We have important information to share about the upcoming Cascadence event. Ticket sales have been decidedly lackluster, and as we’ve noted in a previous post, putting on a festival like this is expensive. We have come to the conclusion that the Rainier Arts Center, while it is a great room and we hope to work with them in the future, is just too big for our means. Luckily, we have managed to secure an alternative space that suits both our needs and our budget.
Cascadence 2025 will be happening at Water Sines Studios on Alaskan Way South. This beautiful venue has a cozy feeling, with colorful rugs and art on the walls.
With the reduced budget comes a reduced lineup. Gong and the Kathy Moore Super Power remain on the bill, but Rachel Flowers and Khu.eex’ will no longer be performing. If you already purchased tickets, you should be getting an email with information about your options.
We’re happy to announce a new Seaprog Presents event that will happen in conjunction with Cascadence 2025. The night before, Friday June 13, we’ve arranged for an evening of great music featuring names both familiar and new. Join us at the Substation to see Moon Letters, Julie Slick, and Kitsune for a warm-up to get you into the mood for Cascadence.
Moon Letters at Seaprog 2019, photo by Danette Davis
Moon Letters likely needs no introduction to anyone who’s ever been interested in one of our events. They played on Day Zero of Seaprog 2017, and then on the main stage at the 2019 festival. Since then, they’ve also toured around North America, and they’ve got European dates coming up this summer. When it comes to progressive rock from Seattle, they are at the top, and their modern take on the classic style — not to mention their theatrical performance style — has won them fans around the world. With two acclaimed albums under their collective belt, they’ve been working on their third album, and this show will serve as the release party. Even people who aren’t into prog rock have been won over by their musicianship and blend of fun and serious chops. Definitely not something you want to miss!
Julie Slick solo performance
Julie Slick’s name has also appeared on our bills before, both with her band EchoTest (2019) and as a member of Troot (also 2019). Aside from that, she’s toured and collaborated with Adrian Belew, Crimson ProjeKct, Béla Fleck, Robert Fripp, Alice Cooper, and many more. On her own, she’s recorded a number of solo albums (three or more, depending on how you count) and has developed a captivating live solo set, augmenting her formidable bass skills with electronics and loops. The music blends experimental elements with accessible melodies, and has been known to feature adaptations of songs by King Crimson, EchoTest, and others, along with improvisations and storytelling.
In addition to these two familiar names, we’d like to bring attention to a much newer group, though it too has connections to some of our past events.
Kitsune, photo by Danette Davis
Founded in 2016 by Kiyan Fox, Kitsune began as an exploration of planetary energies through guitar experiments in magical intervals. Over time, the project evolved, incorporating drums, butoh dancers, and a diverse array of instrumentalists from Seattle’s avant-garde and progressive music scene. The result is a sound that’s neo-classical, lush, and evocative — sometimes delicate and pretty, other times dark and bombastic. The current lineup consists of Alicia DeJoie (guitar, violin, vocals), Charlie Bowlen (electronics, percussion), Jeff Jackson (bass, Mellotron), Kiyan Fox (guitar, samples), Lyam White (vocals, saxophone), and Scott Adams (drums). They’re working on their first album, but their live shows around town have been gathering fans. We’re thrilled to be part of their journey, and feel confident that you will agree they’ve come up with a unique approach to making music.
Note that this is a separately ticketed event at the Substation. Advance tickets are $15, and it will be $20 at the door, so buy them now.
Play: to produce sound on a musical instrument. Play: to engage in activity just for fun. Light: to illuminate the darkness. Light: to be without weight. All of these apply to the musical concept that is Gong, playing music full of light since its founding in the late 60s. The Seaprog Central Committee is happy to announce that Gong will headline our new venture, which we call Cascadence, happening June 14, 2025 at Water Sines Studios.
Gong 2023, photo by Layla Burrows
Seaprog started in 2012, the somewhat unrealistic vision of three Seattle musicians who wanted the Northwest to have a showcase for creative, experimental, and progressive music. The first festival was presented in 2013, with five further installments until 2019. The 2020 festival ran afoul of a global pandemic and had to be cancelled. Now in 2025, the organization is reinvigorated and ready to give it another go, and we’ve found an outstanding band to anchor the event.
Gong was founded in 1967 or 1968 (depending on how you look at it) in Paris by Daevid Allen (Australian) and Gilli Smyth (Welsh), and over the decades has gone through many changes in style and personnel, even for a time without Allen and Smyth. Guitarist Kavus Torabi joined in 2015 shortly before the deaths of both Allen and Smyth. But Allen had expressed his wish that the band carry on without him, and so it has, cementing its legacy as both an originator and a torch-bearer for psychedelic rock in all its forms. Their most recent album, Unending Ascending, came out in 2023.
The current incarnation of the band features Torabi on guitar and vocals along with Fabio Golfetti (guitar, vocals), Dave Sturt (bass, vocals), Ian East (saxophone, flute), and Cheb Nettles (drums). Their live set includes music from throughout the band’s existence.
Opening the show will be several other artists to be announced in the weeks to come.
While plans for a 2024 Seaprog festival are still in the early stages, we’ve got a special Seaprog Presents event coming up. On Monday January 22 at Nectar Lounge, we’re proud to cosponsor Tony Levin with Band of Brothers, featuring the famous bassist with his brother Pete on keyboards along with brothers Joe and Pat LaBarbera on drums and saxophone respectively. We’re all familiar with Tony Levin’s work with King Crimson and Stick Men, and many of us are also aware that he’s played jazz as well. Pete Levin has had a long career as a jazz pianist, working quite a bit with Gil Evans, but having credits with David Sanborn, Jimmy Cobb, Freddie Hubbard, Paul Simon, John Scofield, and many more. Pat LaBarbera’s credits include Buddy Rich, Elvin Jones, Bruce Cockburn, and others, while Joe has worked with Woody Herman, Chuck Mangione, Bill Evans, Tony Bennett, and Diane Schuur, along with numerous others. The quartet follows after Levin Brothers, a group which has released three albums to date. Their sets feature an interesting combination of jazz standards, originals, and pieces drawn from Tony’s non-jazz work rearranged.
Opening the show we have local musicians Dennis Rea (guitar) and Jim DeJoie (woodwinds), both of whom are in Moraine, but have extensive backgrounds in jazz as well. We hope you’ll join us for a night of great music based in jazz, but reaching beyond typical boundaries. What else are you going to do on a Monday night in January?
Here’s a welcome shaft of light amid troubled times: Seaprog is back!
Bent Knee promotional photo
After a two-year pandemic hiatus and the permanent loss of our longtime partner venue, the Columbia City Theater, we’re delighted to announce that Seaprog 2022 is scheduled to take place on the Madame Lou’s stage at the ‘new’ Crocodile on Friday, August 5, 2022.
Due to scheduling challenges, Seaprog 2022 will be a single-day event featuring Bent Knee, Cheer-Accident, and Rainbow Face, but with intent to return to a full weekend format in 2023. These three bands will make for an amazing show!
Heartfelt thanks to our fiscal sponsor Shunpike and to 4Culture for their continued support through the long hiatus!
Regarding COVID: Some have asked what the COVID policy will be for the upcoming Seaprog. The venue’s current policy is: “The Crocodile is encouraging all guests to continue to wear masks at all times unless actively eating or drinking.” Seaprog will default to this policy while emphasizing that we strongly prefer that attendees mask up. While we’re in no position to enforce policy, we advise folks to take sensible precautions for their own sake and that of their fellow concertgoers.
With the rise of the new COVID variant, we understand that protocols might shift yet again between now and 8/5. We’ll keep you posted in the event of any change and will abide by whatever protocol is in place at that time. Thanks for your cooperation!
