BREMERTON – The docks will be rocking this summer as the Rock the Dock concert series begins its third year on the Louis Mentor Boardwalk at Bremerton Marina. Organizers have extended the schedule from four weeks to a nine-week-long, eight-concert series and moved the concerts from Fridays to Saturday nights. The line-up of musicians has something for all tastes from folk to country, pop, alternative music and good old rock ‘n roll.
The series kicks off with a bang on Saturday, July 4, with not one, but two bands performing for a special Independence Day celebration, followed by the Sinclair Inlet Fireworks Show. Kitsap County’s own alternative pop band – Boy Blue and the Moon – will start the celebrations at 5 p.m. followed by Left Hand Smoke, who will take the stage at 8-10 p.m. The fireworks begin at 10:30 p.m.
The free concert series is made possible by a partnership of the Port of Bremerton, City of Bremerton and the Downtown Bremerton Association who all worked collaboratively to invest in and grow the series, including a new $15,000 stage recently purchased by the city.
“A concert series of this caliber is something you’d expect to see in cities much larger than Bremerton,” said Michael Goodnow, executive director with the Downtown Bremerton Association. “We have a combination that’s hard to beat: top notch talent, a gorgeous waterfront setting that is the envy of many cities and easy access. The venue is a short walk from the ferry terminal and we have room at the marina for more than 100 boaters. We hope these concerts will become must-do events on everyone’s summer calendar and look forward to welcoming visitors from all over the Peninsula, Seattle and beyond, and showing off our revitalized Bremerton Harbor District.”
The concerts are from 5-7 p.m., except on July 4 when the music will run 5-10 p.m.
Concert schedule:
July 4, 5-7 p.m.: Boy Blue and the Moon – Port Orchard’s very own Boy Blue and the Moon will get the crowd ready to celebrate the 4th with their power pop with a punch.
July 4, 8-10 p.m.: Left Hand Smoke – Groovy, guitar and keyboard-driven melodies with a hard hitting, rock and roll edge. Dylan and the Band, the Stones, Van Morrison, Otis Redding, James Brown, the Meters, and Little Feat all contributed to their jazzy, bluesy, folksy, funky sound. According to All Music, “Will Mish is one of the best guitarists ever to emerge from the Northwest.” www.lefthandsmoke.com.
July 11, 5-7 p.m.: Aaron Crawford – One of the most talked about artists coming out of the Seattle music scene. Crawford has built a large following of fans drawn to his blend of country and melodic rock. www.crawfordaaronmusic.com.
July 18, 5-7 p.m.: Bremerton Summer Brewfest (no concert) – The Brewfest features 30 Washington breweries pouring more than 100 craft beers.
July 25 5-7 p.m.: Vaudeville Etiquette – Vaudeville Etiquette makes music that pushes every boundary with raw passion, grit, and mischievous wit. With their signature blend of Americana roots rock, the dynamic Seattle quintet fills timeless melodies with modern lyrics, heady harmonies, and a wailing pedal steel. Recently listed as one of the “Top 50 Bands Rocking the Seattle Scene” by Seattle Magazine, Vaudeville Etiquette has been compared to heavy-hitters like Shovels & Rope, The Civil Wars, Fleetwood Mac, and The Band. www.vaudevilleetiquette.com.
Aug. 1, 5-7 p.m.: Ayron Jones & The Way – Seattle guitarist and front man Ayron Jones, has become one of Seattle’s hottest up-and-comers with his brand of Seattle Rock. Sir Mix-a-Lot has called him “the future of rock.” Jones has taken a hybrid style of guitar playing, in which the chord and solo are played at the same time, and infused the raw energy of punk with the inner-city attitude of hip-hop. The band has opened for the legendary B.B. King and Presidents of the United States of America among others. www.ajandtheway.com.
Aug. 8, 5-7 p.m.: Sea of Misinformation – After the release of “Happy Songs For An Unhappy World” five years ago, Ryan Giffin and his songs exploded onto the Northwest music scene by placing within the top four of the Seattle Wave Radio Challenge. According to International Pop Overthrow Festival, “They’ve got a high energy in-your-face alt-rock attack tempered by pop melodies that will leave you mesmerized and begging for more! Think Judas Priest meets The Beatles meets Death Cab for Cutie hanging out with David Bowie, and you begin to get the picture … definitely one of Seattle’s finest!” www.seaofmisinformation.com
Aug. 15, 5-7 p.m.: Electric Bards – The Electric Bards play all original music. Many of their songs use the words of 17th, 18th and 19th century poems. The sound is soft rock done in a fresh R&B style. Natalie Poss on vocals and keyboards and John Breslin on lead guitar. Both musicians have been playing around the northwest for many years and call Bremerton home.
Aug. 22, 5-7 p.m.: Chance McKinney – McKinney won Country Music Television’s search for the #1 “unsigned” artist in the nation in 2009, taking home the Music City Madness title with more than one million votes in the final round alone. Since then McKinney has opened for Kenny Chesney and shared stages with Dwight Yoakam, Jamie O’Neal, Grand Funk Railroad, Pat Green, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Creedence Clearwater, .38 Special and Lynyrd Skynyrd. His “Industrialized Country” is a blend of country music with 90’s Rock, 60’s Motown and heavy metal influences. www.chancemckinney.com.
Aug. 29, 5-7 p.m.: Kim Archer Band – Known for her raw, powerhouse performances and personable interaction with her audiences, Kim Archer has attracted a large and loyal following of fans in the Pacific Northwest and across the country. Archer’s music follows in the footsteps of great female singer/songwriters like Joan Armatrading, Melissa Ethridge and Bonnie Raitt. With guitar in hand she commands the stage playing her own original songs rooted in old school soul, funk and classic rock, sultry blues and ballads. www.kimarcherband.com.
About Rock the Dock: Rock the Dock is made possible by a partnership of the Port of Bremerton, City of Bremerton and the Downtown Bremerton Association. Additional sponsors include Kitsap Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, Cash America and the Kitsap Entrepreneurial Center. For more information visit: www.Facebook.com/DowntownBremerton.
