Ladies and gents, Pickwick put on a show last night. Capping off a 2011 year in which they reached new heights, Pickwick put on the finest show I’ve seen at Neptune Theater yet. A hometown, sold-out crowd got to witness a band certainly hitting their stride. Pickwick debuted new material from their upcoming full length record, for which they left to record in Oregon this morning. Openers Jessica Dobson and Campfire OK also put on marvelous shows to warm up the evening. Details of all three sets below, as well as pic and vids of the performance. Plus, read our new interview with Galen Disston of Pickwick. Check out the full photos on our Facebook album.

Jessica Dobson took the stage first, opening with a series of guitar loops that evolved into a beautiful rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Dobson continued for several songs in a St. Vincent-esque, solo performance before being joined by her accompanying band. The combo of solo and band performances offered a nice variety, with Jessica demonstrating an ability to hold the stage capably on her own as well as fit comfortably within an ensemble. Campfire OK followed Jessica. We turned onto Campfire OK during Block Party this summer. While the night belonged to Pickwick, Campfire OK offered an incredible set and showed why they’ve earned well-deserved recognition in the Seattle music circle as well. Just this morning, they were placed on Magnet Magazine’s “Best Of” list.

And then there was Pickwick. It’s been a ridiculous year of progress for the local band, which you can read up on in our interview with Galen. But needless to say, they came in to the show with plenty of steam. Once they began taking the stage, there was an air of electric excitement reminiscent of the Fleet Foxes local show vibe just after they released their debut album and just before leaving for Europe (and world fame) in 2008. It’s safe to say that the crowd and Pickwick both knew big things lie ahead for the band. But last night, it was a local band and their local crowd enjoying every ounce of the evening. Their set began with a number of well-loved-by-now tracks from the Myths EP (watch “Staged Names” below). Then they dove into new territory, offering a number of new tracks off the new record they’ve been honing in. Watch a vid below to get a better idea than my words will provide, but the new material promises great things. Most notably, Pickwick seems to be shifting in a direction that allows Galen to explore new vocal heights and confidence. If you saw their Doe Bay video, you know what I mean.

After finishing off their set, a mere 90 seconds of crowd elation brought Pickwick back out. An acapella version of “Blackout”, very similar to the Suzzallo Room performance, preceded a swanky, delightfully fun cover of the The Primitive’s “Do the Ostrich”. This was followed by a final, night-closing number with Jessica Dobson and Campfire OK. Pickwick will be working on their album through December but has a New Years date in Wenatchee and several shows in January.