Third World, the Reggae band from Jamaica, performed on July 1 to kick off the summer concert series, “Downtown Sounds,” in downtown Bellingham. Downtown Sounds will liven up Bay Street every Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. during the month of July. Anyone and everyone’s welcome, and it’s free! What could be better than music, food, beverages and great weather?
Third World’s performance got the crowd dancing and enjoying the warm summer night. The songs exhibited an original hybrid of different types of music that created chill worthy vibes. The musical influences of soul, reggae and disco created funky and totally dance worthy beats. The use of keyboard gave some songs a soulful jazz-like feeling.
Yogoman Burning Band is a Reggae group formed in Bellingham that opened for Third World. Their music was full of infectious beats of soul brass mixed with reggae vibes. The songs incorporated a new-age angle with bongos and great horn combinations. They definitely make it hard not to start grooving along with them.
The road was blocked off to accommodate a good amount of concertgoers. Local breweries Aslan Brewery and Boundary Bay Brewery poured beer in the beer garden that is available to concertgoer’s age 21 years and older. The beer garden was blocked off to the right sidewalk, so people could watch from the side. Local food vendors such as Goat Mountain Pizza and El Capitan’s served signature Bellingham favorites for hungry attendees.
The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. and end around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, but the party will not die down until much later. Local bars are open and are filled afterwards with concert attendees celebrating, “After Sounds,” hosted at Aslan Brewery and other places downtown. The concert series is family friendly and offers magical face painting, a designated chalk area, merchandise stands and hula-hoops.
Every Wednesday of July will feature a band and will exhibit different types of music for people of Bellingham to explore.
And did I mention it is free?
It’s free.
