Tag: Northern Departure

Here’s a happy ending followup to a piece we ran last month, when we posted about Northern Departure. This young bluegrass band from Seattle made it into the finals of a northwestern band competition, Sound Off!, typically dominated by rock and pop groups.

We heard from ND guitarist Chris Luquette earlier this week, with details on the final round of play-offs on March 5.

“We finished in 2nd place! Seattle Indie-pop band Tomten finished 1st, rock band Fit For Hounds 3rd, and from British Columbia, bubblegum pop band The Oh Wells finished 4th.

For finishing 2nd, we received a performance spot at the 2011 NW Folklife Festival, and tons of gear, including a Vox Electric Guitar, a Black Start 100 Watt amplifier, and a Korg keyboard Synthesizer. All gear that an acoustic bluegrass band desperately needs!!!

We were honored to make it to the finals, and every young person in the audience truly enjoyed our music and we had an amazing audience reaction. One young fan told me: ‘I’ve never seen bluegrass before, but that was the greatest show I have ever seen!!’

Thanks to all of the bluegrass fans who supported us in our Sound Off run, and thanks to Bluegrass Today for the coverage! Keep tabs on our web site for our summer schedule, which takes us to some great bluegrass and music festivals.”

Congratulations to Chris and the guys for this impressive performance!In addition to Luquette on guitar, Derek Gray is on bass, Nick Dumas is on mandolin/fiddle, and Austin McGregor is on banjo.

Sometimes it seems that bands from outside the bluegrass heartland better understand the importance of taking our music into unconventional arenas. Well done, gentlemen.

 

We heard yesterday from Chris Luquette, guitarist with Northern Departure, a young bluegrass band based in Seattle.

They were chosen this past weekend as finalists in a music competition called Sound Off!, or as it is also known, the Battle of the Underage Bands. Now in its 10th year, the even is sponsored by the Experience Music Project and is open only to northwestern bands comprised of musicians under the age of 21.

Chris tells us that Northern Departure was not only the only bluegrass band, but also the only acoustic group in a field of 138 acts, most of them rock or indie-rock. All competitors must perform original music, and are judged on musicianship, originality and audience reaction.

Well done guys! Let’s hope to hear more good news after the finals are held on March 5.

Here are a couple of videos of these talented Seattle grassers at work.

You can also hear their studio recording of Take Off, a kickin’ banjo tune, on the Sound Off! web site.