If the funky tunes emanating from Nectar Lounge on a random night out have ever drawn you in, you may already know Biddadat. What began as the dream of two northern Idaho boys has become a thriving three-piece rock outfit that pulls influence from funk and soul. I had a chance to sit down and chat with front man Cameron Brownell about how Biddadat came to be and Seattle’s role in its creation.
Brownell spun me a yarn about him and bassist Kyle Miller growing up in Sandpoint, Idaho. The two spent their days largely jamming indoors rather hiking or skiing. With the small town vibes eating away at his soul, Brownell naturally had dreams of pursuing music in the big city. Wanderlust initially brought him to Nashville, TN purely because of the drastic scenery change and the city’s vibrant musical history. In the wake of being unable to find musical direction Brownell began school at the Art Institute of Nashville. After soon realizing he was a PNW’er at heart he made the switch to Art Institute of Seattle.
When Brownell first came to Seattle in 2012 he wasn’t even 21, but his mission was clear. After reuniting with fellow Sandpoint native Kyle Miller and meeting Seth McDonald of All Star Opera at AI—the game was afoot. After enlisting help on drums from Seattle native and known figure in the local scene, Remy Moritt, the group really got to work. Brownell spoke in reverie about these times gigging around the city alongside McDonald and All Star Opera and playing off each other’s drive and energy.
Since 2014 Biddadat has been pushing out serious amounts of content. In 2015 they put out their debut EP “Ragtag Rhythm,” with their first full-length “Misbehavin” debuting in 2017. This last July they put out a five song EP titled, “Carplane.” With each of these releases, you hear a huge growth in the sound. Over each release the sound gets even more dance-able, you start to hear some synth action, and Cameron’s vocal work really locks in.
In 2019 you can expect to see Biddadat putting out another EP amidst a West Coast tour in the summer. Brownell told me they have 14 songs they’re currently jamming on that they’ll refine down to a finite track listing for the upcoming EP. They may even show up on a couple of festival lineups, be on the lookout!
Brownell spoke of Fremont being a special place where their music has grown substantially over the last year. The relationship he said they’ve built with Andy Palmer and the staff at Nectar Lounge has given them a fondness for both the venue, and the area in general. Nectar is known for embracing funk, soul, and hip-hop acts so it’s not surprising. Brownell lent much praise to the booker Andy Palmer for giving them opportunities to open for national touring acts. “I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s about being polite,” he said in regards to building relationships with venues. The city of Seattle overall has become a creatively flourishing environment for the project, and Brownell said they see themselves calling it home for the foreseeable future.
It’s fitting then, that Biddadat is playing at Nectar for RMR’s 2nd annual Seattle World Tour inaugural event January 8th. Grab your tickets now and bring donations if you can to support Mary’s Place!
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