Will Wakefield and the Congress Hotel

Will and the guys in the Congress Hotel are lounging back stage in the green room of yet another venue. The verbose, but poetic songwriter Will Wakefield, sitting on a barstool, the melodic, but solidifying bassist Mike Stewart finishing a beverage, the subtle, yet virulent guitarist Chuck Edwards hanging on the edge of an old sofa, and Ty Creighton, drummer and percussionist extraordinaire tossing one back while energetically pacing back and forth. Performing at the Tractor in Seattle requires their complete attention to properly entertain with the Hotel's swimming lyrics, and colorfully chord and riff-laden rock n' roll jangle.

With the release of both Will's solo efforts (2nd & Hayes, and The Rise, The Fall, The Drama, and the Rebirth,) and each record's subsequent airplay on the KMTT 103.7 Mountain, the guys in the Congress Hotel are garnering a larger and more voracious audience than ever before. They continue to play strongly attended shows, at venues such as the Crocodile Cafe, the High Dive, and the Tractor Tavern in Seattle, and on a recent tour packed the house in Bellingham, WA, Roslyn, WA, Spokane, WA, Missoula, MT, and Moscow, ID. They have shared the stage with other great artists such as the Justin King Band, Ian McFeron Band, Left Hand Smoke, Massy Ferguson, The Bradbury Press, The Trews, and Brandi Carlile.

Their sound on Apt. 306 has been compared to the Counting Crows, Recovering the Satellites, album but with lyrics comparable to early Springsteen, or Lou Reed. Other comparisons have been made to Steely Dan, Van Morrison, Train, Pearl Jam or Death Cab For Cutie. This can be heard on their debut full-length release as a band, Apt. 306.

With the continued succession of performances, support from other artists, and rapidly growing audience the Congress Hotel is on their way to an amazing future.