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Dick’s Broadway Block Party: Legendary Seattle drive-in plans 60th anniversary party on Capitol Hill

(Image courtesy Dick's Drive-In)

(Image courtesy Dick’s Drive-In)

(Image: Alex Crick for CHS)

(Image: Alex Crick for CHS)

To celebrate 60 years in Seattle, Dick’s Drive-In is throwing a free block party in front of its Broadway restaurant on September 8 that will feature six local bands. While the line-up remains a secret (hmmm, remember how that worked out last time?), CHS learned that Wednesday night’s Macklemore and Ryan Lewis video shoot was a warm-up show, of sorts — the duo were originally floated for September’s 60th anniversary party.

Saul Spady, whose grandfather Dick Spady started the family burger chain in 1954, told CHS that the Seattle duo came to Dick’s six months a few weeks ago to ask about doing a store-front shoot for their “White Walls” video. Spady, who was in the early stages of planning Dick’s 60th anniversary party, had a better idea. “I told them, ‘how about you do it on the roof?'”

With this weekend set to feature the 17th annual Capitol Hill Block Party that closes down E Pike and turns it into a music festival, the Dick’s party later this summer will close off the 100 block of Broadway E and is slated to go from noon to 11 PM. While Mackelmore and Lewis are (officially) off the bill, the massive turnout during the “White Walls” shoot “definitely” boosted Dick’s cause to attract big name local artists.

“The idea is to have six local bands that would each sell out Neumos,” he said. “We can have a block party that won’t cost $160 to get in.”

Dick’s Drive-In will be providing the food and alcohol may be served, according to a permit filed with the city.

Spady said he proposed that the duo play the Dick’s upcoming anniversary party and shoot the video during the show. Unfortunately, Spady said the artist’s schedule is full September but Macklemore liked the idea of shooting on the roof. The video shoot wasn’t confirmed with Dick’s until three weeks ago, Spady said.

The Broadway Dick’s opened in 1955 and was the burger joint’s second location after opening in Wallingford one year earlier. The Broadway building has remained essentially unchanged since it opened.

Dick’s is holding various types of celebrations at its five other locations, including a 60th anniversary celebration on January 28th in Queen Anne. Dick’s also launched an online memory book that has garnered over 100 submissions.

But you probably can’t expect the Broadway Dick’s to become a regular venue for music in the next 60 years — the bar has been set pretty high.

“If any Seattle artist gets three number one singles in a year, they can play the Dick’s roof,” Spady said. “That’s the new standard.”

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[…] this summer, CHS talked with the Spadys about the big anniversary. “The idea is to have six local bands that would each sell out Neumos,” he said. “We can […]

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