On Intermission

A photo gallery extension of “The Show Must Go On,” featuring a closer look at five Bellingham arts/music industry workers and their organizations affected by COVID-19.

Photo Essay by Christa Yaranon


John Purdie, Executive Director of the Mount Baker Theatre

John Purdie sits at the edge of the Mount Baker Theatre’s stage on Nov. 19, 2020.

I love to pull people together, and this building is built to pull people together — which is what we can’t do right now. It’s been really challenging for me personally to lead this organization. It’s been challenging because my natural proclivity is to say, ‘Let’s just pull some people together in a room and we’ll hash this out and figure it out.’ I mean, we will make it through. But it won’t be easy.”

Left: The Mount Baker Theatre, seen at the intersection of Commercial and West Champion St. Right: An aisle of the theatre is empty on Nov. 19, 2020.

“You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, and I think people are experiencing now what happens when you don’t have that. The arts lifts us beyond our everyday lives, it fosters empathy, it fosters cross cultural understanding — the arts provide escape.”

The theatre’s entrance is desolate on Dec. 7, 2020.

Katie Gray, Executive Director of Make.Shift Art Space

Katie Gray stands amid an empty gallery at Make.Shift Art Space on Nov. 19, 2020.

Moving everything to a virtual sense hasn’t been necessarily smooth sailing for us, but we got it done. Going virtual was a way for all of our artists who are making music or creating art to still release their work and share it with the community.”

Left: Make.Shift’s entrance displays a closed sign at the door on Dec. 7, 2020. Right: A poster revealing the words, “Protect artists, wear a mask” is found in the basement performance venue of Make.Shift in Bellingham, Wash.

“On a personal level, I can’t imagine this city without an arts scene. I mean, there’s so many creatives in this town, and so much of our culture and our socializing is wrapped up in independent and local creatives or businesses. It’ll be heartbreaking to lose that.”

Make.Shift is seen to the right of Flora St. on Dec. 7, 2020.

Casey Hayden, Assistant Director of Student Activities for AS Productions

Casey Hayden sits at a table in the empty Underground Coffeehouse at Western Washington University on Dec. 7, 2020.

I think Bellingham, even without Western and all the sort of infusion that comes with a college town, even without that, the only thing it would be is a haven for the creative arts. I think it’s an important part of the identity of the city. We really should be thinking about how do we sustain it? And how do we sort of bounce back even stronger and come together to preserve each other? It’s hard to do at a time like this, but there’s something that can grow out of it.”

Left: A collection of AS Productions media passes from past shows are found at The Underground Coffeehouse on Dec. 7, 2020. Right: The Underground Coffeehouse now serves as a storage space for the time being.

“We’re having feelings of loss, grieving and some sadness about our limitations. There’s no way around it, and that energy that you get from being in an audience and enjoying a live entertainment experience is its own unique feeling. Whether it’s being in a crowded theatre or at a show, those are just really communal social human experiences that we need to get back to, and nothing can replace it. But we will be ready when the time comes to get right back to it. I know students are going to be very ready when it’s safe to do that again.”

VU 422, the AS Productions office, has been closed to staff members and the public since March 2020.

Hollie Huthman, Co-owner of The Shakedown

Hollie Huthman stands outside her venue, The Shakedown on Dec. 9, 2020. The venue closed its doors in March on the day of its ninth anniversary.

I think the one thing that has really been hitting me lately with the year that we’ve had, not just with COVID-19, but also with all of the social issues — is people are really feeling alone right now. Understandably, because we have to isolate ourselves. But, music venues are a hub of community and connection. I think that’s why a lot of people start going to shows. I mean, that’s why I started going to shows was because of that support system. Now, there’s no face-to-face interaction and that community gathering aspect is a huge part that we would lose.”

Left: Windows are covered up at The Shakedown. Right: The venue’s next door bar, The Racket, is deserted on Dec. 9, 2020.

“When venues like The Shakedown or The Wild Buffalo both have sold out shows in one night, this whole town just explodes. That kind of energy is so exciting and unparalleled, and the whole city is just buzzing because we’re bringing people into town from all over. But there’s this huge realization that the existence of one business depends so much on the existence of all of the others. And I just think that if you lose this chunk of that ecosystem, the whole community starts to weaken significantly.”

A Keep Music Live Washington banner is displayed at the entrance of The Shakedown in Bellingham, Wash. on Dec. 9, 2020.

“Being in a band myself and without having a stage to aspire to play, there isn’t a lot of motivation to make music anymore. Sharing music digitally is so different — there just is no replacement for a live show for both the performers and the audience. There’s no way to replicate that. So I think without venues, we wouldn’t have as many bands. We wouldn’t have as many people creating. I think people will value live music a whole lot more than they did before this pandemic, and once that door swings open, it’s going to be amazing. When people are taking this time to analyze their priorities and what’s important to them, I think that for a lot of us who enjoy seeing shows and enjoy playing — I expect it to be a really good first year back, but that’s going to take a while.”


Craig Jewell, Co-owner of the Wild Buffalo

Craig Jewell stands outside his venue, the Wild Buffalo House of Music on Dec. 6, 2020.

Our business model, for one, has been used as a shoulder-to-shoulder business in order to rely on touring bands and artists. That’s obviously not happening. Second, literally live entertainment and music is illegal in the state of Washington. So, that makes it impossible to adapt because that’s how we do. We’re an entertainment venue, and if entertainment is illegal, then we can’t do anything. It’s just about figuring out how to survive. That’s where the focus has been.”

Left: A mask mandate sign is displayed at the venue’s front door. Right: “Missing: Live Music” posters are plastered all over the Wild Buffalo’s windows on Dec. 6, 2020.

“Music is a massive ecosystem. This industry provides hundreds of thousands of jobs. You have your sound tech, your lighting techs, all your bar staff, security, the graphic designers, the photographers, and most importantly — the musicians. Musicians make up the vast majority, upwards to 90% of their income from playing music live. And so, without live music venues, what happens to music? It goes away. Live music contributes to things like tourism, and there’s just this massive web that lights music venues and supports it. We are at the very center of this ecosystem, so if the music venues go away, that entire infrastructure implodes on itself. It’s a real hit to our economy and to our culture.”

The Wild Buffalo’s marquee displays information of statewide campaign, Keep Music Live Washington, which Jewell is a board member of.

“It’s either we give up or we can fight, and that’s what we’re doing. Seeing that everybody’s come together and is fighting for the same cause is incredible because everyone in this community understands and realizes that we all have to be in this together. There’s little victories and then small setbacks, but there’s only one victory — and that’s knowing for sure that all these venues will be saved. So, that’s why they’re small and perspective. Those little victories that happen, whether that be a big donation or getting support, gives me more encouragement to keep on working harder.”

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The Show Must Go On