Official third-person biography

Operation ID has been variedly called anything from “jazz” to “progressive rock” to “man rock” to “thought-rock” to the self-christened “bionic synth-pop.” What began as duets between members Ivan Arteaga (saxophone/clarinet) and Jared Borkowski (guitar) in a University of Washington basement quickly expanded to include Evan Woodle on drums and David Balatero on bass, playing improvisation-heavy, free jazz-influenced compositions. Rob Hanlon soon joined on keyboards. With their current lineup complete, Operation ID oriented themselves toward a more through-composed musical landscape, transitioning from a purely instrumental outfit into one that more and more incorporates solo and group vocals by all five members of the band. Their first album, Legs, released on Table & Chairs, reflects the changes that have occurred throughout the entirety of Operation ID’s first two years of existence. The album more than hints at the band’s current direction. As Operation ID continues to compose and rehearse new music to play in their frequent Seattle-area shows, their fanbase and music horizons both continue to grow.

Artists we’ve played with

Bad Luck
Barry Sebastian
Black Chamber
Brown Cloud
Cash Pony
Chemical Clock
Cuong Vu
DJ Ponce de Leon
Dana Reason
Discs of Fury
EnRoot
Eternal Fair
Fabulous Party Boys
God’s Favorite Beefcake
Granted Earth
Hardcoretet
Heatwarmer
Herocop
Humans Get Hungry
Hymen
Jana Osta
Kaitlin Morrison
Lawson
Midday Veil
Moodring
More Zero
Mouce Manouche
Nalgas Bukkake (Skerik + Master Musicians of Bukkake)
Paul Hoskin
Rats
Ravenna Woods
Religious Girls
Reptet
Ross Parsons
Snowman Plan
Speak
The Curious Mystery
The Galt Line
The Pica Beats
The Real Nasty
The Wheelies
This Blinding Light
Tom Baker Quartet
Wah Wah Exit Wound
Wally Shoup
X-Ray Press