Ease back into live music with these outdoor shows

Live music is coming back in a big way, and not just in Seattle. As we do most Fridays, we're getting recommendations from people who track the arts and culture scene. Michael Rietmulder writes about music for The Seattle Times. He told KUOW’s Paige Browning about some upcoming shows.

The Watershed Festival

One of the top-selling festivals in the state is back at the Gorge this weekend, after a year off. It features big name country music artists, and usually draws around 25,000 fans to the Gorge. This will be by far the largest concert that we've seen in Washington since the pandemic hit.

The big name headliners this year are Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley, and Thomas Rhett. Personally, the artist that I'm most looking forward to is Ashley McBryde, who has really been climbing her way up the country ladder the last few years. She has this big powerful voice, and sings with a ton of heart. She's got a kind of a rock and roll swagger in her music, and some outlaw edginess that I think the Nashville establishment hasn't always embraced from women.

Drunky Two Shoes BBQ

There are a couple of outdoor venues that I think are really a nice bridge for people who are trying to ease back in to going to shows again, and may not want to get back inside the packed, hot, rock clubs that we think about. One place down in White Center is the Drunky Two Shoes BBQ restaurant. They have sort of a kitschy beer garden, an old Airstream bar, and they've been getting a great mix of music beyond the bluesy, juke joint type of acts that you expect at a barbecue place. The former booker from the Tractor Tavern is running the show and has been doing a great job.

Tonight, there's kind of a jammy organ trio, McTuff, that's headlining. The ubiquitous organist Joe Doria leads that band. Tomorrow night there's this really fun local power pop band, Bread & Butter. They are playing with a kind of surfy, psychedelic garage rock band, Acapulco Lips.

Know before you go

Some bars and music venues are implementing proof of vaccination requirements or bringing back mask wearing, especially the indoor venues. Neumos recently announced that they are now going to be requiring folks to show proof of vaccination, or negative Covid tests dated 48 hours before the show. Seattle Theatre Group is now going to be requiring all patrons to wear masks inside the Neptune Theatre, which has started doing some limited shows.

Things are changing fast. It's really important for folks to make sure when they buy a ticket or make plans to go out to a club that they are checking the venues websites to see what the latest policies are, because it's really a patchwork from club to club.

Listen to the interview by clicking the play button above.