Soundside

Boys and ghouls, allow me to tell you about the mad doctor who injects himself with an experimental serum, turning the scientist into a hideous monster that terrorizes a hospital. This twisted tale is from the mind of Richard Lyford, a 19-year-old indie filmmaker in Seattle, who wrote, directed and starred in the short horror film The Scalpel . But he wasn’t influenced by horror legends like...

Israel and Iran continue to trade missile and drone attacks as the war stretches into its fifth day.  This conflict started last week with Israeli airstrikes that targeted top military commanders and nuclear facilities in Iran.  Here in the Seattle area, members of the Iranian diaspora are experiencing a familiar anxiety: Trying to keep tabs on friends and family during a bloody conflict...

Have you ever walked into a bookstore, lonely and single, and hoped you’d meet the love of your life?  We know there are at least a few of you out there. That's part of the setup for Moira Macdonald’s debut novel “Storybook Ending.” It’s a story about loneliness, friendship, reading – and of course, the singular pleasure of spending time between the shelves...

Millions of Americans across the country gathered over the weekend in support of “No Kings Day”, a nationwide protest against the Trump Administration.  Marches were planned to contrast with a military parade at the nation’s capital, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Army. The events also coincided with President Trump’s birthday. And it all came after a week...

Lawmakers in D.C. are still working on President Trump's big beautiful bill. That's the budget reconciliation measure focused on extending his first term tax cuts, boosting defense spending and immigration enforcement and cutting some spending. Should it become law, it's expected to cut into benefits for millions of Americans –  specifically, federal food assistance programs. It's expec...

Well, I don't know about YOU, but President Trump has big weekend plans: On Saturday, he's going to be enjoying a military parade in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Army, which also happens to fall on his birthday. There are hundreds of protests planned in cities across the country as counter-programming to this parade. They're organized under the umbrella of the "No Kings" theme. That inclu...

This weekend, the FIFA Club World Cup descends on Seattle. This isn’t the big tournament that pits national teams against each other that’s coming in 2026. Instead, this tournament features club teams from around the world. Spectators in Seattle will be able to see storied squads take the pitch throughout June.  For clubs, there is big money at stake but the majority of that...

The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire is the largest ren faire in the state. It will bring out fairies, pirates, knights in shining armor, and more for five weeks, starting in mid-July, near the Skykomish River outside of Monroe. It has a whole lot of fans including one of our colleagues at KUOW,  Vicky VanHout. She says Ren Faires are all about dressing up in medieval garb, dancing to m...

The Trump Administration’s efforts to deport more unauthorized immigrants have led to protests in major cities across the United States. Evidence of stepped-up immigration enforcement can also be seen at the U.S.-Canada border. But it’s not always drawing protests or media attention. A family of six at the Blaine border crossing was detained earlier this year. The family, originally fr...

For a long time, if you wanted to know what the future looked like for Washington’s climate policies, you just had to look at California.   The Golden State put a carbon auction in place in 2012. 10 years later, state lawmakers here set up our own cap and trade system. California passed legally binding emissions goals in 2006. Washington did that about a decade later. And let&rsquo...

When the University of Washington began searching for a new president back in 2015, they did what you might expect: They started a nationwide hunt, looking for the best fit to lead an institution known at the time, more for its research than for its classes. It turns out the answer was right at home. Ana Mari Cauce had been at the University of Washington since 1986, in various teaching and leader...

Seattle is gearing up to host some big events this summer – from music festivals to early World Cup matches. The Sounders will host their first  FIFA Club World Cup match on Sunday June 15 at Lumen Field. June is also Pride Month, with all kinds of LQBTQ+-focused celebrations planned throughout the city. It’s a time when law enforcement agencies are tasked with keeping people safe...

ICE enforcement raids led to violent clashes between protestors and law enforcement in Los Angeles this weekend.  President Trump mobilized the National Guard in response. This was against the wishes of the state’s Governor, Gavin Newsom -- it’s the first time a President has done so since the 1960s.  Both Newsom and L.A. mayor Karen Bass have vocally criticized the move, wit...

President Trump deployed 2,000 California National Guard troops in Los Angeles this weekend. Protests had broken out in response to aggressive local immigration enforcement activity.  California’s attorney general now says the state will sue the president over this.  But here in Washington, is the state prepared for widespread protests or presidential mobilization of the national g...

If you’re not up for driving all the way to Astoria Oregon for the Goonies, and would rather stick closer to home this weekend, never fear - we’ve got you covered! Here with almost every event, festival, and concert happening this weekend is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows! LINKS: Steel Magic Northwest - "Here Comes the Sun" Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show - Tacoma Indigeno...

Let’s talk foosball. You know, the table top game with the little soccer guys. Maybe you’re a hot shot at your local bar. You have a few tricks up your sleeve. And maybe they’ve even won you a couple beers over the years.  But we warn you: You are in an entirely different league from Spokane resident Lotus Leong-Chesbrough. She has won real money playing foosball. She’...

Chris Vance was a Republican for 37 years. During that time he served as the chair for the Washington State Republican Party, a Metropolitan King County Councilmember and a state representative. But then Donald Trump descended down that golden escalator.  Vance left the GOP in 2017 as President Trump was reshaping the Party in his image. Since then Vance has considered himself in exile&hellip...

Last month Pierce County resident Tuan Thanh Phan was deported. That wasn’t unexpected for Tuan or his family - he was planning on starting a new life in Vietnam after he was deported. His permanent residency was revoked in 2009, nearly ten years after he was convicted of first degree murder and second degree assault.  The surprise was where he went. He wasn’t going to Vietnam, hi...

In D.C. the president’s Big Beautiful Bill is facing a contentious fight in the Senate. Governor Ferguson recently signed over 400 bills into law.  But there was other bill related news in recent weeks and we went to see someone who has been right in the middle of it.  Alejandro Rico Guevara is one of the foremost researchers on hummingbird bills. He has spent years studying how hu...

Cathy Moore is stepping down from the Seattle City Council. She announced the decision yesterday afternoon, citing health and personal reasons.  Moore has been in office for a year and a half, and leaves district 5 - which includes Greenwood, North Gate and Lake City - down an elected representative. Why has Moore decided to step down after such a short tenure, and what does it mean for Seatt...

When Washington state legalized marijuana back in 2012, one of the big goals was to displace the black market, bring weed out of the shadows, and take the power away from dealers and traffickers.  But more than a decade later, the ILLEGAL weed industry is still thriving in Washington, and that’s taking a toll on LEGAL cannabis businesses.  Meanwhile, the SYSTEM for keeping track of...

Fifteen years ago, actor Pam Nolte received a phone call from a friend who worked at  the Greenwood Senior Center in Seattle. Her friend asked if she’d be willing to create an improv class specifically for people with early stage memory loss. Pam was intrigued. She had zero experience with improv. But had personal experience dealing with her mother’s experience with Alzheimer's di...

When you buy a fruit, a vegetable, a carton of almond milk - you might assume it’s an animal free product. But all of those foods, and many more, rely on one small but mighty member of the animal kingdom: the bee.  Bees – especially honeybees – are an important part of any working farm. They pollinate everything from papayas to cucumbers to coffee beans.  Like cows, pig...

GAMERS REJOICE - The day that Mario, Pokémon, & Zelda fans have been looking forward to is right around the corner: The Switch 2 from Nintendo is out on THURSDAY, June 5th!! The second generation of Nintendo’s flagship console has been highly anticipated for years, but the launch announcement was NOT without controversy. Nintendo announced the new console back in January, but it w...

The day 65-year-old Julie Leon died was the hottest day ever recorded in Washington State history. Her death was officially ruled as hyperthermia, or overheating.  Officially, more than 100 people died in the state due to that extreme 2021 heat wave, but many experts believe the number of deaths exceeds 400. Last week, Julie’s daughter, Misti Leon, filed a lawsuit, pointing the finger a...