Bands Battle At Taste Of The Harvest

Wenatchee, Washington is a quaint little slice of Americana.

With a population just over 30,000, it's a centennial city with a nationally registered historic downtown and an economy reliant on the summer and fall cherry, apple and pear harvests.

It's large enough to have traffic at 5, a vibrant arts and culture scene and a few homeless people but small enough you can walk downtown, get a cup of coffee in the morning and see your dentist, a couple from your gym and that girl from that party who's name you can't recall.

Because the economy is so heavily invested in the agricultural crop the two biggest events in town are the spring "Apple Blossom Parade" and the fall "Taste of the Harvest" festival.

Last year, I helped judged the "Improv Chef Cook Off" – Wenatchee's equivalent of "The Iron Chef" and it was a great time. Though I didn't adhere to customary cooking competition rules...

I cleaned my plate, smacked my lips in appreciation and asked for seconds.

Check out this video I made:

So naturally this young squire was not invited back to sup this year – though I think that mainly due to the fact that they didn't have a cook off...

So this year I took pictures!

Mainly because one of my clients, Caffe Mela, organized and sponsored the Battle of the Bands and since I work for them it's kinda my job to help promote it...

But it was a great show!

The Pacific Northwest is a region with a rich and vibrant arts community. Great musicians, painters and writers live here and I really think that a lot of people who live here are spoiled. They take it for granted and pass by great music and great bands just because their poster isn't above a urinal or on a billboard.

Nevertheless, we here in Washington state enjoy great music and THIS year I had mine eyes opened to a luminescent young star by the name of Pickwick.

Everyone knows the Seattle music scene is blowing up right now – The Head And The Heart, Macklemore and more. But what I'm telling you right now is that this band, Pickwick, is going to be big, huge!

They headlined tonight after the Battle of the Bands wrapped up and all I can say is wow, wowy, wowzers!

As Brian from Poor Folks put it, "I thought R&B was dead, but it's not!"

I agree. This band, comprised of a bunch of super-white-looking, flanneled hipsters but they make beautiful, soulful music that would make Reggie Young break down and cry.

Check out this little tune from them:

It's not from tonight but you get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Yikesy-maroo!