If you follow Seattle’s thriving music scene, chances are you already know this name. And if you don’t, well, you really should. Though Kenyan-born Naomi Wachira has already made some major waves around the Pacific Northwest (Seattle Weekly coined her the city’s “Best Folk Singer” last year), it seems just a matter of time before this soulful talent is truly discovered.
V. Contreras Releases Her First Full-Length Album.
This spring brings much excitement for Seattle’s star-on-the-rise Victoria Contreras, as she performs at The Triple Door April 11 and releases her first full-length album April 15 . Her website description reads: “The love child of Dusty Springfield and Nancy Sinatra with a splash of The Ronettes.” Okay, we’re intrigued; aren’t you?
catching wind of indoor skydiving.
This is the stuff dreams are made of—literally. In Tukwila, iFLY allows visitors to experience the exhilarating, weightless sensation of skydiving, yet no nerves of steel or leaps from great heights are required here.
Sure, we may have reached that tricky stretch of winter when spring feels desperately out of reach. Thankfully, though, those folks over in Sochi have arrived just in time to light a fire under us, reminding us that there’s no time like the present to get a move on.
If Europe isn’t in the budget this season, try the next best thing. Head east over the pass where Washington’s “little Bavaria” bustles with merriment. Leavenworth is a hot spot for visitors year-round, but at this time of year, the fun centers around festive fare, steaming spiced drinks, sprinklings of snow and jovial tree lightings.
The distance may be great between the two, yet the vibes of Seattle and Iceland might not be too far off the mark. (Think innovative cuisine and a thriving arts scene in both locales.) Check it out for yourself; from October 10 through 13, A Taste of Iceland comes here to transport Seattleites to the exotic, Nordic island.
A year after our first Q&A, Langhorne Slim sets us straight on the band’s recent successes and future hopes. In essence? The friendly guys plan to keep on rocking out and shaking their tails, as they’ve been known to do. The group’s gradually making the Seattle rounds, hopping their way across the city’s many storied stages. This time, Langhorne Slim & The Law come to The Neptune Theatre Thursday, October 10. If you’re wise, you’ll join in on the celebration.
Anchors Down at Lake Union.
From September 11 though 15, a water-centric extravaganza takes over South Lake Union. Here, attendees get to dream of perhaps one day owning their own vessel—whether a majestic sailboat, an itty-bitty kayak or a palatial yacht. Boats Afloat opens Wednesday at 11 a.m. and continues into the evening with tropical-theme festivities that take place from 4 to 8 p.m.; expect entertainment by Aloha Island Treasures (Hawaiian music and dance), pupus, wine tasting and, with any kind of luck, a pastel sunset fit for paradise.
A blissful, wooded weekend of talented musicians jamming amid the trees.
After my interview with Pickathon founder Zale Schoenborn, I had the strong suspicion I had serendipitously stumbled upon something pretty darn special. But I still had very little idea what to expect as my friends and I pulled into Happy Valley’s Pendarvis Farm two Thursdays ago, dust kicking up behind us into the gray Oregon sky.
If you aren’t already familiar with local band Polecat, we recommend you add them to your list. Formed in Bellingham in March 2010, the talented musicians have delighted fans ever since with their onstage enthusiasm and toe-tapping sound that mixes bluegrass, country, Celtic, rock and world music. Better yet, we get the feeling they’re just really good folks with whom we’d happily sit down and share a pint. The friendly rockers gave us a taste of how they’ve arrived where they are today.
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