Bellingham's Music Magazine
Since 1998
Bellingham's Music Magazine
Since 1998
May 2• the mini On a rainy evening on May 2, local house show provider The Mini was filled to the brim to celebrate the release of Bellingham fixture Candysound’s eagerly awaited full-length LP. With new songs in their arsenal … Continue reading
may 9 • wild buffalo I have narrowly missed seeing both Fresh Espresso and Flavr Blue in the past and have regretted it, so I made a point of putting this show on my calendar and showing up at the … Continue reading
by Russ Riviere I know the only buzzard poetry It’s a song from the skies you can only hear it if you know one of us guys It lulls me to sleep and it keeps me up You can only … Continue reading
by Brianna Kuplent The smell of dandelions, buttercups, and other pungent flowers in the tall grass steeped like tea in the dense, warm air as Paddy Moran, Ian Reed, Colleen Ames, and Joel Kenworthy – otherwise known as The Gypsters … Continue reading
Manatee Commune Brush Self Released manateecommune.bandcamp.com Manatee Commune’s debut album, Brush, synthesizes sounds to escalate you above the clouds. The EDM chill-wave masterpiece takes you to a higher plane where you auditory senses overload with serene frequencies and atmospheric vibrations, … Continue reading
The Hashtronaut Blockheaded Self Released thehashtronaut.bandcamp.com Local hip hop artist The Hashtronaut, also known as Hash Adams, teamed up with beat engineer Blockhead for his latest full length release, Blockheaded. The epic 25-track album is a wide ranging masterful combination … Continue reading
A.I. Heavy Steps Self Released aiband.bandcamp.com Heavy steps is a figurative term for big decisions and/or progress through determination. Taken literally, it’s a term for stomping. Sometimes stomping is a product of anger. Other times it’s elation. Often, it’s both … Continue reading
The Drugs The DRxgs Self Released http://drxs.bandcamp.com The Drugs’ first LP The DRxgs has nothing to hide. Behind biting noise and natural distortion, lead singer and songwriter, Nic Keefe, strains his voice to a maniacal extreme. Imagine if Adam Duritz … Continue reading
Duane King is one awesome dude. He’s been around for a while, entertaining the world for years, you may have even seen him before as Johnny Depp’s lawyer in the film ‘Blow’. His new album Broke Music has got all … Continue reading
Illa Belorukov I Did What Was Possible to Quiet Us Self Released Spectropol Records Listening through I Did What Was Possible to Quiet Us by Ilia Belorukov (on Bellingham’s Spectropol Records) was an interesting experience to say the very least. … Continue reading
april 20 • house show On April 20 I made the trek up to a special holiday house show to see Rubix Shoes and to celebrate my own religious tradition of getting my face rocked off as often as possible. … Continue reading
april 11 • green frog Peter Case’s show at the Green Frog on April 11 began with “Put Down The Gun,” whose soft, finger-picked guitar make one think of driving on a sunny day in search of the “hiding place” … Continue reading
april 10 • the underground It’s Road to Rockstar time again. KISM 92.9 FM, Checkmate Music and What’s Up! Magazine bring local Bellingham bands to the stage to compete and over several weeks the crowd narrows the competing bands down … Continue reading
april 4 • swillery Before it was the Swillery Whiskey bar, or Tubbs, it was the Three Trees Coffee House. In high school, we’d go there for open mic nights to listen to artists swoon between sips of coffee and … Continue reading
april 5 • the shakedown Opening up this epic show were Tacos, which features ex-Sugar Sugar Sugar drummer Lupe Flores, along with Don Stewart on guitar. I’d been exposed to the two-piece through their live set on KEXP, which made … Continue reading
by Lucas Hicks “Beste bat! Beste bat!!”, the crowd in Donostia-San Sebastian chanted. One month in the Basque Country had given me an understanding of a small handful of words and phrases in Basque: I knew how to order wine, … Continue reading
During the last week of May, we celebrate one of Bellingham’s main music photographers Kevin Lowdon. The gallery show is a culmination of his two years shooting photos in the Bellingham music scene and part of his senior project at … Continue reading
Five years ago this June, Bellingham lost two of its most colorful and talented characters, Gunther Frank and Sean “Donnkie” Mansfield. They made their mark on Bellingham in their own ways – Donnkie was a celebrated snowboarder, while Gunther spent … Continue reading
by Cait Auer Going to a music concert automatically incorporates all of our senses. Bodies buzz from beats, a spotlight’s gleam bounces into the dimly lit audience, and the energy grows with every set. Local artist Casey Scalf, 23, takes … Continue reading
by Cait Auer Have you ever craved the sensation of racing on a motorcycle while reaching record-breaking speeds? Are you a believer in human perseverance? Do you have a dream that is waiting to turn into a reality? Out Of … Continue reading
by Raleigh Davis When you first meet Scumeating you might be taken aback. With a name that conjures images of filth and debauchery one might expect the same from its members. But imagine the surprise felt upon the realization that … Continue reading
Br’er Rabbit The Wild North Self Released www.brerrabbitmusic.com Every once in a while you find a band that makes you feel inspired and reminds you why you loved music to begin with. They can make you laugh, make you dance, … Continue reading
Scumeating Moist on the Inside Self Released facebook.com/scumeating When trying to think of a physical manifestation of the music brought forth on Scum Eating’s new release, Moist on the Inside, the image that comes to mind is a wall of … Continue reading
Lil The Space Between Spectropol Records spectropol.com A sense of both wonderment and foreboding come creeping up your spine while listening to The Space Between, the new release from artist LIL, on Bellingham’s Spectropol Records. If there was background chatter … Continue reading
Misty Flowers Hillbilly Livin’ Self Released facebook.com/mistyflowers “Livin’ high has its share of ups and downs like two hundred stairs, but love and life is rare, and love is real when shared.” Like lyrics heard in Misty Flowers’ newest album’s … Continue reading
Jesus Chris and Lokeye The Electric Next Mixtape Self Released lokeye.bandcamp.com What do you get when you mix a little future funk with a handful of psychadelia and a heaping helping of hip-hop? Bake at 420° F for about 35 … Continue reading
Spaceboy33 Fear and Loathing in the City of… Self Released spaceboy33.bandcamp.com The new album from Spaceboy33, Fear and Loathing in the City of Subdued Excitement, is electronic music full of synth tones and syncopated rhythms with obscure samples that any … Continue reading
The Shadytones Sold Out! Stone Cloud facebook.com/TheShadytones Since their inception, The Shadytones have become known locally for their unique combination of country and psychedelic rock – like Pink Floyd with a leaning towards the endearing tones of Willie Nelson. They … Continue reading
The Basque Rats Demo Self Released facebook.com/TheBasqueRats The Basque Rats are a three-piece hardcore punk band with influences ranging from d-beat/crossover acts such as Discharge as well as thrash metal; they’re one of the most fast and raw bands in … Continue reading
The Vonvettas Lucy and Jet Black Volume 1&2 Self Released • thevonvettasdownloads.bandcamp.com The 30-track double disc release by The Vonvettas, Lucy and the Jet Black Volume 1 and 2, has got all the classic songs you’d expect, and a lot … Continue reading
March 15 • loud house It was a drizzly night as show attendees made their way to the Loud House for a night of all Seattle bands. The show began with SuperProjection. SuperProjection songs are slow and self-aware, each chord … Continue reading
March 15 • the fairhaven The stage was host to hip-hop musicians from across northwest Washington on Saturday night for the Fairhaven’s Grand Opening weekend in the newly re-opened restaurant, bar and venue. Eli Hotep started the night with genuine, … Continue reading
feb. 26• mt. baker theatre It is no surprise that the show Ani DiFranco played at the Mount Baker Theatre was packed full of strong willed women, folk enthusiasts and a few little babes. As the lights dimmed and we … Continue reading
March 23 • the shakedown The vibes were ambient at The Shakedown Sunday night, but there was a tinge of anticipation on most all faces being that Sleepy Sun would take stage later in the night, Big Oil started off … Continue reading
march 15 • the swillery The night was alive at The Swillery, the debut of Chunky Wonder’s new EP, The Tune Pack, was unveiled with killer performances by talented L.A. funk-soul singer Steven Roth and the almighty Noise Toys. Chunky … Continue reading
march 9 • wild buffalo Acorn Productions and Bassdrop Music are notorious for bringing the party and they once again lived up to the hype with this show on this sleepy Sunday. Rolling into Bellingham off of a mini tour … Continue reading
march 14 • cabin tavern The four bands on this bill could only be a better match for one another if they shared members. Since the bands’ homes span three different states, it is pretty safe to say that anyone … Continue reading
march 14 • alternative library The Alternative Library has become a mecca for diy all ages shows – last Friday’s “Goth” themed performance felt like a lost episode of MTV Unplugged. The show began with Tyson Ballew and Caitlin Roberts … Continue reading
by Thomas Deakin Robert Sarazin Blake is a man of respect. He respects his craft, respects his comrades (David Pender Lofgren and myself), he respects the history of places, the quality of things, and by extension respects his hanging clothes. … Continue reading
by Mike Roe In this age of YouTube and iTunes, anyone with a laptop and headphones can be a producer, and the ability to use two rhyming words in a sentence makes you an emcee. With this oversaturation in the … Continue reading