DARRINGTON — The festivals that play the music park here all have Stilly Valley connections, including StrutzFest, which continues today through Saturday, July 30.
This festival of classic rock is run by Toby Strotz of Arlington and his wife, Debbie, who grew up in Darrington.
The festival, named for Toby’s band Strutz, which had its start in the 1980s, features more than a dozen bands.
The headliner is Heart By Heart, which includes two of the original members of the band Heart — the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Steve Fossen and Michael Derosier.
“We played StrutzFest a number of years ago,” Fossen said. “It was a great time, sitting up at night singing songs. It was a lot of fun.”
Strutz will open for Heart By Heart tonight, as they did a few years ago at the Stanwood Camano Fair.
“Toby has asked us to play with them several times,” Fossen said. “Toby is a straight-up guy and a good drummer with a good band. We look forward to it.”
Next week, Heart By Heart will be in Chicago playing at the famous House of Blues.
“But we look forward to being on the stage in Darrington, with its great view of Whitehorse Mountain, which I have summited, I might add,” Fossen said.
Heart By Heart’s summer tour is about half done, with shows across the country and around the region. The band also will be at A Taste of Edmonds at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 16 in Civic Field at Seventh and Bell.
“We’re having a good time this summer. As a band, we like hanging out with each other,” Fossen said. “And we are dedicated to adding new songs to our set lists, so we’re practicing a couple of days a week.”
The 40th anniversary of the Heart song “Dreamboat Annie” instigated a new acoustic version by Heart By Heart. People can expect to hear it on Friday.
“It’s cool that people are still listening to tunes we created 40 years ago,” Fossen said. “At the time, we in Heart had no idea the music would have this staying power.”
It certainly has.
“The boomers often come up to us and share memories from the 1970s, often with tears in their eyes,” he said. “But we also have a growing group of millennial fans who love classic rock.”
Heart By Heart has a new 14-song CD out, which will be available for purchase at StrutzFest, Fossen said.
The festival, which began Thursday night, includes the following lineup on the main stage:
June 29
Everett’s Flightline performs at noon. Band members are Robert Newton, Brian Davis, “Jack Jr.” and Mark Rowe.
The Davanos play at 2:15 p.m. The Seattle-based band plays rock, blues, country and more.
The Joe Slick Band from Sultan entertains at 4:45 p.m. Members of the country rick band are Joe Slick, Steve Thorp, Shane Shook, Mike Johnson and Dave Bayautet.
Strutz takes the stage at 7:15 p.m. Based in Arlington, the band includes Deanne Bracamonte, Carol Harvey, Dave Pettigrew, Paul Christie, Mike Brandvold, special guest Lynn Sorensen (formerly of Bad Company) and Toby Strotz.
Heart By Heart comes on at about 9:45 p.m. Along with bassist Fossen and drummer Derosier, the band includes well-known Seattle guitarist Randy Hansen, vocalist Somar Macek and pianist/guitarist Lizzy Daymont.
June 30
El Loco, a ZZ Top tribute band from Seattle, opens the final day of the festival at noon.
The Michelle Taylor Band, which performs blues, rock, country and pop throughout Western Washington, is set to perform at about 2:15 p.m.
Blue Tattoo plays classics from the roots of hard rock from the late 1960s beginning at about 4:45 p.m. Drummer Kelly Nobles formerly played with Northwest band RAIL.
The Led Zeppelin Experience, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, performs at 7:15 p.m.
Spike &The Impalers, the well-known classic rock band from Seattle, comes on at about 9:45 p.m. to end the festival.
Between main stage performances, the beer garden features karaoke and other bands, including Cool Water and Superfekta.
If you go
StrutzFest, which benefits Mike Turner Memorial Foundation charities, continues noon to midnight July 29 and 30 at the Darrington Music Park on Highway 530, just west of Darrington.
Ticket prices and camping fees vary. For more information, go to www.strutzfest.com.
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