Best Place to Catch Brand-New Local Bands

Not long ago, I saw some little band at The Sunset called the Cave Singers. I knew nothing about them except that Derek from Pretty Girls Make Graves was in it. It was, I believe, their second show. Plenty of clubs around town play host to local bands playing their first, second, or third shows. But something about the Sunset feels special, like you've been let in on a secret. With walls the color of pinot noir and an unassuming exterior (it's easy to walk right by and barely notice the place), the Sunset has a deep, intimate vibe, the kind of working-class-rock-'n'-roll joint where everybody knows your name...and if they don't, they'll know it if you go there enough times. Since moving to Seattle, I've seen countless bands play the Sunset, but the ones just getting started are usually the most exciting. The people in the crowd are mostly all band acquaintances, and the club's size affords bands the opportunity to feel as though they'd never left home.—Brian J. Barr