I abhor music festivals. The heat, sweat, mud, shitty food, warm beer are disincentives (at least in my mind) to appreciating the music. And then the music. Standing around…and standing and standing and standing isn’t something these 65-year-old legs can do anymore. Once I’ve decided which stage is presenting a band I want to “see” (an impossible task as I’m a fairly short guy), I still have to deal with the talkers, whistlers, and screamers while deciphering from the bass heavy sound which song is playing has kept me away from festivals for decades. I’d rather choose a small theatre with perfect acoustics, comfy chairs, and a wine bar.
So, I decided to cover Bellingham’s home-grown music festival, Bellingham Exit (“Welcome to Bellingham Exit -- now that the seatbelt sign has been turned off, please feel free to exit the ordinary, enter the extraordinary, and move about the cabin.”).
You might ask, what possessed me to cover an event I might despise? First, being a relatively new Bellingham resident, I’ve spent the last couple years learning about the city’s music and arts scene, checking out different venues, and to be perfectly honest, finding community here amongst people who love the arts. Covering Bellingham Exit seemed like a natural next step in that process.
Modeled after SXSW and Boise, Idaho’s Treefort, Bellingham Exit is not a centralized music festival. Instead, an incredible array of bands is presented in traditional theatres and music venues, as well as in some unique places: regular bars, a record store, an ice cream shop. And while a few national touring bands were scheduled, the opportunity to experience local musical artists was tempting.
Deciding to experience Bellingham’s rich musical tradition in (mostly) intimate settings enriched my education tremendously. From the "psychedelic stoner rock" of Biff Got Killed to the soft and intimate confessional lyrics of singer-songwriter Veronica North, the diversity and freshness of music available in this small town is, to understate it, impressive.
In my review for ParklifeDC I wrote: “The 4-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.”
I’m already planning on covering next year’s festival (of course). Maybe I’ll concentrate on the headliners…but then maybe the lure of the local music scene will pull me in once again.
I may have to stand on my tiptoes or listen to a heavy bass drone but at least I’ll have that choice. And choice, of course, is always a good thing.
(All photographs @ Mark Caicedo/PuraVida Photography)
Beautiful work, as always. I appreciate how you incorporated the sense of place into many of the photos, which only compliments your writing that much more. Sounds like a great time. BTW: Love the shot of Anais Mitchell; so much of what we do is in front of the artist that these types of shots (especially one as good as this one) are rare.
I remember when we were younger and any new music was an adventure we'd eagerly hear and absorb, usually liking and (often) promoting it as well. As we grew older, many people got pickier about what got past their filters, especially as radio by and large abandoned newer acts in favor of older ones.
This is/was to our detriment as there are literally thousands of artists worthy of our attention, and judging by your comments, exposing their ample talents publicly at little to no cost. Nice piece.