Each year, our nwcMUSIC track features a top-notch selection of panels and performances, encompassing filk, nerdcore, chiptune, and much more! Check back later this year to see what we’ll have lined up for Norwescon 41!
Questions, comments, or suggestions are always welcome! Contact the Music department through our contact page.
Shubzilla x Bill Beats
Shubzilla and Bill Beats began working together in 2011. Originally rivals in past Vocalist/Producer Challenges, Shubz and Bill chose to join forces to work together regularly. Starting off with the single “Wonderful World” for “Bill Beats For President Vol.1,” the EPs “Dinner And A Movie” and “BOOMERS” have been the exceptional products of their collaboration. They have The Day Jobs Mini-Tour: West Coast Edition under their belts, along with performances at Norwescon, the PAXWest Nerdcore Showcase, and many others. With Shubzilla’s frank and aggressive lyrics and Bill Beats’ penchant for samples and bass-heavy compositions, they do not disappoint.
Kadesh Flow
Kadesh Flow brings realism, consciousness, and nerd-life together in riveting flow format. He has composed original music for Toonami Asia, performed live at the Cannes Film Festival, shared the stage with the likes of Mega Ran, I Fight Dragons, The Revivalists, MC Frontalot, B.o.B., and others. He has been publicly lauded by outlets such IGN and Kotaku.
Jackson’s Oddities
My music is on the darker, more crass side of things. There’s alcohol, sex, and horror in the songs…with a good dose of humor.I love interacting with the crowd and getting them dancing with a sea shanty like Drunken Sailor. I can make them laugh with a song like “Stop Being Sh*tty On Twitter”. Or I can creep them out with a bluesy number on America’s first serial killer, “H. H. Holmes”. I’m also tracking my musical (and other) adventures on YouTube with a regular vlog.
Dogwood
Hailing from the hedge and loam of Seattle’s undergrowth, this chimerical songbird aims to weave historical and wax hysterical in the old-new traditions of mountain men, shantymen, and her fellow men as she tromps and twirls acro’st both ancient myth and accidental malady. This little troubadour delights in bringing life to the voices of the past, so come and share a pomegranate seed or two!
Dogwood is a 2013 graduate of Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Theatre/Playwrighting who inherited her father’s passion for bluegrass and her mother’s love for eighties pop and opera (and discovered punk and David Bowie all on her own). Her first ever role on a stage was at the tender age of three, when she played Persephone in a summer daycare production of the Greek myths. She’s been hooked on them ever since, and it is from those and other ancient tales that the sparks of her inspiration most often originate, in song and poem form alike. Five years ago, she picked up a ukulele and hasn’t looked back.
Betsy Tinney
Betsy Tinney, recipient of the 2012 Pegasus Award for best performer, is a Northwest cellist known both for her graceful musicality and her broad versatility. She has performed and recorded with many different groups, from solo acoustic performers to large rock bands; her contributions to each are unique and, as she explains, “whatever the song wants.” Betsy also performs solo, using a combination of acoustic cello and electronic looping that creates an interwoven tapestry of sound. Her solo cello work has been called “captivating,” “mesmerizing,” and “a rich texture for the ear, reminiscent of dark chocolate and fine red wine.”
Alexander James Adams and the Arias of Canticles
Alexander James Adams, the fiery Celtic fiddler, has now teamed up with Matthew R.R. Morrese, creator of Canticles, to bring you more than just his songs and stories of the otherworld, but the myths and legends of another world entirely—the Realms of Aegis! Inspiring dreams, wonder, and independent imagination, AJ now composes for the Canticles Arias and Canticles web series! You can find all of his new work at www.canticlesproductions.com; listen to them for free online or subscribe to add them to your library of the faerie tale minstrel! “Now, we’ll walk over a thousand miles / A thousand words are gonna tell our tale / A hundred songs written all the while / Whether we succeed or whether we fail.” – “Heroes of Our Days.”
PDX Broadsides
The PDX Broadsides have been playing music together since 2011. Accidentally formed as an a capella pirate shanty group, they soon branched out into their own original compositions. The Broadsides love things, and as a result many of their songs are about the things they love. Turns out those things are basically nerdy.
Celt Check!
Celt Check! is a dynamic quartet providing “full frontal harmonies”! They are a family band, with father, Gareth Davis, daughter, Darcy Davis, significant other, Ari Stolar, and long-time family friend, Finn McFaire. Gareth plays 6-string and 12-string guitars and vocals, and has been performing music in various venues for most of his life. Darcy plays recorder and vocals and has been singing and performing for over 25 years. Ari is their percussionist, playing bodhran, and made his stage debut in the summer of 2015. Finn McFaire plays 12-string guitar, doumbek, tin whistle, and vocals, and has also been performing music in various professional venues for most of his life. They have extensive lists of Celtic songs from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, varying from authentic Celtic ballads to toe-tapping tavern pieces, and contemporary rock and folk songs of the 20th century. Slow-and-sweet to rock-the-bar, Celt Check! does it all!
Vixy & Tony
Vixy & Tony’s lighthearted folk/rock musical style combines with science fiction and fantasy lyrics to tell engaging and beautiful stories. Their energetic performances can be enjoyed by both sci-fi fans and mainstream music fans alike, earning them the Best Performer Pegasus Award in 2008. Michelle “Vixy” Dockrey and Tony Fabris have joined forces with cellist Betsy Tinney and violinist Sunnie Larsen to form a “four-person duo” with a lush, amazing sound. Their music can be found at VixyAndTony.com.
Nathanial Johnstone Band and Friends
The Nathaniel Johnstone Band hails from Seattle, Washington, led by multi-instrumentalist Nathaniel Johnstone (violin, banjo, and guitar). Their vibrant sound crosses boundaries and borders, resulting in a blend of rock, jazz, surf, and folk with a penchant for storytelling and myth-bending. Joining the band on stage is world-renowned bellydance fusion artist Tempest, adding another incredible level to the band’s dynamic stage show. All together, they provide an incredible audio-visual experience that delivers solid, reliable music and high-quality entertainment—all while getting folks up and dancing!
Concerts! Filk, nerdcore, chiptune, and more! Here is our concert lineup for Norwescon 40…
Thursday | 9 p.m.–10 p.m. | Shubzilla x Bill Beats |
---|---|---|
10 p.m.–11 p.m. | Kadesh Flow | |
11 p.m.–midnight | Jackson’s Oddities | |
Friday | 2 p.m.–3 p.m. | Dogwood |
3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Betsy Tinney | |
4 p.m.—5 p.m. | Alexander James Adams and the Arias of Canticles | |
Saturday | 2 p.m.—3 p.m. | PDX Broadsides |
3 p.m.—4 p.m. | Celt Check! | |
4 p.m.—5 p.m. | Vixy & Tony | |
9:30 p.m.—midnight | Nathaniel Johnstone Band and Friends |
![NWC40 Thursday Concerts](https://www.norwescon.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/norwescon-thursday-poster-1.jpg)
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