Bellingham's Music Magazine
Since 1998
Bellingham's Music Magazine
Since 1998
The third annual NW Harvest Fest took place in Bow and the location was about as good as it gets, with natural features including a pond stocked with fish, lush vegetation, and tons of great spots to camp. Not to … Continue reading
It was a summer show in Bellingham, which means, regrettably, a lot of people missed out on a fantastic show. Seeing (formerly local band) Keaton Collective for the first time I was expecting some kind of tame indie band, but … Continue reading
Awesome shows are a great thing to behold, but when people can gather to enjoy a night of music to support a good cause it’s just that much sweeter. That’s exactly what happened Saturday, Aug. 23 at The Make.Shift as … Continue reading
On one of the most beautiful weekends of the summer I was thrilled to have the opportunity to volunteer at the Make.Shift Block Party, an annual fundraiser event supports Make.Shift and all of the art and music it helps bring … 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
march 23 • make.shift The jury is still out, but it’s possible that this show suffered slightly from college students leaving town early for spring break. Nonetheless, the crowd of 25 or so people remained enthusiastic throughout all four bands’ … Continue reading
Nov. 22 Wild Buffalo Meat Puppets. Just… visualize that for a second… Now, imagine what seeing The Meat Puppets, in the flesh, would be like. This iconic band of Meat Puppets have been touring the world since 1986 – before … Continue reading
Dec. 5 The Shakedown This night at the Shakedown was all about upping the ante, being louder than the band that played before. Of course, the bar was set pretty high with an opening set by the skinny, shirtless Portland … Continue reading
Dec. 27 Cabin Tavern The Cabin has been establishing itself as the go to place for punk rock and bringing in one of the all time legendary punk bands, M.D.C. will do nothing but enhance that image. Everett band Anticulture … Continue reading
Dec. 14 The Shakedown Unfortunately, Bellingham’s favorite bar owner’s birthday only comes once a year. I say unfortunately, because somehow Hollie Huthman (the co-owner of the Shakedown) always manages to book the best bands in the Pacific Northwest for her … Continue reading
The Offshoots get meta-physical in the rockin’ quantum world with their second full-length album String Theory. Their sound defies the laws of physics – each particle performing wave functions of groovy good time rock and roll introducing paradoxes to the … Continue reading
Boris Budd is a champion of the Bellingham scene and a true American rocker, his musical efforts have manifested into a killer new full-length album, Emotional Drone. No holding back in this one, Budd takes on political and societal issues … 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
Apartment Kids Soft Gamma Repeater Self Released apartmentkids.bandcamp.com Every so often, a truly brilliant record emerges from the Bellingham music scene. A recording that stand above the rest – both in songwriting and sound. A recording that sounds professional, not … Continue reading
Minor Plains Starfish Prime Self Released facebook.com/MinorPlains “This isn’t what you twist your hips to.” The Mars Volta, Fall of Troy (r.i.p.), Minus the Bear, all have heard that accusation. And while it does matter, that hardly means those bands, … Continue reading
Fictions Sleep Right b/w Blank City Self Released facebook.com/abandnamedfictions The new split digital single by Fictions is fantastic little pop gem and another example of why this town is awesome – there’s always a new band coming along making great … Continue reading
Topless Spirit Bomb 11 Self Released facebook.com/T0PLESS “Only eat with the people that you starve with/Only run with the people you walk with,” spits vocalist Zach Barlow over the title track on Topless’s latest album, Spirit Bomb II. Just writing … Continue reading
The Muscle Relaxers Little Heart Self Released Languagearts101.bandcamp.com Bedrooms are quiet places we recede to in order to escape everyone else’s version of the world and create our own. They are where our own ideals for living can be realized. … Continue reading
Mr. Feelgood and The Firm Believers Self titled Self Released reverbnation.com/mrfeelgoodandthefirmbelievers Mr. Feelgood and the Firm Believers released their first album packed with feel-good jams and music that gives people good reason to believe. This is consciousness music. The sounds … Continue reading
Dinofour and Brix A Blink of an Eye Self Released dinofour.bandcamp.com/ I had the distinct please of reviewing the EP A Blink of and Eye from from Dinofour and Brix. It is both smooth and powerful with some very tight … Continue reading
Galapagos Symposium Self Released galapagosband.bandcamp.com Symposium, the debut album from Galapagos, features four 10-minute crazy-inventive-bewildering epics that fly well beyond the horizons of any genre you’d try to place it under. This music is incredible. You’ve got the keys, guitar, … Continue reading
Dad Jazz Exitpoint Stallion Self Released dadjazz.bandcamp.com First things first. Dad Jazz are pros when it comes to naming things. They should really consider opening a titling consulting agency and have people who struggle with the task of naming things … Continue reading
Luc DeSio When You Read Slow Death Masa Records masarecords.bandcamp.com DeSio’s latest release was through Masa Records, a self-described D.I.Y. label that has released records from a plethora of great Pacific Northwest bands including Bellingham’s own Go Slowpoke, Lands Farther … Continue reading
VR Trainers Image Self Released vrtrainers.bandcamp.com If sparseness is what you’re looking for, look away. “Image,” the sixth VR Trainers release since 2010 is dense, frenetically so. Describing VR Trainers as an electronic project would be simplifying things a bit. … Continue reading
Westsound Recording Co. Tiny Versions Westsound Recording Co. westsound.bandcamp.com This was recorded live to two track tape, and lacks some of the polish and balance of other Westsound recordings, but there are still incredible moments to be had. The title … Continue reading
The Lumpkins Problems & Flames Strayney Music lumpkins.bandcamp.com This record made me sad. Not sad in the connecting-with-loss-stuffed-deep-inside kind of way, but sad in a no-money-no-future-no-sense-old-hat kind of way. Good whiskey-drinking music I reckon, and I suppose that is what … Continue reading
First things first: I like The Banana Split EP – It’s a split that really grows on ya by Otto and Noise Toys. It’s also one that I was really excited to hear, since I hadn’t heard any non-live recordings … Continue reading
Hillary Susz & Tommy Trzcynski What Mouths Are Made For Self Released hillarysusz.bandcamp.com Hillary Susz is a singer/songwriter from Spokane and graduate of Western Washington University. With influences such as Neko Case, Lauryn Hill, and Radiohead, she teamed up with … Continue reading
Girl Guts, Caparza, Ol’ Doris, Death by Steamship I-5 Series, Volume One Whoa! Boat Records whoaboatrecords.com Volume One of the 1-5 Series, released by Whoa! Boat Records, documents the ties that bind Bellingham and its larger sibling that resides 90 … Continue reading
Kyle Vest Obsession Self Released facebook.com/vestkyle One thing is clear from the ominous piano sample and thundering trumpets on the opening track “Music is my Life” from his album “Obsession”, Kyle Vest means business. Hailing from Idaho, the Bellingham resident … Continue reading
Lucky Mystery Now Orchestra Lucky Mystery Now Westsound Recording Co. westsound.bandcamp.com/album/lucky-mystery-now This is what the doctor prescribes for the coming months, sweet funk for the soul. Seriously, it will help keep your spirits up as the wind and rain sets … Continue reading