It was a whirlwind on Friday in downtown Aberdeen.
And it was all positive, especially the moment a young fan got to share with a rock star.
There was no division and there was no negativity. It was all about the shared love of music.
It sounds a little like Woodstock in 1969, right?
That’s kind of the point of World Music Day — to unite people, get everybody involved and enjoy a free, family-friendly event where people can just have fun. Wil Russoul, one of the main organizers for Aberdeen’s version of the event, was running left and right, coordinating with every volunteer to make sure Aberdeen’s day in the limelight went as planned. All of his left and right-hand folks from The Music Project, Downtown Aberdeen Association, did the same thing. With music all down the street on Wishkah, plus the shared intersection with South K street, it was a massive success.
At the many venues involved and at the live shows, people laughed. People danced. They exchanged intimate moments — a kiss between a husband and wife as if they were teens at a concert, a shared hug between friends, a fist bump with strangers. June 21, 2024 was a day and night to remember for Aberdeen. Ask around.
“Anybody who didn’t come to this missed history,” said Bryce Romero, owner of The Tap Room. Romero, who really wanted to see The Fisher Brothers and the Human Tribe, was working at his bar earlier in the day. He couldn’t leave in time to see Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician Roger Fisher — founding member of Heart — and B.B. King’s former blues drummer Tony Coleman — drummer for the “Tribe” — since he was so busy.
He missed one heck of a show, because Fisher wasn’t the only one playing in fine style. The rest of the “Tribe” performed as if they’ve been doing so for decades. And Brenda Kashmir was electric. Her voice was clear and powerful and belonged on the same stage as such music royalty.
But Romero did get a chance to clock out in order to go with his friends to see The Bona Fide Band featuring Krist Novoselic. While Romero loved seeing Novoselic play, shaking his hand, and telling him “thank you” for the impact Novoselic and Nirvana have had on Romero’s life, it was the shredding that came from the black and white pinstriped suit-wearing Kathy Moore that was Romero’s favorite part.
“She was fabulous,” Romero said. “All of those guys are players though. It was great to see such musicianship.”
While Moore was talked about often after the band’s set, Mark Pickerel — formerly of The Screaming Trees, a grunge icon band from the Pacific Northwest — did his job with flair. Pickerel sang and drummed expertly for the people lucky enough to be in downtown Aberdeen during their set. And Jillian Raye, the singer who moved about the stage as she sang and at times headbanged, performed so passionately that people should remember it for years to come.
‘Let the good times roll!’ — Tony Coleman
While Coleman, of the “Tribe,” sang B.B. King’s famous song “The Thrill is gone” in tribute to the late blues legend, the thrill was clear as Coleman’s voice as he filled, crashed and rolled his way on the drums. He wasn’t just playing a gig. He was playing for his friend. King and Coleman played together for 30 years. While King has been gone for nine years now, his music is still here, and it’s living through Coleman.
Just before Coleman was ushered on-stage, he shared some positive comments about Aberdeen and the blue skies that hovered over the city.
“It’s beautiful,” Coleman said. “Beautiful town, beautiful environment. I’m glad to be here. It’s a beautiful day. I just got here and I’m glad to play music for everyone. I’m excited.”
Just as Coleman was glad to play for Aberdeen, it was the joy from the crowd that kept Coleman going.
“If you’re alive, say yeah!” Coleman shouted into the mic stand just on the other side of his drum set.
Fisher sounded ecstatic to play with Coleman. Who wouldn’t be since King trusted the sure handed drummer for decades?
“We’re really honored to play with blues legend Tony Coleman,” Fisher said to the crowd. “He played with B.B. King for 30 years.”
Fisher played so well to the adoring crowd, who sung along to Heart classics “Barracuda” and “Crazy on You.”
Artist appreciating the ‘Tribe’ and Aberdeen
Moore, standing with her guitar on her shoulder and watching the “Tribe” from the crowd as if she wasn’t about to melt the faces with originals from The Bona Fide Band, plus a special and beloved rendition of Nirvana’s “Love Buzz,” and David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World,” spoke briefly before getting back to watching Fisher and co. play.
“I just got here, but they fed me so I’m happy,” Moore said. “I get to see Roger Fisher. I’m a big fan of Heart.”
Special moments on World Music Day
Maybe that food did the trick, because later, it was clear her playing and her outreach with a young fan made for an even better day.
The 13-year-old rock photographer Jameson Nebel was shooting her first live concert — The Bona Fide Band — from the side of the stage as her mom Kimmy looked on from nearby. After Jameson was able to share a moment with Moore, she then ran up to Kimmy with such excitement and watery eyes.
“I just got to shake her hand!” Jameson yelled happily before they hugged.
And then Novoselic, who residents joyfully mobbed for autographs, signatures on anything they could muster, and “selfies” with the Nirvana star who is both larger than life and taller than just about everybody in the crowd, made so many people happy with how gracious he was.
And Nebel was one of them. She was able to not just get Novoselic to sign her copy of music photographer Darrell Westmoreland’s “Snap Click Flash: All Access” book. She also got a special moment where the 6-foot-7 bassist and accordion player signed page 108 of the book, which has a special photo of Novoselic with the late-Kurt Cobain. While a little worried how to get through the crowd to get to Novoselic, she had a little help from a fellow photographer, who guided her there.
Even as fans stood waiting for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame musician’s attention, a couple of them could be heard saying “he doesn’t have to do any of this,” in reference to standing there patiently as he learned everyone’s names so he could sign whatever they had.
“(Krist) is such a sweetheart,” Raye said after watching the happy fans show off their signatures and photos with Novoselic.
Jon Reynolds, who later kept the house packed at The Tap Room, was standing next to his nephew. Reynolds was so happy.
“I’m beside myself today,” Reynolds said. “I can’t believe it.”
Well, there’s no need to pinch yourself, because it happened. And for those people lucky enough to see it, it was a day and night to remember. Just ask Raye, who spoke after The Bona Fide Band finished in front of a massive crowd across from the Morck Hotel.
“This was an absolutely amazing experience,” Raye said.
Raye, like the other musicians, appreciated the crowd’s energy.
“The crowd was alive and I was alive because of them,” Raye said. “It’s surreal to be in Krist’s hometown. ‘Love Buzz’ was very rocking. My favorite song was ‘The Man Who Sold the World.’ It was a perfect tribute to to David Bowie and Nirvana. It’s the perfect song for this day and age. It was also fun to see Krist rock out.”
Russoul, who shared posts throughout the weekend showing the gratitude from him and everyone else involved in making the event memorable, summarized on Monday how special World Music Day 2024 was.
“June 21 in Aberdeen is about a downtown-wide stage, allowing each person to share their creative moment with the world,” Russoul said. “I believe each artist from a child to Krist Novoselic did that. For what stories will be remembered of a day when everything happened everywhere at once belongs now in the warm memories of a very huge number of people. Thank you all.”
Contact Reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com.
Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World Tony Coleman, left, Brenda Kashmir and Roger Fisher rock out with a huge performance that will be remembered for ages in downtown Aberdeen. “For what stories will be remembered of a day when everything happened everywhere at once belongs now in the warm memories of a very huge number of people,” said Wil Russoul, one of the main organizers for World Music Day in Aberdeen. “Thank you all.”
Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World A young fan, boosted on the shoulders of another fan, salutes the live music of The Bona Fide Band featuring Krist Novoselic brought to downtown Aberdeen on Friday at World Music Day. The bands and organizers hyped up the event and it all went off without a hitch as the music and the musicians made so many memories like this. People are already excited to see what next year could bring, which will make for a long year for the organizers of Aberdeen’s iteration of World Music Day.
