Otter Cove Stage ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

You’re already planning on catching most of the mainstage acts, you’re ready to party with Champagne Champagne, your “Hacienda hands” are ready for Pickwick, you’ve mastered the complex clap of The Maldives’ “By the Wind Sailor” and you can’t wait to sing along to “Rivers and Roads” with your best friends. But Doe Bay isn’t just about the headliners and there are a number of lesser known names you won’t want to miss.

Thursday: from 6pm till late, there’ll be an open mic in the Doe Bay Cafe featuring many of the artists performing over the weekend. If you’re a song-writer yourself, bring your guitar and sign up for a slot.

Friday:

Sean Flinn (12:00-12:45, Otter Cove Stage) the first artist of Doe Bay 2011 will be Portland’s Sean Flinn, front man of the band Sean Flinn and the Royal We. Enjoy him while you’re checking in by the Cafe or getting your bearings at the Fest.

Tony Kevin Jr(1:00-1:45, Otter Cove Stage) due to illness, Goldfinch has had to cancel their appearance at Doe Bay, which is a huge bummer. However, it makes room for singer-song writer and Doe Bay open mic host Tony Kevin Jr. to perform officially. Tony’s a performer who can sing it to the rafters and with the natural amphitheater of the Bay, I suspect you’ll be able to follow his voice from Eastbound to Olga if you happen to arrive on the island during his set.

Damien Jurado (2:00-3:00pm, Otter Cove Stage): Jurado really needs no introduction, so this is just a reminder he’s not playing the main stage, he is not to be missed and you should plan your ferry and arrival time accordingly. If you make his set, you’ll be treated to some new songs that will be on his next record, like Reel to Reel:

Lemolo (10:15 - 11:00, Yoga Studio): Never again will you be able to see this band in such a small setting. If you don’t know Lemolo now, I feel confident you will very soon.

Frank Fairfield (10:15 - 11:00, Cafe Stage): If the Yoga Studio is full for Lemolo, and it will be, stop by the Cafe to see some world-class pickin’ by Saturday mainstage performer Frank Fairfield.

See Saturday and Sunday’s unmissable acts you might not know

Saturday:

Sera Cahoone (10:45-11:45, Otter Cove Stage): Sera Cahoone is the humblest of local music royalty. Drummer for Carissa’s Wierd and signed to Sub Pop as a solo artist long before the current boom of folksy Americana, and oh yeah, she has, by my estimation, the prettiest voice of any lady making music in the Pacific Northwest today. Joined by a full band, including heavy hitter Jeff Fielder on pedal steel, dobro, banjo or guitar, Cahoone’s delicate sad songs will go perfectly with your morning cup of coffee.

Fly Moon Royalty (10:00-10:45pm, Yoga Studio): I’m predicting the peak of the partying gets started Saturday night with Fly Moon Royalty, whose soulful mish-mash of R&B and hip-hop, include some of my favorite Seattle summer songs. “Higher” is one of those songs I heard on KEXP and waited in the car outside my house to see who sang it. If you aren’t gonna dance your ass off to this, step outside and give your spot to someone who is.

Mash Hall / Don’t Talk to the Cops (11:00-11:45pm, Yoga Studio): Keeping the party going till almost full moon midnight will be Mash Hall/Don’t Talk to the Cops, arguably Seattle’s most energetic hip hop crew. With a nerdy wink and a nod to horror movies and comic books and snap-worthy one-liners, Mash Hall presents hip hop with humor without ever seeming like a joke. I guarantee you, you won’t be able to stop singing “Up Early in the EM” once you hear it.

Matt and Mike Gervais and Matt Bishop (10-11:45, Cafe Stage): Since the yoga studio will fill up fast or if you’re in the mood for mellower fare, grab a spot at the cafe to see stripped down performances fro the lead singers of two former Doe Bay mainstage performers, Curtains for You and Hey Marseilles.

Sunday

Mystery Line-Up (all day, Otter Cove Stage): We have no idea, really, who is playing the unofficial third day of Doe Bay Fest except for Youth Rescue Mission, but some of our favorite moments musically happened after the festival was officially over in years past.