The Upstream Music Fest + Summit is set to take place in 25 venues around Pioneer Square from May 11-13. It’s Paul Allen’s attempt to mold a PNW-focused South by Southwest type large-scale festival, with music, art, and tech programming involving many local emerging talents, and more than 300 artists.
Since there are so many components, we’ve created a guide to help you navigate the full festival. On our website, you’ll find a full searchable calendar that you can sort by venue and date, and which you can browse and look at artists’ photos. Here on the app, you can read through all of the artists’ bios and summit panels’ descriptions (all of which were written by Stranger writers) in one place. Tap on any name to read more about each event, see set times, listen to music clips, and save events to your private in-app collection or your phone’s calendar. To make it easier to scroll, we’ve broken this list into three parts—see Friday’s events here, and go back to the home screen to see Thursday and Saturday.
MUSIC
Acid Tongue
Get your good ol’ fashioned psych rock right here, folks! Freakout Records’ own Acid Tongue embrace the California surf and skate scene of the 1960s by making fuzzy, laid-back music worthy of being in a state where weed is legal—just make sure to preboard. AMBER CORTES
AlunaGeorge
AlunaGeorge consist of Aluna Francis on singing and songwriting, George Reid on everything else. They win awards in their native UK, but they’re just starting to boil up over here. Against Reid’s lively, sometimes arch, musical backgrounds, Francis sounds little-girl breathy most of the time, but hints, especially over repeated listenings, at things deeper, more sinister, the accidental pains of trawling memories for what you hoped was happiness. ANDREW HAMLIN
Astrocolor
Pulling from influences like the Chemical Brothers, Air, and St. Germain, Canadian group Astrocolor craft live electronica that reforms in each new song as breakbeat, Balearic tones, ambient music, and funk-infused house tracks.
Banda Magda
The “Magda” of Banda Magda comes from bandleader and Grecian singer and composer Magda Giannikou, who cinematically arranges the group to crisscross from French chanson, to Greek folk tunes, to Colombian cumbia and Afro-Peruvian lando.
Beat Connection
Seattle electronic-pop quartet Beat Connection’s hard work over the last few years has resulted in a deal with the huge indie label Anti- (home of Tom Waits, Neko Case, Simian Mobile Disco, etc.). Their vocal-centric 2012 album, The Palace Garden, exudes a glowing optimism, with melodies that glisten and go down easy and beats that politely coax you to groove. The apotheosis of this style is “Further Out,” which seems destined to appear in an inspirational youth-oriented film, TV show, or advertisement any minute now. Their Anti- debut full-length, Product 3, boasts more rigorous, danceable beats and even hints of tropical funk. Sounding more melodically mature and rhythmically confident and lubricious, Beat Connection seem poised to climb to a higher level on the mainstream dance-music food chain. DAVE SEGAL
Beats Fell
Electronica producer and DJ Ed Beier, known as The Treehead, has joined forces with guitar-slinger Aaron Benjamin in a genre-melding duo of grooving livetronica with an indie rock heart.
Belle Game
Vancouver electro-basement pop group Belle Game is led into the ether by frontwoman Andrea Lo’s lilting vocals, then buoyed by their heavenly, fuzzed-out production values.
Belt of Vapor
My favorite band of the night was Spokane’s Belt of Vapor, who have taken all the best parts of These Arms are Snakes and left out the snotty parts. They had winding, mathy riffs and a great combination of dual melodies from the bass and guitar. JEFF KIRBY
Big World Breaks
Most of the guys in Big World Breaks have been playing together since Garfield or Roosevelt High School Jazz Band, so they’re a pre-tightened unit. Musically, they were raised playing with each other. The community centers on Walker-Loud’s ‘One Family Inc. Studio’, where the guys jam and record constantly. TRENT MOORMAN
Bill Laurance
Grammy winner and member of acclaimed band Snarky Puppy, also playing Upstream, Bill Laurance on his own is a classically trained musician who continues to tour as a pianist, keyboard player, composer, producer, and arranger for hire.
Brent Amaker & the Rodeo
Even if Brent Amaker & the Rodeo couldn’t hit a note, the show would have been a hit on pageantry alone. The back lit stage, the fog, the men in all black, and Bunny the burlesque dancer, were a recipe rich as a meal made entirely of desserts. The fact is though, that the sound was amazing; guitarist Tiny Dancer built perfect melodies with Jacque’s synth and vibes, to compliment the chugging rhythms built by bassist Cinderella, rhythm guitarist Ben Strehle, and drummer Bryan Crawford (who drums standing up, like Moe Tucker), and Brent’s deep bass vocals rang out clear and strong. SEAN JEWELL
Brothers From Another
Don’t let the fresh faces fool you. The local hiphop trio of Cole DeLeon, Isaiah Sneed, and Nick Beeba has shared stages with the likes of De La Soul, Macklemore, and Blue Scholars. If their sound keeps one foot planted firmly in commercial, accessible soil, this allows them to lean toward the more exciting underground sensibility that inspired their forbears. SEAN NELSON
Campion
Raised between the city and the country, Alex Campion creates his own landscape through CAMPION, his solo project that weaves together wistful vocals, thumping electronic beats, and ethereal synths for a euphoric escape.
Charlie Hunter
Innovative writer and bandleader Charlie Hunter is widely considered an authority on the seven and eight-string guitar, and will showcase his practiced abilities with his quartet in set. KIM SELLING
Chocolate Chuck
Beatmaker Chocolate Chuck lays out the dance floor with throwback hiphop, boogie, funk, and R&B. KIM SELLING
Chrome Lakes
Seattle quintet Chrome Lakes claim influence by math rock, hardcore, punk, and other progressive movements.
Cold Soda
Local rock and roll group Cold Soda care primarily about providing good vibes for their showgoers, with scene veteran Peter Quirk of the Cave Singers at the helm.
DEEP CREEP
Boasting members from former local post-punk luminaries Pretty Girls Make Graves, among many others (specifically, vocalist Andea Zollo and bassist Derek Fudesco), Deep Creep create highly charged and nuanced rock for people who like to party smartly. All four members are seasoned pros with long résumés packed with noteworthy bands (Murder City Devils, the Cave Singers, Cute Lepers, etc.), so their songs are honed to a crisp perfection. DAVE SEGAL
Deep Sea Diver
The seeming effortlessness with which Seattle quartet Deep Sea Diver execute their February 2016 full-length, Secrets, belies its intricacy. The record’s considerable complexities only start to reveal themselves on repeated listens, and the discoveries are pure delight. Fronted by singer and multi-instrumentalist Jessica Dobson, who captivates both onstage and on record, the band delivers a subtly anxious—both sonically and lyrically—mode of crystalline, propulsive guitar rock. Deep Sea Diver’s music feels at once sophisticated and emotionally raw—equally suitable for bouts of international travel and long existential walks in the winter. GRANT BRISSEY
DJ Lean Rock
Boston-born and LA-based DJ Lean Rock is known for both his breaks and his rare, funk-founded beats with credit to his almost twenty years of being a noted b-boy.
DJ Marvelous
Federal Waylien DJ Marvelous claims Seattle’s own DJ Famous, as well as DJ Premier and DJ Drama, as his deepest influences in his three-year career helming the decks around town.
DJ NativeSUN
DJ, producer, and touring musician DJ NativeSUN co-founded the DC-based Future R&Bass Collective, and focuses on skill-mixing within his sets, with everpresent touches of Afrobeat, house music, East Coast club, trap, juke, and future bass.
DJ U.NO.HU
Connie Hu has gone from booking and curating local hiphop community events to building her own DJ sets heavy on the merging of old school with new school with regards to soul, funk, and R&B.
DoNormaal
DoNormaal is a local rapper who creates a wildly different but even more transporting sonic landscape. She’s plumbing the depths of her own brain and the expanse of the cosmos on a voyage through purple nebulae and synapses. “I don’t belieeeeeeeeeeve what’s in my miiiiiiiiiiiind,” she moans on “50 Jasper Horses,” the most haunting track on her excellent debut LP, Jump or Die. You’d be wise to follow DoNormaal wherever this journey is taking her. ANGELA GARBES
DUBCHAMP ft. MISTA CHATMAN
The well-regarded reggae expert Mista Chatman (aka DJ Collage), host of Chop Suey’s past DJ night Rock & Soul Sundays, will join one-man-electronica-band DUBCHAMP for a set of heavy funk fusion and world dance tracks.
Dude York
What gives Dude York staying power is their capacity for effortlessly eliciting the bubblegum briskness of pop-punk, but anchoring it with a stronger melodic foundation. It’s difficult to walk the line between powerfully anthemic and earwormingly catchy, but somehow they manage to get there every time. KIM SELLING
Duke Evers
This Seattle-based two-piece guitar-and-drums band is… hey! Come back! Where are you going? Look, I know we spent the past 15 or so years drowning in bass-less rock bands (thanks, Meg and Jack!), each one diluted from the previous generation. Well, the buck stops here. Duke Evers have actual songs, with melodies and hooks and caffeinated attitude. Plus, Josh and Kyle are pretty punchy live. Isn’t that what you’re here for? JASON JOSEPHES
Dust Moth
Black-clad sextet Dust Moth—who are going to be big, I predict—ground out densely layered, melodically elegant rock with subtle goth-metal undercurrents and stadium-sized dynamics. DAVE SEGAL
Eagle Nebula
Since her 2006 EP Worthnothings, singer and composer Georgia Anne Muldrow has dropped a total of seven LPs—six of which were rushed into the market in the past two years! One, Cosmic Headphones from her Eagle Nebula project, is a collection of dreamy hiphop instrumentals (Muldrow makes her own beats). CHARLES MUDEDE
Eastern Souvenirs
Indie rockers Eastern Souvenirs have been gigging around town for years now, sharing their electro-infused dance music heavy on the nylon and synth touches.
Erik Blood
[Erik Blood makes] richly layered shoegaze rock, hiphop, and electronic/orchestral film music that’s infused with an air of profound sensuality and mystery. DAVE SEGAL
Evening Bell
Haunting pop weavers Evening Bell pull together sections of Western psychedelia and PNW rock & roll, in a collaboration between Ballard songwriters Hart Kingsbery and Caitlin Sherman. KIM SELLING
Fatal Lucciauno
Fatal Lucciauno—the Central District firebrand whose firepower is full disclosure, uncomfortable truths, and scary-good rhymes to boot. LARRY MIZELL JR.
FKL
Having started in London, and now run across the Atlantic, the duo behind FKL is made up of Joe Gillick and Sage Redman, who together blend elements of coldwave, post-punk, and new school electronica for a sound that touches on both house pop and grime.
Flying Lotus
It’s crazy how FlyLo has gone from deep-underground beat surrealist to Kendrick Lamar beatmaker and Thom Yorke collaborator in about five years, but the LA producer has somehow made his quicksilver rhythms and astral atmospheres translate to big outdoor stages—and even KeyArena at 2015’s Bumbershoot. Mr. Lotus’s high-def, jump-cut electronic sorcery is fierce. DAVE SEGAL
Gazebos
Listening to Gazebos brings you to that alternate timeline, wherein you’re weirder, louder, and more beautiful in a garish yet hope-filled Ziggy Stardust Technicolor slutsuit kind of way. They’re a wild bunch, with passions clearly stretched across psych(-ic and -edelic) horizons, gleefully spotlighting glam-rock influences and fiery Bolan-esque dark-times-bright-lights spirits, like attaching a shiny tinseled tail to each of your major anxiety sources and watching them dance for gas money. KIM SELLING
GEMS
Gems is a band you need to see. And hear. They are two drummers, and two synth players. I’ll say that again—double drum, double synths. Yes. It gets icy, tribal, Tronned, and vortexed. The two drummers, Adrian Van Batenburg and Jacob Evans (the Bearded Wonder) aren’t just playing together, they’re meshing well played, well thought out, and well executed schemes. And they face each other, like a beat made, split screen Rorschach-kaleidoscope mirror. TRENT MOORMAN
Ghoulavelli
Tacoma’s Ghoulavelii blends big productions reminiscent of Clams Casino with grungy trap lyricism to create a unique hiphop sound. His instrumentals are filled to the brim with elaborate bass, dark synths, and crazy drum patterns that can become erratic at times. M. ANTHONY DAVIS
Great Grandpa
Great Grandpa may be young, but their sound is mature enough to make Stereogum describe it as “knotty, twisted, and warm rock music that’s as melodically satisfying as it is, at times, confounding.” KIM SELLING
Helms Alee
One would hope that hometown heroes Helms Alee need no introduction at this point. The trio have brandished their blend of thudding tumult and spacious guitar pop across four superb albums and a smattering of EPs and split releases over the course of the last eight years. BRIAN COOK
Helvetia
Helvetia’s sophomore album The Acrobats stays true to the laid back good times that was their Up Records debut The Clever North Wind — it made my dreary Sunday morning a bit less grim. You may remember 2/3 of Helvetia from their nineties Sup Pop outfit Duster. They’ve still got that warm analog sound, only now they’ve had years and years to master it. JEFF KIRBY
High Praise
Qualifying as a regional supergroup, Portland-based rock band High Praise is made up of members from Gaytheist, Pure Country Gold, and Cougar.
ILLFIGHTYOU
ILLFIGHTYOU is a crew of Tacoma ruffians: knuckle sandwich artist EvergreenOne—formerly of the group City Hall—producer and sometimes MC Khris P, and the sprrrr-ding, full-clip spit of one Ugly Frank. If you enjoy the over-the-top nihilist menace of early Odd Future sprinkled with a little Schoolboy Q-type bang-bang, these are your guys out of the Northwest right now. LARRY MIZELL JR.
Iska Dhaaf
Seattle sometimes does things that aren’t so smart, but one thing it does exceedingly well is produce razor-sharp, intelligent bands. Iska Dhaaf (who, despite a move to NYC, will always be a Seattle group) make complex, subtle melodies, lusty rhythms, and lyrics sometimes inspired by Sufi poetry. KELLY O
J GRGRY
Pulling influences from the coastal isolation of being immersed in the PNW for years, J GRGRY (or Joe Gregory) uses his singer-songwriter title for keeps, by releasing some real dark and heavy pop tracks. KIM SELLING
J’Von
Oakland-born, Seattle-raised MC J’Von has a dope album called Raw Sheep (available on vinyl, even) with Minneapolis producer Ackryte from earlier this year. It’s more terrifically soulful-warm basement-level boom-bap very much in the vein of his contemporary Amora. Can I say that I’m loving this throwback underground vibey-vibe going around again? LARRY MIZELL JR.
Jared Mees
Defining himself primarily as a poet, Jared Mees utilizes the traditional methods and tools of poetry in his log cabin-style singer-songwriter life, with elements of Oregon isolationism and touches of the natural world as influences in his work.
Jarv Dee
Seattle’s Jarv Dee has always been quick to catch a tune, and he flexes his singing muscles right off the bat on his latest EP, The Red Eye Jedi. He eventually slides into “Joog Phone,” a stoner’s ode to Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” which jibes with his style just fine considering Drizzy is one of the artists primarily responsible for bringing the sing-rap formula back to rap. Jarv does indeed have a smooth voice and such an animated command of language, you could really just listen to him sing hooks all day, but before you know it, he’s back to rapping, dishing out radical bursts of rhyme in his percussive vocal style like “I could do this shit sober, but I’m weeded and vulgar.” TODD HAMM
JusMoni
JusMoni’s artfully coquettish delivery creamily curls around WD4D’s disjointed funk beats and luxuriantly distorted textures. You could call it D’Angelo-fi, but then you might get laughed out of the room. However, I think there’s a definite Voodoo quality to this music. DAVE SEGAL
Justin Hartinger
Q Nightclub resident, producer, and DJ Justin Hartinger has spun with just about every local DJ who exists on this astral plane. Their sets tend to lean towards the “emotional dance music” side of the nightclub spectrum.
King Leez
Leezy’s been on the come up for longer than a minute now, with a hustler’s drive and an infallible ear for street-ready productions (check out “Big Paper” on his Soundcloud for proof). Now that he’s collaborating with the likes of Pusha T, it may finally be time for the reign of King Leez to begin in earnest. KYLE FLECK
Kirt Debique
Soul-drenched singer-songwriter Kirt Debique of Brick Lane collective and record label is both performing and curating a stage at Upstream this year. He’ll be performing alongside Iska Dhaaf, Raven Matthews, producer Erik Blood, and rap wunderkind DoNormaal.
Kore Ionz
Hawaii-born singer-songwriter and producer Daniel Pak performs as Kore Ionz, with heavy jazz and island style reggae influences from icons like The Wailers, Toots and the Maytals, and Steel Pulse. KIM SELLING
Kung Foo Grip
The MCs of Kirkland’s Kung Foo Grip—the afro’d Greg Cypher and the dread-shaking Eff Is H—are classic-minded, upper-range-voiced spitters in the vein of prime-time Hiero, but they’re no real-rap revivalists. Since their quickly embraced appearance as teens upon the scene some four or so years back, they’ve been as committed to progression as they have to their incendiary live presentation. Their production has morphed from jazzy loops and boom bap to cloudy trap, their couplets from merely impressive rhymes to naked emotion (particularly on 2013’s Growing Up in the Future), they’ve never once sounded out of their lane, always honed their trajectory, always remained fans first of the area’s illest shit—very based. The duo’s ribs-touching hunger has long been dead obvious when they’re onstage, but I suspect that as the stakes for local rap rise, they’re working on the material that’ll enable their own breakthrough. Godspeed, gents—don’t let up. LARRY MIZELL JR.
Leava
Having recently celebrated the release of their new two-track EP The Lovely Grind, Leava return for a live set rife with probing and introspective haze-laden indie rock.
Limanjaya
Up and coming local electronica and hiphop producer Limanjaya has most recently headlined beloved Ballard venue the Sunset and received a spotlight from the STG and Starbuck partnership series, “Up Next,” for their future-focused craft.
The Long Winters
The Long Winters’ brand of melodic rock—which combines literate, witty lyrics with finely wrought indie rock informed by baby-boomer canon fodder like the Beach Boys, the Zombies, and Bob Dylan (okay, and the Smiths and Elvis Costello)—will probably always have a loyal, if not massive, audience in well-educated, urban(e) areas like Seattle. DAVE SEGAL
Lost Boys
Pacific Northwest DJ and producer collective Lost Boys has been keeping the region moving for over 15 years, with a strident lean toward funk-informed upbeat dance music.
Louise Burns
Hard-working queen of the Canadian “indie renaissance,” Louise Burns has been gigging as an independent singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist since the age of 11 when she formed pop group Lillix.
Lowman Palace
Nostalgia-heavy indie rock outfit Lowman Palace share their contemplative, folk-inspired sound. KIM SELLING
Mackned
For all its gloom, Mackned’s music is also a lot of fun. If you enjoy patently amoral drug rap, Female makes a strong case for Thraxxhouse’s emerging vision. A body under such varied influences can go only so long without the inevitable comedown, but Female‘s viscous charms are a high for the low-serotonin set. LARRY MIZELL JR.
Maiah Manser
Formerly of Mary Lambert’s touring band, previously involved in vocal ensemble the Esoterics and loveable art rockers Pollens, and currently working on solo material “fusing the digital and the organic,” Maiah Manser is clearly a woman of many talents and inspirations. The material on her Bandcamp surveys flinty electronic tundras, pizzicato string flourishes, and chamber-pop elegance. She showcases the same adaptable and improvisatory approach to her voice as she has in past projects, looping, layering, slicing and otherwise orchestrating herself into a one-woman choir. KYLE FLECK
Malitia Malimob
The main body of MMM—MCs Chino’o and Krown—met in the US after leaving behind the country, and the civil war, they’d always known. Chino’o told me they’d been rescued by men our news outlets call pirates. MMM’s first album, 2012’s Riots of the Pirates, made a big impression on me for its urgent take on gangsta rap, as seen through the latest iteration of the African diaspora. Their 2013 Idi Amin Project refined their aggressive approach with a heady trap edge and a deeper perspective—not to mention a fiercer delivery, especially in the gravelly no-love-and-no-fucks-given growl of Chino’o. LARRY MIZELL JR.
Masego
Referred to both as “TrapHouseJazz” and as “a Gumbo of culture and creativity,” Masego crafts saxophone-based jazz compositions pulling from pop, soul, and hiphop, with a focus on loop pedal soundscapes and electronic mythology.
Massive Monkees
From far-flung locales to those accessible by a quick ride on the #36, Seattle’s world-renowned Massive Monkees give it their all. From their free dance-studio practices at Beacon’s Jefferson Community Center to voter-registration drives and high-school education, Massive also give back. “It sounds cliché and corny but it’s true: The children are the future of this art form,” says Massive’s own djblesOne. “The next generation is the base, the bottom line—if we don’t invest in the children, don’t invest in our scene, we literally won’t have one.” Just as dedicated to grooming a new generation of breakers as they are to repping their town, Massive have been sprinkling true and living Seattle flavor on an international level for many moons now, nephew. LARRY MIZELL JR.
Maz
Trumpeter and composer Mike Maher is primarily known for his role in the band Snarky Puppy, also playing Upstream, but he moonlights as Maz, a one-man-band founded on jazzy influences and singer-songwriter traditions.
Moon Dial
The musings of Jonathan Atkins flow into a melodic state known as Moon Dial, once described by Emily Nokes as “a laid-back, indie journal-pop kind of band.” KIM SELLING
Myke Bogan
Fresh off his Central Saloon-headlining gig and tour, Portland rapper Myke Bogan hits famed nightclub Trinity to spit some posi vibe bars and showcase his “lyrical architecture” (his words, not ours).
Neu Yeuth
Experimental livetronica outfit Neu Yeuth are set to release their debut EP this year through Freakout Records, with a pronounced focus on pop craft and left-field beatmaking.
OK SWEETHEART
Indie pop quartet OK SWEETHEART play up the saccharine nature of their name with a tendency toward infectious sincerity and an intent to build equally sugary and smokey tunes.
Ole Tinder
Ole Tinder work a country vibe, but they apply it to such subjects as the Aurora Bridge, so you know where they live. ANDREW HAMLIN
PARISALEXA
At only 18, Parisalexa already has the sophisticated voice and performance chops of many musicians twice her age. Her setup is simple—keyboards, vocal loops, maybe a guitar—but the effect is striking and worth listening to every spellbinding word (some of which she makes up on the spot). AMBER CORTES
Pezzner
Dogged determination over many years can pay off in the dance-music realm—especially if you have an abundance of talent, as demonstrated by the career of Seattle’s Dave Pezzner. He’s been a key mover and shaker of music that inspires moving and shaking since 1998, both as a member of left-field-house duo Jacob London and as a solo performer and DJ. In 2016, Pezzner ascended to yet a higher level, releasing music on revered labels like Get Physical and Dirtybird. He’s continued to refine his sleek production style, which balances unusual tones with unerringly sensual rhythms. His tracks are the aural equivalent of weird sex, with all the attendant thrills that this implies. DAVE SEGAL
Positive Rising
Seattle quintet Positive Rising play up the values inherent in their name within their Northwest-syle reggae and danceable funk blends.
Qreepz
In this perennially spooky Northwest region, witch house and ark wave will never die, especially thanks to electronica artists like Qreepz. KIM SELLING
Raven Matthews
Seattle-based street philosopher and experimental musician Raven Matthews is an active member of the hiphop arts collective 69/50 and a frequent collaborator with partner DoNormaal (also performing at Upstream).
Raz Simone
Solomon Samuel “Raz” Simone is a Seattle rapper who in another life would’ve probably been a preacher or a bluesman—his penchant for gold jewelry would befit either. His recorded voice creaks like an unoiled barn door, his stark lyrics, dark subject matter, and musical arrangements lend him a gravitas both worldly and consecrated. Raz’s raps are unfailingly dead-serious and personal, sharply ricocheting off race, gentrification, and gun violence (just to pick a few) on the way to the hook. His forthrightness on the issues this city is going through give his words an urgency that’s lacking throughout the scene. LARRY MIZELL JR.
Romaro Franceswa
Following last year’s superb Balance, Romaro is back at it with the just-released Mirror, his first output since finding new management, a new label (Black Umbrella), and a new focus. It’s his first release sans the nimble OG Bean, but a quick pass-through confirms the goods. I ain’t gotta tell you to watch the kid, you’re already looking—just appreciate the growth. LARRY MIZELL JR.
Sam Lachow
The ambitious MC/producer/video-maker Sam Lachow—at one time this paper’s youngest freelancer—is really making his mark and his name around town, and has been since the Garfield graduate was in the good-time bro-rap crew Shankbone. LARRY MIZELL, JR.
SANDRIDER
While it might not always get hyped, the Northwest has always had a strong contingent of bands blasting out high-quality heaviness. One of the more recent bands that churned out said heaviness was thinking man’s hardcore project Akimbo. It wasn’t easy for Seattle to say good-bye to this long-lasting band, but if it weren’t for their split three years back, drummer Nat Damm and guitarist/vocalist Jon Weisnewski wouldn’t have the time to focus on the awesomeness that is Sandrider. If you’re a fan of big riffs played out of loud amps atop ear-piercing screams and a punishing rhythm section, do yourself a favor and indulge in one of the city’s heaviest. KEVIN DIERS
Sashay
Sweat your entire life away thrashing to the beauty pageant punks of Sashay, who perform with the intention to bankrupt you of all your identities but the most debased of your core. KIM SELLING
SassyBlack
SassyBlack is one “space-aged” Catherine Harris-White, formerly half of Sub Pop–backed hiphop duo THEESatisfaction and guest on two Shabazz Palaces records. SassyBlack’s first full-length, No More Weak Dates, is an interstellar funk-soul gem possessed of an infectiously badass strength and confidence. BRITTNIE FULLER
Scarlet Parke
Smooth and smokey songstress Scarlet Parke plays on your heartstrings with her particular blend of blues and pop that gains momentum from her brand of dark yet party-ready seduction.
Shaprece
Seattle’s Shaprece ranks among the Northwest’s most radiant, soulful vocalists and producers of torch-song-centric electronic music. DAVE SEGAL
Smokey Brights
Go to this set. Do it. Do it for Smokey Brights, who are the kind of crackly and warm guitar-driven rock that you already know and love, even if you’ve never heard it. It’s that warm blanket that you throw over your head to avoid dealing with your uncle’s off-color rants about refugees. Do it for yourself. KATHLEEN TARRANT
The Spider Ferns
Bow, Washington, duo the Spider Ferns (multi-instrumentalists Kelly and Alton Fleek) create sleek, ultra-modern pop with extremely punchy and bulbous drum-machine programming. Kelly’s alluring vocals curl around angular, down-tempo, funky tunes that are accessible without resorting to sugary pandering. The Spider Ferns claim to “make music late at night in a converted barn at the base of a small mountain,” but the sounds they deftly craft scan as urban and are constructed with spare elegance. DAVE SEGAL
Spirit Award
Psych-pop thrillers Spirit Award pull heavily from pop, krautrock, and post-punk subgenres, shooting mostly for a early wave of New Order meets Echo and the Bunnymen meets Can.
Tangerine
Local indie-pop act Tangerine provide anti-gray solace with their beach-ready, ’60s-inspired pop that interlaces sugary female vocals with twangy, bursting flickers of guitar and even more tambourine. Tangerine’s songs instantly bloom inside your earspace and stay there. BRITTNIE FULLER
TeZATalks
Experimental singer-songwriter TeZATalks focuses on a singular winding narrative that unfolds with each track of her rawly emotional electronic-based music.
The Thermals
Punk has always held this egalitarian promise that anyone could be a part of it. You had Big Boys yelling at you to “go out and start your own band” and Minutemen telling you how their band could be your life—what more motivation did you need? Well, a lot of people heard the clarion call over the years, and more than a few of us probably found ourselves thinking, okay, maybe not everyone needs to be in a band. If you feel that cynicism seeping in, give yourself a dose of the Thermals. The Portland trio is about as basic as you can get (who needs a floor tom, anyway?), yet their four-chord lo-fi anthems continue to sound vital and fresh even after a half-dozen albums. Biscuit and D. Boon would be proud. BRIAN COOK
Thick Business
Boise left-field indie rockers Thick Business are committed to their band narrative of being created in 2026 as ‘future classic rock,” affected by touches of rockabilly guitar tradition and Cat Stevens-adjacent folk stylings.
Tiffany Wilson
The Memphis-bred Wilson’s sound is simply beautiful, expressive soul (thankfully light on the neo- trappings) with the subtle neckrolling swagger of 90’s R&B. Love music. The production is slick and classy, moving and never syrupy—kinda reminding me of say, Faith Evans. LARRY MIZELL JR.
Tilson XOXO
If Tilson ain’t the Puget Sound’s most mysterious hiphop figure, he’s top two. Legends abound about the Tacoma-born (we think) MC, singer and ex-Saturday Knight.) Tilson mixes personal reflection, social commentary, and braggadocio in his always fresh manner. LARRY MIZELL JR.
Twin River
Bi-coastal Canadian rock outfit Twin River infuse their catchy riffs with atmospheric synth work and the carefree nature of ’60s psych pop.
Two Story Zori
Northwest reggae by way of the Pacific Islands, with members hailing from Hawaii, Samoa, Guam, Vietnam, and the Philippines (and Oklahoma!) EMILY NOKES
Versing
Local up-and-comers Versing craft a more spacious, shoegaze-informed guitar sound, coming across like an amalgam of Flying Nun Records-y melodic post-punk, loud-soft Swirlies-inspired gaze-pop, and Pavement-esque collegiate nonchalance. BRITTNIE FULLER
Western Daughter
Boise folk-informed rock outfit Western Daughter are readily sticking to traits of the ’90s, with a mission to evoke early Modest Mouse and Mt. Eerie.
The White Tears & Pearl Dragon Is Dead
I confess: I haven’t heard this band, but it marks the return of Pearl Dragon (formerly of Champagne Champagne, among other bands) after five years away. Many more years of following his pursuits have proven that whatever he does is worth paying attention to, so you might want to go welcome him back to where he belongs: in Seattle, on a stage. SEAN NELSON
WIBG
Portland rock group WIBG (which stands for “Wooden Indian Burial Ground,” for some unknown reason) stick to the classics for their rough and ready bayou-burnout thunderclap sound.
WILD POWWERS
Fans of guitar-driven rock will dig this trio’s wily, grungy ways. Each member contributes to the band’s immense sound: Jordan Gomes builds full and heavy bass lines, Lupe Flores wails on the drums like there’s no tomorrow, and guitarist and vocalist Lara Hilgeman’s forceful voice will rip you apart (in a good way). AMBER CORTES
ZELLi
Upstart rapper ZELLi’s 2014 single “Get Down” plays around in roughly the same sandbox as Azealia Banks’s breakout hit “212,” an attention-deficit tune that finds her going from braggadocio-spitting badass to dance-hall diva in the span of three-and-a-half short minutes. Whether she opts to follow that bottom-heavy banger path or the mid-’90s pop-rap route laid out on debut Poetry Tape remains to be seen. That’s the thing about seeing young rappers in their embryonic stage: Repurposed funk samples can take up residence next to cocaine-cutting synth lines, love jams can rub up against songs called “You a Gangsta Right?” Someday she’ll probably pick a lane and stick to it; until then, the world’s hers. KYLE FLECK
SUMMIT
From The Smurfs to Star Trek: Composer Ron Jones On The Business of Music
Ron Jones composed the music for Duck Tales, Family Guy and Star Trek: The Next Generation, so he’s sure to have some good tips on success in media and the art of adapting to different industries.
Become the Music: Figure Out What’s Most Important To You (And Your Audience)
Ron Jones, composer of great themes (Star Trek: The Next Generation) and founder of Sky Muse Studios, will talk about how best to use your time in the studio. He’ll talk with Mike McCready of Pearl Jam.
Bigger Than You – Scene-Building and Collaborative Marketing
Learn about marketing and building community with three experts: Eric Gilbert, festival founder; Jared Mees, musician; and Megan Tweed, frontwoman and indie label owner.
The Community of Music: Cultivating Creative Spaces to Foster the Next Generation
Musician Daniel Pak (Kore Ionz), Seattle University professor Quinton Morris, and representatives of the City of Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture will speak on being a teaching artist and fostering the next generation of creative and musical people.
Composing For Video Games: You’re Doing It Already!
You can make your living off composing music for video games or supplement your career. So how do you get started? Chanel Summers (Xbox) and Marty O’Donnell (Halo composer) will give you some pointers.
Crowdfund the Jams: Alternative Funding Options for Emerging Artists
Have a great sound but no trust fund? Learn about crowdsourcing your shows from local artists Whitney Mongé and Adra Boo and representatives of Patreon and Royalty Exchange.
Faces in the Crowd: Filtering Through the Key Players
Bree McKenna of Tacocat and two members of the artist management team Votiv will discuss when and why an artist should take on support staff: Publicists, agents, attorneys, and so on.
From Lawyers to Labels to Likes: Local Legends on How to Survive as a Musician
Before taking the leap and becoming a musician, learn a little bit about protecting your rights, using social media and streaming, and touring from Seattle musician Ayron Jones, drummer Barrett Martin (the Screaming Trees), and entertainment lawyer Joleen Winther Hughes.
How to Place Your Music In Film, TV & Video Games
Learn how to manage your music and licenses through Performing Rights Organizations. The artists and music supervisors speaking at this session include Stasia Irons of THEESatisfaction and three industry managers from Microsoft.
Leveraging Creativity in the Age of Collaboration – From Original to Remix to Grammy
Investigate the newest remix tools with the co-creator of 8Stem, a new audio format that makes it easier for DJs and sound engineers, even amateurs, to make music pastiches and collages.
Music IRL: The Future of Brands, Artists and Audiences Connecting In Real Life
Susan Stone and Pete Pedersen from CECILIA music consultancy and Sonos sound systems (respectively) will share insight on changes in music consumption.
People Over Playlist: The Lost Art of A&R in the Digital World
Learn how music discovery services use algorithms to discover and promote emerging artists. The speakers include Arif Gursel of VIBEHEAVY, LaSean Smith of Microsoft, and Ali Shaheed Muhammed of A Tribe Called Quest.
True North: The Ins and Outs of the Canadian Music Industry
Discover the Canadian music scene and its ins and outs (also, breaking into and out of it) with Jonathan Simkin of 604 Records and Light Organ, Josh Carr-Hilton of the music company The District, and manager/producer Piers Henwood.
How Local Artists Go Global and Global Artists Stay Local
WA rapper Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) and journalist/producer Elliott Wilson will speak about how he went global just as modes of music distribution were undergoing revolution.
