We’ve got one new headliner for the fair, three new places to see music and a bunch of neat local releases to talk about this week. We’re just on the edge of summer and all the fun outdoor music that brings to this area.
News
Big and Rich is the final headliner for the Northwest Washington Fair. The country duo play on Aug. 19 and tickets are on sale now.
The Wednesday jazz series at Bar Cicotti has begun. It’s hard to imagine a more elegant musical experience than listening to jazz in the courtyard of the Lightcatcher Building.
Music is also back at the Beach Store Cafe on Lummi Island. This is one of my favorite small venues in the area and it’s great to hear the new owners are starting up with shows again.
Sunday afternoon concerts have also kicked back into action at Gilkey Square in La Conner. Catch the Margaret Wilder Band there Sunday, June 5.
New album roundup
Zomi the Homie just released “Good Grief,” an EP that mixes spoken poetry, hip-hop and R&B, all framed by a “five stages of grief” motif.
The Green Frogs won’t be around much longer, but they’ve documented their high-energy rock and roll on “Goodbye Happy Place” as a going-away treat.
Fans of dark country and Americana should check out “My Old Haunts” by Jubal Jake.
Picks of the week
Bob Fossil haven’t played in public for a little while but they have two shows this week: Kulshan Trackside on Wednesday, June 8, and Aslan Depot on Friday, June 10.
Spine Readers’ adventurous approach to vintage rock sounds makes them one of my favorite local groups. They’re at the Blue Room on Wednesday. (Conflict of interest disclosure: I’m in one of the opening bands.)
The Wild Buffalo hosts two big electronic dance parties, OAKK on Wednesday and Kill the Noise on Saturday, June 11.
Folk music fans can just hang out at Boundary all night on Thursday, with the Devilies playing a happy hour show and The Wandering Seas and Meg Yates playing later.
The Sheen celebrate the release of their new album, Holocene Rolodex, with a show at the Shakedown on Saturday.
Pony Hunt brings “cosmic doo-wop” all the way from New Orleans to the Honey Moon on Sunday, June 12.
The Sweet Goodbyes head to the Guemes Island General Store for a Saturday, June 11, concert. Take a short ferry ride from Anacortes to hear the Bellingham-based folk duo of Amber Darland (right) and Lisa Harmon bring their intricate melodies to life. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Brooks Photography)
Live music calendar
Wednesday, June 8
Bar Cicotti: 6 p.m., Connor Helms & Anissa Caprina (jazz)
Blue Room: 9 p.m., Spine Readers, The Wyrds, Worldwide Levitation (rock)
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
Kulshan Trackside: 7 p.m., Bob Fossil, The Dawn Bombs (rock)
Rockfish: 6 p.m., Cody Joe Hodges (country)
Sylvia Center: 7 p.m., Tor Dietrichson Quartet (jazz)
Thirsty Badger: 7 p.m., Open Mic
Wild Buffalo: 8 p.m., OAKK, Korra the Kid, OOC, Frubbles (electronic)
Thursday, June 9
Beach Store Cafe: 6 p.m., Soul Drift
Blue Room: 6 p.m., Open Mic
Boundary: 5 p.m., The Devilies (Irish/folk), 8 p.m. The Wandering Seas, Meg Yates (folk)
Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Ivan Sandomire
Twin Sisters: 6 p.m., Nakos and Katie (bluegrass)
That’s What I Like: 6 p.m, J.P. Falcon and Friends (folk/rock)
Wild Buffalo: 9 p.m., Goodnight, Texas, with Kyle Findley-Meier (roots rock)
Friday, June 10
Aslan: 8 p.m. Bob Fossil
Beach at Birch Bay: 6 p.m., Wicked Timing (acoustic covers)
Beach Store Cafe: 6 p.m., Sweetheart of the Rodeo (country)
Bertelsen Winery: 6 p.m., Jamie O’Neal, Jessica Lynn Witty
Blue Room: 9 p.m., YT Suns, John Thomas, Butta Muzik
Big Rock Woolley Market: 7 p.m., Whitewing Duo (soul/ blues/R&B)
Birdsview: 6 p.m., Jack Parker
Boundary: 6 p.m., Diego Romero (blues/funk)
Brown Lantern: 9 p.m., Savage Blues Band
Fireside: 7 p.m., Young Kidz
Greene’s Corner: 7 p.m., KidSax Ensemble (jazz)
Honey Moon: 8 p.m., I Love You Avalanche
Lighthouse: 7:30 p.m., TBA (jazz/lounge)
Shakedown: 9 p.m., The Sheen, Kamikaze Nurse, Ceras (rock)
Silver Reef: 8 p.m., Hell’s Belles (AC/DC tribute)
Skylark’s: 5 p.m., Steve Webb (folk/soul/reggae)
Thirsty Badger: 8 p.m., Michael Dayvid (acoustic covers)
Twin Sisters: 6 p.m., Joe Sunderland (singer-songwriter)
Vault: 7 p.m., Dick and Jane
Saturday, June 11
Beach at Birch Bay: 4 p.m., Anti Shock (hard rock)
Big Rock Woolley Market: 7 p.m., Corey Vincent (blues/folk)
Birdsview: 6 p.m., For What It’s Worth (classic rock)
Boundary: 1 p.m., The Makedonians (Balkan folk)
Conway Muse: 9 p.m., Mama Dirty Skirt (classic rock)
Fireside: 3:30 p.m., Singers’ Saturday
Guemes Island General Store: 6:30 p.m., The Sweet Goodbyes (folk)
Jansen Arts Center: 7:30 p.m., Giant’s Causeway (Celtic folk)
Lighthouse: 7:30 p.m., TBA (jazz/lounge)
Pioneer Park (Ferndale): 6 p.m., The Walrus (classic rock)
Rockfish: 7:30 p.m., Mark Dufresne (blues)
Schweinhaus: 8 p.m., Moose Almighty, Spunj (jam rock)
Shakedown: 9 p.m., Fossil Fire, King Youngblood, The Stillvettas (rock)
Skylark’s: 5 p.m., J.P. Falcon
Thirsty Badger: 8 p.m., Eddie and the Cruisers (classic rock and roll)
Wild Buffalo: 8:15 p.m., Kill the Noise, HEIRZ, Pathos (electronic)
Sunday, June 12
Beach at Birch Bay: 1 p.m., Little Big Band (classic rock)
Culture Cafe: 7 p.m., Open Mic
Gilkey Square (La Conner): 1 p.m., Margaret Wilder Band (blues/rock)
Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Pony Hunt, Devin Champlin (folk)
Kulshan: 5 p.m., The Devilies
Old Edison: 5:30 p.m., Pacific Twang (country)
Skylark’s: 1 p.m., Cheryl Hodge & Jan Peters (jazz/blues)
Wild Buffalo: Haley Johnsen, Wolfchild, Sophie Dorsten (pop)
Monday, June 13
Firehouse: 5:30 p.m., Mark Kelly and Mark Ashworth (jazz)
Kulshan: 6 p.m., Crimson Skye (singer-songwriter)
Tuesday, June 14
Aslan: 8 p.m., Jazz Night
Beach at Birch Bay: 6:30 p.m., Open Mic
Boundary: 3:30 p.m., Out of the Ashes, 6 p.m., Paul Klein on piano
Farmstrong: 6:30 p.m., The Chris Eger Band (blues/rock)
Kulshan Trackside: 6 p.m., Cardova (funk/soul)
Mount Baker Theatre: 7 p.m., The Indigo Girls
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.
