Were you? For years I was never able to make it and they finally got me out there last year‚ and it was unlike any other air that I've breathed at a Yonder show.
It's pretty cool there‚ huh?
The room was just amazing‚ and the people who show up‚ and just the combination of everything that goes on in that room was just phenomenal.
It's pretty cool. It's definitely one of those places. On a mountaintop in Pennsylvania -- why not?!
Why not?
A town named after a Native American NFL star [Jim Thorpe‚ PA]. It's great. Yeah‚ who would have thought that a magic venue would be there? I agree with you‚ by the way‚ that that is for whatever reason‚ one of those places where the great shows tend to occur. Now‚ I haven't listened to the bootlegs‚ so I don't know if those will back up my claims‚ but in terms of the actual experience in the moment of the experience‚ I think that there have been some really good shows there‚ and certainly the people who show up to those shows are ready for your best.
I don't know where those people crawl out of‚ but they show up‚ and make it magical.
Yeah‚ you know‚ everyone shows up for the right reasons. It's a great place to tailgate too‚ so I think people are -- it's a good tailgating place because you can meet all these new people and everybody's playing their favorite tunes and you know what I mean‚ it's a really good vibe. And you're on top of a mountain! You're sort of like -- you've got the high ground -- ain't nobody going to sneak up on you.
It takes all the fears away.
It's so you can relax and chill. I don't know‚ probably all of those things add up to it though. I've never been in a venue that looks like that too‚ it's a great big -- it's a barn‚ but in a good way. Like‚ a hip‚ modern‚ barn [laughs]. Yeah it's neat. I think it makes sense why a band like Yonder would perform well in a venue like that. Which isn't to say that we belong in a barn‚ but a couple of us were born in one.
Well‚ that helps… You're stopping through New York City this Summer‚ to Brooklyn Bowl. Have you been there yet?
Nope.
Are you excited? Do you know anything about the venue?
The only thing I know about it is from talking to the people who have‚ our peers or whatever‚ Brendan Bayliss from Umphrey's‚ I remember asking him I think‚ you know what -- is it cool? And he's just like‚ "yeah‚ it's cool." And so if a friend‚ you know‚ there's some people's words I trust. If they say it's cool‚ it's cool. And when they say "it's cool‚" they mean‚ "it's cool." So‚ I'm really looking forward to seeing it. And I'm also really happy that we can get out of mid-town for a while. And not have to go back into the basement of‚ you know‚ underneath the skyscrapers to play music.
Yeah‚ I used to work in that skyscraper (Best Buy Theater is located underneath 1515 Broadway). You go in to see a show‚ and you have to descend into the basement‚ and you see the show‚ but you're STILL IN TIMES SQUARE… You lived in New York City briefly. Did you ever get to go to Wetlands?
[laughing] Oooh‚ every weekend!
Who did you go see at Wetlands?
I've seen‚ I saw EVERYBODY at Wetlands! I saw the Spin Doctors‚ I saw -- I mean‚ shit man‚ I saw Blues Traveler at Nightingale's! I saw Blues Traveler at Wetlands‚ I saw‚ man‚ all the weird bands that the guys in Phish would throw together. Those hybrid bands‚ oh god‚ what was the name of the one that was the guys from the Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler? Oh‚ they had a band they put together. And there was another band too. I saw Leftover Salmon‚ I saw Col. Bruce‚ I saw… shoot‚ who else would have been in there? Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey…
God Street Wine?
I saw God Street Wine‚ I saw moe.‚ I mean‚ back when moe. was like a garage band -- I was just like holy crap‚ who are these guys? And God Street Wine too -- they had their song "Imogene" - [singing] "Imogene won't speak to me…" I mean‚ I learned that song‚ I could sing you that song now.
Oh my god‚ you guys should cover that.
It's a great song‚ and probably not a lot of people are hip to it anymore because they've been gone for so long. I don't think -- they're not playing anymore‚ are they?