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Over pints of Huckleberry Seltzer and Aberdeen Gold from Mount Olympus Brewing, Wil Russoul spoke for a couple hours on Tuesday evening about what he loves about music.
“You can’t separate me from my music,” said Russoul, director of Downtown Aberdeen Association. Not only does Russoul play music in his band The Akoostiks, he married his best girl Kristi not long after sharing with her a song he wrote. They’re still together and Russoul seems like a really happy guy.
If his words weren’t enough to show his appreciation, his block-lettered and almost three-dimensional tattoo on his left bicep should show it. The black font tattoo reads “Music.”
And now, he wants Aberdeen to show its appreciation for music through World Music Day. An American musician named Joel Cohen started the yearly celebration in 1982. This Wednesday, June 21, will be Aberdeen’s first time celebrating the day. Russoul talked about the logistics for the free event.
It’ll start at 11:30 a.m., with a sign-up at Guitar Galactica — 204 S. K St. The performances are scheduled to start right after in front of The Green Room, which is around the corner near the intersection of West Wishkah and South K streets. That will go until 1 p.m. People who want to sing Kurt Cobain’s famous tune “Come As You Are” at 12:45 p.m., can do so since there’s a gathering planned specifically for a group rendition of that song. “Come As You Are” is the third track off Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album.
On Wednesday, Ron Harless, co-owner of the Guitar Galactica, said the shop will give a little tutorial of the song. Harless also said it’s a pretty simple song to play. Harless is excited for Wednesday.
“I think it’s a great way to get all the local musicians excited about coming down and playing their music,” Harless said. “It feels good that we have a guitar shop where they can all sort of kick it off. It’s just gonna be a fun, fun day.”
Joe Backus, who co-owns the shop with Harless, likes how there isn’t any gatekeeping involved.
“It’s cool that it’s not any one style of music. I like the diversity of music,” Backus said about World Music Day. “Music is for everybody. It’s all about art and just having fun. I’m all about that.”
Backus and Harless, both, believe it will help out with business on Wednesday. In addition to the music taking place outside in front of The Green Room, Guitar Galactica is giving away a new Alvarez RD26CE acoustic guitar in a free raffle. The shop will also give away an acoustic-electric ukulele, according to Russoul. All the participant needs to provide is their name and phone number.
And the guitar shop owners will be available in case anyone needs a tutorial or refresher for the classic Grunge Rock tune.
“If they want to learn how to play Come As You Are,” we can help and show them,” Backus said.
Russoul said they don’t have to wait until Wednesday to learn. They can drop by now. Harless then broke down the simplicity of the song.
“It’s basically a riff and four chords, right?” said Harless. “There’s a chord chart. If someone wants to learn we’ll just show them the chords and the riff at the beginning, just kind of walk them through the chord chart. It just kind of repeats, you know, repeats a few times. It’s the same chord progression through the whole song.”
Harless said all you’ve got to do is learn the first riff, learn the verse and the chorus and then it repeats.
“It’s pretty easy to learn,” Harless said.
Russoul said one reason he loves guitar shops is they’re like a coffee shop for musicians. How right he is.
On Wednesday, James Joesten showed up to Guitar Galactica with his guitar. The 20-year-old guitarist, with almost zero warm-up, was playing Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” on an acoustic guitar inside the shop.
Joesten, who’s played since he was 13, talked about what got him into guitar and what he was looking forward to as World Music Day got closer.
“I don’t really know much about it, but it just excites me that music is becoming such a big part of the community nowadays. Ten years ago, nobody gave a crap about it. I mean people gave a crap but nobody really did anything about it, you know?”
Joesten wants to play live around town but said he was told he couldn’t play at one of the bars because he had to be 21. So, he’s glad The Loading Dock — 202 E. Wishkah St. — is around now too. Joesten said he wants to head over to the all-ages venue for an open mic night.
Right now, Joesten’s favorite song, the one he really enjoys playing, is Pink Floyd’s “Hey You.”
“I know that’s a little bit typical and I know it’s one of their biggest songs,” Joesten said. “But it’s actually a very fascinating song the way they recorded it. They played it in Nashville tuning so it was in higher-strung tuning. The higher octaves of the 12-string guitar except without the lower strings. But that is the one I’ve really been getting to learn.”
And then Don Stone, former part-owner of Rosevear’s Music Center, walked through the front door. Immediately Russoul started praising him by doing the “Wayne’s World,” skit “We’re Not Worthy.” After Stone laughed about his reception, he proceeded to melt the faces of Backus, Harless, Russoul and Joesten with his slick guitar riffs and licks.
“That’s just too much fun,” Stone said as he set down one of the shop’s electric guitars.
Russoul described music as “the universal language.” He’s right. Music notes read the same way and mean the same anywhere in the world. And as World Music Day approaches, it’s evident there’s no gatekeeping. That’s not the point.
“You don’t have to play well,” Russoul said. “And if people aren’t confident in playing, or singing, they can hum, or just tap their foot. And just bring whatever you have.”
Here are a few of the music events happening this weekend across Grays Harbor County, plus a couple miles south, according to venues, Facebook and people in the know:
Thursday, June 15
7 p.m. — SR 109 — The Loading Dock — 202 E. Wishkah St., in Aberdeen
Friday, June 16
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. — Clinton Dogger Mullins — Chester Club and Oyster Bar — 1005 Robert Bush Dr. West, in South Bend
Saturday, June 17
5 p.m. to 8 p.m. — A Half Step Ahead — The LOGE — 1416 S. Montesano St., in Westport
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. — Big Love — Sunset Amphitheater Park — 203 Front St., in Pacific Beach
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. — Jim Marcotte Music — Tuggs & Chuggs — 13443 W. Cloquallum Road., in Elma
8 p.m. — The Six — Pitchwood Alehouse — 425 3rd St., in Raymond
Sunday, June 18
2 p.m. — Choro Tomorrow — Ashley’s Pub Haus — 710 J St., in Hoquiam
Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World
Ron Harless, co-owner of Guitar Galactica, shows how “simple” it is to play Nirvana’s “Come As You Are,” on an acoustic guitar inside his and co-owner Joe Backus’ shop. Harless and Backus will be on hand Wednesday, June 21 to help people learn the classic Nirvana song. They will also help people sign up for a free raffle. The raffle prizes are an Alvarez RD26CE acoustic guitar, as well as an acoustic-electric ukulele.
Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World
A guitar is the main prize for a free raffle on Wednesday, June 21, to help celebrate World Music Day. This is the first time World Music Day will be celebrated in downtown Aberdeen. The celebration will start at 11:30 a.m., in front of The Green Room, near the intersection of West Wishkah and South K streets.
Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World
Don Stone, one of the last part-owners of the former Rosevear’s Music Center, in downtown Aberdeen, plays an informal game called “Stump the Musician.” Stone was able to play a few songs exceptionally well as they were all identified with ease. When Stone showed up to Guitar Galactica Wednesday morning, Wil Russoul, director for Downtown Aberdeen Association, greeted him with a “We’re not worthy,” praise of Stone, because of how well Stone plays the guitar.
