Recent Stories with tag doe bay

Of course, not everyone is Bumbershooting this Labor Day weekend. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a personal music festival. Abbey from The Sound on the Sound emailed me about the Doe Bay Sessions, and I would be greedy indeed to keep the news from you. Every Tuesday, from now through October, they're posting a new live session from bands like The Head and the Heart, Hey Marseilles, Ravenna Woods, Drew Grow and the Pastors' Wives, and Fences.

It's a new project from SOTS, which begins with music videos of The Maldives somewhere in the woods, filmed during this year's Doe Bay Fest. The initial idea was to invite a few bands to the SOTS yurt for a Vincent-Moon-style "takeaway" shoot...but these things have a way of getting away from you, and now:

Over the next 10 weeks we will be releasing videos featuring a candlelit session from Fences, The Head and the Heart (and the Doe Bay All-Stars) singing down the sun, Ravenna Woods using trees for percussion, a mid-trail serenade from Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives, The Maldives on a mossy knoll, picnic table perching with Hey Marseilles and many more.... (more)

Hey Marseilles @ The Tractor Tavern

Saturday night I squeezed into the Tractor with the rest of the sold-out crowd to see Conservative Dad, The Head and the Heart, and Hey Marseilles. This show was a little while in coming, since Hey Marseilles has been in the studio re-editing their debut To Travels & Trunks for national release and on newly-pressed vinyl. 

Conservative Dad @ The Tractor Tavern

Con Dad started their set quickly before the crowd got too rowdy squishing into the main room. They've been likened to Death Cab for Cutie, but I'm not sure I'd put them in a box like that, especially since last year they put out four EPs, each with a different sound than the last. Sure, they've a familiar sound, and the typical rock band lineup (drummer, singer-guitarist, backup singer-guitarist, and guitarist-keyboardist-backup singer), but there's a little something else mixed in you can't seem to put your finger on that keeps it from being monotonous and boring.

The Head and The Heart @ The Tractor Tavern

The Head and the Heart has been getting a lot of hype around town, but I seem to have kept a wary distance between their music and my ears. Their sound is gorgeous, and they really show that off in a venue like the Tractor. The passion in each of their faces and the way they smile at each other, as if they're sharing some kind of secret, adds a lot to the experience. The overall feeling after their set is sweet happiness, like you're hanging out on the back porch during a warm summer's day with friends, drinking beer, and telling stories.

The night ended with a bang as Hey Marseilles took the stage. Every show they play has its own feel, and that has a lot to do with venue itself. Smaller venues bring the audience that much closer to the band, and that's when this group really shines. One of the best things about them is their enthusiasm for the music they play and the fans; in the intimate setting they're at ease, allowing them to just have fun.... (more)

doe bay festival image courtesy of doebayfest.com

What's that? You don't know what the Doe Bay Music Festival is? Why, it's a magical place where local bands converge to spread musical joy to a crowd of a little under one thousand fans basking in the mid-August sun. 

Okay, enough of that. Here's the lowdown: it's a two-day festival on Orcas Island comprised solely of Northwest bands that will blow your mind. It's at the Doe Bay Resort and Retreat, which opens their doors (and part of their 33-acre expanse) to campers and music-lovers alike for a two-day intimate music experience. It's a low-key alternative to the huge crowd-laden festivals that we know so well. The whole fest is limited to about 750 tickets, which go on sale this Monday at 9 a.m.

This year it's on August 13th and 14th, just in time for Seattle's weather sweetspot, that time of year when almost every day is heaven on earth: hipsters are puttering on their scooters, beach volleyball is an afternoon staple, and ice cream is an important part of every meal.  

Doe Bay Resort image courtesy doebayfest.com

You might be thinking to yourself, It starts on a Friday and ends Saturday night? Yes, it starts on Friday, but if it follows a similar schedule as last year's event, then the acts don't really get going till around 6 or 7 p.m. That leaves you just enough time to trek over to Orcas after work and catch the first act.

As for the logistics, there is really only one way to get over there, by ferry from Anacortes. Unfortunately it's pretty expensive: $44 for car and driver plus $13.45 per passenger, but at least it's free on the ride back! When it comes to sleeping accommodations, the cheapest option is camping out on the grounds, then there's a bed in the local hostel, a yurt that sleeps 5 to 25, or a cabin. If you'd rather have cushier arrangements, there are some beautiful B&Bs in the Doe Bay community.... (more)