-- by Joe Seats In the mid-90s, Seattle made itself known as the home of grunge. Grunge music was among the most notorious things to come out of the Pacific Northwest, birthing bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. It generated a fusion between metal and punk, building a new rock style with heavy distortion... Continue Reading →
by Nadia Naushab The Tacoma Dome is arguably the most recognizable structure in Tacoma, Washington. As someone not from the city, seeing the massive building just off I-5 is how I know I've entered Tacoma. The iconic venue is one of the largest wood-domed structures in the world, and can accommodate up to 23,000 people... Continue Reading →
by Evan Hoang Chances are, you’ve never heard the name Richard Cousins before, but millions of people have heard his bold, brazen bass lines from albums accompanying legends like Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Van Morrison and John Lee Hooker. This 2 time Grammy-winning bassist was one of the founding members of the Robert... 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 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 Chelsie Morgan Allow me to take you back in time to arguably the best era of music: the year is 1983 and we are about 45 minutes south of Seattle (WITHOUT traffic) in a smelly yet endearing port city called Tacoma. Practicing in their parents’ garage off 56th St., a new band has been... Continue Reading →
Tacoma Music History 