“James Coates sounds like Bob Dylan if he could actually sing, while lyrically he veers closer to Springsteen territory.” —Seattle Weekly

James Coates is a Northwest singer-songwriter who's used deeply-personal songs to connect with audiences for 15 years. His soulful brand of Americana blends rock, soul, country and R&B to create a sound that harkens back to the golden age of ‘60s and ‘70s songwriting.

“A big, confident blend of classic country and folk-rock, made with a ton of passion.” — We All Want Someone to Shout For

On June 1st, James and his 7-piece band will take the Triple Door stage to celebrate the long-awaited physical release of his latest album One Last Ride, playing the record in its entirety.

“A raspy, lush, strong voice, capable of incredible range.” — American Standard Time

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The Oh Wells embody Northwest Americana highlighted with the band’s power pop and classic rock roots. Spinning up melody driven pop songs, relatable storytelling, and signature harmonies, The Oh Wells evoke a modern twist on classic American folk-rock from the 1960s and 70s. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, singer-songwriters Brian Kerrigan and Ira Merrill formed The Oh Wells during the pandemic as they sent songs back and forth to each other over the internet. In 2021, the band released a Christmas EP with former Super Deluxe frontman, Braden Blake, entitled “Braden Blake and The Oh Wells – Satin Bows and Arrows”. In early 2022, The Oh Wells released their first EP of 7 original songs titled, “Dakota”, an acoustically driven EP that fuses their unique blend of originality with nods to artists they hold dear: Tom Petty, The Jayhawks, The Beatles and CSNY. 

In September of 2022, the band released their first full length studio LP, “Alice”. Poprock Record reviewed that album stating, “It’s like The Oh Wells have caramelized the pop portion of their previous sound on their new long-player Alice, sweetening the hooks and filling out the sound”. The band continues to receive accolades both locally and online, releasing three music videos and playing well-known Northwest music venues. The band has rounded out their sound with Steve Gale on drums and Jason Denny on Bass.  

The LP Alice was named one of the top 20 albums of 2022 by Power Pop News and things are not slowing down for the band, as they have already begun work on a second LP. Stay tuned!