Concert Review: Jamie Nova SKY at The Urban Onion

Jamie Nova SKY at The Urban Onion – Olympia

If you go to the Jamie Nova SKY‘s Facebook page and read the “about” section you’ll read some phrases like “Creating the music that manifests itself within our being.” “Living every day like we are dying.” “Eating, Drinking, and spending time with those that challenge us to become the best we can be.”

Just a few minutes at one of their shows or spending a few minutes talking to these wonderful human beings and you’ll know that those phrases were not some carefully crafted words manufactured by a PR firm. The members of this band believe and live this stuff and when they are on stage they project that positive energy into the crowd. Or as Jamie likes to put it, “Shove sunshine up their asses”. And I promise you she means that in the most loving way possible.

Of course all of the members of this band have played in various other bands and collaborations that include bands like the legendary Shadow,  The Rockfords, current metal masters Witchburn, the ultra popular Klover Jane and Black Diamond. To call them a super group at least on the local level wouldn’t be a stretch but even without that title they are playing super music. Cumulatively I doubt I could count the times I’ve seen all these musicians in their various other projects and I’ve loved every show.

I’d best describe their sound as a bluesy-Americana with driving melodic acoustic rock overtones, with just enough of a swampy world drum beat to make it unique to the northwest.

On Saturday May 30 I got a chance to catch the band at a killer venue in Olympia called The Urban Onion. On a stage that uses a secondary bar and 20 foot tall mural of Hotel Olympia as a backdrop, Jamie and her merry-men drove home the message that life is beautiful. As they powered through brilliant performances of “Better Days” and “1500 Miles” the crowd bobbed their heads. clapped and swayed even if some in the audience had never heard them before.

By the time Jamie Nova SKY burst into a blazing version of Janis Joplin‘s  “Me & Bobby McGee” they already owned the crowd but this one finished them off. Possessing one of the best set of pipes the northwest has ever heard, she bounced around the dimly lit stage, while bassist Rick Friel energetically added plenty of tasty licks, with rock-solid guitarist JT Phillips and animated drummer Chris Kiger contributing a flair of their own.

This is clearly a band having a blast and is destined to do great things. Stay tuned for our interview with Jamie Nova SKY coming later this week.

Ali Baker opened the show and delighted the crowd with a great set, while showing off her incredible voice. When she’s not doing her acoustic thing she can be found on stage with local favorites Full Moon Radio.

Ali Baker (Full Moon Radio) at The Urban Onion – Olympia

Closing the show was left-handed balladeer Scott Taylor. He’s been in the Olympia scene for a long-time playing acoustically or with one of his full bands projects such as The Hard Way. Rumor has it he lives in Kurt Cobain’s old apartment in Oly.

Scott Taylor at The Urban Onion – Olympia