Happy Earth Day, Reverbland! We here at SW HQ are brimming with joy that the sun is (or was just) out and spring is finally here! Just like this season of burgeoning new beginnings, this week’s post is also brimming…with music news, that is. Here’s what’s on our radar this week:

In observance of Earth Day, plant a tree! When you’re done, head over to NPR and take this sweet, nature- and animal-based quiz: Pet Sounds: The NPR Music Critter Quiz.

The EMP Pop Conference, back in Seattle after three years away, kicks off this Thursday with a keynote conversation between Sharon Jones, Mike McCready, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Alynda Lee Segarra of Hurray for the Riff Raff. Pop music critic Ann Powers will moderate the discussion, titled “You Gotta Move: Artists Talk About Life on the Road and Music in Motion.” Panels for the conference, which this year explores themes of music and mobility, run through Sunday. The entire expo is FREE and features too many amazing speakers and artists to mention here. You MUST attend some portion of this great event. Get more info about conference and RSVPing

HERE.

Speaking of awesome, a little birdie (OK, it was erstwhile SW scribe and ever-vigilant arts patron, Jesse Sykes), tells me that there’s an epic all-ages festival happening this weekend in Bellingham. It’s called SIGNED Fest—named after the upstart B-Ham music magazine, which is celebrating the release of its third issue—and runs this Friday through Sunday. Holy whaaaat, the bands are awesome! Dude York, Chastity Belt, Iska Dhaaf, Wimps, Posse, Laura Gibson…the list goes on. Get more info about this dopety-dope all ages fest—which organizers say “puts a unique spin on musical perspective in the Northwest, while still drawing from Yellingham’s all-ages atmosphere and intimate house show tradition”—HERE.

Now that we’ve got you in party mode, head on over to the Triple Door this Friday and help cosmic cowboy Brent Amaker ring in his 50th birthday with some of the rocker’s best friends: DJ Greg Vandy, Vox Mod, The Comettes, and of course, his own band, The Rodeo. Look for our listing in this week’s Seven Nights, or, if you can’t wait, find more info and tickets

HERE

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Before we let you go, have you heard Higgins Waterproof Black Magic Band? Oh, you should. Look for our interview in the paper tomorrow, and get a taste

here

. The group plays the Columbia City Theater this Saturday.