Out-of-town talent to headline first live show at new Tri-Cities venue, Mystery Theatre
A brand-new venue in Kennewick dedicated to showcasing numerous forms of entertainment will have its first live music show on Saturday, March 16, featuring out-of-town and local talent.
The Mystery Theatre, located at 7425 W. Clearwater Ave. in Kennewick, has had a DJed event since its opening, but not live music. The venue also hosts an adult-only improv group and has cast local actors for its first stage production, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Performances for the play are scheduled for April.
There will be entertainment events for just about everyone at The Mystery Theatre. But their first live show on March 16, sponsored by Unleashed Entertainment and Tri Town Get Down, is sure to be a hit.
Mystery Theatre’s first live show
The Brooklyn-based duo Cool Company is bringing their funky sound and “You Should Know Better” tour to the Tri-Cities, with openers Calimossa and Jordan Polovina. They’ll be joined by local support from indie band easyday.
Each of these artists are currently on the lineup for the 2024 Tri Town Get Down as well, making it a great preview for what’s to come.
“We are thrilled to welcome Cool Company, Calimossa, and Jordan Polovina to the Tri Cities before they join us for Get Down this summer,” said Caleb Brown, founder of Tri Town Get Down. “Their diverse styles and electrifying performances perfectly embody the spirit of our festival, and we can’t wait to share this incredible experience with music enthusiasts from across the region a few months early.”
The duo behind Cool Company, vocalist Yannick Hughes and producer Matt Fishman, both 34, will be in town for the last Washington stop of their tour. Following the Tri-Cities show, they’re heading to the Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Idaho before returning to the east coast. It’ll be the biggest festival they’ve performed to date. Cool Company is slated to perform on Sunday, but will be attending all weekend and may have other sets pop up.
Fishman described their sound as “funky, future R&B,” as they feature influences of hip-hop, electronic, pop and more, on top of the funk and R&B sounds.
They’ve never been to Tri-Cities, and told the Herald they’re excited to get the full experience. In their experience, the smaller cities that are less frequented by out-of-town artists tend to be more grateful and enthusiastic at shows.
The Spokane tour stop is also a new venue, the Chameleon, which opened over the first weekend in March.
Cool Company didn’t intentionally book back-to-back shows at two brand-new eastern Washington venues, but they consider it a happy coincidence. The duo told the Herald they’re happy to be guinea pigs at new locations, and help staff iron out any kinks.
Cool Company, funky R&B duo, tour
The Brooklyn duo focuses on grooving, and taking their music seriously without being too serious.
Tour shows are constantly changing, they say, with tweaks and improvement after each gig. Hughes says it’s like a therapeutic experience, “making the live show better and having fun while doing it.”
The show starts with the local support, indie band easyday. The group is working on their second album, with the second single from the record coming out March 25. Consisting of four ambitious young men with roots in Tri-Cities, the group has a sound that everyone can enjoy.
Following easyday will be Jordan Polovina, who plays electric cello. Hailing from Colorado, the musician, vocalist and producer blends folk music with hip-hop and electronic sounds. The last supporting act before Cool Company is Calimossa, a groovy artist who blends old school funk and hip-hop with modern electronic music.
Cool Company will close out at the show as headliners. The duo says they like to go through their songs with few breaks, filling up their set with as much music as possible. They love interacting with fans, but they usually save that for before and after their performance.
“We usually stay [after a show] until they kick us out,” Fishman told the Herald.
In an interview with the duo, it was requested that someone in attendance bring a dozen eggs to the show. Cool Company gave no context for the request, so proceed with caution.
Doors open at 7 p.m., with the first performance scheduled to start around 8. Tickets are available online for $10.
