Psychedelic rock goes in and out of fashion, but never really goes away. From its origins in the hippie days to the more recent revivals, it’s a hard thing to define — but you know it when you hear it.
For lovers of mind-expanding improvisation and sonic experimentation, Bellingham has its very own daylong festival. Acid Ball Psych Rock Music Festival is now in its third year at the Kulshan Trackside stage, and it’s happening Saturday, Aug. 3.
The show kicks off at 4 p.m. with The Groovy Nobody. They were originally a solo studio project for band leader Sam Larson, but have since been filled out into a full live band. The group even has two drummers, (which I’ve always felt is one of the most visually entertaining things a band can have).
Emi Pop is originally from Puerto Rico but now based in Seattle. Her music leans more toward the garage pop side of things compared to the other groups, incorporating cool ‘60s-style organ melodies and some Spanish language lyrics.
After that, the lineup includes several performers who will be familiar to local audiences, though maybe not in these specific configurations. For example, you may know Skerik from the many adventurous jazz projects in which he plays saxophone — but for this event, he’s playing keyboards (through some serious effects pedals) in a trio called Lorbo. It also includes drummer Lupe Flores (from Tacos! and Wild Powwers) and vocalist B.R.A.D. Mowen. Even without any guitars involved, this might well end up being the heaviest band of the night.
Likewise, you might know the incredibly funky guitarist Jimmy James from the True Loves or his time with the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio. For this one, he’s paring down to play with a trio featuring bassist Mark Mattrey and drummer Woogie D. That’s an unusual setting for him, so it will be interesting to see how that changes his playing.
Finally, the show wraps up with Frankie and the Witch Fingers, some of the stars of the L.A. neo-psychedelic scene. They’re a great choice for the headline spot, uniting the many different facets of this nebulous scene into a mix that has something for everybody: melody, improvisation, grooves, experimentation.
From start to finish, Acid Ball Psych Rock Music Festival has a pretty amazing lineup, so congratulations are due to the folks who put it all together.
News
Somehow I missed that Energy Pyramid recently released their debut album, “Levels.” They’re an instrumental rock trio with an interesting mix of influences, ranging from psychedelic to heavy to surf. I caught their most recent live show at Aslan Depot; it was full of bizarre rituals featuring masked dancers, and guitars played with swords. Sometimes when bands spend that much time on the visuals, it is to the detriment of the music — but that is absolutely not the case here, and the album does a great job of capturing their energy.
I was very surprised to notice recently that there are actually a few tickets left for the Decemberists concert at the Mount Baker Theatre on Friday, Aug. 2. If you’re a fan, maybe take this as your sign to snap those up?
Jesse Stanton's music column, The Beat Goes On, appears weekly. Reach him at jsbhammusic@gmail.com; @JSBhamMusic. Check with individual venues to make sure events are still taking place as scheduled. Live music events in Whatcom County: http://www.cascadiadaily.com/category/living/arts-and-entertainment/music/music-calendar
