By Caitlin Rothermel
What’s brought Russ Baum, a central Indiana-based touring musician, to Vashon’s Strawberry Festival? It started with a long-distance friendship formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is part of a bigger story about the ways musician-audience engagement changed, quite suddenly, during that time.
Baum describes his music style as “folk-rock, Skamericana,” that also combines punk, hip hop, and island influences. He cites Willie Nelson, Green Day, Jack Johnson, and Kendrick Lamar as inspirational. “I like full sound. I like raw sound or full sound, one or the other.”
In recent years, Baum has toured across the United States, and in Mexico, the UK, and Honduras; this is his first time in the Pacific Northwest.
The circumstances leading to this show began in early 2020, when COVID shut down most live music venues. At the time, Baum was at home with his wife, two school-aged children, and elderly in-laws. “We got real scared. We kind of broke down and shut down. I canceled all my shows, just like everybody else.”
About a week in, he decided to try livestreaming – a format he hadn’t used before. “I was really afraid and alone and didn’t know what to do about music. So, I decided to go on a livestream.”
That livestream became a daily series called On the Rise, which eventually ran for 380 consecutive days. According to Baum, “The whole vibe was: Wake up. Hey guys, we’re still alive. If you’re listening right now, I know you’re still alive.”
One of Baum’s many livestream viewers during that time was Jewels Shepard, The Loop’s “Chef Julia,” who lived in Texas then, and lives on Vashon now. According to Shepard, “It was a really interesting time in music. Some artists were absolutely not doing livestreams. Others were like, ‘This is the way to be.’ It allowed a lot of fans to connect with the artists in a way that had never ever been.”
Through On the Rise, Baum built relationships with fans and supporters from around the world, some of whom later helped organize shows, or hosted him while touring: “Jewels said, ‘one day, we’ll get you a show where I’m at.’”
Baum said his COVID-era livestreams helped him grow as a performer. “The biggest thing it did was get me used to playing to empty rooms. It developed my ability to talk, to interact, and to not judge myself so harshly for making mistakes.” He still uses the livestream format under the name Digital Dopamine.
Describing what an audience can expect, Baum said: “I love to tell stories in song. And I have a good vibe that’ll kind of move the body, too.” Baum’s current single, “Our Age” (available by following the QR code), is a collaboration with South African hip hop artists Max G and Major Killer RSA, and emerged from connections made during the COVID era. According to Baum, “It’s got a total island vibe and an old school hip-hop beat.”
“Our Age” marks the beginning of a broader collaborative project called Unite, planned for release next year.
Baum will perform at Vashon Times, which is located just outside the main uptown festival area. According to Shepard, this setting may appeal to those seeking a different kind of festival experience – especially on Sunday afternoon, when there’s a natural lull in other events. “We’re going to have a tarot reader. We’re going to have food. We’re going to have lots of vendors,” she said. “It’s going to be our own little shindig.”
Megan Baum, an accomplished folk singer-songwriter, and Baum’s wife, will open the show. The two met on the music scene and bonded over their shared passion for songwriting and performance. “I really looked up to her before we got together,” Baum said. “She’s amazing.”
The free performance will take place on Sunday, July 20, from 2:00 to 4:20 p.m. at Vashon Times (19001 Vashon Hwy SW). The event will also feature food vendors, tarot readings, and other community offerings.
