On July 26th at the 2025 Bite of Seattle’s Fountain Stage, I got the chance to see the psychedelic pop rock band Inclement Weather Department’s entire set. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and the band delivered a set that was far more memorable than the festival’s outrageous food prices (my brother and I paid nearly 20 bucks for 2 tacos).
To quote Inclement Weather Department’s Bandcamp description, “Formed in 2018, the band creates original, experimental, and conceptual music with deep satirical references across an infinite scope of material. Although their lyrics are often fun and unserious, they are known for unmistakable energetic swirls of psych rock, hard-hitting guitars, and layered vocal harmonies.”
From the moment they kicked off their set with “Big Queen Bumblebee,” the band put on an extremely energetic and impressive show, easily overshadowing the other acts we saw that day. Consisting of Trevor Sodorff (guitar, vocals), Cam Agnew (guitar, vocals), and Connor Cahill (guitar), the three-guitar lineup created an incredibly full and cohesive sound.
What stood out most was the band’s dynamic. You could tell that this group, rounded out by Joey Pettersson (bass, vocals) and Brian Tourville (drums), was friends jamming and having a blast on stage, but they did so without sacrificing an ounce of their craft. It helped that the sound was surprisingly well-mixed for a festival setting.
I have to single out the bassist, Joey, who was terrific throughout the entire set. Like Neil Murray being high in the mix on the early Whitesnake albums, I’m a huge sucker for prominent basslines, and his playing shone through. The band’s three vocalists taking turns on songs and layering harmonies on top of each other was a great touch and worked extremely well live.
While I didn’t think there was a dull moment in the set, the solo during “Pandemic” was a standout. Thoroughly practiced and drenched in a funky wah effect, I did not expect such an excellent solo, and it came as a pleasant surprise. You could definitely hear the influence of early psychedelic Pink Floyd and Rubber Soul-era Beatles in multiple songs, but Inclement Weather Department’s musical output seems organic and original.
This is, after all, live music. I noticed one of the guitarists flub a few notes in one of the opening songs, and the lead singer did signal a few times for monitor adjustments. But if they were having issues on stage, it certainly didn’t seem to affect their performance.
Setlist from the gig:
- “Big Queen Bumblebee”
- “Shady Pines Funeral Home”
- “Climate Change”
- “Slow Death by Tooth Decay”
- “Real Birdwatching”
- “Pandemic”
- “Olivia”
- “The Barnacle Life”
- “Graveside TV Live”
- “Alien Hour”
- “End of the World”
Ultimately, the main reason the set worked so well was that the band’s energy was infectious. I noticed most of their songs were in a major key, which only amplified the positive mood of the afternoon. Lyrically, Inclement Weather Department is certainly no Rush, but that’s what makes them unique. I appreciate a band that doesn’t take itself too seriously and just has fun.
As they closed their set with the fittingly titled “End of the World,” it was clear this was the most exciting live performance I’d seen in months. I will definitely be following Inclement Weather Department’s future career with great interest. Check them out if you haven’t already!
