Bend has a way of bending you. Not that they mean to, but they are forcing you to change your mind about appearance and style. Lead singer Jay Cates and crew arrive at a quaint West Seattle restaurant and bar called Shadowland. At first glance, they appear to be just like any other band in Seattle; they bring in the equipment, begin setting up, have a beer while they’re at it. But then you start to notice something uncommon to most bands even nationwide, they are all working together without making anyone else bear the load of any one thing. And this is no ordinary Sunday evening gig, this is the last day of the West Seattle Summer fest, and during the 3 day event, patrons were rained on and tired.
It’s 9PM, but the bar is beginning to fill. The history gets deeper: Patrick Smail sets up his drums and he’s wearing an Easy Street Records hoodie. He’s no normal fan; Patrick works at the West Seattle’s Easy Street Records snf he wears his colors proudly. As I’m progressing through my Shadowland journey I learn that Ben Jenkins on lead guitar is also the owner of Shadowland, but no expected musical nepotism here, this band has been together for 5 years and have 3 albums to date.
There is a long corridor from the back of the bar to the front, and it’s filling up with souls who seem to each have intimate relationships with Bend. Like a sort of love you have for an old friend you only get to see every so often, but never lose that fondness. As sound checks are completed Jay, a large man in stature and presence, controls every glance come his way. He holds the mic like a woman’s body, easing it into his hands as to say “I have you, you won’t fall.” He begins to tone in and that’s when I realize, this is going to be good, really good.
As the first set began, I settled in with my camera listening to beats and chords I could actually relate to, as though I had heard them all before. Jenkins runs the guitar with movements similar to Tom Petty, subtle and powerful, every lick he means to play. Jefferson Bennet on bass is carrying the line like a soldier with a flag, reminding all who pass by we are here and not leaving. As Smail keeps time, you can tell he is in his element with fluid transitions and tight stops.
From they’re newest works yet still in studio they go into “Classic Bitch”, a study in relationships and heartbreaks, but Jay takes a turn with it, it’s rock and roll for sure, but in the midst of this steady song he manages to quote a song made famous by Johnny Nash, “I can see clearly now the rain is gone…” The house goes into thunderous clapping as Cates uses his wide range of vocal ability. As they soften up the tone, you can tell that this band has been at it and at it. They’re willingness to keep going is what sets Bend apart from many bands today; they know they could all call it quits at any time and do something different, but they stay at it.
As they play one of there last songs, I begin to write and one line echos from it, a line that instills courage beyond obstacle and fault, and Jay sings it with passion… “I still believe we can walk on the water, I still believe we can dance on the fire.” The song is called “Blarney” which to Bend’s testament, is proof that although they work hard, they don’t take themselves to seriously. As the night began to close I had a small window to speak with Smail and I asked him what he wanted to do for a living, he replied simply “..just wanna play music man.” And that they did.
Bend is one to watch.
