Newcomer Band The Rapture Finds Good Feelings In Seattle

Bands that have been around Seattle for a while probably take for granted what one new group has rapturously learned: This place rocks.

"There's some kind of Seattle pride going on that's very attractive," says Luke Jenner, singer-guitarist of the Rapture. "We've had this overwhelming support."

The Rapture, which moved here from San Francisco, is perhaps the most promising band to recently relocate to Seattle. Sub Pop has been courting the band and KCMU-FM (90.3) is playing their cover of the Psychedelic Furs' "Dumb Waiters."

Jenner's band, which comes at '80s punk from slightly different angles, opened for 764-HERO a few weeks ago at the Re-bar. After impressing the crowd with a dynamic set, Jenner was surprised when Michael Reetz of the Makers offered the Rapture an opening spot for two shows; the groups play Saturday at the Crocodile (9 p.m., $7) and Sunday at the Velvet Elvis (2 p.m. $5).

"I think what they're doing is kind of what Seattle needs," says Reetz. "I just like the intensity of what they do . . . (Jenner's) lyrics are very strange, kind of nonsensical but good. And he's got a good voice."

That kind of support was missing in San Francisco, Jenner says. "It's very back-biting. There's a small scene, and the bands we were playing with - the people were not really supportive."

Jenner says there are many more venues for a band like his to play here than in San Francisco. And, where he found San Francisco crowds to be aloof, he says "We've played a few shows (in Seattle), and after every one people came up to us really excited."

Reetz said one of the reasons he wanted to extend a hand to the Rapture was because when the Makers started playing seven years ago, "we had no support at all."

Reetz and his older brother Donny (who plays bass), drummer Jay Crook and guitar player Jamie Nebel grew up in the "Felony Flats," a tough neighborhood in Spokane. Everyone at North Central High was into grunge - except the Makers.

They hated grunge, and the grungers hated them. "We were outcasts," says Michael Reetz. "We were each other's only friends."

Their greatest escape was punk rock. Just to be different, the Makers had short hair cuts and wore suits when they started playing in the early '90s.

"Nobody wanted to see a band like us. We'd be playing, opening spots for hard-core grunge bands - they'd be wearing cut-off shorts, plaid shirts and beards, they all looked like Grizzly Adams. People hated us."

The Makers traded insults with the crowds, ducked the bottles hurled at them and punked on. They eventually relocated to Seattle, and developed a following as grunge faded.

Their latest album on Bellingham's Estrus Records is "Psychopathia Sexualis" - produced, ironically enough, by grunge legend (Alice in Chains and Nirvana) Jack Endino.

"Jack only knew us as a lo-fi punk rock band. We told him to forget our previous albums," says Reetz. "We wanted (`Psychopathia') to be loud and bright, more along the lines of Motown soul."

The result was the Makers' most adventurous album. When they play this weekend, they'll be mixing some of their newer, soulful material with their fans' punk favorites. After that, the band is off on a one-month European club tour.

Other upcoming shows of note: The Sugarhill Gang and Melle Mel have a little "Rapper's Delight" tonight at the Showbox (8 p.m., $15); Maktub plays Wednesday at Re-bar; Brazilian metal superstars Sepultura will have the Fenix moshing tonight (9 p.m., $17.50); Sycophant blends satire and pop tomorrow at the Tractor Tavern (9:30 p.m., $7); and Harvey Danger, which has been touring with the hit "Flagpole Sitta," returns home to play the Crocodile on Sunday (9 p.m., $6).

Tom Scanlon can be reached at 206-464-3891. His e-mail is tscanlon@seattletimes.com.