Loch Lomond Tour Diary: SWEET THUNDER! (Bellingham, WA to Seattle, WA)

Two shows in, and it's already clear how rocking this new lineup is. MusicfestNW was the perfect way to build up momentum for our two-week West Coast tour. Recording with Larry Crane at the Ace Hotel and playing our T.L.E. show at Rontoms sparked a good fire to light our way. Unfortunately, Jade couldn't come out on our little jaunt, so we're like a three-legged dog pulling some new tricks. Our tour started off in Bellingham, WA, at the Green Frog Acoustic Tavern, which, unbeknownst to us, was maybe 25 percent into a total renovation after its recent move. So, when we arrived, there was raw drywall and sawdust on everything, tools all over and a venue owner who not only looked like he had spaced the show, but wasn't particularly pumped to host an event. What started out awkward with a big question mark, ended up being a warm little b.y.o.b. show to a crowd of truly attentive Bellinghamsters.


(A quick joke)


After a fun day of thrift store scores (Ritchie shopping in the kid's section), piroshkis at the Pike St. Market and sailboats at the Wooden Boat Center, we played Catado's CD release show at the Crocodile in Seattle. Cataldo, a great band from Seattle that contains members of Hey Marseilles, played a tight set of their new material. Those guys are certainly worth checking out. Hayley Young, who made our "Elephants and Little Girls" video as well as other astounding creative contributions to the band, gathered us for a new band photo to be sent off to Europe for our tour in November. All in all, an amazing night that ended up with wheelies on a little girl's bike in the hallway of our friend Sophie's apartment building.

Now we are off to Cottage Grove to play a show with Celilo tonight, then onward to California. More to come…  

-Perry Pfister


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