Bands, Venues, and Festivals You Need to Know About
If you’re looking for the best shows in town, whether you’re just visiting, if you’re new in town, or you’ve been here your whole life, we’ve compiled our “Gig Harbor Local Music Guide” with you in mind.With the weather warming up and the school year coming to a close, many of us are dreaming of long summer nights relaxing with our families. You might be looking forward to spending the warmer evenings sitting out on the patio of a restaurant listening to a band play. Or you might be planning your festival lineup, figuring out which Gig Harbor musicians you want to see.
As a part of the kick off to our local favorite, Uptown Summer Concert Series, we wanted to bring you a well-rounded line up to the Gig Harbor music scene.
Gig Harbor has an amazing local music scene that can keep you busy every night of the summer if you want. Read on to discover some of the best local bands, venues, and events that you won’t want to miss this summer.
Gig Harbor Local Music Guide: Local Bands
The Shy Boys
The Shy Boys are a group of four lead singers who cover music spanning six decades. They sing everything from “Johnny B. Goode” and “American Pie” to “Eye of the Tiger” and “Friends in Low Places.”
Find them online: The Shy Boys Facebook Page
The Beatniks
The Beatniks also cover music from the golden era – the 60s, 70s, and 80s – with signature flair. They’ve played for everyone from the Seattle Seahawks to Microsoft and Nike, and their shows have drawn in crowds of 35,000 people.
Find them online: The Beatniks Facebook Page
The Michael Crain Band
The Michael Crain Band is a classic rock and roll cover band, playing music from Elvis and many of the 80s favorites. These four rockers have become a Gig Harbor favorite and often play for local Eagles clubs and yacht clubs.
Find them online: The Michael Crain Band Facebook Page
The Profits
The Profits are a jack of all trades when it comes to cover bands and describe themselves as “the most serious cover band ever.” They play everything from Elvis and Billy Idol to the Violent Femmes and can often be found in local saloons.
Find them online: The Profits Facebook Page
The Flock of Beagles
If you want to hear a cover band play all your favorite comfort music, the Flock of Beagles is going to be your new favorite group. This band started playing cover music from the Beatles and the Eagles (Beatles + Eagles = Beagles) and added everyone from Steely Dan and Jimmy Buffet to Billy Joel and James Taylor.
Find Them Online: The Flock of Beagles Facebook Page
My Guilty Pleasure
My Guilty Pleasure covers your favorite songs from your youth with a fun twist. They play music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s with a little bit of funk that makes the tunes you grew up on feel fresh and exciting.
Find Them Online: My Guilty Pleasure Facebook Page
Wounded Mic
Wounded Mic is another favorite cover band playing all the best classics from the greatest era of music. They’ve played in Gig Harbor’s Summer Concert Series in the past and has become a local favorite.
Find Them Online: Wounded Mic Facebook Page
Malo Castro
Malo Castro is the perfect band to hire when you want music that will get your guests swaying to the beat. This band specializes in Latin dance music, including cha cha, guaguanco, merengue, son montuno, salsa, and music from the Caribbean.
Find Them Online: Malo Castro Facebook Page
Budapest West
Budapest West creates a unique musical experience for their audience with a tantalizing blend of traditional instruments and modern electronic music. They use hurdy gurdys and other unusual instruments to create an entrancing atmosphere.
Find Them Online: Budapest West Facebook Page
Lana’s Garage
Lana’s Garage is an alt rock cover band that puts on high-energy, danceable performances for their audience. They play Kings of Leon, Alanis Morissette, Evanescence, The Cranberries, and more all around the Gig Harbor area.
Find Them Online: Lana’s Garage Facebook Page
Mark Hurwitz and Gin Creek
Mark Hurwitz and Gin Creek play all the best soul music, from R&B and jazz to roots rock. They play fifty shows or more a year, and they’ve been nominated for the Washington Blues Society’s Best Band award twice.
Find Them Online: Mark Hurwitz and Gin Creek Facebook Page
Sounds Like Dolores
Sounds Like Dolores brings the #partyintheharbor with their diverse mix of 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s dance hits. Their range is wide and you can boogie down to energetic pop, rock, and country boot-shaking music at any of their events. Known as one of Gig Harbor’s favorite bands, they can be found playing throughout the South Sound. Find them this summer at the Summer Sips Event at Uptown on July 9th.
Find Them Online: Sounds Like Dolores Facebook Page
Gig Harbor Music Venues
Uptown Pavilion
Uptown Pavilion is one of Gig Harbor’s most active music venues, as well as a fantastic shopping location. They host everything from the Gig Harbor Beer Festival and the Summer Concert Series to Make Music Day, Music Against Cancer, and more. You can even attend wellness events, sidewalk sales, film festivals, and holiday events at this incredible venue!
City of Gig Harbor Skansie Park
As you know, Gig Harbor is filled with gorgeous parks, and Skansie Park is one of the best for local music lovers. The park is named for the four Croatian Skansie brothers who worked as fishermen in Gig Harbor in the early 1900s. Skansie Park hosts the Maritime Gig Festival, another Summer Concert Series, and a variety of other events throughout the year.
The Floatation Device
The Floatation Device, also known as The Float, claims to be home of the “best damn breakfast on the Peninsula!” They frequently host Gig Harbor bands like My Guilty Pleasure, XLR8, Knucklehead, and more for a fantastic dining experience. They also have trivia nights, karaoke events, and five-napkin barbeques that’ll knock your socks off.
Olalla Vineyard and Winery
Olalla Vineyard and Winery is a gorgeous venue for any event, and they often host everything from private dinners to weddings. The vineyard has a number of amazing house varietals and blends, and they offer picnic baskets with an amazing selection of cheeses. They also host live music events that give you a chance to enjoy their fabulous wine and some excellent local music.
Jazzbones
Jazzbones is a Tacoma nightclub that’s one of the most active locations in the local music scene. They host dozens of local bands and DJs, including DJ Indica Jones, Limberlost, and Wishbone Ash. You can also enjoy karaoke nights with the benefit of a live band backing you up for the ultimate rockstar experience.
Gig Harbor Music Festivals
Juan de Fuca Festival
The Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts is one of the PNW’s biggest creative experiences of the year. This year, the festival will be held from May 27 to 29 and will feature John Craigie, the Shook Twins, Lady A, David Jacobs-Strain and Bob Beach, Eden, and many more artists. There will also be a festival street fair with artisan and food vendors all celebrating the creativity of the region.
Make Music Day at Uptown
Make Music Day is one of Uptown Pavilion’s biggest music events of the year, featuring live music on four different stages. The festival is held on the longest day of the year, June 21, and will include Malo Castro, Billy Stoops and the Dirt Angels, Budapest West, and more. The stages will include the Pavilion, the Showcase, the Front Porch, and the Spotlight, all located around Uptown.
Awakening Music Festival 2022
Awakening Music Festival is one of the biggest contemporary Christian music events in the PNW. This year, the festival will be held on May 21 and will feature Lecrae, Austin French, Hope Darst, Jonathan Traylor, The Scally Brothers, and more. There will be food and retail vendors, and you can get a VIP pass that gets you lots of extra goodies!
Lakewood’s SummerFEST
The city of Lakewood hosts a SummerFEST each year with live music, great food, and endless entertainment. This year’s festival will be on July 23 and will feature the Not-Its, Chapter 5, The Dusty 45s, Kalimba, The Infinity Project, and Eagle Eyes. There will also be a car show, international performances, an extreme trampoline, and tons of other exciting activities!
T-Town Rocks Music Festival
The T-Town Rocks Music Festival is, as they proclaim, the best place for “good friends, great music, food, and drinks.” The festival will be held on July 29 this year and will have DJ Jazzy Jeff headlining, alongside Tone Loc, Young MC, Wanz, Kid Sensation, and more. Best of all, this event supports local charities, including the Boys and Girls Club of Tacoma and the Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.
Fox Island Music Festival
Fox Island Yacht Club has one of the biggest music Gig Harbor festivals – the 2022 Summer Music Festival. This year’s event will happen on July 23 and will feature The Beatniks, Joel Gibson, Jr., and more. There will be food trucks, a bar, and a return to the beauty of the Fox Island Yacht Club after two years away.
Blackberry Festival in Bremerton
The Blackberry Festival in Bremerton is a celebration of all things blackberry, but it features some of the best music you’ll hear this summer. There will be more than 100 vendors present, and you’ll be able to enjoy beer, blackberry wine, and food. The festival will run from September 3 to 5and will feature Lana’s Garage, Hair Nation, Megan and Heidi, Betsy and the Boys, and Aaron McFadden.
Discover Our Music Scene with our Gig Harbor Local Music Guide
Gig Harbor has a thriving local music scene with dozens of spectacular bands and a variety of amazing venues. You aren’t going to want to miss the festivals and events this summer, including Make Music Day and the Uptown Summer Concert Series. No matter what your music taste is, you’ll find it playing somewhere around Gig Harbor almost every night this summer.
If you’d like to discover more of Gig Harbor’s local music scene, check out the rest of our site at Uptown Gig Harbor. We’re proud to be South Sound’s premier outdoor shopping experience and a part of Gig Harbor’s music scene. Check out our guest amenities today and discover the gorgeous sounds of the PNW for yourself.
4 Responses
Nice that you told us about the bands. When and where are they playing?
Thanks for the comment, Jen. Right now, you can find the bands that are playing at UGH here: https://uptowngigharbor.com/uptown-summer-concert-series/
However, if you want to check out each band individually, we recommend to click the link to their FB pages which is included in the blog under their section.
Any particular one you are excited to see?
Where is the list with dates?
Hi Jen, thanks for asking! If you’re wondering about our Summer Concert Series, you can find the schedule here: https://uptowngigharbor.com/uptown-summer-concert-series/
For a list of events for each band, your best bet is to check out their FB pages which is included in the article itself under their appropriate section.
Happy summer!