Peter Dervin’s 2015 Pacific Northwest Year in Review

The Grizzled Mighty

It’s amazing how fast a year goes by, as it seems like yesterday that 2015 started off with a bang for me. I want to thank Glen and the entire staff at NorthWest Music Scene for allowing me the opportunity of being a part of this great publication and being able to share my experiences throughout this past year.

Okay, the highlights! Really too many, but here it goes:

2015 started with the “Primus and the Chocolate Factory” tour at the Paramount. How crazy to see the Willy Wonka story told with dancing Oompa-Loompas and candy mushrooms. January also featured some great shows from The Jayhawks, Mark Hummel’s Blues Harmonica Blowout, The Flesh Eaters with Mudhoney, Chuck Prophet & the Mission Express and Blue Oyster Cult.

Primus and the Chocolate Factory

February was very eclectic with a mix of music with Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience, Spencer Day, the “Bang On A Can” Marathon, The Stray Birds, Steve Earle’s In-Store at Silver Platers in SoDo, Clink Black with Shelby Earls, The Chruch, the Tommy Castro Band, and Galatic.

March kicked off with legendary Producer Daniel Lanois performing at the Crocodile music from his album “Flesh and Machine”. The British Invasion with Peter Asher, Denny Laine, Chad and Jermey, and Billy J. Kramer played their hits at Benaroya Hall. The Southern Troubadours featuring Joe Ely, Ruthie Foster and Paul Thorn played at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. The Flamin’ Groovies tore it up at the Tractor Tavern and Los Lobos did a residency at the Triple Door. March closed out with the Treefort Music Festival in Boise featuring Adia Victoria, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Jason Webley, Tango Alpha Tango, Lee Gallagher & the Hallelujah, Motopony, Foxygen, Hobosexual, The Young Evils, Thunderpussy, Ayron Jones & The Way, Fauna Shade, Animal Eyes, and TV on the Radio.

April blasted off with The Sonics at the Moore Theatre with Mudhoney opening, WOW! The BoDeans performed at Benaroya Hall, Allen Stone kicked off his weeklong Seattle tour at the Triple Door, Ambient Pioneer Laraaji performed a rare concert in Seattle, and Al DiMeola was amazing at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley.

Allen Stone

Nikki Lane played the Tractor Tavern to start May. The Jeff Austin Band performed at the Neptune Theatre. The 2015 Fisherman’s Village Music Festival featured Mama Rags, Tango Alpha Tango, Prom Queen, Sisters, Mts & Tunnels, Preacher’s Wife, Pepper Proud, and Jason Webley. David Torn brought his unique guitar soundscapes to Storyville Coffee in Pike Place, and Jazz legend Eddie Palmieri Land Band at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley. One of the big highlights was The Mavericks performing at the Edmonds Center for the Arts as the fans stormed the stage, one of the craziest moments of the year!

Every year offers many surprises and one of them was the Big Building Bash, which was nestled in an industrial building under the West Seattle Freeway. I enjoyed the following bands, primarily as I knew very little about any of them but they truly created a fantastic experience: Prat Attack, Ole Tinder, TokyoIdaho, Black Plastic Clouds, Joseph Giant, TBASA, Eastern Souvenirs, Great Grandpa, Low Hums, And Yet, The Holy Broke, Coma Figura, Cloud Person, and Everett’s own Fauna Shade. 2016 should be even better!

In June, Sufjan Stevens provide one of the best shows of the year at the Paramount. World Party was fantastic at the Triple Door, and Steven Wilson blew away everybody at the Moore Theatre. The Bad Plus with Joshua Redman were amazing at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, John Doe played solo at the Triple Door with Jesse Dayton opening. Ayron Jones & The Way with Fox and The Law rocked the Fremont Solstice celebrations, and Motopony did an album release In-Store at East Street Records.

July kicked off with Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin with The Guilty Ones to support their new album “Lost Time”. Beach Boy legend, Brian Wilson performed at Benaroya Hall. Blues legend John Mayall and Jazz Vocalist Catherine Russell performed at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley respectively. Star Anna and Lonely Mountain Lovers played at the Sets In The West in Everett. The Hunts and Panic Is Perfect performed at the Crocodile. The Capitol Hill Block Party featured I Will Keep Your Ghost, Summer Cannibals, and Father John Misty.

Brian Wilson

August started with the Rock The Boat Festival and proved to be one of the best festivals of the year featuring Mudhoney, My Goodness, Fauna Shade, and Duke Evers. Summer Meltdown in Darrington again was a fun and sunny weekend with Choir of Crickets, A Cedar Suede, The Warren G. Hardings, Brothers Comatose, Jon Wayne & The Pain, Nahko & The Medicine People, Acorn Project, and Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme.

Los Lobos with the Dusty 45’s played the Festival On The River in Arlington. Sisters rocked the Sets In The West in Everett. The amazing Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin performed at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley to a packed house.

September started with Vince Gill at the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe. Bumbershoot was saved by AEG and brought in a wide variety of bands with Elle King, Grace Love & The True Loves, Babes In Toyland, Motopony, Lindsey Stirling, Eliot Sumner, Dead Moon, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Nikki Lane, Punch Brothers, The Grizzled Mighty, and Hozier. Canadian Pop Star Coeur de Pirate played at Neumos. Chris Cornell thrilled the devoted at Benaroya Hall. And Paul Weller wowed them at the Neptune Theatre.

Nikki Lane

In October I traveled to San Francisco for my annual pilgrimage to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park. The name of this festival is a little deceiving, as it’s just not all bluegrass. This year I caught Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, The Mavericks, Peter Rowan, T Bone Burnett, The Go To Hell Man Clan, Jim Lauderdale, Hot Tuna, Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin, Ry Cooder, Sharon White & Ricky Skaggs, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Joe Jackson, Beth Hart, Charles Bradley, Los Lobos and Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell.

I travelled to Portland to catch Neil Young & Promise Of The Real, which was also one of the best shows of the year. Neil & POTR performed many new sounds from their album “The Monsanto Years” but it was really all Neil playing many of his classics and golden nuggets. October wrapped up with Martin Sexton at the Edmonds Center for the Arts, Roger McGuinn playing the songs of The Byrds, as well The Zombies, both at Benaroya Hall.

Neil Young + Promise of the Real

Heading into November, my calendar finally began to slow down. Los Lobos did two shows, one in Tacoma at the Pantages Theatre and one at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. Nikki Lane came back to town, playing at Neumos. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy came to Benaroya Hall with their Holiday Extravaganza. Thunderpussy rocked Neumos to finish out their year that proved to one of the best shows in 2015.

My December closed out with a performance by the Portland Cello Project, and the Brian Setzer Chrismas Show, both at Benaroya Hall. I may get one more show in to close out my year. I certainly can’t wait for 2016 as I have several shows already lined up.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and I’ll see you at a show, rockin’ out with my camera in hand!

Peter

Posted by Peter Dervin Photography on Sunday, January 4, 2015