Concert review: Stacked night of homegrown bands at Big Dipper gave wide look at local alt-rock scene

Last Friday, the Big Dipper brought a raw and honest night from various local musicians and musical styles.

The night began with local rock group Unmedicated, which brought a much different sound than the rest of the evening, but it seemed oddly fitting in a homegrown sort of way. I’ve never seen the young group live and from what I understand they’re relatively new to the scene, but there’s plenty of potential here.

As the set went on, the nerves seemed to calm, especially during their original music, which I would say fits within the current Spokane alt-rock scene but also has a pretty unique flare. They also had multiple solid covers ranging from Radiohead’s “Creep” to Djo’s (Joe Keery’s) more recent smash hit “End of Beginning,” and I’d say they did them justice.

I’ve also got to mention the impressive lead guitarist and two bassists, I assume rhythm and lead, which I can’t say I’ve seen before but was certainly intrigued by. Although their range of sound is somewhat eclectic and certain areas are a little rough around the edges, there’s a lot of personality and definitive ability to build off. I hope to catch them again and see what they’re up to later on when Unmedicated has a few more shows under their belt.

I’ve seen When She Dreams live a handful of times now, but never in a purely acoustic form. With two members and two acoustic guitars they took to the Big Dipper stage seamlessly. Honestly if you told me these two cut indie folk and performed this way all the time, I easily would’ve believed you.

There was a unique sense of nostalgia and deep longing that can perhaps be found in one of its purest forms from this set up – two musicians and a raw set in a dimly lit room. This melancholy sound is truly timeless for a reason; no matter what time period or era of music, this relatively simple equation of retrospective lyrics paired with a few actual instruments continues to ring with the truth.

When She Dreams wore their hearts on their sleeves in the best way, and honestly, I hope to see them in this acoustic fashion sooner rather than later.

Headliner Brayden Moore may have said it best pre-show, “your kids are going to love it, well, your parents are going to love it, maybe, I should say.” The former rock singer of the now disbanded local band Shady Angels returned to the Big Dipper, where I’ve spent years watching him perform, in this new folky Americana realm in a way that not only seems to come truly natural, but more mature as well. Performing as Jesse Hawkins, the overall sound is more sophisticated, and the themes are more expansive as well.

There’s a sense of beauty in hearing a raw, honest and hardy collection of songs about Spokane right in the thick of downtown. In Moore’s voice there’s a sense of passion and love for the Lilac City, alongside the honest grit found by those that know the area well – especially in “We All Do At The Time.” In this acoustic form Moore’s voice truly takes the chance to shine.

Owen Sonntag, lead guitarist of the Shady Angels, provided beautiful accompaniment on lead guitar in a way that didn’t overshadow Moore’s vocals, but simply added more texture to his voice, the melody and the words.

Moore and Sonntag also resurrected a tune from Shady Angels, their “little side project,” in the form of “I am a Superman.” As somebody who spent years shooting and covering the band, hearing this fully acoustic variation of an already nostalgia-inducing song back in the Big Dipper certainly brought back a snapshot of what the Spokane scene was during the earlier years of the decade. But, as one era of music out of the Pacific Northwest ends, another seems to begin.