Your Grunge Route, Stop by Stop
Follow the stops below in roughly this order. Spend daylight hours in museums and record stores, then let the clubs take over once night falls.
Museum of Pop Culture at Seattle Center
Begin at MoPOP, where Frank Gehry's gleaming building celebrates rock music, science fiction and popular culture. Before heading inside, pause at the bronze statue honoring Chris Cornell, the late Soundgarden singer.
Inside, seek out Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses and Pearl Jam: Home and Away, which together hold dozens of artifacts, photos, oral histories and stage items, handwritten setlists among them. The museum also covers Jimi Hendrix and other local artists, and in the interactive Sound Lab you can grab an instrument and play along. Find MoPOP at 325 Fifth Ave N, and check its website for current exhibits and hours before you go.
KEXP Gathering Space
Stroll a short way to the home of KEXP, the city's well-loved independent radio station at 90.3. Watch the DJs on air, sign up to catch live studio sessions, and join a daily studio tour to hear the station's history. Tours are free, though reserving online ahead of time is a smart move.
Between sessions, browse the vinyl at Light in the Attic Records, which shares the space. When you need a boost, a La Marzocco cafe pours espresso on site.
Easy Street Records in West Seattle
Head across the water to this record store and cafe, which has deep ties to Eddie Vedder and the rest of Pearl Jam, who were neighbors. It also hosts free in-store performances. Bassist Jeff Ament once painted a mural outside honoring Mother Love Bone, the influential band he played in before Pearl Jam, and when the original faded over time, he recently had another artist recreate it so fans can see it again.
Belltown After Dark
Catch a show at The Crocodile, the club that helped launch Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Mudhoney and still books shows today. Its ties to rock royalty run deep: original owner Stephanie Dorgan married R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, and one of the current owners is Sean Kinney, drummer for Alice in Chains.
Nearby, duck into the alley off Battery Street between Second and Third Avenues. Artwork there marks Black Dog Forge, a former blacksmith shop whose basement is said to have served as a rehearsal space for Soundgarden and Pearl Jam in the early 1990s.
The Showbox
Right across from Pike Place Market, The Showbox is an Art Deco hall where Mudhoney, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden have all taken the stage. Spend the day at the market, then cross the street for the evening, and check the calendar for upcoming concerts.
The Legends Before Grunge
Seattle was a music city long before the 1980s. Jimi Hendrix was born here and played with local bands early on, Ernestine Anderson earned Grammy nominations for her jazz singing, and Heart topped the charts with songs like "Crazy on You" and "Barracuda."
Tacoma-born Bing Crosby often sang around town, and The Sonics played a major part in shaping garage rock and punk. To dig into this earlier chapter, start with MoPOP's Hendrix material.
Seattle's Hip-Hop Hits
Grunge was not the only Seattle sound climbing the charts in those years. Local rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot reached the top with "Baby Got Back" during the same era, and more recently Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, along with Mary Lambert, carried Seattle hip-hop to a wide audience.
Indie Rock and the Next Wave
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ben Gibbard's bands Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service set the bar for indie rock. His song "Teardrop Windows" is about Smith Tower in Pioneer Square, so fans can add the tower as a fun extra stop.
Keep an ear out for newer names too, including Brandi Carlile, The Head and the Heart, SYML and Fleet Foxes, each of whom has drawn attention well beyond the Northwest.
Where to Catch Jazz Today
Seattle's jazz scene stretches from polished supper clubs to easygoing neighborhood bars. Hear touring stars one night and rising local players the next.
Earshot Jazz Festival
Plan an October visit around this festival, which fills stages across the city for about three weeks. Celebrated masters share the bill with up-and-coming players in venues large and small.
Downtown and Belltown Clubs
- Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Belltown usually presents two evening shows on most nights. Every seat has a good view, and booking dinner or drinks ahead is wise.
- Seattle Jazz Fellowship in Pioneer Square hosts shows and jam sessions featuring established and emerging Seattle musicians.
- The Triple Door often books jazz on its main stage. Head downstairs to the Musiquarium for a no-cover live music happy hour Tuesday through Thursday, rotating flamenco, funk, jazz and more.
- Tin Lizzie Lounge, near Seattle Center, is a speakeasy-style bar where you can enjoy local performers, cocktails and small plates.
Neighborhood Rooms
In Columbia City, The Royal Room welcomes all ages outside the bar area until 10 pm. Over in West Seattle, slip into The Alley, a true speakeasy you enter from the alley, for two local jazz trios on Sundays and Mondays. Schedules change, so check each venue's calendar first.
Tips for Your Music Day
- Reserve KEXP studio tours online, since space can fill.
- Pair Easy Street Records with a jazz night at The Alley, since both are in West Seattle.
- Look up show calendars for The Crocodile and The Showbox early, as popular concerts sell out.
- Confirm hours and exhibits on official websites, because details can change.
