On Friday the 26th of August 2011 Heart of Anacortes presents a “Northwest Indie Music Showcase” from 5-8PM featuring LAKE (Olympia), with Lovers Without Borders (Anacortes/ Edison/ Bellingham) and The Daffodils (Edison).

But, it’s not what you’re thinking. You expect from the description “Indie” to be loud, perhaps even mildly to severely irritating vocals with distorted, sloppy guitars and drums. You’ve seen the bands to fit these descriptions and you may have wished you hadn’t. How LAKE, Lovers and Daffodils overlap is more aptly described as rooted in the 1970s with harmonies and melodies like raspberries plump and dripping off the vine.

Such care with songwriting and musicianship exists among these bands that it is possibly unfair to share the “Indie” umbrella and all it’s stigma. Hall & Oates comes to mind, Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan… this may catch you off guard. “What does this aesthetic have to do with ‘Indie’?” you may even ask. And it just so happens that the answer is that there is a small undercurrent of bands even here in Skagit and Whatcom County who book their own tours/shows, put out their own records or work with small local labels and place musicianship and care above other aspirations such as fame and fortune.

Internationally celebrated LAKE just released their 4th album on K Records this past month entitle “Giving and Receiving.” They are indeed compared with Fleetwood Mac as they are almost equal parts boy and girl(5 members total), and they are known for lush harmonies and incredible musicianship. Lovers Without Borders graced the stage at What the Heck Fest with their first ever public appearance. Lovers features Skagit all ages steadfast Karl Blau(also a K Records artist) singing and playing saxophone, drummer Jessica Bonin(also of The Daffodils) and Allen Peril (formerly of Dame Dulce) on the guitar. The Daffodils boast James Reisen who played in Bellingham’s Language Arts and the hard-working Jessica Bonin on the drums.