photo by William Anthony
Longtime Seattle heroes The Moondoggies have been storming the Northwest since their 2008 debut, and 2011 is no different. Still touring in support of 2010′s Tidelands, the fearsome foursome have proved over and over again that whether it’s hushed acoustic ballads or fierce, gospel-esque rock, they dominate the playing field. The creativity and experimentation was only amplified on their sophomore effort, due in part to lead singer Kevin Murphy’s isolation in Alaska. This dedication to authenticating Americana leads the Moondoggies to employ, quite unironically, rootsy harmonies and old-soul crooning that will rock your socks off, live or recorded. Whether they’re leading the audience down a dark, slumbering road or rocking-a-rousing, anthemic hand-clappers, audiences everywhere have been stunned by this young group’s indomitable stage presence. It’s no wonder the band has cultivated such a rich following in the Northwest, and it’s surely only a matter of time before they hit the national stage. Until then, KEXP will continue to champion the talented artists, this time as part of KEXP’s live broadcast. from the Doug Fir Lounge during Musicfest Northwest 2011.
The Moondoggies certainly did not disappoint, putting on the last set of KEXP’s free all ages stage at MusicFestNW 2011. They played two new songs in the four song set, “Give Me One More” and “Don’t Ask Why.” The latter was probably the highlight of the set, a Wilco-esque minor chord progression ballad. It was long, catchy as hell and hopefully, a track that will be on the next record. Their last song, “Down the Well,” is a standout track on Tidelands and they added an additional part to the song that is absent from the album. It was a great set and If they continue to build on their next album like they have in the first two, we should be in for a huge treat.
photos by Brittney Bush Bollay:
