Here is a poster for an event Seattle, Portland, Vancouver. Shows August 26th through September 1st.
The west coast has a certain je ne sais quoi about their accordionists. Perhaps its the tattoos. The west coast, and particularly the Pacific North-west, stretching up into Canada have a thriving alt-accordion scene. The weird, the punk, the scary, the dark. Here is just a small measure of performers and shops.
Henri Ducharme of Oakland, CA who is “Your source for accordion music by: Clash, Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, Sex Pistols.” At his online shop you can purchase accordion sheet for these punk bands and he has couple samples of music. Like Blizkreig Bop by the Ramones. And you can play your music with other alt-accordionists at the Punk Rock Accordion Workshop.
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Even the shops on the west coast are alt. Accordion Apocalypse, San Francisco’s most intense accordion sales and repair shop. And also, according to their site, the summer home of the Punk Rock Accordion Workshop.
The Vagabond Opera of The West Coast
Esmerelda Strange
Jason Webley - West Coast Mad Man of Accordion
Kielbasia of San Francisco
Another post about Jean-Louis Matinier
Another post about Jean-Louis Matinier and Renaud Garcia-Fons
Another post about Be-bop Accordion
Another post about Accordionist Richard Galliano
Another post about Accordionist Maria Kalaniemi
Another post about Learning the Accordion
August 21st, 2009 at 1:58 am
It’s true — we’re blessed with a wonderfully eclectic accordion scene out here. You should check out the annual West Coast Accordion Babes Pin-Up Calendar (w/CD). We’re going to pick up a couple at the Cotati Accordion Festival this weekend.