When you hear the term “cover band,” you expect one of a few particular genres. Most often it’s classic rock, but maybe it’s soul or ’80s pop. Back in 2004, the members of SpaceBand had the insight there was a severely underserved niche in the cover band field — namely hip-hop, contemporary R&B and pop. As it turned out, they were right.
For the last 20 years, SpaceBand has been absolutely packing in crowds at venues around the region for their uptempo, party-friendly interpretations of those styles. You get a blend of hip-hop (everything from Sugarhill Gang and Tone Loc to Snoop Dogg and Tupac) with all generations of R&B (from Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye to Blackstreet and Bruno Mars).
Lead singer Brian Hillman jokes that since they’ve been together for so long, many of them have become fathers, so now they’re even throwing in some Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift for the kids. It’s a mix that has something to offer just about any listener, and that’s been reflected in the sizes of the crowds that come out to see them wherever they play.
Four members — Hillman, bassist Aeden Hunter, and guitarists Baron Kim and Charlie Elmore — have been playing together for 20 years. The newest member to suit up in their trademark matching jumpsuits is drummer David Vaughns, who recently joined up after original drummer Phil Carter decided to move on. (If I were ever going to play the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game, but for Bellingham music, I’d want David to play the Kevin Bacon role because he’s seemingly played with everybody.)
You’ve got three great chances to see SpaceBand soon: First, they’re playing the Pioneer Village Stage at Ferndale’s Food Truck on Friday, June 14. Then they’ll be commemorating their anniversary with a show at the Wild Buffalo on Saturday, June 22. Finally on Thursday, June 27, they’re playing at Elizabeth Park as part of the concert series there, a nice chance to see them outside and for all ages.
The band also has a lot more going on this summer, including two shows each at the Beach Bar in Birch Bay (June 29 and Aug. 24), the Hotel Bellwether’s Blues, Brews and BBQs series (July 18 and Aug. 22) and the Skagit Casino (Aug. 2–3). The show at the Wild Buffalo will feature a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute set that’s not part of their regular repertoire, but the Chili Peppers are a big influence on several of the band members.
Looking way down the line, they’re already booked for New Year’s Eve at the Underground — so if you’re the sort of music fan who likes to make your plans way in advance, you could even put that on the calendar. Wherever you’re seeing them, be ready to dance.
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In other news, there’s a new jazz jam in town: The members of The Problem are hosting it at Kulshan Brewing on James Street on alternate Mondays. The next one will be Monday, June 24. These folks do a great job of bringing new jazz musicians into the scene and creating opportunities for people to play, so this fits right in.
When I profiled Frog Rocket a few weeks ago, they mentioned they would have a single out soon. “Plastic” is out now on all the streaming platforms, and it’s got me really looking forward to seeing what they do on their full-length album. It’s uptempo, danceable indie rock with some hooky lead guitars and nice harmonies.
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
