The Bellingham Arts and Music Festival, or BAMF, revealed their first lineup Saturday April 8 during a release party at the Bellingham Alternative Library. The artists chosen display a huge range in genres and performance styles- each of the 4 stages is sure to bring it’s own flavor to the festival. In a town like Bellingham that cultivates so many different music scenes, it is fitting that this new festival reflects that diversity.
From garage rock to rap featuring Spanish vocals, there is sure to be something pleasing for music fans of all types. This lineup is set to bring in a very diverse crowd. Bob Fossil, a psychedelic rock group who played at the February 4 BAMF fundraiser, has been playing shows since 2013, but Drummer Alan Schellenberger noticed something special about the BAMF event.
“That was one of the shows we’ve played that had the widest age range,” Schellenberger said. “I think the music festival is going to have a large age range and different types of people. There will be people from all walks of life.”
Along with different genres, the artists hail from different locations from all over the Pacific Northwest. From Bend, OR to Los Angles, CA, artists are coming from all over to perform at the festival. Cosmos, an electronic soul group from Seattle, recently headlined a show at Bellingham’s Wild Buffalo. Vocalist Teron J. Bell noticed something special about Bellingham while performing here.
“I think it’s dope that Bellingham is coming together to create a festival because it really has a unique arts community,” Bell said. “And the name BAMF, so damn clever.”
Check out Cosmos’ newest release Moonshine below.
Many lineups, despite the genre, seem to have one thing in common, they are heavily male. One of the main aspects of BAMF’s lineup that we respect here at Dance Music NW is the amount of female musicians. From female rappers to an all female punk band, this lineup has an almost completely balanced ratio of male to female performers. Plus, with the music these ladies are putting out, it is clear these women certainly deserve a spot on the lineup.
House producer and DJ Kendall Wyman, under the stage name KENDOLL, recently moved LA to develop her skills at the prestigious producing school ICON Collective. Previously a Bellingham local and one of the few electronic acts on the lineup (along with Southlvnder) her set is not one to miss.
“My music is bass line house, or g house,” Wyman said. “It’s filled with wonky sounds that are UK influenced, while the structure and drums are US influenced.” We are sure to hear some tunes from her Movement EP during her performance.
https://soundcloud.com/kendollkat/sets/movement-ep-1
This lineup kills from start to finish, and it has us dreaming of the day when we are boogying on the water at Lookout Arts Quarry. Grab your tickets here, and the countdown begins now!
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