By Stephi Smith
Reporter Contributor
Two pairs of brothers in one band.
Northern Shakedown began in 2013, years after the four met in the sixth grade. They all began in their church’s worship band.
Between then and the year the band started, they had each been in different bands.
Tyler Weber, 27, said he wanted to play music more after he left his last band. He wanted to branch out and feel more like a musician.
The Bothell High School (BHS) graduate got together with his brother and fellow BHS graduate, Ben Weber, 28, and their old friends and Meadowdale High School graduates Jabreel Stewart, 25, and Solomon Stewart, 26 and they set up their own style.
Jabreel had his own history of making hip-hop music and both Stewart brothers had previously performed in shows.
As for how they would decide their sound, they had a lot of different genres on hand. Alternative R&B, neo-soul and alt rock were what they chose, along with rap and keyboard from Jabreel.
Ben said the reason they seemed to fit and blend so well was because they all shared similar ideas. They weren’t trying to pull the band in different directions, he said. Instead, they were trying to work with one another.
Each member likes that the band is a blend and mix of different styles. They’d describe themselves as a combination of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Incubus, rock-wise and OutKast and J. Cole, hip-hop wise.
“We’re in our own category, really,” Tyler said.
Their inspirations stem from individual experiences throughout their high school and post-high school life. From their religion, to both positive and negative interactions with others, to current events.
The band’s future is, simply, to continue with their music. They plan to release their EP “Vibrations” later this summer, in the first week of August, Jabreel said. “Vibrations” will feature their latest single, “Karma,” which is currently available on iTunes and Spotify Music.
Afterward, they band is scheduled to go on tour surrounding and around the Pacific Northwest region.
Tyler said the band wants to spread out, do more shows outside of Washington and travel further away from their home state.
As Washington natives, they said growing up in the Pacific Northwest has been great — from the diversity to the prominent music scene.
However, while the traveling is fun, it can be stressful, Jabreel noted.
“It sucks to be on the road so much,” he said. “It feels like you’re always under pressure to get somewhere.”
When the band does travel, they don’t usually rent out hotel rooms. They tend to camp outside, taking advantage of the “beautiful PNW,” they said.
Because of all the traveling they do, the band can spend an extended amount of time with one another. They mentioned how having two sets of brothers in one band can be both a blessing and an annoyance at times.
It’s interesting, Tyler noted. While they had all been in different bands before, they usually hadn’t worked with their siblings.
“It has its ups and downs,” he said.
The downs being that they’re in a small space, living with the same person they’ve grown up with. However, this can also be a positive. They know what annoys each other and when to give space when it’s necessary.
“It’s easier to curate inside jokes,” Jabreel added with a laugh.
Northern Shakedown’s upcoming shows and release dates can be found on the band’s website, northernshakedown.com.
The next Northern Shakedown show is Saturday at the Brodie Nation Music Fest in Carnation. After that, they travel back to Seattle for the Out To Lunch Music Series at the AT&T Plaza for a show on July 25.
Stephi Smith is a 2017 Mountlake Terrace High School graduate and aspiring journalist. She will attend the University of Missouri this fall, where she plans to major in print and digital journalism and minor in Spanish.
