Kurt Gets Lost in Nordstrom

It was a typical 64 degrees and cloudy afternoon in Northgate Mall for Kurt, stylized Kurdt, a local musician. Kurt was the lead singer of a Seattle grunge band that was part of the Seattle scene. He grabbed his favorite burger and bottomless steak fries at Red Robin. He then went to the Nordstrom store nearby to browse the clothing racks in the clearance section. Kurt was always on the lookout for mocking mainstream while secretly seeking new connections.

As he was browsing, he noticed that the store seemed a bit empty. Suddenly, the power went out, and the store was plunged into darkness. Kurt heard a commotion and went to investigate. He found that Krist and Dave, the store's two security guards, had accidentally locked themselves in the store overnight.

Connection and Collaboration: The Genesis of the Seattle Band Map

Kurt and the security guards decided to make the most of their unexpected opportunity. They came across a mannequin, named Pat. Krist suggested to dress her in (ridiculously priced) clothing. They used flannel shirts, ripped jeans, printed granny dresses, Dr. Martens boots, and knitted skullcaps. Then, they took pictures, creating different scenarios. Suddenly, as the power came back on, Pat, the mannequin, came to life in their imagination. She found a vintage turntable and started to play vinyl records. She started spinning the seminal Deep Six compilation. Pat quickly started playing songs from Green River, Skinyard, The Fastbacks, Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, and Soundgarden.

As the songs went on, everyone realized how passionate they were about the Seattle music scene.  They discovered how much in common they had and became friends.

As the night went on, Kurt, Krist, Dave, and Pat started to sing and play songs together.  The improvised band created a unique bond while producing a powerful blend of different Seattle bands. They played at least one song from Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Mudhoney, Alice in Chains, and Mother Love Bone. Actually, they even started crafting original songs on the spot.

From the Hand Drawn Map: How a Seattle Band Map Could Make its Mark on the Pacific Northwest Music Scene

After brainstorming ideas for how to create new opportunities for themselves and others in the scene, Kurt, Krist, and Dave decided to put their plans into action. The trio began to work on a hand-drawn map of the Seattle music scene, highlighting the connections between different bands and artists.

They started talking about how a Seattle Band Map could explore connections and bands in Jet City. As they kept working on the map, they started to realize just how interconnected the scene. Undoubtedly, they found that many of the bands shared members and that many of the artists had personal relationships with one another.  They even joked about how fun it would be to add a "Kevin Bacon" flavor to the map. In other words, a place where every band and artist was connected to one another in six degrees or less. 

Moreover, they realized how the Seattle scene was connected to the broader Pacific Northwest (PNW) music scene. They thought about how they could use the map to create new opportunities for thousands of other bands. Indeed, they view it as a great way to connect bands and musicians. Furthermore, they wanted to create new music that would be heard by fans beyond the Pacific Northwest. 

Looking Ahead: How an Online Version Will Continue to Shape the Future of the Scene

As the night came to an end, Kurt, Krist, and Dave say Pat goodbye but decided to work together to bring their Seattle Band Map idea to life. These guys knew that it was the start of something big, and they were excited to see where it would take them.

Kurt proposed to keep working on the map and to keep promoting their music. He knew that by connecting with other bands and musicians, they could create something special and unique.  Something that would be heard by people all over the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Krist and Dave were excited to see what the future held and to see how their map could change the Seattle music scene.

As the store opened, they all hugged and said goodbye, promising to keep in touch, share music and collaborate in the future. They loved the way they connected that night and knew that the map they created was just the beginning.

With their map complete, they decided to create an online version of it and submit it to the web, so that anyone in the Seattle music scene could access it and see the connections between different bands and artists. They started reaching out to other Seattle bands and sharing band members and information about upcoming gigs. They also decided to use the map as a way to connect musicians and bands in the Pacific Northwest, not just in Seattle.

Acknowledgement from Rock Intersection 

Please note that this is a fictional story and it doesn't represent any real specific person or event.  If you liked this story, you might also want to read our short story about Kerry Park. 

Many thanks to Rachel Ratner, Keith Whiteman, and Golf Sinteppadon, original creators of the project, for sharing the pictures and allowing Rock Intersection to use them.