JESSE’S PICKS

QWANQWA

8 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, The Shakedown, 1212 N. State St.

QWANQWA are on tour all the way from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and they’ll be at The Shakedown on Wednesday, May 8. They play a slightly rocked-up and psychedelicized version of Ethiopian folk and roots music, interweaving melodies on the violin and masinko (a traditional one-stringed fiddle) with rhythms from percussion and bass harp, then adding the powerful vocals of singer Selamnesh Zemene. Shows like these don’t come along every day, and I think this one has the potential to be pretty special. 

Gryf x Tryin’ x Lost Ox

8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9, Wild Buffalo, 208 W. Holly St.

Thursday, May 9 at the Wild Buffalo is like a regional summit of the jam band scene. Bellingham’s Glyf, Seattle’s Tryin’ and Portland’s Lost Ox all fit securely into that sound, so you can expect plenty of extended improvisations over groovy beats.

The Cardinales/Mariachi Festival

7 p.m. Friday, May 10, McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon

Skagit Valley College has its own mariachi ensemble, the Cardinales. On Friday, May 10 they are hosting their first ever mariachi festival in the college’s McIntyre Hall, joined by top groups from all over the area. 

Jay Irwin and the GP Sunsets

6–8 p.m. Saturday, May 11, Greene’s Corner, 2208 James St.

The EP by Jay Irwin and the GP Sunsets was one of my favorite local releases of last year, and it’s one of those recordings where I notice something new about it every time I listen. They’re at Greene’s Corner on Saturday, May 11 if you’re looking for a nice night of pizza and folk-rock. 

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LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Friday, May 3

• The Admiralty Loungeralty: 7 p.m., Free Harmony
• Aslan Depot: 8 p.m. BJ Block Trio (jazz/funk)
• Birdsview Brewing: 6 p.m., Undecided
• Bistro at Shuksan: 5 p.m., Thomas Harris Quartet (jazz)
• The Blue Room: 8 p.m., Chris McCarthy Quintet (jazz)
• Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Petunia and The Vipers (rockabilly/swing)
• Eagle Haven: 7 p.m., Michael Dayvid
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Jeffrey Slough
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., Marvin Johnson
• Jansen Art Center: 7:30 p.m., Earl Gray In The Morning (Celtic)
• Skagit Cellars: 6 p.m., Aloha Danny (folk)
• Skylark’s: 8 p.m., Sam and Ireland
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Bluegrass First Fridays
• Tokyo Monster: 5:30 p.m., Cheryl Hodge (jazz/blues)
• The Vault: 7 p.m., Luke Francis (folk/pop)
• Wild Buffalo: 9 p.m., Queen Mother (Queen tribute)

Saturday, May 4

• Birdsview Brewing: 6 p.m., Cascade Cody
• The Blue Room: 9 p.m., Lemon Bear, The Skellys, Bellflower
• Boundary Bay: 6 p.m., Hot Damn Scandal, The Hot Tomatoes
• Conway Muse: 8 p.m. Stardrums & Lady Keys
• Corner Taphouse: 7 p.m., Jupiter’s Trail 
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Jonas Myers (singer/songwriter/pianist)
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., Adrian Clark
• Jansen Art Center: 3 and 7:30 p.m., Jansen Jazz Orchestra (Latin jazz)
• Larrabee Lager Co.: 7 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
• Lincoln Theatre: 8 p.m., Pigs On The Wing (Pink Floyd tribute)
• Main Street: 7:30 p.m., Pure Halcyon, Stanton Yard, Galacticnorcinerator (rock)
• Old Edison: 8 p.m., Fanny Alger, Pavlov (rock)
• Rockfish: 7:30 p.m. Cozmic Sauce (funk/R&B)
• Skylark’s: 8 p.m., Anissa (jazz)
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Luke Francis 
• Tokyo Monster: 5:30 p.m., Cheryl Hodge (jazz/blues) 
• Wild Buffalo: 9 p.m., Kompany, Pacific Rem, Pathos, Ludicity (electronic)

Sunday, May 5

• The Admiralty Loungeralty: 6 p.m., Lucas Warford (cabaret folk)
• The Blue Room: 3 p.m., Serafima & The The Shakedowns, Mae Powell, the House Wrens
• Lincoln Theatre: 7 p.m., Villalobos Brothers
• Mount Baker Theatre: 3 p.m., Bellingham Symphony Orchestra
• Old Edison: 5:30 p.m. Ron Bailey & The Tangents
• Ono Kitchen: 3 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
• Paws for a Beer: 2 p.m., Michael Dayvid
• Ramble Tamble: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• The Shakedown: 8 p.m., Yellfire, Wipes, Slag Hive 
• Tokyo Monster: 4 p.m., Singers’ Sunday
• Wild Buffalo: 7:30 p.m., Las Cafeteras, Bilongo

Monday, May  6:

• The Shakedown: 8 p.m., Ossuary, Street Tombs, Maldisdeun (metal)

Tuesday, May 7

• Aslan Depot: 8 p.m., Jazz Night
• Menace Brewing: 7 p.m.,  Invitational Blues Jam
• Ono Kitchen: 7 p.m., Open Mic ft. Wild Hearts
• Tokyo Monster: 5:30 p.m., Marvin Johnson
• Underground Coffeehouse: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• Zeeks Pizza: 6 p.m., Open Mic

Wednesday, May 8

• Beach at Birch Bay: 6 p.m. Ron Hardt
• FireHouse Arts and Events Center: 6:30 p.m., Christian Casolary’s Transcendence Quartet (jazz)
• Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., Wild Hearts
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Open Mic
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m. Badd Dogg Blues
• Tokyo Monster: 5:30 p.m., Marvin Johnson
• The Shakedown: 8 p.m., QWANQWA, Devin Champlin

Thursday, May 9

• The Admiralty Loungeralty: 7 p.m., Tim Mechling & Hannah Wyatt
• Brown Lantern: 8:30 p.m., Open Mic
• Conway Muse: 6 p.m., Open Mic
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Pete Irving, Corwin Bolt
• The Shakedown: 9 p.m., SinNs, Flesh Produce, Spin Factory (electronic/pop)
• Thirsty Badger: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• That’s What I Like: 6 p.m, JP Falcon and Friends (folk/rock)
• Tokyo Monster: 5:30 p.m., Diane Leigh
• Wild Buffalo: 8:30 p.m., Glyf, Tryin’, Lost Ox
• Zeeks Pizza: 7 p.m., Blue Collar Grass Band

Friday, May 10

• Beach at Birch Bay: 6 p.m., Emery Road
• Bistro at Shuksan: 5 p.m., Thomas Harris Quartet (jazz)
• The Blue Room: 9 p.m., Hockey Teeth, Nick Mardon Trio, Frog Rocket  (rock)
• Conway Muse: 6 p.m., Alison Preisinger
• Corner Taphouse: 7 p.m., JP Valentine
• Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., Honey Ruckus & Sunny Joe
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., tribute to Douglas Stranger
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., Adrian Clark
• Make.Shift: 8 p.m., Beach Vacation, Porch Kiss, Back to the Loud (rock)
• McIntyre Hall: 7 p.m., Mariachi Festival
• The Shakedown: 8 p.m., Chris Pureka, Lo Pony 
• Skagit Cellars: 6 p.m., Jaden Oscar
• Skylark’s: 8 p.m., Rose and Joel
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., JP Falcon Grady
• Tokyo Monster: 5:30 p.m., Cheryl Hodge (jazz/blues)
• The Vault: 7 p.m., Darla Kendrick
• Wild Buffalo: 9 p.m., GayC/DC (tribute to AC/DC, but make it gay)

Saturday, May 11

• Beach at Birch Bay: 3 p.m., Emery Road
• Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., Jay Irwin & The GP Sunsets (folk/rock)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Stone Jones, Boris Budd, Bob Paltrow (singer-songwriters)
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., Blake Angelos
• Jansen Art Center: 7:30 p.m., Julianne Olson (musical theater)
• Larrabee Lager Co.: 7 p.m., SOL2
• The Shakedown: 9 p.m., Actress, Love So Deep, Energy Pyramid (rock)
• Skylark’s: 8 p.m., JP Falcon Grady
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Silent Cowboy
• Tokyo Monster: 5:30 p.m., Cheryl Hodge (jazz/blues) 

Sunday, May 12

• Littlefield Celtic Center: 3 p.m., Rachel Hair & Ron Jappy (traditional Scottish harp/guitar)
• Old Edison: 5:30 p.m., The Penny Stinkers
• Ono Kitchen: 3 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
• Ramble Tamble: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• The Shakedown: 8 p.m., Funeral Chant, MEM//BRANE, Noceur (metal/hardcore)
• Tokyo Monster: 4 p.m., Singers’ Sunday

Jesse Stanton's music column, The Beat Goes On, appears weekly. Reach him at jsbhammusic@gmail.com; @JSBhamMusic. Check with individual venues to make sure events are still taking place as scheduled. Live music events in Whatcom County: http://www.cascadiadaily.com/category/living/arts-and-entertainment/music/music-calendar