The Bitterroot Beets had their first gig in March 2018.
Editor’s note: This article is adapted from a story that originally appeared in the Wenatchee World and is reprinted with permission.
The Bitterroot Beets are a newly formed group from the Methow Valley. The band members were recently interviewed by email.
Who are the Bitterroot Beets?
Sarah Stephens (vocals): I’m a Pacific Northwest raised, nature- and music-lover. Ella Fitzgerald, Sam Cooke and Freddie Mercury are my prolific, storytelling, musical idols.
Erik Shepard (bass): I’m a corn-fed Midwestern transplant out in the Methow working as a rock guide, a carpenter, and a cook, loving life through the seasons! I’ve been a bassist for a little over a decade, mostly playing classical ensembles, and orchestras on the upright bass before coming down with a bad case of the Bootsy Collins-induced capital-F-U-N-K! Rocking out with the Beets is awesome!
Will Menzies (drums): I grew up outside of Bellingham. I work on an organic apple farm and cider house in Carlton. I mostly listen to New Orleans Brass Bands, Wu Tang Clan and Rage Against the Machine.
Dylan Marks (guitar and vocals): I grew up in Stehekin, listening to Jimmy Page, John Frusciante and Jimi Hendrix until the wee hours of the night as inspiration. It’s a small community up there so I was able to plug in with the few musicians who lived in the valley during my earlier years playing guitar.
When and how was the band formed?
Stephens: The Bitterroot Beets were formed in a tack room up on Studhorse Mountain just outside Winthrop. (Dylan and I) had been jamming together since December 2017, and Erik and Will joined the duo in February 2018. After many sets played for the empty stables up at Will’s place, we had our first public gig in March 2018.
Where does the name come from?
Stephens: Back when it was Dylan and I playing together, we did a live session on a local radio station. The DJ asked us what our name was, we didn’t have one yet, and he told us to think of “What name would you want to see on a marquee someday?” After that, I spent a weekend with my best friend. We brainstormed names and landed on the Bitterroot Beets. Bitterroot being my favorite flower that grows here in the Methow Valley, and Beets — rather than Beats — because at the time we didn’t have a drummer and there is a large agricultural community here in the valley.
How would you describe Bitterroot Beets’ sound?
Stephens: I’d describe us as a funk, rock, soul group. Each of us really loves music and that comes across when we play together. You can hear the joy in our sound, and that just emanates to the audience in a poignant way.
Shepard: Funk, rock, soul, Americana — we play a bit of everything! We cover songs from George Vance to Led Zepplin, Sam Cooke to Prince.
Menzies: We are unique in the wide variety of influences in which we draw upon. It has allowed us to write wildly differing originals and make our covers sound like our own without compromising the sound of the originals.
Marks: Although funk, rock and soul is what we gravitate toward at most shows, we also have a pretty diverse set list to fit a variety of occasions/venues. One night you could be getting down to some Gillian Welch, the next you might be kicking back to some Blackstreet.
How do you choose which songs to cover? And can we look forward to hearing any originals soon?
Stevens: We play a lot of covers with personal adaptations on form and musical phrasing. All the covers are from bands we respect and were formative in our growth as musicians. After a few months building a solid repertoire we finally have been writing originals that fit our sound and were excited to play one of them at our Stormy Mountain Show for the first time in public.
Shepard: We’ve got originals in the works (plus what everyone else has said). We’ll be working to get into the studio in the near future to get our songs together and out to your ears on your favorite music platforms!
Menzies: We like a democratic approach to choosing what songs we’ll cover. We each bring two songs to the table, go over them and figure out which ones will work best for our style and our audience.
What have your highlights been so far?
Stephens: Career highlights … Playing on the radio was a blast … Playing a wedding reception in Stehekin, where people were dancing so hard the entire boardwalk was wobbling up and down.
Shepard: Oh man, that beet and blueberry decorated double-layer buttercream frosted cake of pure deliciousness that Will’s girlfriend surprised us with on our first show! There’s a photo on our Instagram that just says it all.
Menzies: I cracked my knuckle on a drum rim spreading blood all over my drums and suit at a wedding … The worst part is that we were playing a Taylor Swift song when it happened. She doesn’t deserve a moment as metal as that.
Marks: Playing in Stehekin on two different occasions was one highlight for sure. Another highlight was playing for The Outward Bound beginning-of-season party. We played three different sets and in between them the crowd just kept dancing even though there was no music!
What’s next for Bitterroot Beets?
Stephens: Branching out from our cozy Methow Valley to play new places and to new audiences. Also writing more funky tunes together! Really looking forward to the continued development of sounds and stories that are our own and that aren’t just retellings through cover songs.
Shepard: More shows around the region, maybe a couple tours next year, playing for your wedding. Come check us out and see if you like what we’ve got, we’d love to bring the party on your special day. In person is best, but if you can’t come rocking out with us, follow us on Instagram for our upcoming shows, and get in touch with us through Facebook.
