Nadafest 2019

NadaFest 2019 hit West Seattle last weekend, and unlike almost every other festival it is all about building up artists that don't get their due. With a lineup of great local bands, the Skylark Cafe was pumping from the get go. Drinks were poured, snacks were consumed, and heads were distorted. 

Friday night's highlights included Shitty Person. The group provided slow-paced, feels-inducing, awkward yet beautiful tunes. I couldn’t help but find myself swaying along to the relaxed rhythm and contemplative narratives of Shitty Person’s tracks.

Next up was Golden Idols, one of my favorite acts from the night. Their loud, high energy, melodic music radiated energy, and was the perfect juxtaposition to the preceding act. Everyone in the room couldn’t help but at least nod their heads along.

Friday night ended with a bang. After a large puff of smoke and a series of flashing strobe lights, Downtown took the stage. The room was filled with gritty, loud, synth-heavy tracks. Hard drum beats and over the top macho lyrics kept the audience on their toes until the end of the show.

On Saturday, things really picked up when Forest Ray took the stage. The psychedelic rock group boasted a 6 members on stage, including a flautist (who’s solos were impeccable). The group had an undeniable groove, and had no trouble keeping the room energy high.

Then Seattle trio Garden Chat, another one of my favorite acts of the lineup came in with their noisey, emotional pop-rock filled every corner of the facility with sound. loud baselines, fast beating drums, heavy chords, and delicate lyrics captivated the audience.

Soon after, Temple Canyon took the stage. The groups name perfectly fits their sound--a nostalgic folk rock that was impossible not to love. I was most impressed by the tasteful guitar licks and beautiful storytelling woven into Temple Canyon’s music.

The night wrapped up with Antonioni, whose catchy rock tunes were instant hits among the crowd. There group radiated a certain “cool” factor, as they effortlessly played one great song after another. Antonioni was the perfect cherry on top to wrap up a great NadaFest 2019.

 Words and Photos by Peter Sullivan