Local Bands of Bellingham and Whatcom County

The audience enjoying a show at the Wild Buffalo House of Music in Bellingham. Photo by Kenneth Kearney Photography 

When visiting a new town, scoping out locations that feature local musicians is a great way to get a feel for the area's music scene and the community. 

Keep reading to find out about some Bellingham and Whatcom County musicians. This list, however, isn't comprehensive. To discover more about the large variety of local musicians that may be playing during your visit, explore our Event Calendar and the calendars for the concert venues on this list of local music venues. 

Adding a live music show to the itinerary could end up being the highlight of your trip!

Baby Cakes Jeremiah Austin and Stephanie Walbon. Photo by Scott H. Melnick Photography 

Voted a number of times as Bellingham's favorite "Local Band/Performer", this 8-piece group share the classic funk, soul, and R&B tunes you love, but also performs originals.  Baby Cakes' diminutive lead vocalist, Stephanie Walbon, packs a punch in a small package. Their exuberance is also transmitted to the audience through the high energy of drummer and manager Kevin Chryst. 

When attending one of their shows, it's obvious why they've also won local awards for "Best Booty Shakin' Band" and "Best Up Close and Personal" performance. Just try to not dance and sing along. They do old songs justice with their own powerful spin and you'll be singing along with the new songs before the first is even over.

Aaron Guest in Boundary Bay Brewery's tap room. Photo by Kenneth Kearney Photography 

Visitors at Boundary Bay Brewery on Wednesday nights can enjoy the bistro's fresh menu and a brew made on-site, all while listening to a wide variety of their favorite tunes from across the last century. Whether you love old show tunes and Gershwin, early rock and roll or blues, or some modern rock/pop tunes, you'll dine in style over the sounds of an old school Steinway barroom piano. It's upbeat, fun, and recognizable. 

Aaron Guest has been playing here for a number of years. Guest is self-taught and plays by ear. He has said he tries to learn at least one new song per week, meaning his catalog of tunes is well over 100. He also tries to accommodate requests when possible.

Guitar player, singer, host, entertainer of all kinds - Robert Sarazin Blake has cemented himself as an essential part of the music scene in this area. He can be found entertaining crowds regularly at local spots like Boundary Bay Brewery. Blake's rich singing voice and vivid storytelling lyrics effortlessly meld with sounds of rock, folk, and Celtic tunes.

Not just a performer, Blake founded the beloved local folk music festival The Subdued Stringband Jamboree, which has been recurring annually since 2001. Even when you can't catch him singing on a stage around Whatcom County, you can hear him in other forms. Blake is continually dedicated to his craft, producing a video series called "From The Kitchen Table" and the radio show "The Subdued Radio Hour".

Groovebot at Wild Buffalo. Photo by Scott H. Melnick Photography 

Groovebot is a high energy funk experience. They began first as a cover project for The Austerman File and Groovebot has now become a popular choice for partaking in dancing around town. With a full tenor sax dominating the groove, it’s hard to keep from swaying with their classic funk and soul mixed to create modern covers. Their funky vibe brings the whole thing to life. 

This group performs all around Bellingham. You might see them opening for a well-known touring band at Wild Buffalo or at Boundary Bay's beer garden in the summer. They also have also entertained the crowds at popular local events, like Downtown Sounds and Ski to Sea.