425 MAGAZINE (Feature)
Music has been an instrumental part of Jeff Lockhart’s life for about as long as he can remember. He learned to play the drums as a kid and has since become a part of several local bands, including Crème Tangerine, The Beatles cover band. He also founded and chaired Creatio, a music industry business and recording arts program at Northwest University in Kirkland. He now serves as the executive director for the Kirkland Performance Center (KPC).
Since COVID-19, KPC has transitioned to presenting live-streamed shows in order to further its mission of being a gathering space to come together and connect people through culture.
We caught up with Lockhart to learn more about what KPC is doing and his favorite spots around the Eastside.
favorite places
TO RELAX I’m a vinyl record junkie — I have a vinyl record listening room (turntable and vintage ’70s hi-fi system) at home. Sitting and listening to records for a couple of hours — nothing beats that.
FOR BREAKFAST “Scramble” (scrambled eggs, sautéed onions, chicken sausage) and toast
TO GRAB A COFFEE Almond milk skinny mocha from the Metropolitan Market in Houghton
FOR DINNER Woodblock in Redmond
TO BE INSPIRED Biking on Centennial Trail in Snohomish
Inspiration Board
CURRENTLY READINGPlay Bigger by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, and Kevin Maney
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO “Medicine at Midnight” by the Foo Fighters, “Never Not Together” by Nada Surf, “Divisions” by Vaudeville Etiquette, “Still Bill” by Bill Withers, and “Revolver” by The Beatles
MANTRA YOU LIVE BY Much Love, Much Grace
HOBBIES Playing the drums (a hobby since I was a kid that turned into a second profession), collecting vintage rock/pop/soul/disco vinyl records from the ’60s and ’70s, and mountain biking
Q&A
HOW HAS KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER (KPC) CHANGED OR EVOLVED SINCE ITS BEGINNING?
KPC has evolved from being a small community performing arts center to becoming an intimate world-class music and multi-genre/media venue presenting national, regional, and local touring music and performing arts experiences as well as hosting a robust calendar of local performing arts groups presenting a diverse range of multi-genre and cultural programming and education. Pre-COVID, KPC served over 85,000 people and over 15,000 youth and children. In the COVID-19 era, KPC initiated a digital transformation for its business model that has been fully realized as KPC Studios.
WHAT’S BEEN THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF LEADING KPC?
Music and art are best experienced in the context of “together” — I’m honored to serve the community by leading the efforts of KPC to accomplish our mission of being a gathering space to build a community connected through culture.
WHAT HAS BROUGHT YOU JOY RECENTLY?
Professionally: I’ve been super stoked to be producing KPC at Home each week with the KPC Studios team and working with great local nonprofits to help them fundraise and be a part of their efforts to accomplish great work. I’ve recently completed work on playing the drums on a full-length album for a local artist’s new LP release and my band Good Day Sunshine (a Beatles music band) is finishing preproduction on livestreaming The Beatles masterpiece “Revolver” in its entirety for a session of KPC at Home.
Personally: I’ve enjoyed the downtime that the quarantine has brought.
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