Snoqualmie Railroad Days | World of music, styles will rock the railroad

Snoqualmie didn’t forget the tunes for Railroad Days. The line-up of bands for the weekend fills two stages, and crosses a world of genres. On the main stage, the music starts Friday night with the Love Jacks playing a mix of current and classic rock, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by Notorious Sensation. Playing dance hits from the 80s, the band claims to “transport you back to the decade of big hair, skinny ties, and neon.” Saturday after the parade, the 20-plus member Clan Gordon Pipe Band will add a Scottish note to the day. The band, formed in 1955, has travelled the U.S., as well as representing our country in the International Highland Games in New Zealand in 2000. The pipers play from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Snoqualmie didn’t forget the tunes for Railroad Days. The line-up of bands for the weekend fills two stages, and crosses a world of genres.

On the main stage, the music starts Friday night with the Love Jacks playing a mix of current and classic rock, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by Notorious Sensation. Playing dance hits from the 80s, the band claims to “transport you back to the decade of big hair, skinny ties, and neon.”

Saturday after the parade, the 20-plus member Clan Gordon Pipe Band will add a Scottish note to the day. The band, formed in 1955, has travelled the U.S., as well as representing our country in the International Highland Games in New Zealand in 2000. The pipers play from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Up next is Down the Road, the local folk and bluegrass trio of Cathi and Gary Davidson, and John Tubbs. With guitar, mandolin and harmony singing, the three give a fresh voice to old-time American roots music, from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m.

Drawing from jazz, classical and world music, Cascade Jazz serves up a fusion of musical styles, instruments and vocal harmonics, starting at 2 p.m. The quintet includes John Chmaj, a professor of music and a composer; vocalist and local favorite Susanna Fuller; musician, singer, and dancer Sura Charlier; musician and composer Court Crawford; and drummer Brian Gmerek, whose musical career has spanned most genres, landing back on jazz, when he joined Chmaj and Crawford to create the Cascade Jazz Trio.

Singer/songwriter Michael ONeill weaves a tale of love, loss, death and Mexico in a style that’s part country, part “roots-rock” starting at 3:30 p.m. After decades touring with musicians from U2, the Grateful Dead, and Little Feat, he has settled on his own material, and is currently working on a new album that fans have been waiting five years for.

Jumping out of the Seattle musical melting pot, the Po’okela Street Band brings its own blend of Jamaican reggae and island rhythms to the stage at 5 p.m. The band, together since the mid 90s, calls their music “Jawaiian,” but blends top-40 sounds with pop, rock, R & B, rap and country.

The local Left-Coast Gypsies play from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The eclectic group of humans and occasional dogs plays their own rock compositions, and old folk favorites.

Finishing up the night, the Magic Bus band, backed by its own gogo dancers in cages and a psychedelic light show, will transport you back in time with classic rock hits from the 60s. You’ll hear songs by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles during their show, from 8 to 10 p.m.

Classic rock and blues are on the schedule for Sunday, a fitting accompaniment to the day’s classic car show.

Formerly known as the Astro Cats, the new and improved Front Street Cats of Issaquah perform classic rock from the ‘50s and ‘60s, along with their own  songs. They prefer danceable, but not over-played tunes from the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kid Rock, the Doors, Billy Joel, the Romantics, and, naturally, the Stray Cats. Watch for them at 11:30 a.m.

Veteran bluesman Paul Green, with the blues, R & B, and funk band Straight Shot, closes out the day with a 1:30 to 3 p.m. show. Straight Shot is made up of seasoned award-winning musicians Gary Ballard, Howard Hooper, and Lee Merrihew.

Over at the children’s stage, kids and their parents can enjoy the music of Eric Ode at noon, Bryan Vogan and his Good Buddies at 1:15 p.m., Nancy Stewart at 2:30 p.m., and (Saturday only) Clay Martin at 3:45.