Catch a new mini-Meltdown festival this weekend in Tulalip

If you missed this year’s Summer Meltdown, you still have a chance to catch a band that performed there — and a bunch of other acts.

Snohomish County’s own power-funk band Cytrus will be Saturday’s headliner at the new Jam Revival Music and Arts Festival in Tulalip.

Think of the festival, set for Sept. 6-7, as a mini version of Darrington’s eclectic music festival. It will feature 11 bands and 11 DJs playing rock, bluegrass, soul, reggae, hip-hop, funk and electronic music. Bellingham’s Oso, a jam funk band, is Friday’s headliner.

There will be two outdoor stages on a 2.5-acre lot nestled among tall evergreen trees. In addition to the music, there will be art and food booths. Festival-goers will be able to camp overnight.

Cytrus was added to Summer Meltdown’s lineup after winning The Meltdown Showdown competition in May at Nectar Lounge in Seattle. Guitarist Jared Squires, 23 of Lake Stevens, says Jam Revival will be like going back to Darrington Bluegrass Music Park.

“Summer Meltdown was a flagship moment for us,” Squires said. “We can all say in good conscience that it’s our favorite time of year. With that being said, we want more of that feeling. While Jam Revival is reminiscent of Summer Meltdown, you can already tell it’s unique just by the grounds they’ve chosen.”

The eight-member band was formed about a year ago. Their sound draws from funk, disco, neo-soul, rock and hip-hop. Psychedelic synthesizers, bass-induced grooves and spontaneous improvisations are also staples of their music.

“It’s intended to sound powerful and groovy,” Squires said. “However, we incorporate a healthy amount of psychedelic/acid rock influences. Funk is the main channel, but there’s power in all of it.”

Jam Revival’s organizer is Brae Hammersley, 27, of Tacoma. Hammersley, whose jam band nu~ance will play Friday and Saturday, has been a fan of Summer Meltdown since moving to the area from Virginia about three years ago.

He said he fell in love with Summer Meltdown and what it stands for, and was inspired to create a grassroots festival of his own. All ticket proceeds will go to Ted Brown Music Outreach in Tacoma, which provides musical instruments for kids who can’t afford them.

“I’ve been dreaming about doing this for 10 years, so I’ve looked into it a few times before I started planning it,” he said. “I finally got into a position where I felt I had enough friends and connections to be able to finally do it.” The festival grounds, for example, belong to a friend of a friend, Hammersley said.

The Sean Keck Project, a rock band from Everett, will perform at Jam Revival Music and Arts Festival. (Patti Mullen)

The Sean Keck Project, a longtime Everett jam rock band, will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a performance Friday before Oso’s set. Keck, 43, plans to donate four instruments — flute, clarinet, trumpet and a trombone — to Ted Brown Music Outreach.

Other acts include Everett’s Davin Michael Stedman (frontman of The Staxx Brothers) & The Soul United All Stars, Seattle’s Fat Starfish and Tacoma’s Take It To Space.

Evan Thompson: 425-339-3427, ethompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @ByEvanThompson.If you go

Jam Revival Music and Arts Festival is Sept. 6-7 on a private 2.5-acre lot at 7005 126th St. NW, Tulalip. It’s a grassroots event featuring music, art and camping. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. All proceeds will be donated to Ted Brown Music Outreach in Tacoma. More at www.facebook.com/JamRevivalFestival or www.www.jamrevival.com.

Performance schedule

Friday

Main stage

7 p.m.: Nuance

9 p.m.: Fat Starfish

11 p.m.: The Sean Keck Project

1 a.m.: Oso

DJ stage

6 p.m.: Max Gain

8 p.m.: Arthur Arthur

10 p.m.: Max Gain

Midnight: Cauliflowa