Scenesters Adam Ydstie, Doug Stoeckicht and Katie Lowery form the front line of The Warehouse, de facto headquarters for Tacoma’s underground music scene. Only at the moment, The Warehouse lacks an actual physical location to call its own, so the music promoters are booking shows and carrying on business on the fly while awaiting a new space where they can set down their gear. “Our mission is to create a home for the arts. Provide a place for local musicians and artists to grow. We hope to forge a space that nurtures and sustains the arts within Tacoma,” says the entrepreneurs’ vision statement. Their efforts were touted in a cover story in the February issue of City Arts Magazine which credits them, as well as Warehouse predecessors Daniel Blue, Rob Anderson and Cody Jones, with raising Tacoma’s profile as a nascent indie music mecca. But, just as their efforts were bearing fruit, they lost their lease later the same month.
Spaceworks Tacoma is supporting The Warehouse‘s mission of fostering a vital music and arts scene with a Creative Enterprise award that translates to three months free occupancy of a downtown performance space, the location yet to be determined. The funding comes at a critical juncture: “We could easily do a few shows at various places but we are in the midst of trying to start up the business and would love a place to start to create a community of people.
“We believe that people of all ages…should be able to be exposed to good, high quality art.” The threesome hopes to create a sustainable forum for local artists while inviting out-of-town talent to come and perform onstage. On July 29, The Warehouse will provide musical programming at the Spaceworks Tacoma Block Party including Hail, Luke Stevens and Travis Barker of Black Sails. On Aug. 6, they’re bringing in three bands from Denver and Minneapolis for a show at the Peabody Waldorf Gallery: “Tacoma is going to be blessed with some amazing music that night.” Watch a 2009 performance at The [original] Warehouse below. For more about The Warehouse, visit www.facebook.com/thewarehousetacoma?ref=ts.