The Anacortes Music Project (AMP) is a nonprofit that exists to develop and promote music in Anacortes. It does this in an impressive range of ways: an online radio station, a podcast, an instrument-lending library and summer music camps for kids, among others. It even sponsors a youth battle of the bands. (Side note: we need one of these in Bellingham! Who can make it happen?)
AMP’s Show Chime online newsletter is a vital resource for keeping up with music in the region. This weekend, the organization hosts its flagship festival, AMP Fest. From noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, Anacortes’ Seafarers’ Memorial Park will come alive to the sounds of a wide range of genres.
Catch country-rock singer-songwriter Randy Weeks at 1:30 p.m., experimental indie rockers Neesha Blanchett at 4:30 p.m., or foot-stomping rock ‘n’ roll from the Enthusiasts at 6:30 p.m.
In general, the veterans are on earlier, and the later part of the show is devoted to newer, younger bands such as Metanoia, Sun//Aram, Young Hunks and Collins’ Beach. As you might expect, there will be food trucks and a beer garden, so you can easily make a day of it. They also promise “juggling and bubbles,” so you know it’s going to be a good time.
As an organization, AMP’s next big goal is finding a dedicated physical space to host educational programs. Tickets to the festival are a bargain at $20 for the day, and money raised goes toward helping find and fund that space. (A $50 family rate is also available.)
In general, it’s a big weekend for festivals. Besides the AMP Fest, you can also head to the Lookout Arts Quarry Sept. 2–4 for the Sh’Bang Festival for a wide blend of live music and arts experiences. Or head to the Deming Log Show Grounds for the North Cascades Bluegrass Festival featuring The Special Consensus, Blue Canyon Boys and Stillhouse Junkies, among many others.
If you can’t commit to a festival and are looking for a more low-key way to check out some intriguing music, the First Friday and Art Walk busking program is back this week. As you make your way around town checking out the art from 6–10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, keep an ear open for some neat live music, especially the Hot Club-style swing of Lulu Swing. Check downtownbellingham.com before you head out to find performance locations.
Local jazz/blues/Americana/ragtime weirdos Hot Damn Scandal have a new album, “Live From the Apocalypse.” They will celebrate its release with a show on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Boundary Bay, featuring like-minded acts Three for Silver and Shpilkis.
Live music listings
Wednesday, Aug. 31
Bar Cicotti: 6 p.m., Jerry Steinhilber Trio (jazz)
Big Stick BBQ: 5 p.m., Michael Dayvid (acoustic covers)
Boundary: 6 p.m., Aaron Guest on piano
Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Open Mic
Juxt: 8:30 p.m., Invitational Open Mic
Rockfish: 6 p.m., Trish Hatley (jazz)
Thursday, Sept. 1
Blue Room: 6 p.m., Open Mic
Boundary: 5 p.m., Robert Sarazin Blake; 7 p.m., Hot Damn Scandal, Three for Silver, Shpilkis
Farmstrong: 6:30 p.m., Dream Goats (folk)
Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Jazz Jam
Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., Lemon Creek (female-centric rock covers)
Kulshan Trackside: 7 p.m., Louis Ledford, Marlo Mudd (folk)
Thirsty Badger: 7 p.m., Open Mic
That’s What I Like: 6 p.m., J.P. Falcon Grady (rock/folk/blues)
Wild Buffalo: 9 p.m., Glitchlette (electronic), Where’s the Exit? (rock), Cat Valley (rock)
Friday, Sept. 2
Aslan: 8 p.m., B.J. Block Trio (funk/jazz)
Bellewood: 6 p.m., Backwoods Hucksters
Blue Room: 9 p.m., Madrona, Orange
Boundary: 6 p.m., Badd Dogg Blues SocietyComfort Band, Maumaumau (rock)
Birdsview: 6 p.m., Tom Mullin
Boundary: 6 p.m., Badd Dogg Blues Society
DownTime: 7 p.m., J.P. Falcon
FireHouse: 7 p.m., Tony McManus (Celtic)
Fireside: 7 p.m., Jeffrey Slough
Greene’s Corner: 6:30 p.m., Doug Allen
Honey Moon: 8 p.m., David Dondero, Cat Positive (singer-songwriter)
Main Street: 9 p.m., Mutiny Bay (hard rock covers)
Shakedown: 9 p.m., Holy Wave, Vinyl Williams, Laguna Largo (rock)
Skylark’s: 5 p.m., Rick Allyn (acoustic rock/blues)
Stones Throw: 6 p.m., High Mountain String Band (bluegrass)
Vault: 7 p.m., Louis Ledford (folk)
Wild Buffalo: 8:30 p.m., Clinton Fearon, guests (reggae)
WinkWink: 7 p.m., LipStitch, The Hobby (pop/punk)
Saturday, Sept. 3
Blue Room: 9 p.m., Dank Zavala, Dai2Dai, many others (hip-hop)
Birdsview: 6 p.m., Queen’s Bluegrass
Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Joe Cook Blues Band
Fireside: 3:30 p.m., Singers’ Saturday
Gateway1890: 7:30 p.m., Adrian Clarke
Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., Anna P.S. (indie folk)
Guemes Island General Store: 6:30 p.m., Clinton Fearon (reggae)
Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Artful Dodger (roots rock)
Kulshan Sunnyland: 5 p.m., The Devillies (Irish folk)
Kulshan Trackside: 3 p.m., Sweater Weather String Band
Make.Shift: 5 p.m., Book of Shred, Where’s the Exit?, Laguna Largo (rock)
Rockfish: 7:30 p.m., Children of the Blues
Semiahmoo: 6 p.m., Brie Mueller
Skylark’s: 5 p.m., Badd Dogg Blues Society
Station 49: 5 p.m., Little Big Band (classic rock)
Thirsty Badger: 8 p.m., Michael Dayvid
Wild Buffalo: 7 p.m., The Walrus (classic rock)
Sunday, Sept. 4
Beach at Birch Bay: 1 p.m., Southbound (country)
Birdsview: 4 p.m., Garrett Hendricks
Culture Cafe: 7 p.m., Open Mic
Gilkey Square (La Conner): 1 p.m., Mama Dirty Skirt (classic rock)
Kulshan Sunnyland: 5 p.m., The Devilies (Irish/folk)
Old Edison: 5:30 p.m., Randy Weeks and the Silent Treatment
Paws For A Beer: 3 p.m., Michael Dayvid
Semiahmoo: 4 p.m., Jordyn Johnson
Station 49: 5 p.m., Jimmy Wright Band
Monday, Sept. 5
Boundary: 6 p.m., Sleepy Alligators (Grateful Dead covers)
Kulshan Sunnyland: 6 p.m., Daniel Kosel (country/rock/blues)
Station 49: 3 p.m., D’vas and Dudes (classic rock and pop)
Tuesday, Sept. 6
Beach at Birch Bay: 6:30 p.m., Open Mic
Boundary: 6 p.m., Paul Klein on piano
Schooner Zodiac: 6 p.m., Sweater Weather String Band (bluegrass)
Wednesday, Sept. 7
Kulshan Trackside: 6 p.m., Petty Or Not (Tom Petty/Fleetwood Mac tribute)
Before heading out to listen to live music, check with individual venues to make sure the event is still taking place as scheduled.
Jesse Stanton’s music column, The Beat Goes On, runs Wednesdays. Email: jsbhammusic@gmail.com or Twitter: @JSBhamMusic.
