It’s not bragging if it’s true: Seattle has one of the most amazing music scenes in the country. And what better way to show it off than by calling our favorite local performers and asking them to perform at various venues throughout downtown Ballard, all on Saturday, Oct. 6? Welcome to REVERBfest, the only (yes, the only) local music festival devoted entirely to local music.
With more than 60 performers dispersed among 10 different Ballard venues, each hosted by the People’s Republic of Komedy, this is one big local-music love-in. Not only will there be bands like Siberian and Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death making noise on the Outdoor Stage, but there will be quieter folks like Mike Dumovich and Troubletown at Miro Tea, janglier folks like Bird Language and T.V. Coahran at Sonic Boom Records, scrappier folks like TacocaT and Talbot Tagora at Bop Street Records, twangier folks like Kristen Ward and Mark Pickerel at Conor Byrne, (hip-)hoppier folks like Grynch and Macklemore at the Sunset, louder folks like PartMan PartHorse and Madraso at the Tractor, and folkier folks like Levi Fuller and J. Tillman at the Lock & Keel. Oh, and there will be DJ sets by folks like DJ dAb and DJ El Toro at the BalMar and Hazlewood. Did I leave any folks out? Yes, many folks—way too many to list in the finite amount of space on this lonely page.
But that’s why we’re giving you the entire REVERBfest pullout guide. It features information on every artist and venue participating in this Ballard blowout. Plus, it’ll tell you how much (or, rather, little) tickets cost, where the beer garden is located, and which Ballard businesses your REVERBfest wristband will get you discounts at.
For added fun, we’ve included some conversations with a few of the day’s more compelling performers. We brought D. Black and Locke together for a conversation on their disparate backgrounds in hip-hop. Hannah Levin quizzes Pleasureboaters frontman Ricky Claudon, Sassy–style. And as a bonus, Robin Pecknold, head of rising stars the Fleet Foxes, is subjected to a grilling by none other than his own sister (and our clubs editor), Aja Pecknold! How’s that for a conflict of interest? Ah, fuck it.
It’s a safe bet you might spontaneously combust from the overwhelming amount of awesomeness happening down in Ballard this weekend. That’s why you’ll want to hang on to this guide. It’ll help you when deciding whom to see and how to navigate through the wilds of Ballard. Trust us: You won’t want to miss a minute.