Other than the giant buffalo head and lone hoof in a wall, the Wild Buffalo is almost unrecognizable, completely transformed for the Bellingham Exit festival.
Entering the live music venue (now the The Nest Stage) feels like entering a forest.
Stripped branches line the walls and leafless trees appear to grow out of the bar counter. Teeny-tiny birds of a variety of colors are tucked into nooks and crannies, and bark from large cedar trees has been wrapped around interior columns. LED lights sparkle like glowing stars, man-made hornet nests hang from an alcove, and bird nests of varying sizes are placed throughout the room.
There are a couple hundred bird nests and at least 100 birds, said Bellingham TheatreWorks co-founder and Western Washington University theater professor Mark Kuntz.
Hired by Festival Director Hunter Motto, Kuntz worked with a team of fellow creatives and volunteers for about a month to bring to life the temporary nature-themed art installations at the Wild Buffalo, The Blue Room (which is hosting the Moon Emporium Stage) and The Shakedown (the site of the Mush Room Stage). The music, art and comedy event is taking place at 16 venues throughout downtown Bellingham through Oct. 15.
“What Hunter said to me was that when we enter the room, we want to exit Bellingham, we want to leave and have a totally different experience,” Kuntz said. “I think we aced that part.”
Kuntz made all the bird nests himself out of wheat grass, twigs and branches, he said, noting the ones with lights in them are more “suggestions” of nests. One week he made as many as 40 nests a day at a warehouse in Ferndale — where the bulk of the work was done in advance of the festival.
He is pleased with the results of his team’s efforts at all three venues, and is interested to see how people react to the installations — and to the new festival itself.
“It’s trying to, I think, celebrate the arts in a less conventional way,” he said. “And there are such of range of choices — everything from stand-up comedy to a drag show to every kind of music possible.”
With so much to hear and see throughout the course of the weekend — including nightly shows at the Wild Buffalo, many of them double-headers — Kuntz said he plans to pop into as many venues as he can while time allows. And, when Monday comes, he’ll be back at the Buff to systematically deconstruct what was so painstakingly put together.
As a longtime theater professional and set designer, he’s used to the takedown. Some of the props, he said, have previously been used for other creative collaborations and likely will be again.
“You can’t get emotionally attached to the little birds,” he said, laughing.
All-access passes still available
On the sidewalk outside of the Wild Buffalo on opening day, Forrest Templin, in charge of marketing for the festival, said approximately 100 all-access passes remained to the festival as of Oct. 11.
Templin encouraged those who want to attend multiple events to purchase a pass, as it ensures they won’t miss their favorite band or comedian. He also pointed out they’d even be able to get into sold-out shows, such as Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway on Oct. 14 at the Wild Buffalo, as 50 percent of the tickets have been set aside for pass-holders.
Templin said single tickets are likely going to sell more quickly than they expected, and judging by the sold-out kickoff party earlier this week at Make.Shift Art Space, it’s looking as if the first Bellingham Exit is going to be a success.
Bellingham Exit takes place Oct. 11–15. Tickets are $99 for a pass to all of the comedy shows, $225 for a multi-day pass to all shows, and $325–$425 for VIP tickets. Single tickets can also be purchased, and free shows take place throughout the week. Info: bellinghamexit.com.
