A Love Letter to Seattle’s Avant Garde Underground

Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the three of us — Caroline Davenport, Jared Lovejoy (formerly Harler), and Alex Calderwood — were each stirring up our own brand of chaos and creativity around Seattle. We were throwing parties, booking bands, and connecting the dots between art, music, and nightlife.

As some of the few queer creators out there intentionally mixing cultures with every sound imaginable, our paths crossed often. Guided by the belief that Love is what really matters, we eventually joined forces to form Tasty Shows, choosing to work only on what we Loved and creating spaces where identities converged and music knew no bounds.

The Birth of Tasty Shows

From the start, Tasty Shows produced a wild array of concerts, happenings, multi-media installations and club nights that brought together the region’s most daring creativity. It was a cultural movement that bridged communities and created deep connections through art and music.

Sweet Mother Recordings, ARO.space, Electrolush at The Showbox, Mocombo Lounge at Rebar, Lemon Twist at The Weathered Wall, Spice at Moe’s—the list goes on and on.

The Book and Project - Preserving the Pulse of a Generation

The Art of Parties is our way of saying Thank You and celebrating our shared history, all of us!

Throughout those years we saved what we could, flyers, photos, posters with the hopes of someday turning it into a book and website to share the energy that made Seattle one of the most inclusive, creative, and forward-thinking art scenes of the day. We’ve filtered through over a thousand shows from our archives to create this time capsule. Because there is no way to create an exact timeline of such a wild era, we’re letting the art and your memories speak for themselves.

Drag Queens and Kings were our urban shamans, shaping the soul of our scene. This book is also a thank-you to those legends and the dazzling cast of dreamers who turned gender-bending performance into pure magic. Their courage built bridges between queer and straight worlds back when doing so was radical.

As we enter a new era Caroline and Jared have launched a new creative agency The Light Years Studio and this is who will be publishing this book. 

We’re printing a limited run of 1,000 copies, with photo spreads, behind-the-scenes stories, and artwork that defined an era.

Honoring Alex Calderwood

It’s been over a decade since we lost our sweet brother Alex Calderwood, and this project honors his brilliant, mischievous spirit. His vision helped shape everything we did together. We miss him deeply, and we hope this book carries his spark forward.

Join the Party

Let’s gather again to celebrate the music, the art, and the wild freedom of that era.

• The Sound: A soundtrack by Adrian, Nasir, and other DJs from the era. Stay tuned to our Instagram and BlueSky for updates on the lineup and where to find the music.

• The Vinyl: A special-edition vinyl release.

• Happenings: Tune in to our BlueSky & IG - We’re gathering forces to put together some events to bring the family back together on the dance floor and celebrate what’s coming up on 3 generations of music lovers sharing our passion for art and dance music culture.

• The Goods: Limited-edition merch (because fashion was always part of the show).

• The Art: Original posters and select reprints available by donation at our 2026 events.

• Tasty Love Flyer Pak: We’ll send a little packet of original flyers from that era with every book so you can have a few pieces for your own collection.

Follow the Journey

Instagram:@tastyshows.art

BlueSky:tasty-shows.bsky.social