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From Candlelight to Dance and Drinks: What the Warehouse has planned for Tacoma

Candlelit Series merges with Broadway Center's Cathedral shows

See Star Anna by candlelight Feb. 1 in Tacoma.

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It's no secret, I suppose, that Tacoma is a city that frequently needs as much help as it can get when it comes to creating and perpetuating the arts. This is not a town lacking in talent, to be sure, but that doesn't always translate to productivity and support. In this way, there are precious few entities in Tacoma that goes as far and push as hard to maintain the arts scene as the Warehouse.

What began as a collective of people working to make a sustainable venue out of the old brick-and-mortar warehouse down on Court C has transformed into a production company that specializes in bringing unique shows to unusual places. In this regard, the Warehouse has been an unequivocal success. Helmed by Adam Ydstie, Katie Lowery and Doug Stoeckicht, the Warehouse has grown in such a way that the mere mention of its name dredges up an association - you know what someone means when they say there's a Warehouse show coming up.

After a successful 2013, I caught up with Stoeckicht to see what the Warehouse has in store for the new year.

"We are now working with the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, with our Candlelit Series," says Stoeckicht. "We're doing a partnership with them where it's the same risk-reward. Instead of them doing their Cathedral shows, we've decided to merge. And work together on that. We plan on doing that quarterly. We're also planning on introducing a few new series - one that features food and drink, though we're still figuring out the details for that."

Additionally, the Warehouse will be bringing back their well-received show that combines dance and live music, which last featured the pairing of Lemolo's electro-pop with original choreography from MLK Ballet and The BareFoot Collective.

As for the Candlelit Series, the first edition of 2014 (as well as the first to feature their partnership with the Broadway Center) will be Feb. 1. The series of shows is based on a premise that's beautiful in its simplicity. Artists perform acoustically in a serene location (typically a church), while illuminated only by candles. This level of minimalism is intended to highlight all of the things that get lost at over-produced shows.

"This one will feature an Ellensburgh artist named Star Anna," says Stoeckicht. "She's just a fantastic singer-songwriter who has a lot of really great, deep songs. With her, we've paired one of the lead singers of the Head and the Heart, named Josiah Johnson, with Carleigh Aikins, who's from Toronto. They're going to be doing some pieces together. Both Star and Carleigh have these raspy voices that resonate really well. I think people are going to get a kick out of what they hear. Also, we have Bryan John Appleby, who has played for the Warehouse before, and we just love to keep him on people's radars."

Over the years, the Warehouse has fostered relationships with some big-name artists, including David Bazan, Modern Kin (formerly Drew Grow and the Pastors' Wives), Damien Jurado and the aforementioned Head and the Heart. Part of the reason why these relationships have grown, and why these names keep coming back, is that the Warehouse is very diligent about treating their artists well and making sure they get the majority of the money taken at the door of these events.

"First and foremost, we are a production company that tries to create a unique experience between artist and patron alike," says Stoeckicht. "We want our artists to experience the love and joy that we have for Tacoma, and we want to create a space - wherever that space may be - to make everyone feel welcome and enjoy the arts, however we decide to define the arts."

Just as the Warehouse continues to improvise pop-up venues, so too are they committed to creating the types of shows that you don't often find in Tacoma. At a time when Tacoma is in a certain state of flux (as it, frankly, almost always is), it's pretty nice to have people like the Warehouse to help prop up the music scene, candlelight by candlelight.

A CANDLE LIT SHOW, w/Star Anna, Josiah Johnson with Carleigh Aikins, Bryan John Appleby, 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 1, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 901 N. J St., Tacoma, $13-$17, 253.591.5894

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