Northwest Dance Venues

Fort Lewis NCO Club
Tacoma, Washington

Some of the bands that performed at this place during those great years of NW music were:
 
 

Happy Daze Band
Holden, Hamilton, Roberts Trio
The Regents
The Sonics
The Statesmen
The Wailers
 

Others  ?

The Local American Federations of Musicians Union would arrange these gigs at McChord AFB and Fort Lewis for the Union Bands in the Tacoma area.  We had to take the gigs at below the normal Union scale, but that was okay with us.  The Regents was not a loud band yet we were periodically asked to turn it down a little.  I am certain had we been booked at the EM (lower enlisted ranks) Club, we would have been asked to turn it up a little.

Sam Carlson, The Regents, March 2011


We contracted with the club independently, so we got better money.  It was a smaller space, so it always appeared crowded.  We generally noted a younger crowd that probably hit this place for their beers before going off base. The music was kind of the background to the enlisted conversations about their work.

Brian Woolery, the Happy Daze Band, March 2011


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Last Update:  3 October 2011
Credits: Bill Dean, Sam Carlson, Brian Woolery, Bill Dean, Bob Holden