The Seattle Music Scene

The Moral

Community is about empowerment.

Good communities not only make space for who you are today, but they help you see and realize the person that you want to be tomorrow. In all of the talk about "communities" on Twitter, so much is missing about the fact that communities are not simply about people being in the same space... even for the same goal.

Community is about the energy that we put into each other and into the united "us," owning a part of that story and adding our voice to the collective narrative, rather than trying to assimilate everyone to the same perspective or way of being.

The Story

Intro

The following is not anything close to a history of the rich and extensive Seattle local music scene (Kelly Mason is probably a much better historian and, on an unrelated note, her "Myspace Profile Songs" playlist is a gem). This is merely my own reflection of the incredible and transformative experience I had being a fan, friend, and musician from 2003-2013 in one of the most accepting and lowest ego communities I've ever encountered.

This entire reflection was spurred by a dinner I had recently with a college friend and her new husband, whom I discovered was the front man for a band I grew up watching with reverence, as they had the respect of the artists I knew and loved.

I deeply believe that the Seattle local music scene, especially around these years, was a special place. If nothing else, I hope this post pays tribute for so much of the good that came from it for me (and many others).

Verse 1

To set the scene, it's important for me to acknowledge that a tremendous amount of my emotional education came through music. I started playing piano (poorly) in the fourth grade, eventually switching to clarinet and saxophone, and finally falling in love with drums. While I'm sure many of you will laugh, I look at Linkin Park as a gateway to many of the different genres and bands whose music and lyrics would become part of the rhythm of my life. Their blend of emotions and range of musical styles made it possible for me to go in so many different directions as I matured.

I also need to acknowledge Jim Lee and Josie Ng as two of my musical spirit guides, especially as it relates to Seattle music and the entire emo/indie genre. Jim lived with me and my family in 8th grade, and opened my eyes to Thursday, Yellowcard, and Saves the Day - three groups from different parts of the music spectrum who would all become mainstays in my CD player (and eventually iDevices). This foundation made it possible for Josie to indoctrinate me into the local scene two years later, seeing Gatsbys American Dream at El Corazon (then Graceland) and going to my first small venue to hear Danger:Radio, Blaine, and This Providence at the Kirkland Teen Center.

Verse 2

When I try to explain what was so special about the scene, I always talk about the people. It was a collection of low ego misfits - for the most part - who were there for the music and each other. The venues and audiences were spread across the Seattle area, ranging from Edmonds and Mukilteo in the North, to Kirkland, Bellevue, and Redmond on the Eastside, to Seattle proper, and even down South in Tacoma. It wasn't uncommon to see the same people week after week at different venues, even though some nights you drove 15 minutes and others over an hour. Everyone came to support their friends and the artists (often the same people) and be in community together. Conversations in line would be as lively as the parking lots after the show.

The artists themselves played every show as if the 15' x 10' stage at Ground Zero was the main stage at Warped Tour. They poured their hearts into their guitars and their souls into the microphones. Instead of hanging out in green rooms, waiting for their turn, almost all the artists were out watching, cheering, and singing along to other acts. They had guitars ready if something went wrong and probably helped each other with load in and load out. You left every show simultaneously energized and exhausted.

Breakdown

When I finally started a band with my friends Andy, Riley, and Kevin (who would go on to have a much more successful music career, in addition to his real one), we were limited only by our imagination and will. We'd been to enough shows, and helped others load in and load out enough times, to develop relationships with our then-heroes and booked Oceans in Oblivion, Lizzie Huffman, and Blaine at our first show (which we opened). In some regards, we had no business playing with the caliber of musicians we did, but, true to the scene, no one cared. People loved that we cared about the music and put in the work, so they supported us. That's what made Seattle special — everyone wanted you to be the best you could.

Verse 3

After going to college and coming back to Seattle, I was fortunate to make my way into a different local music scene - hip hop. Instead of Danger:Radio and Blaine, I found myself regularly supporting and hanging out with Brothers from Another, The Physics, Blue Scholars, and many other talented emcees. In that world, I found a similar dynamic — less ego and more support. The older generation of artists were regularly carving out space for who came after, guest appearing on tracks, inviting them onto show bills, and showing up at concerts to support them. It made me think that it wasn't just the indie scene of the 2000's but something about Seattle music that brought people together in true community (#townallday).

Whether it was listening parties, music videos, or just a bbq, people showed up for each other and to celebrate each other. Every individual win felt like a win for the city, and we were all there for it. For me, it was incredible to feel that same raw energy I did in high school, half a decade later in different venues to different beats.

Outro

To borrow from "Yes, This Is About You"... where's the fucking chorus? I don't know. It's hard to know what the anthem or repeated lines were across this special place in the corner of the Northwest. I know that there's magic here, because as I sat at dinner last night reminiscing with someone who was a generation before me musically, it was clear that we both had lived it.

Song Notes

While I recognized some of the people who started me on this journey, I also want to recognize so many folks who contributed to those years. I feel so thankful for Danger:Radio (Andrew, Marvin, Nico, Spencer, Matt, Elan), Blaine (Chris, Paxton, Chip, Rory), From Aphony (Jake, Jacob, Mike, Keef), Lizzie Huffman, Oceans in Oblivion, and everyone else we got to share the stage with. I am grateful to the guys in Surrounded by Lions, Gatsbys American Dream, Portugal: the Man, and Forgive Durden for putting on such incredible live shows and proving that you could write atypical songs in a way that was true to you and be not just accepted, but loved. I want to thank The Physics and Blue Scholars for investing deeply in the community and opening doors (literally and metaphorically) for others. I'll never forget your open studios. A huge thank you to Hollis for being a true friend and contributing to my musical and emotional education, long after we've both left Seattle. Finally, thank you to James for giving me the ability to dive back into this rich history and tap into a part of myself that I haven't sat with for a long time.