Cathedrals, by Fremont Abbey

The Fremont Abbey presents Cathedrals 5 at St. Mark's Cathedral this Saturday, April 20th, starting at 8pm. You know St. Mark's? It's that big, glowing, boxy building in north Capitol Hill that you can see prominently while driving along I-5 through Seattle, day or night. The drawing on the show poster below is fairly accurate.

 

I saw My Brightest Diamond perform at Cathedrals 2 back in November 2011, and was wowed by the ambiance that St. Mark's Cathedral offers. These performances feature artists you wouldn't typically see in a cathedral, performing tailored sets adapted for the unique acoustics of the massive space. What results is a really special event that it seems only the Fremont Abbey knows how to put on. Cathedrals 5 features Shenandoah Davis, Mirah, and The Moondoggies performing an acoustic set. Davis is a classically trained pianist living in Seattle, who cites influences such as Debussy and Kate Bush and is described as "orchestral pop". Mirah, an Evergreen State College alum, is an indie artist who recently toured with Thao Nguyen of Thao and The Get Down Stay Down. The Moondoggies' music has been described as "what the heart of American music should sound like..." by the guys at emohippiebullshit.com, and has received favorable reviews and by NPR Music and KEXP.

Fremont Abbey sets up an event that feels like "a giant living room" with informal seating. Sure, folks will be sitting in the Cathedral pews, but you are also welcome to bring blankets and cushions and prop yourself up against the wall or lay out on the floor. Just another reason I love the Abbey.