Marshall Law Band headlines the Band stage at Splash Fest 2019. // Photo by James Gerde
Summer is coming to an end, and Marshall Law Band had to throw one last splash with the first annual Splash Fest! Splash Fest was filled with so many genres, from hip hop to pop to rock. Besides music, the festival had authentic Hawaiian teriyaki, a dunk tank, and several beer pong tables sponsored by Deschutes Brewery and Papa Bueno Tequila.
Artists like Runes of Neptune started the show off with good vibes. Runes of Neptune is a band with a blended sound of reggae, hip hop, and jazz, with impeccable production that intermixes the three genres beautifully. Their lyrics range from the topic of marijuana to tracks like “Rhythm of the Rain,” which talks about how we’re all one and striving for positive vibrations. Throughout their Splash Fest set, each member of the band brought something different to the table. The lead singer, Wesley Brenner — aka Gypsy Wolf — gave off a Bob Marley and The Wailers kind of vibe, while the keyboardist, Kyle G, would serenade you with not only his piano but also his dope saxophone solos. All this was brought together by Torin Frost, the emcee, who was killing it with the rhymes.
Along with a bunch of incredible talent from Seattle, Splash Fest also brought musicians out from greater Washington and out of state. One I had the pleasure of meeting was Angelynn, out of Oregon, whose angelic voice sugar coated each and every one of her songs. It was easy to get lost in her beautiful, ambient production. Along with her unique voice, my favorite parts of her set were her aesthetic — she was wearing a neon yellow jumpsuit and had background dancers. It really tied everything together and gave her overall set a super professional appearance and a mid-90s vibe similar to that of Aaliyah. Her track “Flow” had a mesmerizing chorus that hypnotized you in an angelic manor.
SinTheSlime though, is the PNW Trap Queen that you need to know about. She’s not afraid to be herself — loud, cocky, and giving off great energy which led to her having the best crowd control of the night. Plus, her songs are super catchy. My favorite track was “4 U Momma,” which had a spacey beat and relatable lyrics that give off an emo-trap vibe: “be you and I promise it’ll be alright / stay true little star because we need you / don’t give up just let the pain guide you.”
Another dope performance from the night was Charlie Cash. Hailing from the Central District of Seattle, Cash can rap and sing, and the way she lights up and controls the stage is amazing. She’s very intimate and makes eye contact with everyone in the crowd. For her second to last tune, Cash used a chair as a prop and worked it in a sexy, burlesque manor. Her style is so unique, from trap to touching on her church choir roots. She reminds me of Whitney Houston with her profound and amazing vocal range. Charlie Cash or “Lil Charlie” is definitely an upcoming Seattle artist to keep your eye on.
Splash Fest was an overall blast filled with good vibes and amazing artists. A special thanks and shout out goes to the Marshall Law Band for putting together an end-of-summer, hell-of-a-blast festival that brought the community together. With such a huge turn out, Splash Fest is due to be back next year, bigger and better!
Biblioteka kicks off the Band stage. Pictured here, frontwoman Mary Robins. // Photo by James Gerde
Runes of Neptune performs on the Band stage at the inaugural Splash Fest. Pictured here, lead singer and acoustic guitar player Wesley Brenner, aka Gypsy Wolf. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Keyboard and saxophone player Kyle G belts it out. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Emcee Torin Frost spits rhymes alongside bassist Robert Wells. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Matt McAlman gets silly on the drums. // Photo by Quinton Peters
At the start of the festival, concertgoers get into the groove with beer pong and the Papa Bueno Tequila photo booth van. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Public Theatre, a local alt-rock group, performs on the Band stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Lead singer Logan Britsch jumps into the crowd. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Timoteo Cordero performs on the Drip stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
The r&b singer dances in the fog. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Lighting it up, Taane Jr. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Angelynn performs on the Drip stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Angelynn channels a mid-90s vibe with her songs and aesthetic. // Photo by Quinton Peters
J Moe Da Bird performs on the Band stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Bassist Josh Richins and guitarist David Murray perform with J Moe Da Bird. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Wilsonlikethevolleyball performs on the Band stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Marshall Hugh of Marshall Law Band joins Wilson on stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Wilsonlikethevolleyball performs emotionally cathartic electronic music. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Suns out, (water) guns out. // Photo by James Gerde
Kellie Rose performs on the Drip stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Rose is a singer-songwriter out of Seattle. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Marshall Hugh of Marshall Law Band takes a turn in the dunk tank. // Photo by James Gerde
Justin Hale performs on the Woodskeeze stage, next door to LTD at Woodsky’s. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Before starting his set, Hale asked the crowd for a moment of silence to honor a family member that Hale had just found out died in a car crash. Afterward, he thanked the crowd and hyped everyone for a killer performance. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Bounding through the crowd throughout his show, Hale was an incredibly engaging and personable performer. // Photo by Quinton Peters
From swimsuits and leis to sunnies and caps, festival-goers bring the beach vibe to Splash Fest. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Swamplifeterry performs on the Drip stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Taane Jr. performs on the Woodskeeze stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Everywhere Taane went at the festival — whether on stage or in the crowd — his smile was infectious. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Local artist Perry Porter and Splash Fest performer Old Milk pose for a photo. // Photo by Quinton Peters
SinTheSlime performs on the Drip stage. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Sin owns the crowd. // Photo by James Gerde
Out of Seattle, Sin makes powerful trap tracks. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Bali Ky, who later performs on the Drip stage, takes a puff. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Topp performs on the Woodskeeze stage. // Photo by James Gerde
Charlie Cash performs on the Drip stage. // Photo by James Gerde
With a big personality in a pint-sized package, Cash was a master of her crowd. // Photo by James Gerde
The Seattle hip-hop artist put on one of the highest energy shows of the day. // Photo by James Gerde
52Kings (left) and Topp (right). // Photo by Quinton Peters
Bali Ky performs on the Drip stage. // Photo by James Gerde
Deezy Cane joins Ky on stage. // Photo by James Gerde
With Cane up to perform right after Ky, the two put on back-to-back hype sets. // Photo by James Gerde
Topp (left) and Marshall Hugh (right) get into the Splash spirit. // Photo by Quinton Peters
Scarlet Parke performs on the Band stage. // // Photo by James Gerde
A pop songstress, Parke put on a wonderfully compelling performance, teaching the audience a dance and connecting to the crowd by sharing the inspiration behind her tracks. // // Photo by James Gerde
Local producer Jake Crocker (background) backs up Parke with tracks and electric drums. // Photo by James Gerde
Macntaj (left) and Topp (right). // Photo by Quinton Peters
Marshall Law Band (MLB) closes out the Band stage to a full crowd. // Photo by James Gerde
Frontman Marshall Hugh is a dynamic performer, dancing across the stage and putting his heart into his lyrics. // Photo by James Gerde
MLB guitarist David Murray. // Photo by James Gerde
J Moe Da Bird (left) and Taane Jr. (right) join Hugh (center) on stage for a track filled with brotherly love. // Photo by James Gerde
Hugh’s pure joy was evident throughout the set. // Photo by James Gerde
Pointing out his festival-themed haircut, Hugh calls his barber on stage. // Photo by James Gerde
Saxophonist Marty Thordarson keeps the groove flowing while Hugh hypes the crowd. // Photo by James Gerde
MLB bassist Big Pink. // Photo by James Gerde
Throughout MLB’s set, Hugh preached a message of inclusion and a Seattle renaissance — of artists taking back control and putting the Seattle creative scene back on the national map. // Photo by James Gerde
For MLB’s last track, “Ashtray Jam,” Hugh called his friends to the stage, where they all took turns spitting verses. Here, I Am Chamel takes a turn. // Photo by James Gerde
Hugh jumps into the crowd at the end of the night. // Photo by James Gerde
After the outdoor Band stage closed down for the night, the party continued on the Drip stage with a rap battle. Here, Deezy Cane and I Am Chamel get into it. // Photo by James Gerde
After a full day of tunes, the inaugural Splash Fest comes to a close. // Photo by James Gerde