right. We’re blowing the cobwebs off of the accordion and banjo to open for one of our heroes, roots rock originators out of Downey, California….the one and only
Blasters.

Also on the bill, The Tripwires (featuring the legendary Sangster brothers and Dan from Mudhoney on drums) and, you guessed it, an Elvis-impersonator clown. We open the night so get there early.

Tickets are on sale now here. So get ’em while you can. Nothing on the calendar after this so be sure to catch us. Who knows when we’ll make an appearance again.

Ooooh, mysterious.

Bad Things & Slim Cessna’s Autoclub – Together Again!

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A decade or more ago, a very different version of The Bad Things often found themselves in the support slot of one of their Denver heroes, Slim Cessna’s Autoclub. It happened often at a variety of venues and it was always an honor. The Denver scene and particularly Slim and the Autoclub had a profound impact on the early Bad Things. But, time has passed and it’s been nearly 9 years since we’ve shared a stage. That’s all about to change.

On Saturday, February 11th, Slim Cessna’s Autoclub and The Bad Things will reunite (with Sterling Serpent opening) at the one and only Funhouse. A match made in heaven, or hell, however you look at it. You don’t want to miss this so get your tickets now! See you there.

It’s October. Here Comes Cabaret Macabre!

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Poster by Robert “Nix” Nixon.

It’s that time of year once again. Cabaret Macabre is back for its 13th installment. Hard to believe. So for such a significant number we have to up the ante as far as the bill goes, right? No worries. We’ve found one of the best folk bands currently playing the west coast, will welcome the return of a Seattle legend for his 13th year and welcome our old friends from Portland via Russia. There will, as always, be dance performance scattered in with the bands and this year’s lineup features some of Seattle’s finest burlesque and bellydance performers. And though the great Diva Le Deviant is sitting this year out as MC, her replacement is more than capable of filling her shoes. But she will be missed.

Due to it being a Monday, we’ll be starting the show a little early. The show starts at 8pm with The Bad Things expected to hit the stage at 10pm. We’ll try to get you home by midnight. Promise.

And…without further ado, may I introduce this year’s 13th Annual Cabaret Macabre lineup:

Musical Performance by:
The Bad Things
Chervona (Portland, OR)
Baby Gramps
and Intuitive Compass (Grants Pass, OR).

Burlesque performance by Sinner Saint Burlesque’s
Lady TaTas and Dona Dei Cuori

Bellydance performance by Miss J9 Fierce and Danse Carouselle

MC Sailor St. Claire

Monday, October 31st, 2016
The 13th Annual Cabaret Macabre

featuring The Bad Things, Chervona, Baby Gramps and more!
Columbia City Theater – 4916 Rainier Avenue South.
$20 advanced/$25 day of show

This event is 21+ with ID!