High Step Society

High Step Society plays Hidden Hall on Thursday, December 17, at 8 PM. They're a seven-piece electro-swing big band from Portland, Oregon, led by Phil Allen, and this is their only Seattle date on a tour that runs from October 9, 2026, to February 20, 2027, across 14 cities.

If you're not familiar with the name, the electro-swing label is the easiest place to start. It's what happens when you take the brass and swing of the Jazz Age and run it through a modern beat, and as a seven-piece, they've got the horns to actually carry that big band sound live rather than relying on a backing track. They describe themselves as "a dance party from another dimension" and "a high-flying, beat-dropping, big band rocket ship" that brings jazz back to the party, drawing on the spirit of the 1920s and launching it a century forward. Their stated mission is to create a celebratory space that brings people together, which is a good way to frame what they're doing: it's dance music with a brass section.

Since they're coming in from Portland, this is one of the few times they'll be playing in the city during this run. The tour itself is a long one, stretching from early October through February, so this mid-December date falls right in the middle of it. If you've never seen them, it's a good chance to catch them in a room that fits the dance-party side of things.

High Step Society takes the stage at Hidden Hall, 400 N 35th St, on Thursday, December 17, with the music starting at 8 PM.