Doe Bay Campfire::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

This year’s Doe Bay mainstage was home to some of the Pacific Northwest’s higher profile bands, but the mainstage was just one of many places music was made. Each stage has it’s own character: the patio stage overlooking the bay for the sunny lunch and afternoon hour, the cafe stage for late night intimate performances. After 10pm, the Yoga Studio was the place to focus on, as its four modest walls sought to contain a series of performers on the verge of breaking out, both literally and figuratively.

The first band to grace the Yoga Studio was the percussive charms of Ravenna Woods. After a late Thursday night battling, and then falling to, the Washington State ferry system, Ravenna Woods spent much of Friday trying to get what sleep they could before their 10pm set, after arriving on the very earliest ferry. For the short moment I snuck into the shoulder-to-shoulder room, their fatigue was forgotten. Both Ravenna Woods and the Head and the Heart, who took the sweaty stage after them, are bands that move. Going to see these band’s in a normal room is enough to work up a sweat. For those hours in the 100-ish capacity Yoga Studio the room could’ve easily stood-in for the clothing optional sauna’s situated just up the hill. People were walking out of the room with dense layers of steam fogging their glasses and camera lenses. And big grins. During Head and the Heart someone wrote “SO FUCKING HOT” from the inside on the studio’s lone steamed-up window, but nobody was leaving

An equally interesting set, occurring at the same time as The Head and The Heart, was Widower’s Kevin Large in the Doe Bay Cafe. I only caught his two final songs but it was enough, with a squeal-inducing cover of Lisa Loeb’s “Stay” to close out his short set. Just to be clear I didn’t squeal. That was someone else. I swear. Once the yoga studio wound down, the action moved to the campfire, where Large brought his guitar and he found his comfort zone. Large is a bit reserved on and off stage, but in front of a campfire and friends, he’s a beast in his natural habitat. The breadth of his “photographic memory” for songs is impressive, he covered everything from Bruce Springsteen to Counting Crows to Simon and Garfunkel. Needless to say, spontaneous sing-alongs featuring Large, Curtains for You, and the Head and the Heart, and anyone else who might care to join in, kept the music going until the wee hours of Saturday morning.

Widower in the Cafe::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Steam writing in the Yoga Studio during the Head and the Heart ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Kelli Schaefer had the honor of opening the Yoga Studio on Saturday Night, though with her blessing, Drew Grow and the Pastors Wives actually started the night by playing the last song that they didn’t get finish during their mainstage set. Reprising last year’s Yoga Studio appearance with just one song, “It All Comes Right” is a gorgeous folk hymn bursting with harmonies, more so with the addition of Grand Hallway’s Shenandoah Davis and Kelli Schaefer to the mix. Much like Grow, Schaefer holds nothing back, not needing a microphone to make her point. Usually only accompanied by a drummer, this night she kept her label-mates The Pastors Wives on to support, along with multi-instrumentalist Steve Norman on the trumpet and steel guitar. This backing of friends produced a marked change from when I last saw her solo. Replacing a wounded, lilting loner was an emphatic, confessional attention grabber, where the need for a quiet tear was overwhelmed by the joy of the cleansing catharsis on display. Taking control of the night from the beginning, she led the entire studio in a chorus of “It’s so fucking hot” before informing us that was the last time any of us were allowed to utter those words and from that point on, the audience was silently riveted. I heard not one complaint, in I can only assume reverence for the performance. As of last weekend I’ve no reservation in saying Kelli Schaefer is currently endowed with one of the Pacific Northwest’s most compelling and arresting voices.

Though THEESatisfaction might’ve considered themselves a left-field booking for the largely folk and Americana influenced festival, for the last official set of the main festival they were duly appreciated with a packed sweaty crowd that was impressively active. Small rooms are where this band succeeds most, from up on stage some of the cultural criticisms can sound too preachy, but down on the ground, standing at eye-level it’s obvious that they’re speaking from real experience. Their stare you in the eye humor and wit challenges you to think, but also to dance. And the audience obliged.

I emerged from the Yoga studio to the Head and the Heart set up on the General Store porch singing songs with a half-circle of roughly 200 people ringing the porch. For the Saturday arrivers and those of us unable to make it into the Yoga Studio last night, it was a welcome development. The audience’s interest in the band clearly exceeded a hundred-odd person appearance in the Yoga Studio. Mid-way through the set, Doe Bay Resort owner Joe Brotherton arrived to a broken board on the porch from some over-zealous stomping but he could hardly complain, given the large crowd and quality of the quiet after-hours performance. These unexpected moments that felt perfectly orchestrated are exactly what we all hope the Doe Bay experience can be. Festival organizer Chad Clibborn sensed the magic of the moment and announced, with the band’s agreement, that the Head and the Heart will be playing the Doe Bay mainstage in 2011. Smiles abound.

Drew Grow with Kelli Shaefer and Shenandoah Davis::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Kelli Shaefer::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

THEESatisfaction ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

The Head and the Heart on the General Store Porch ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Though the festival unofficially extended into Sunday afternoon for a few bands on the Patio stage, we were extending our stay until Monday morning in order to complete a few more Doe Bay Sessions, most notably the Head and the Heart out on a rocky point at sunset. This session attracted a larger audience than any of our other relatively secluded forest sessions and in a wonderful turn of events included Kelli Shaefer, Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives and members of Youth Rescue Mission on backing harmonies. This magical event felt an ideal culmination of an idyllic weekend, a perfect representation of the community that had been created in the few days we were all together.

Given the tightness of the bonds being forged over the weekend, it came as no surprise that the community was compelled to linger and celebrate just a while longer. What was surprising, was that it happened at the picnics tables surrounding our yurt, with many of the remaining band members and festival organizers spending an hour at our bench. As more people arrived, the tables turned into an unscheduled stage unto itself. Following the quick decimation of two tequila bottles, a furious rap battle broke out between Daniel Williams of Youth Rescue Mission, and Seth from the Pastor’s Wives, with Seattle Times music writer Jonathan Zwickel on beat box and vinyl scratch. Curious owner Joe Bay ventured around the inlet and joined in on the fun, commanding everyone’s attention enough to allow Kelli Shaefer a chance to belt out “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” In this setting, sung with that voice, I was fairly convinced that who ever was wrote that song was thinking of a place not unlike Doe Bay.

Over The Rainbow from Dylan Priest on Vimeo.

Premonition from Dylan Priest on Vimeo.

Black Whales ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Hope you all bought your tickets for Doe Bay Festival (like we told you to) because it has sold out just 10 days after going on sale!

Doubly hope you bought your tickets or this next part is just going to rub salt into the wound, Black Whales are the latest band to be added to what is yet again shaping up to be the local line-up of the summer.

Doe Bay ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

If you feel like attending a festival comprised almost solely of bands we’ve spent a  great deal of time gushing about here on Sound on the Sound in one of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen … you should buy your tickets for Doe Bay Festival right now.

Tickets have just gone on sale and you can purchase them at Brown Paper Tickets.

There are only 750 tickets available and the festival will sell out, it’s just a matter of when. Just be sure that’s not before you’ve bought your tickets, because we sincerely cannot recommend this festival enough.

Doe Bay Lawn 2009 ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Each step closer to the San Juan Islands ferry and Doe Bay is a very good thing, and the availability of tickets is definitely the step we’ve been anticipating for a little while now. Lucky you, we’re the first to get those details for our favorite local music festival:

Tickets for Doe Bay Fest 2010 go on sale 9am - May 10th
Only at www.doebayfest.com
Tickets are $45 a person and there are only 750 tickets available.

You have to make your reservations for the weekend with Doe Bay Resort here and you cannot make reservations for the weekend of the festival until tickets go on sale.

If you want to guarantee you’re going to Doe Bay (and believe us, you do) we recommend you buying your tickets as soon as they’re available. The growing list of great bands playing, now includes the just added The Head and the Heart, Curtains for You, Ravenna Woods and Ivan & Alyosha. Here’s the full list of confirmations so far if you haven’t been keeping up:

Doe Bay Festival 2010 Lineup (so far…)

Fruit Bats
Grand Archives
The Maldives
Hey Marseilles
Grand Hallway
THEESatisfaction
Fences
Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives
The Portland Cello Project
Shenandoah Davis
Zoe Muth and Her Lost High Rollers
The Dimes
Kimo Muraki
Curtains for You
Ravenna Woods
Ivan & Alyosha

While you don’t have to stay at the Doe Bay Resort on Orcas Island, it definitely makes everything much more accessible. The organic cafe, the beach, the spa, the stage. Those who make early reservations might get to stay in a cabin or at a campsite overlooking the ocean. We’re staying in a yurt! Late decision makers will have to camp in the fields above the stage, which actually ended up being rather convenient last year for us. We could literally see the stage from our campsite.

August 13th is only 104 days away…

Drew Grow & The Pastor’s Wives ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Wednesday night at the Tractor Tavern was the second Wednesday in a row of a sweet local bills filling up a room. Now that is what I’m talkin’ about!

Drew Grow is the TRUTH. He was as revelatory as expected. Maybe more so. Had I had a womb, I’m fairly certain he would’ve spontaneously impregnated me. It was that good. I was afraid I might have been exaggerating earlier, but I really wasn’t.

Ravenna Woods took us till midnight, and with some steady attention by KEXP lately they’ve been gaining fans left and right. Two well attended sets in Ballard in a month’s time is pretty stellar to my mind. On top of that, if the crowd had it their way, Ravenna Woods would’ve played till sunrise. A fervent audience to compliment a fervent band then.

Both Drew Grow & the Pastor’s Wives and Ravenna Woods will be at Doe Bay Fest 2010 happening August 13th and 14th on Orcas Island at the Doe Bay Resort. Tickets go on sale sooner than you think, so stay tuned.

Drew Grow & The Pastor’s Wives ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Drew Grow & The Pastor’s Wives ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Ravenna Woods ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Flickr: Ravenna Woods, Drew Grow & The Pastor’s Wives at the Tractor Tavern

Sunset at Doe Bay Festival 2009 ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

It may be five months away, but I’m already ready for Doe Bay Fest 2010. I was ready for it a day after I left Orcas last August, after being treated to one of the most enjoyable and intimate musical experiences of my life. Last year, I called the Doe Bay Fest the local line-up of the summer and by the looks of just this initial announcement, which we’re excited to bring you first, 2010 is going to be just as good.

From now ’til August, Sound on the Sound will be your official source for all things Doe Bay Festival. You’ll hear everything here first: from line-ups to ticket information to interviews and introductions to the artists and just why Doe Bay is such a wonderful place for a festival. Just call us the Official Blog of Doe Bay. We’ll be letting you know soon all the exciting ways Sound on the Sound is going to be involved with our favorite little local festival.

But first things first…we’ve got an initial line-up to announce! This may just the beginning of the Doe Bay line-up, but man, what a beginning it is.

Fruit Bats
Hey Marseilles
Grand Hallway
THEESatisfaction
Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives
The Portland Cello Project
Shenandoah Davis

Those names alone should be enough to have you blocking out the weekend of August 13th and 14th, and I can promise you it’s only going to get better.

Front Row in the Rain at Macklemore during Bumbershoot ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

“I get on stage, style, share my whole life, try to reach ‘em at the bar where they’re drinkin’ Miller Light.
But the kids in the front, they bring out the passion, dude. Make noise throughout the show, and not only when we ask them to.
I watch the older cats, jaded in the back, hand clasped, forgot when they weren’t too cool to be a fan. Damn. Hatin’ at the concert, you don’t remember RCKCNDY, watching Hiero or wylin’ out to alcoholics.
I know, it’s not the same, it never will be. But hey, my, my, my, my city’s filthy.”

- by Macklemore from “The Town”

Thanks for sharing 2009 and the front row with us. Have a happy and safe New Year!
See you in the front row in 2010 Seattle!

The Ironclads’ Front Row ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Passion Pit’s Front Frow ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

The Maldives Front Row at Doe Bay Festival ::: video by Abbey Simmons

The Ironclads CD Release Show ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

As a person who goes to grippa shows, it’s a hopeless task to put properly put into any meaningful order the favorite shows they’ve been two beyond saying a few were the very best or stand out as special moments and deserve recognition as such for the annals. So I’ve chosen a list of twenty shows and sets from this year that I’ll never forget, presented in chronological order.

Blind Pilot @ The Triple Door (January 2009) - read the full review

The Murder City Devils first show back at the Showbox at the Market (February 2009) - read the full review

Dan Auerbach at the Showbox at the Market (March 2009) - read the full review

The Ironclads CD Release w/ Hands, Whore Moans, What What Now (April 2009) - read the full review

Blue Moon 75th Anniversary Show w/ High Class Wreckage, Thee Emergency, Hopscotch Boys, and The Whore Moans (April 2009) - read the full review

The Lonely Forest CD Release at the Vera Project (April 2009) - read the full review

Bon Iver at Sasquatch (May 2009) - read the full review

Nurses at the South Pole (DIY venue) (June 2009) - read the full review

David Bazan in a Living Room in Edmonds (June 2009) - read the full review

Robin and Josh ::: Photo on Film by Josh Lovseth

Robin Pecknold at Neumos (July 2009) - read the full review

Rural Alberta Advantage at the Sunset Tavern (July 2009) - read the full review

Widower, Pearly Gate Music, Final Spins at Sunset Tavern (July 2009) - read the full review

Doe Bay Fest (August 2009) - read the full review

The Maldives CD Release at the Tractor Tavern w/ The Moondoggies and Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers (August 2009) - read the full review

Macklemore at Bumbershoot (September 2009) - read the full review

Dirty Three at the Crocodile (September 2009) - read the full review

Fanfarlo at Chop Suey (September 2009) - read the full review

Grizzly Bear at the Moore (October 2009) - read the full review

Black Eyes & Neckties Last Show (October 31, 2009) - eulogy never written

Regina Spektor at the Paramount (November 2009) - read the full review

Taking in the Bay at Doe Bay Music Fest ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Sunset Over the Lawn::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Located on the far side of Orcas island from the ferry dock, Doe Bay Resort is a calm retreat of cabins, yurts and campsites surrounding a spa and beach. Joe Bay (real name Joe Brotherton) is the proprietor of this idyllic wonderland and his warm and fatherly presence wandered the grounds with a permanent smile ready to right any wrong and generally make everyone feel welcome. His demeanor was not that of a worried and over-wound concert promoter or venue manager, but that of a host that was actually worried about you having fun. After his second announcement on Saturday evening extending happy hour (and half price beers) to the rest of the day I decided he would probably be genuinely offended if I didn’t have fun at his own personal Woodstock, happening on the same weekend of the 40th anniversary of the original music event.

Friday evening found us exploring the grounds and meeting our tent neighbor, Portland’s own Pet Marmoset before ending up cradling a bottle of Blue Moon and enjoying the festival’s first night of talent. The “Toast of Tacoma” Goldfinch kicked off the main stage as a six piece for the first time; the two piece string ensemble was taken into hire for the festival after the band met them coming over to the island on the ferry. A band with a strong two-piece core, Grace and Aaron were the naked folks with the idea to lead us astray in the Doe Bay promo video, and their polished alt-country made for a great start. 17th Chapter kept that vibe going, and kicked it up a notch with some pretty ripping guitar solo’s.

Slender Means had the set-time where we transitioned into darkness, and the notion of “starry-eyed pop” that these gents are famous for seemed to meet reality right before our eyes. The wide band of the milky way became clearly visible in the sky by the end of their hour, a many gemmed chandelier to get lost in as one laid in the grass. The Lonely Forest rounded out the night on the main stage with an hour of hyper-active anthems to please the slowly growing crowd, the teenage contingent making their way to stand at the foot of the stage.

On Saturday after a cloudy outdoor breakfast at the sustainably run Doe Bay Cafe overlooking the namesake bay, the sun made lengthy appearances, drawing me often to the shade of the apple tree situated off to the right of the stage. It’s expansive branches were full of nearly ripe fruit and provided a spot of relief from the growing heat. As I lay in it’s shade I thought, “Self: You made the right decision in missing your 10 year high school reunion this weekend. Moments like this are few and far between.” Music festivals these days are in general crowded, corporate and secured, yet Doe Bay Fest broke all those rules and 700+ people were able to enjoy themselves rather responsibly without any of that.

Seattle’s Spanish for 100 welcomed the early arrivals and announced the start of the day for the late risers, while Portland’s Weinland was well attended by an enthusiastic Portland contingent. Friday Mile reminded me a lot of Stars, an alt-country version of them maybe. The Moondoggies who’s roots in local taverns now seem right at home now in the sun in front of hundreds.

Hey Marseilles, whom we caught up with on the ferry over, was sans a guitarist/mandolinist in Nick; who the night before had likely broken his wrist playing drunk volleyball in camp. Not  fully aware of what he had done found himself the next day in pain. We’ve seen this play out before somewhere haven’t we? Oh, yes. The temporary six piece balked not at all at the change in circumstances and ultimately delivered on their usual promise of a lively and uplifting set just the same.

In the waning hours of the intermittent sunlight, David Bazan brought a decidedly different feel to the evening. Apologizing for not being able to bring his new band, he played a number of songs from his new record but also “Priests and Paramedics” and “Transcontinental,” Pedro the Lion songs typical of his recent house show repertoire. The crowd was utterly quiet, reverent of the words pouring out of his mouth, and drinking in the weight of his expressed conflict. During one of his traditional mid-set question and answer sessions somebody asked an obvious surface question (”What’s Your Favorite Color?), and never one to be predictable, he gave an answer that spoke volumes about where he is right now saying, “The color my daughter thinks is my favorite is black. And I think that’s probably the best answer I can give at this point.” When somebody asked what his favorite Psalm was he responded “Psalm 23 I’ve still managed to find it comforting through all this time.” (For the curious and unfamiliar, that Psalm begins “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” See a recent Chicago Reader piece for more context about why this answer is important.)

The Maldives began their set late due to some tech issues, also a man short as they were missing pedal steel player Chris Zasche. In his absence, The Maldives live sound took on a rock dimension as the dueling electric guitars stepped up their presence, and the setlist leaned heavily in favor of that being the preference. They were the first of the day to elicit and all out rush to the front of the stage for dancing as they started, and considering the slightly negative crowd response at being cut off early, well before they had a chance to end with their usual cherry on top “By the Wind Sailor,” it was clear there were a fair number of people who considered the Maldives the reason for coming.

After some time off, the Long Winters headlined Saturday night with fill-in drummer Mike Musberger, having lost drummer Nabil Ayers to NYC. Recently front man John Roderick has been holed up in his South Seattle house, attempting to write the next Long Winters record, and so far, by all accounts, it’s been a challenge. One new song did make an appearance though, amongst a set of what I considered to be the band’s best. My ideal set list was pretty much met as they warmed up with “Pushover,” snuck in a few oldies like “Medicine Cabinet Pirate” and “Scared Straight,” and filled a request for “Cinnamon.” Aside from the music, one can pretty much guarantee Roderick will have all sorts of things to say about all sorts of things, and this night was no different. On algae bioluminesence: “my college nickname.” An inflatable earth ball floating on stage mid set became an opportunity to schedule an after show talk about “earth responsibility” with it’s young owner Oliver. By the end I was thinking maybe Roderick should strike out on a musical comedy tour a la Reggie Watts.

As the festival wound down we tramped down to the area of the camp overlooking the bay, in search of the Yoga studio where it turned out by the time we arrived, Goldfinch was already in action for the final set of the fest. Afterward a group of us, including Maldives, Moondoggies, John Roderick, and Dave Bazan, walked down to the beach to view the bioluminescence in all it’s glory. After a count down, we all at once threw rocks in the water to witness the glow as the algae was stirred. Soon realizing the meteor shower was still in full effect our eyes turned skyward, searching the milky way, and able to find success just often enough to keep us awestruck for a while. And as I passed a bottle of tequila around between the festival’s promoter and the sound man who were alternately digging up facts about the Pig War, I actually felt what everyone else had been saying all day long: right at that moment there was really no other place that I would rather be.

In the shade of the Apple Tree ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

The Maldives are comfortable with Island chains ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

It’s Not Called Doe Bay for Nothing ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

A Selection of photos from each day are below the fold… or check our flickr page for the full bonanza.

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David Bazan ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Over the next two weekends David Bazan will be breaking in a new band, first at a couple of Edmonds house shows, then the following weekend up at Doe Bay Music Festival on Orcas Island. His new band is a northwest supergroup of sorts with Eric Elbogen of Say Hi, Andy Fitts of Aqueduct, Casey Foubert, and Blake Wescott all joining him on tour. Interestingly Bazan himself will be playing bass.

The occasion for a new band is an October tour in support of Bazan’s new record Curse Your Branches out September 1st on Barsuk Records, a record where he lays bare his doubts in what he once took for God’s truth. Since the demise of Pedro the Lion, Bazan has been touring as just a man and a guitar, but for this record he took the initiative to record all the instruments himself, adding an unexpected layer of emotional complexity to a collection of songs that are already strikingly autobiographical and frank.

MP3: “Bless This Mess” by David Bazan from Curse Your Branches courtesy of Barsuk Records

You can pre-order the album from Barsuk Records and get immediate access to a streaming version of the record.

David Bazan’s caps the Curse Your Branches Tour with a November 7th date at Neumos, supported by Say Hi and The Sea Navy. Elbogen himself will be doing double duty for those five weeks with Say Hi supporting the entire North American trek.

You can find the complete list of 2009 David Bazan tour dates below the fold.

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