Sonic Solstice music festival is back, this time at the Garland Theater

For Brett Noble and 221 Press, putting on events that showcase local talent is one of many means of gratification, and shows like this weekend’s Sonic Solstice exemplify this.

Last year, Noble and his family moved from the small town of Galena, Illinois, to Spokane. And although one may not expect a principal assistant at Shadle Park High School to have such a long background in punk-rock, Noble is certainly the exception.

As a drummer and events producer, he has spent decades in multiple music scenes. In fact, the 30th anniversary of Noble’s first “do-it-yourself show” in Davenport, Iowa, was the day before the interview for this story.

Since moving to the Lilac City, it hasn’t taken very long for Noble and his family to become staples of the Spokane scene – whether he’s playing with his sons Hayes and Everett or putting on events like this weekend’s festival, the second annual.

Last December, the first Sonic Solstice was one of the initial events that Noble put on in Spokane under his publishing and production company, 221 Press. The one-evening event at the Big Dipper aimed to bring together local artists Noble had already connected with in just the few months after moving to the Inland Northwest. Now that their bond with the scene has grown even stronger, they are looking to double down.

Taking some inspiration from Volume Fest and Boomjam, Noble wanted to create another environment for talented (and sometimes underrated) local musicians to showcase their sound and skills. And having come across or played with so many Spokane bands that fall under this category, it only seemed right to make this year’s Sonic Solstice a two-day event.

“We’re not trying to paint this as the only thing going on in Spokane, but it’s a good sample,” Noble said.

Noble also wants Sonic Solstice to be an avenue for all of those with ties to the scene to hang out and catch up with one another. Over the past year and a half, he has grown connected to many people he first met at shows and has found a sense of family within the music of Spokane.

“Being over the holidays, we hope it exudes that vibe of togetherness and family and that it can become a cool tradition.”

Another aspect that looks to make this year’s event special is the location: Day 1 will be Friday at the Big Dipper while Day 2 will be the first of its kind Saturday at the Garland Theater.

Sonic Solstice will be a “trial run” of sorts for the Garland as they look to expand their reach beyond movies. A few of the first rows of chairs have been taken out, and organizers are experimenting with the large room to see how sound will disperse from the lineup of local rock bands set to perform on the historic stage – including Noble and his sons.

If all goes well, the Garland has potential to book even more musicians and become a “middle ground” between venues like The Big Dipper and The Knitting Factory.

“I think we could see really cool things happening there,” Noble said.