- by Sean Martin Tacoma, 1940s, you are sitting at a small-time late-night jazz club. As you finish your cigarette and take another sip of your whiskey, a small, greasy-haired young man approaches the stage with his saxophone, ready to take his turn on the stage. If you didn’t know any better, you would miss... Continue Reading →
- by Harry Gers Tacoma sits in a unique and strange place culturally. Colonized relatively late (at least in comparison to the entrenched settlements of New England), the Pacific Northwest has carved out its own distinct corner of the modern musical landscape. Tacoma hit the scene with a boom after the railroad was first built,... Continue Reading →
- by Mark Linstad It is hard to find individuals who have not heard of the famous singer Kurt Cobain and harder still to find someone who has not heard of punk rock. Nirvana truly reached far, and it is a shame that one of their key inspirations had not reached as far. This inspiration... Continue Reading →
by Abigail Sayles 1957 The Fabulous Wailers started off in 1957 as just a few teenage high school boys getting together to make some music on the McChord Air Force Base, with no expectation of getting recognized. The group consisted of John Greek who played guitar, Rich Dangel who played lead guitar, Kent Morrill who... Continue Reading →
by Athena Taylor Introduction In the early 1990s, a revolutionary wave of feminist punk rock, known as the Riot Grrrl movement began in Olympia Washington and eventually made its strides throughout the United States. Rooted in a fierce desire for equality, self-expression, and activism, Riot Grrrl was a powerful cultural and musical phenomenon that challenged... Continue Reading →
by Parker Cacatian In the vibrant city of Tacoma, one band has carved out its own unique path and left an incredible mark on the local music scene. The band Seaweed, known for its distinct sound and energy, has become intertwined with the spirit of Tacoma's music community. With its style of punk, grunge, and... Continue Reading →
by Julie Barker On an especially wet and moody, quintessential Tacoma evening in November 2022, I fell in love in more ways than one. I was enrolled in a class at the University of Washington Tacoma titled Tacoma Music History. Ever the extra-credit enthusiast, I found myself climbing the Spanish Steps of the historic, recently... Continue Reading →
--by Kim Davenport Thanks in large part to the selection of Commencement Bay as the western terminus of the Northern Pacific railroad in 1873, Tacoma has witnessed visits by prominent musical soloists and ensembles throughout the city's history. Either through targeted searching or casual browsing, I have found fascinating coverage of performances here by a... Continue Reading →
by Gerry Weir The Elks Lodge located at 565 Broadway was constructed in Tacoma in 1916. The building was opened up to the Elks Temple members and their families for the first time on February 19th 1916. This 44,361 square foot building was constructed with seven different floors, many kinds of rooms, several banquet halls,... Continue Reading →
by Christie Dixon I moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1982 when I was fourteen years old. Like many teenagers I was interested in music and gravitated towards music my parents could not stand. It is a rite of passage for many of us! I enjoy various musical genres, but rock was my favorite. I... Continue Reading →
Tacoma Music History 