SEATTLE SPOTLIGHT
Experience
Music Project -
North West Passage
Photo © Experience Music Project
By Patrice
Raplee
Seattle's Experience Music Project remains a popular, must-visit-museum
since its grand opening in June of 2000. Initially, doubts were voiced
about the potential of the museum slipping into a musical commercial
enterprise. But 16 months later, EMP is still clearly dedicated to the
exploration and creativity of American popular music. The museum continues
to change and grow with new programs and artifacts, as well as a changing
line-up of fantastic local and national musicians.
One of the many fascinating displays at the museum is
the Northwest Passage exhibit. This tour jacket-lined wall in a semi-dark,
ultra modern construct is an outstanding audio and visual experience.
The gallery consists of musical history of the Pacific Northwest from
early jazz and R&B to the Kingsmen, Heart and the grunge scene.
Quincy Jones' '40s trumpet gleams from behind the gallery
display glass and The Kingsmen's original Stratocaster (used on the
'62 recording of Louie Louie) sits silent on its stand. A mock stage
display portrays the green lace-up dress that Nancy Wilson wore in Heart's
'76 concert tours and her '83 Dean electric guitar.
Other interesting artifacts include various Nirvana, Soundgarden
and Pearl Jam memorabilia and copies of the now defunct famous Seattle
music news magazine, The Rocket.
The exhibit has also been expanded to cover concert series
in the Sky Church and the EMP Riot Grrrl Retrospective. The Northwest
Passage 2001 Rocks-Seattle Style featured a five-week lineup of talented
artists from a cross section of popular genres. Established bands such
as MXPX and Juno energized fans and the second annual concert series
gave a voice to up-and-coming NW groups.
A large assortment of artifacts from the Riot Grrrl era
stands on display at the NW Passage exhibit. Find out how the '91 International
Pop Underground Convention in Olympia became an educational and revolutionary
music movement for women. EMP online also chronicles the history with
text, audio and visual clips.
For more information on the EMP museum and online website
visit: emplive.com.
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