As previously mentioned, Sub Pop has been planning a little party for their 20th anniversary. Rumors circulate, but now, Sub Pop has made an official announcement. From their press release:

In unabashedly conspicuous celebration of 20 years of not going out of business (sometimes only barely), Seattle’s Sub Pop Records will gather past and present label-mates for a series of events, including a two-day festival at Marymoor Park on July 12 & 13 and a comedy show on July 11 at Seattle’s Moore Theatre. Proceeds from the sale of tickets will go to support beneficiaries of each participating act’s choosing. Tickets go on sale April 26 at 12 PM Pacific at SubPop.com and all Ticketmaster locations.

Confirmed performers include Iron & Wine, Kiwi comedy/rock duo Flight of the Conchords and influential grunge band Green River will make a reunion. Performers for the comedy show include Patton Oswalt, Eugene Mirman, Todd Barry and surprise guests. Sub Pop promises more performer announcements in the coming months as well as special guests.

Tickets go on sale and noon Pacific, April 26th at Subpop.com, Ticketmaster.com or by calling (206) 628-0888. And they’re not even that expensive. Early discount tickets will cost $30 for a one-day pass, $50 for two days; prices will increase to $35 and $60 respectively after May 10th. Comedy show tickets are $20 and available starting the same day and via the same venues. A full list of confirmed bands performing after the jump.
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With all the ballyhoo about Sub Pop’s 20th Anniversary, it’s nice to see one of the bands that made Sub Pop SUB POP are still around and doing well. Today, Synthesis Editor Ryan “Daddy” Prado handed me a copy of Mudhoney’s forthcoming album The Lucky Ones, and it’s pretty damn good. In fact, it sounds like something that would’ve been put out by the label 20 years ago. It’s fuzzy and sloppy and probably hasn’t even caught whiff of Pro-Tools.

Mudhoney’s previous two albums for Sub Pop, Since We’ve Become Translucent and Under a Billion Suns were much more expansive in sound and scope with both albums featuring songs that incorporated a horn section. Both albums were nice pieces of psychedelic hard rock, even if they didn’t garner much attention, but you won’t find much of that here. The Lucky Ones is just filthy Seattle grunge done by the guys who’d done it best. The album’s due in stores May 20th.

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