Don’t let the title of this piece fool you, every show I attended in 2024 was a favorite! For our purposes, though, I mainly chose artists that were new to me, while acknowledging a couple of longtime favorites. “Discovering” new music has been a powerful motivator for photographing shows for Parklife DC. As I become more enmeshed in the music scene in Bellingham, Washington, those opportunities to experience new musical artists have grown considerably.
After relocating to Bham in August 2022, I’ve settled into a fulfilling routine of finding and experiencing music of all kinds. I continue to learn about music venues around town, and look forward to frequenting others. And though Taylor Swift didn’t play Bellingham this year (our largest venue only seats 1,517), our “little city” vibe nonetheless attracts a caliber of musical talent and diversity that is big and impressive indeed. 2024 was a banner year for experiencing that variety. A few examples…
1 – Bellingham Exit Music and Arts Festival — 10/10-10/13/24
To start this list, I’ve included a few local musicians who appeared at the 2nd annual Bellingham Exit, a home-grown music and arts festival, that draws international acts (Bonny Light Horseman, Babe Rainbow, Joseph), as well as providing an essential platform for local/regional musicians. Experiencing Seattle’s Beautiful Freaks and Bellingham’s Cat Valley at Ritual Records in addition to watching local favorites Veronica North and Morgan McHugh perform at Mallard Ice Cream, was a tasty appetizer to the unlimited and delicious musical flavors to be found during Bellingham Exit.
“What do an ice cream shop, a singer-songwriter, and a punk band all have in common? Well, if you were in Bellingham this past weekend (Oct. 10-13), you’d know that all three (and more) were integral parts of the 2nd Annual Bellingham Exit, a music and arts festival featuring an extraordinary mix of music, comedy, visual arts, and interactive experiences.
The four-day festival transformed downtown Bellingham into a rich, immersive arts playground. Performances and art installations at the primary participating venues (Mount Baker Theatre, Wild Buffalo, The Shakedown, The Blue Room) were accompanied by free pop-up events at various bars, record stores, and yes, the aforementioned ice cream shop, Mallard. Breaking down barriers between art forms, the festival presented a rich palette of performances in artfully transformed music venues, curiosities in untraditional spaces, or comedy shows in unexpected locations.”
2 – Kendl Winter @ New Prospect Theatre — 3/3/24
I was introduced to Kendl’s playing when she performed with her Lowest Pair partner, Palmer T. Lee, in 2023. Her return to The New Prospect Theatre for a solo set in March was an opportunity to see her perform her sublime banjo mantras in a quiet, acoustically pristine setting.
“If you thought the banjo couldn’t produce soothing, meditative, hypnotic music, listen to how Kendl Winter plays that most American of stringed instruments. Appearing recently at Bellingham’s New Prospect Theatre to perform in anticipation of her newest release, Banjo Mantras (Delicata Records), out on March 15, Kendl held an enraptured audience in her palm throughout the evening.”
3 – Oleaje Flamenco @ The Blue Room — 1/6/24
I’d seen flamenco performed once or twice before, but Oleaje Flamenco’s appearance at Bellingham’s Blue Room presented a first-time opportunity to photograph this dramatic and energetic art form. The artistry and athleticism of the dancers was indeed breath-taking.
“I recently had the opportunity to attend a flamenco performance by Oleaje Flamenco, a Seattle, Washington-based dance company. Although Parklife DC rarely features dance performances, the artistic excellence and sheer power of flamenco guitar and dance matched any rock concert I’ve ever attended.”
4 – Charlotte Cornfield opening Bonny Light Horseman @ Wild Buffalo House of Music — 10/13/24
Charlotte Cornfield’s opening set for Bonny Light Horseman was a wonderful surprise during the Bellingham Exit Arts and Music Festival in October. A gifted singer-songwriter and another of Canada’s numerous best kept secrets, Cornfield’s music was new to me despite the fact that she’s been performing since 2008.
“Toronto-based Charlotte Cornfield opened the evening with a 40-minute set drawn largely from her 2023 release, Could Have Done Anything (Double Double Whammy). Alternating between electric guitar and keyboards, Cornfield’s deceptively simple melodies contrasted with imagery-rich lyrics delivered with sweet honesty and playful wit.”
5 – Hot Tuna @ Lincoln Theatre (Mt. Vernon, WA) — 9/19/24
Hot Tuna’s principles, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady are two of my musical heroes. Watching and hearing them perform, masters of their craft, was both exhilarating and calming. Their familiarity with the material borne of playing these songs for decades was complimented by the obvious love they have for the music, each other, and their audience.
“There are moments when you’re transported back in time, triggered by a particularly gorgeous view, an aroma from a favorite childhood memory, or a musical phrase heard from a long-ago song. In a recent sold-out show, 486 lucky Lincoln Theatre audience members took a journey through the past as the original Hot Tuna, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, performed in Mt. Vernon’s stately 1926 theatre.
The duo, both now in their 80s, may be more grizzled, more lines drawn on their faces, but they play with the disciplined abandon of virtuosos, the joy evident in their body language and a pleasure the audience clearly shared on Sept. 19. Jorma and Jack have been friends (and off and on bandmates) since 1958. “Around 1958 Jack and I played our first gig in Charlotte Harbour’s basement in Washington, DC. I was the singer and played rhythm guitar and Jack played lead…I cannot tell you exactly what songs we played, but for sure there were Buddy Holly songs, Conway Twitty songs, Jimmy Clanton songs; who knew at that time what our musical dreams would become. Beyond our wildest dreams, I can tell you that. Sixty-five (count ‘em …65!) years of making music with my best friend.”
6 – Mama’s Broke @ New Prospect Theatre — 9/18/24
The New Prospect Theatre continued to expand my musical horizons with a beautiful performance by Mama’s Broke back in September. Powerful vocals, expert musicianship, and a sense of fun made for a lovely evening of “challenging cultural and musical borders.”
“Mama’s Broke music far surpasses the sum of two parts cliches. As Lisa [Maria] and Amy [Lou Keeler] took the sparse stage on Sept. 18, two simple straight-back chairs, a pair of vintage microphones, and various instruments within easy reach, their gorgeous harmonizing signaled we were in for beautiful, and unique, evening. Alternating between violin/fiddle, mandolin, and augmented by foot-pounding percussion, Lisa provides counterpoint to Amy’s lead vocals and steady rhythm guitar and banjo work.”
7 – Mbrascatu @ New Prospect Theatre — 9/8/24
Mbrascatu’s enthusiastic founder, Andrea Algieri, brought an infectious energy to the New Prospect Theatre in September, a dynamism that his bandmates and audience fully shared. That boundless enthusiasm, however, was exceeded by the mastery of a band that, despite its local Portland, Oregon roots, brings a modern take to the international musical traditions evident in its performances.
“Mbrascatu (mmm-brah-ska-too) honors a rich musical heritage. Drawing on diverse, global influences, Algieri’s compositions range from intimate ballads, psychedelic rock, and danceable pop that blend into his own unique sound, his warm baritone combining in gorgeous 4-part harmony with his bandmates.
Opening the show with the title track from the latest album, Andrea and companions set a musical tone that gently gathered steam throughout the evening, culminating in a series of heavier psych-rock tunes to close the show. Certain songs by their nature demand volume but sometimes lending too much power to a song in a small, intimate listening room, can invite sonic catastrophe. That Mbrascatu achieved that balance flawlessly speaks to expert musicianship as well as the New Prospect Theatre’s wonderful design and acoustics.”
Living so close to the Canadian border has exposed me to a multitude of musical artists from “north of the border.” Skydiggers is one of those bands. Active since 1987, I only learned about the band last year, a wonderful reminder that no matter your age, there’s always new music out there to discover.
8 – Skydiggers @ Hollywood Theatre (Vancouver, BC, Canada) — 5/25/24
“Reviewing a concert normally involves considering a number of measures — the virtuosity of the musicians, the songs performed, the sound’s mix and balance, the venue itself, or even the lighting. Arguably though, there is really only one measure that matters: how it made you feel. By that standard, I’m fairly certain that 99.99% of the audience felt really, really good after the Skydiggers’ recent performance at Vancouver’s dazzling art deco venue, the Hollywood Theatre.”
9 – Joachim Cooder @ New Prospect Theatre — 2/29/24
I had seen Joachim perform with Caitlyn Canty at the New Prospect Theatre the year before, his mbira playing utterly captivating me. His return to Bellingham in February was a not to be missed show.
“Joachim Cooder made a welcome return to Bellingham’s New Prospect Theatre on Leap Day 2024 to kick off a short Pacific Northwest tour. I was first introduced to Cooder’s music when he performed with Caitlin Canty in November 2023, so when it was announced that he’d be returning to NPT, I didn’t hesitate at the chance to see him perform again.
Cooder opened with Uncle Dave Macon’s, “Come Along Buddy,” the first of several tunes from Over That Road I’m Bound. Uncle Dave, known as the grandfather of country music and the Grand Ole Opry’s first bona fide star, is widely considered the link between 19th-century American folk and radio-based music of the early 20th-century. The way Cooder performs these “old-timey” tunes on mbira revealed another, deeper connection recalling the African origins of blues and gospel. One can still hear echoes of Macon’s country twang but the mbira’s almost symphonic sound gave the songs an “international Americana” vibe.”
10 – Jeffrey Foucault Band w/ Erik Koskinen @ New Prospect Theatre — 11/10/24
Just because it’s not normally played at ear-splitting volume, with huge Bonzo-like drumming and flashy solo guitar lead runs doesn’t mean folk music doesn’t produce weighty, introspective emotions, and intense excitement. When the premier folkie of the modern era went electric, folk traditionalists were outraged. Jeffrey Foucault embraces that space that Dylan opened up in 1965, with absolutely thrilling results.
“One can draw a line, jagged but true, from Woody Guthrie through Pete Seeger and Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan, Springsteen, and John Prine that ran right to the New Prospect Theatre Sunday night. American folk music [today] traces…influences from the blues, rock, and country [world]. I’ve heard Neil Young introduce “Powderfinger” as a folk song and then perform it as a rock anthem. Steve Earle has made a career out of pushing folk boundaries. Some may consider Margo Price a folk/country artist, but she would be somewhat chafed, I imagine, at being pigeon-holed so narrowly. Sunday night, there was no pigeon-holing Foucault’s music either, unless, of course, we vastly expand what it means to be a folk musician.”
Bellingham’s venue schedules are starting to fill in for 2025. I’m already getting geared up for some interesting shows and looking forward to the third edition of Bellingham Exit. In the meantime, I urge folks to get out there, support your local venues, see your favorite bands, but be sure to arrive early to see the opening act, or a newcomer to the stage. You never know if that performer in the ice cream shop will eventually sell out arenas!
All photos courtesy and copyright Mark Caicedo.