The Tacoma Cathedrals opened to a sold-out house last Saturday, a fact concert organizer Aaron Stevens seemed relieved about. “This is Tacoma, you should know by now people do things at the last minute,” I heard a friend say to a smiling Stevens. Whether it’s a fear of commitment or poor calendar skills, it’s true: Tacomans tend to be slow to schedule. Stephens turned away “hoards” of would-be attendees who were, alas, too late to the party.
As a born-and-raised Tacoma gritizen, comparisons to Seattle give me hives. I’ve been done with the comparisons, the are-we-good-enough vibe since I moved to LA with my dad when I was thirteen and heard my stepmother tell someone we were from Seattle. Truth is, Tacoma isn’t Seattle and never will be. Tacoma is to Seattle what John Bender was to the rest of The Breakfast Club: vital, aggressive, surprising – perhaps a little nuts at times. Who cares? He ends up with the hot girl and the possibility of a hopeful future. Win-to-the-win.
Us, too. We’re going to be just fine, we just had to crack some skulls to get here. Other people are investing in our collective cultural evolution, and for that I’m pretty thankful. This show was a sign things are changing, in a real and important way. Thank you, Broadway Center. Thank you, Immanuel Presbyterian. Thank you, citizens of this fair town. You did good.
A little about Cathedrals: it’s produced in partnership with the Seattle Cathedral series and the BCPA-sponsored shows will feature unique contemplative concerts by indie singer/songwriters in amazing large spaces. For this first show, it was Pearly Gate Music, The Maldives and Pickwick. I was so excited to be invited to shoot the event. (You may remember I shot a Seattle Cathedrals last fall. They are so fun!)
The music was, of course, brilliant. I’ve loved Pickwick and The Maldives since last year’s Doe Bay Fest.
Three cheers to overshooting, holding my breath and great access within the space: this one was tough with tricky lighting at times:
Links:
Pearly Gate Music
The Maldives
Pickwick
Broadway Center for the Performing Arts
Immanuel Presbyterian
The Camp (formerly Camp 6)
Seattle Cathedrals presented by The Fremont Abbey Arts Center
