Star Anna is rockin' out
ON Magazine
Top Read
- Poison, indeed -- Bret Michaels concert canceled
- Backhoe unearths human remains at Suncadia
- Yakima man arrested with 100 pounds of pot
- Man hurt at Sunnyside job site
- Man freed after being pinned
- Woman arrested after stabbing
- Council says no to strip club
Emailed
- Yakima man arrested with 100 pounds of pot
- Appeal of strip club denial is tonight
- Man in court over attempted armed robbery
- Backhoe unearths human remains at Suncadia
- Golan brings promise, excitement, ambition to symphony
- Suspected bank robber arrested Friday in Moxee
- Human remains uncovered by backhoe at Suncadia
Commented
- 09/08/10 Letters to the Editor
- 09/09/10 Letters to the Editor
- Charges to be filed in attempted robbery
- Taj Express closes its doors
- Prosser Farmers Market among state's favorites
- Woman's Century Club to host bazaar
- I-82 traffic slowed by overturned truck
Star Anna has learned how to rock.
Well, more accurately, she's returned to her rockin' roots. After her critically lauded 2008 debut, "Crooked Path," the 23-year-old singer-songwriter has revved up her band and ditched the acoustic country stuff for something a little noisier, namely this year's album, "The Only Thing That Matters."
The new sound, which she'll show off Saturday at the Yakima Sports Center, is driven by her band, The Laughing Dogs.
"It's more of a band record, a little bit more rock 'n' roll, I guess," she says. "A lot more rock 'n' roll, actually."
Star, born Star Anna Constantia Krogstie, grew up listening to rock 'n' roll in Ellensburg. Though the small Kittitas County town is decidedly country, Star was drawn more to groups like Pink Floyd and, later, the Dead Kennedys and The Clash.
"I hated country," she says. "The stuff they play on the radio is awful."
That changed when she discovered contemporary rebel country artists like Steve Earle and started listening to older country artists. Those influences, along with noted folk-rock-country duo the Indigo Girls, are all over her first album.
The harder-rocking sound came out during live shows with the band -- Justin Davis on guitar, Frank Johnson on bass and Travis Yost on drums -- and the new album is an effort to capture that energy. It retains Star's dark songwriting edge and the sense of world-weary longing in her voice, and has already drawn praise from such taste-makers as Don Yates, music director at Seattle's influential KEXP-FM.
"We're starting to get noticed," Star says. "We're starting to be categorized as a more well-known band, well-known around the Northwest, anyway."
That means headlining clubs the band used to open and sharing stages with luminaries such as Gillian Welch. It doesn't mean Star and The Laughing Dogs are rich and famous, exactly. The guys in the band all still have day jobs, and Star lives in a trailer -- "It's a really nice one," she quips.
But the band is making ends meet and they're getting closer to Star's career goal "to be well-known enough to be making a living and to be able to live comfortably."
With two albums already released, Star looks to be headed that way. In any case, she'll always play music. She has to.
"It's definitely a wonderful outlet," she says. "I write a lot of dark songs and a lot of heavy stuff. It's almost like exorcising demons that otherwise would just be there."
* Pat Muir can be reached at 509-577-7693 or pmuir@yakimaherald.com.
If you go
WHAT: Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs.
WHEN: 9 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Yakima Sports Center, 214 E. Yakima Ave.
COVER: $5.
MORE INFO: www.staranna.com.
Really sad that I'm gonna miss this show, they are one of my favorite bands...and they are from Ellensburg which is a nice bonus!
Report Violation
Posting Guidelines - Updated Aug. 21 2009
Readers are encouraged to use these forums to discuss issues affecting the
Yakima Valley. Debate the ideas presented in stories and other comments, but
refrain from personal attacks and offensive remarks aimed at others; e.g.,
you may call an idea idiotic, but don't say the person is an idiot. The
Herald-Republic reserves the right to remove any comment for any reason.
Examples include material that is obscene, encourages illegal activity or
stereotypes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and
other factors. Continued violation of these guidelines can lead to
suspension or revocation of your ability to post comments. If you believe a
comment is inappropriate, you can bring it to our attention by clicking the
"report violation" link by each comment. Guidelines revised Aug. 21, 2009.
Registered User?

RSS
E-mail
Print
Comments