Last week, we got to look into some amazing local solo artists of Washington state. If there was one thing those artists agreed upon (and what this week’s artists agreed upon), it was how music unites people.

This week, we get to learn about the unity of multiple musicians brought together; the creation of a band.

Let’s get to know your local bands!

Kaede 01

In September of 2021, Kaede 01 started off as a ragtag group of friends; Luna the vocalist, Mason and Madison the guitarists, Kensho on the bass, Victor on the piano, and Max on drums. They all shared a love for Japanese culture and wanted to express it via their music, so they formed a group to be able to share their passion with others. 

They perform covers in the style of J-pop and rock, often appearing at musical events at the University of Washington Seattle. Previously this year in January, Kaede 01 opened for Seijinshiki USA, a Japanese Coming of Age Ceremony. Annually, during May they appear at the Japanese Student Association’s Matsuri Festival. 

Currently, they are working on producing their original songs, which “often grapple with themes such as identity, youth, aloneness, and independence,” they mention. “There are many, many things to be enjoyed about music, but in the context of Kaede 01, we think it is the collective cultural experience that we get to share through our sound.” 

Kaede 01 really shows who they are and the message they want others to know through their bold and energetic performances, having such a joyous stage presence. They are 100% worth seeing, and you can see for yourself in their upcoming gigs this May.

To get updated on announcements, you can follow them on Instagram at @kaede01band and you can also watch their videos on Youtube. 

Sue The Fish

In the summer of 2022, four girls came together to create a band to share their passion for music. Natalie the vocalist, Aine the bassist, Cora the drummer, and Sofia the guitarist: These girls make up the striking rock band, Sue The Fish. 

Once they start performing, you can hear and see their love for music from the boundless energy they bring to the stage. It’s inspiring to see the fervor these girls put into their music. They often perform at venues and events throughout the Tacoma area, recently playing on March 22 at Real Art Tacoma for “POOCH-A-PALOOZA,” a fundraiser for pet supplies. Previously, they’ve also played at “Live it Out Loud” in 2022. 

“We enjoy playing music so much and are so grateful that we are able to do so. We can’t wait to show the world our music,” they expressed. Currently, they plan on recording an EP this summer and working on putting their music on streaming platforms so their fans can listen online, anytime. They hope to have these projects finished by the end of this year. 

They also plan to play at more live shows throughout Washington, and eventually out of state. If you’d like to see one of their live shows, you can follow them on Instagram at @suethefishband to see upcoming shows and updates! 

Rose Peak

“Hi! We are Rose Peak, and we are made up of quite a wonderful squad: on the saxophone Aadithya Manoj, on drums Aiden Chan, lead vocals James Eberle, on guitar Marko Vidich, and on bass Packard Stephenson,” the members of the amazing rock fusion band, Rose Peak introduce. 

For Rose Peak, there are many aspects of the music community to be enjoyed. “We love the community, playing together, playing for an audience, the connectivity that results from good music is magical,” Eberle mentions.

“I love how music is an escape from the ‘real world’. I love playing music with my amazing band mates. I love learning how to play the songs I grew up listening to, I love how my bass feels under my fingers. I love performing the music that we’ve created and seeing people groove to it,” said Stephenson. 

Their music consists of influences like Zeppelin and Floyd blues-rock, fusing that with modern jazz-funk and psychedelia. Although Eberle plays most of the live performing keys, Chan and Vidich also play and track keys when they’re writing their music. 

“I started writing music when I was in 10th grade because I wanted to create some original music for my band to play. At the time, my inspiration for writing was jazz music, specifically jazz standards, and I wanted to try my hand at creating my own pieces in this style using my knowledge of chords and harmony. More recently, I’ve been writing in the hopes of blending my favorite styles, namely older blues and soul with a rock leaning, and bringing what I love to our generation of listeners,” said Vidich.

They formed in the fall of 2023, performing at numerous different venues around the Seattle area with many successful shows. Every single member has a distinct area of expertise in music and their respective instrument. Every member gets the opportunity to display that talent during their performances.

“We want to build something meaningful and build a strong community. We are planning on working closely with many people in the Seattle scene, and we would love to tour more after this summer and would love to play with bigger bands that we love,” Rose Peak confesses. 

Coming up soon, they are performing at the University of Washington Seattle campus spring show on May 3. They also are going on the West Coast “Geneva” tour from Seattle all the way to Los Angeles from June 8 to June 29. 

Rose Peak has no official releases yet, but they plan to start recording their music in the summer this year and to be released in the fall, which is an exciting thing for their audience to look forward to. 

You can see their tour dates and locations as well as updates on them on their Instagram. If you’d like to see some of their past performances, you can watch their videos on YouTube as well. 

A message from Rosepeak: “Hello all! If you want to hear our music and catch some show dates, follow our instagram @rosepeakseattle to stay in the loop. Hope we see you soon.”

Special feature: Mind Your Head 

Mind Your Head is a newly formed rock band: Miles on guitar, Cora on vocals, Alec on bass, and Dane on drums. They are currently working on a setlist and arranging their very first show, so you can follow them at @mindyourhead.music on Instagram for updates on them. 

“I enjoy the feeling it gives me; putting on a pair of headphones and suddenly I get the feeling I’m in another world, letting my creativity flow and my feelings wander,” said Dane. 

“I enjoy making uncomplicated yet enjoyable music that has a message people can understand,” said Alec.

“I’ve had a lot of childhood issues and music was always an escape. My uncle and brother were big influences to me and I’ve loved writing, creating, and playing music since I was as young as five years old,” said Miles.

“To me, music is something very unique. It is one of the only things in this world that can bring people together no matter what. It is a universal language and it speaks to people’s hearts. Our world would be so lifeless without music,” said Cora.

These four talented bands give us a taste of what the Washington music scene has to offer, from J-pop to rock to jazz fusion. Getting to know about the history and backstory of these bands was truly a treat, but watching one of their shows is an even better experience. If you’re a fan of live music, consider checking out one of their upcoming shows, and look out for their future releases.