Everett’s music party on Hewitt avenue hits all the notes

Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 30, 2017

2017 Fisherman’s Village Music Festival venues and schedule

Ryan Crowther of the Fisherman’s Village Music Festival returned earlier this week from the huge Treefort Music Fest in Boise, where he promoted a showcase of bands from Everett’s festival.

It was the best Treefort fest yet, he said, in part because the Fisherman’s Village showcase was welcomed so enthusiastically by the Idaho festival’s organizers and fans. “Boise offered a great opportunity to create more visibility for Everett,” Crowther said.

Fisherman’s Village opens tonight at Tony V’s Garage, the Anchor Pub and Black Lab Gallery, all on Hewitt Avenue. The fourth annual multi-genre music festival, produced by Everett Music Initiative, kicks off the start of the local music festival season and will feature more than 60 bands, with some performing at the Everett Performing Arts Center on Saturday.

As many as 4,000 people are expected to attend the three-day festival.

During its first three years, the Everett festival played in May. That changed this past fall when Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen announced that his new event, Upstream Music Fest & Summit, will take over Seattle’s Pioneer Square in mid-May.

Had Everett Music Initiative left Fisherman’s Village in its traditional time slot, the festival would have been sandwiched between the “billionaire’s passion project” and the Sasquatch! music festival over Memorial Day weekend, Crowther said. There was no reason to compete.

“Our festival weekend is one of those times during the year when I feel most proud to call Everett home,” Crowther said. “It’s a great weekend for people who haven’t spent much time in Everett to come here to enjoy good food and drinks, check out our arts community and hear great music for a good price.”

If you don’t already have a festival entrance wristband, they will be available for $40 for the entire weekend. One-day tickets are $20, as are the weekend wristbands for ages 13 to 20. (Children get in for free.) People under age 21 are welcome at festival venues until 11 p.m. each night.

All concerts at the Fisherman’s Village Music Festival will be played indoors, Crowther said. It was nice to have an outdoor stage on Colby Avenue last year, but the weekend forecast calls for more spring rain.

Everett Music Initiative marks five years this spring promoting local music, and the nonprofit organization was recognized as Everett’s “Organization Making an Impact” at the Mayor’s Arts Awards ceremony in January.

“I continue to watch Everett grow, with exciting new businesses, the arts community and more,” Crowther said. “And I am appreciative that the city lets us be a part of that growth.”

So what are the bands Crowther is most looking forward to hearing at the festival?

“The Seshen out of Oakland (10 p.m. Saturday at the performing arts center) is my top pick,” he said. “They make the most beautiful, soulful, funky electronic music.”

Crowther is looking forward to closing out the festival listening to Arizona native Courtney Marie Andrews and Karl Blau from Anacortes at 9 and 10 p.m. Sunday at Tony V’s Garage.

“This has been a really big year for country-inspired indie music,” he said. “Courtney Marie Andrews is getting a lot of attention for her new album and Karl Blau did a recent tour in Europe that was popular. They’re going to turn Tony V’s into a honky-tonk for the night.”

Of course, Seattle’s beloved all-women band Thunderpussy at 11 tonight at Tony V’s will be a highlight, too, Crowther said. And he encourages people to check out the local bands at the Anchor and the groups performing at the Black Lab Gallery.

“Some of my favorite festival experiences have been among capacity crowds in smaller spaces such as Black Lab,” he said.

Also happening in conjunction with Fisherman’s Village Music Festival is the Everett Makers Market of arts, crafts and food from 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday in the Anderson Room at the Everett Performing Arts Center. A refreshments bar and merchandise sales will be available as well.

If you go

Fisherman’s Village Music Festival: March 31 through April 2, at Tony V’s Garage, the Anchor Pub and Black Lab Gallery, all on Hewitt Avenue in downtown Everett, and on April 1 at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave. More information is available at www.thefishermansvillage.com.

Tickets: Sales and will-call at Tony V’s on Friday and Sunday, and at EPAC on Saturday. Children are admitted free. Young people ages 13 to 20 can buy an all-weekend wristband ticket for $20. One-day adult tickets are $20, and one-day, one-venue cover tickets are available at Tony V’s and the Anchor. An adult wristband ticket for all three days is $40. People who can’t afford the $40 are asked to write to everettmusicinitiative@gmail.com for help.