Tri-City musician wins spot at Creation Northwest music festival

Evan Egerer formed his first band at the tail end of high school.

It wasn’t what you might expect, listening to his music now.

“It was a metal band. Ripped up jeans, black on black. I wrote the songs, I played electric guitar. It was a fun band,” Egerer told the Herald.

He still plays guitar and still writes songs. But the 28-year-old Pasco man has settled into an acoustic rock sound — one that’s earned him fans, acclaim and a slot at Creation Northwest, a large Christian music festival planned in Kennewick on Aug. 4-6.

Egerer was picked to participate in the festival’s music tournament. He’ll face judges and is hoping for a good turnout from his hometown crowd.

He said he’s excited. And he said to expect a rocking good time.

“I put on a lively show. The more the crowd feeds into it, the livelier I get,” Egerer said. “This is not an acoustic show people have seen before.”

The event’s lineup includes Newsboys, Family Force 5, For King & Country and Crowder.

Egerer goes on at 10:10 a.m. Aug. 5. He’s one of several musicians who won a spot in the tournament by sending in an audition tape. He’d nearly forgotten that he entered until he got a response from Creation, he said.

“I was like, ‘No way! Tri-Cities boy made it to this big festival. Not bad,’ ” he said.

Egerer and his wife, Heather, moved to the Tri-Cities after graduating from Seattle Pacific University in 2010.

They have two young children, Avery and Micah. Egerer teaches a third grade bilingual class at Franklin STEM Elementary School in Pasco.

Teaching and music are both passions, he said.

Egerer caught the music bug as a kid. He took piano lessons for years, and also picked up trumpet, bass and guitar.

His dad handed down a 1967 Martin D-28 guitar. In its long life, it’s been stolen and recovered, broken in half and repaired.

“It’s got some marks to tell its story. I love that guitar,” he said.

When Egerer performs, it’s usually just him on stage. A pedal loop helps create a fuller sound. And then there’s his voice.

It’s soulful, full of emotion. It’s on full display in the rocking Sinner, for which he released a video early this year.

His songwriting skills shine on the quieter, melodic Valleys, about getting through a hard time.

“God seemed to take a little extra lately, from you. Lying awake, sifting through the ashes, for food. Have faith, have trust. We’re low, not lost,” he sings. “This is just another valley.”

Egerer is a Christian, and that certainly influences his songwriting. But his sound isn’t like traditional Christian music, he said.

To him, making music, performing — it’s essential.

“I get really antsy if I’m not doing music. Everyone needs a creative outlet, and this is mine,” he said. “I love the feel of an engaged crowd. You get a crowd clapping along, you get them to sing along on a chorus the last time through. There’s no feeling like a crowd that’s zeroed in. It’s a thrill.”

To stay up to date on Egerer’s music, go to evan-egerer.com. After Creation Northwest, his next local gig is Aug. 17 at 3 Eyed Fish Wine Bar, 1970 Keene Road, Richland.

For more information about Creation Northwest, including the full schedule and tickets, go to creationfest.com/nw.

This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Tri-City musician wins spot at Creation Northwest music festival."