[Ed's Note: The following piece is considered part of the “Gonzo Missoula” series, while our man in gonzo filming John Yingling hides out in the expansive northwest for the next few months. Gonzo Chicago will return.]
To kick things off, here's a wild set by Thee Oh Sees. Local weirdos Needlecraft and Shas opened, as well as an overdue visit by Sic Alps. Dwyer talked with us a little about the Coachwhips reunion happening soon. It was a great show that reminded us of the rowdiness of the city we left. Missoula can get down when they want to, and I'm sure as people try to shed the grasp of a bitter winter, we'll dig a little deeper down into what people are really all about here. This was filmed at a local clothing and arts collective called Zoo City Apparel. ZCA is ran by some great folks a few of you may know, and it's ran like a DIY venue, because that's essentially what it is. Entry is cheap. You bring your own beer. It's refreshing to see kids turning out for most of the shows.
Missoula's beauty is impossible to avoid. It's essentially nestled in between a gigantic mountain range, and the whole downtown is in their shadows. It's a college town, but I'm finding the mass bros funny, for now. The amount of weed smoking going on is staggering. When we first told people we were visiting, a good lot of great folks in Chicago had a lot of positive things to say. Miss Alex White told us to go to Ear Candy Records, introduced us to a few folks, and had some good tips. Many told us of good spots to eat, venues to hit up, and people to meet. For that we're grateful. After the visit in August, for many reasons, we decided to move here for the winter, and return to Chicago in spring. More on that later.
Sadly, a great DIY spot called The Lab shut down just before we jumped ship over here for the winter. We missed Total Fest by mere weeks. However, what we did realize upon arrival, is that many here share the same ideals as those in Chicago, and around in the world. They love playing music, creating, and helping each other make a good environment people feel comfortable in. It's nice to be back in a state where the “shake a day” is considered normal. The music scene here is surprisingly strong.
Regardless, we'll get more into that as we keep digging into this scene. So far, we've tagged along on a roadtrip to a show with bands like The Magpies and Skin Flowers. Shot a birthday party for local radio station KBGA, and filmed touring and locals alike. There's some great things going on here, and the vibe is unlike anywhere else we've ever been.
So, this is the first of many videos we'll be posting of our new environment. Chicago will still be a main focus on this blog until our return in the summer, as we have a ton of unposted footage and things we're working on. We'd definitely suggest you follow the Facebook and Twitter for some juicier, hyper-local bits, but we've never been big on “upcoming show” posts or news you can find 800 other places. Thanks to Thee Oh Sees, ZCA, and Missoula in general for such a warm welcome. Enjoy.
