Based on the success of the first Targhee Music Festival Battle of the Bands Competition last summer, Grand Targhee Resort again invites local and regional bands to compete for an opportunity to play the main stage at the 7^th Annual Targhee Music Festival July 15-17, 2011.

Interested bands are asked to submit band information on www.targheemusic.com by Tuesday, March 22, 2011.  The link to the band entry page is: http://targheemusic.com/battle-of-the-bands-registration.

A team of internal music experts will narrow down the entries to 20 bands and on March 25 the bands will be posted online for a public voting period.  The public will vote on their favorite band through April 15.  The top five bands identified during the public online voting period will be invited to play at a Battle of the Bands Showdown during the kick off of the summer season at Grand Targhee Resort on Saturday, June 25, 2011.

A second round of voting during the Battle of the Bands Showdown on June 25 will determine who will have an opportunity to play during the 7th Annual Targhee Music Festival on Friday, July 15 through Sunday, July 17, 2011.  New this year, the top three bands will each receive an opening slot during the three-day festival.

“We’re excited to continue this successful new tradition, allowing local, regional and up-and-coming talent the opportunity to play in front of thousands of music lovers during the annual Targhee Music Festival,” said Andy Williams, special events manager at Grand Targhee Resort.

A partial line up, pricing and ticket information for the 7^th Annual Targhee Music Festival will be announced on Thursday, March 3, 2011.

Grand Targhee Resort is a year round mountain resort situated on the western slope of the Tetons in Alta, Wyoming, accessible only through Teton Valley, Idaho.   Tucked among spectacular Teton views and national forest land, Grand Targhee is an intimate summer getaway for adventure-seekers, with miles of lift-accessed hiking, running and mountain biking trails, renowned music festivals and a variety of activities in a pristine high alpine environment. During the winter, our abundance of light powder snow (more than 500 inches annually) and virtual lack of lift lines creates an uncrowded skier and snowboarder paradise, continually recognized for great snow, genuine western hospitality, scenic beauty and excellent value.  A leader in environmental resort practices, Grand Targhee Resort was honored with the prestigious 2009 Golden Eagle Award for Environmental Excellence.  For more information, please visit our website at www.grandtarghee.com.

Week 2 (Aug. 8th-14th)

• Thursday, Aug. 12th :: Backyard Tire Fire!

  Join us at our local weekly community event in Victor, ID called Music on Main! Featuring Backyard Tire Fire’s combination of blue collar, common sense miniatures with a little bit of jam out and feel good. This band will have you walking away feeling happier than you’ve felt all day! Check out their latest release “Good to Be” below!

• Friday, Aug. 13th :: The Miller Sisters and Friends!

  
  Come check it before they wreck it at Timberline Bar and Grill on August 13th as the Miller Sisters make an impression with their electrified stage presence and soulful resonant vocals! These sisters hail from Jackson Hole but frequent Teton Valley and their popularity continues to grow. The Miller sisters take part in another band known as Mandatory Air, a group that recently won the Battle of the Bands Competition and played on Stage at Targhee Fest 2010. They go live at 7PM. Don’t miss em!

• Aug. 13th and 14th :: Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival!

  
  We made it to the long awaited Targhee Bluegrass Festival! This music festival has been reviewed as the “Telluride Bluegrass Festival in the early days”. It’s gained quite a reputation for attracting the biggest names in bluegrass while managing to keep the atmosphere intimate and fun. Friday, the Bluegrass Festival features the Punch Brothers, Bela Fleck and Keller Williams and the Keels! It’s going to be a great start to an groovy weekend, check out Grand Targhee for more information. The party starts at 4PM, so all you down home bluegrass goers have time to work all day and party all night! You might want to consider camping or staying at the lodge because this event goes all weekend and you don’t want to miss a beat!
  
  Then on Saturday we pick up where we left off with Mike Marshall’s Big Trio at noon. We keep it going strong all day long with Danny Barnes, Sarah Jarosz, Fishing Music, Bearfoot, and finally ending on a good note with notable Sam Bush Band! It’s gonna be one wild ride, so grab your beer mug, pack your tent and get ready to jam out! Check out the moment of magic from Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott from Targhee Bluegrass Fest 2008!

Week 1 (August 1st -7th)

• Thursday, August 5th :: Frontier Ruckus and Cracker!

  
  
  Come celebrate the wonderment of American Folk with Frontier Ruckus as they conjure up some lyrically intensive songs by Matthew Milia. Then stay tuned for Cracker as they alt-rock their way through David Lowery and Johnny Hickman’s “Euro-Trash Girl.” This is a party you don’t want to miss!
  Located in Victor’s City Park. The music goes from 6:30-9:30PM. BBQ, beer, and local treasures can all be purchased at the show. No Cover.

• Friday, August 6th :: Calle Mambo at the Timberline!

  Take a ride on the T-Line in Victor as this high energy Latin Salsa group grooves til you move!
  Located at 31 West Center Street, in Victor. Check out all the Timberline events for more information or call 208-787-2639.

• Saturday, August 7th :: Calle Mambo at the Timberline…Again!

  That’s right, get ready to get your Latin groove on double style as these latin jazz all-stars come back for seconds.
  Same contact info as above.

• Saturday, August 7th :: The Trisha’s at the Trap!

  
  
  That’s right, the long awaited arrival of the Trishas happens Saturday! There’s something special about these southern songstresses and we here at Targhee Music agree…this is going to be where the party’s at! So come on up, grab a cold one and listen as these twangy ladies from Austin, Texas sing the truth!
  Located in Alta, Wyoming, the Trap Bar is a local favorite offering live entertainment, cold drinks and a hearty menu. Just a 25 minute drive from Driggs, this show is one you can’t miss!
  

The weekend started well with the winners of the 2010 Targhee Fest Battle of the Bands Competition Mandatory Air taking the stage just after 3:30PM. The crowd began to trickle in as weekend warriors traded their work hats for some fun in the sun and a beer mug. These beer mugs have become something of a collectors item, and its a common scene to see proud long time music festival goers proudly showing off their festival mugs from back in the day. The crowd seemed to build both in size and enthusiasm as Steve Kimock’s Crazy Engine and Melvin Seals & JGB rocked the stage. As the sun set and night began to fall, a flurry of enthusiasm raced through the crowd. The excitement and anticipation of an exciting and memorable music filled adventure began to take hold and it was written on faces everywhere, “this is going to be a good weekend!”

By the time Moe took the stage the crowd was ready to dance. If you’ve been to a music festival at Targhee before, then you already know…when we say crowd we mean an exuberant and eclectic group of party people jiving to the music in one of the most intimate settings in the Tetons. One can get so close you actually feel like you could play with the band…and a lucky few actually have. Targhee is known for producing music festivals with names that rival the larger festivals of the west without the unwieldy crowds.

Moe delivered. Superbly. Dancers were moving in ways never thought possible. By the end, we wondered, “at this pace will we make it through the entire weekend?” There was no telling, so on we went…

The early Saturday morning sun revealed the previous night’s shenanigans. People comfortably sleeping in their tents, RVs and the lobby of the Teewinot Lodge seemed eerily quiet. It was a good night. Breakfast burritos helped bring festival weary patrons back to the light and coffee worked like a charm. At noon, Margo Valiante took the stage and people began to migrate to the music. David Lindly, Shawn Colvin and Alejandro Escovedo stoked the flames as day two of Targhee Fest 2010 began to take form.

Hula hoops, beer mugs, sunglasses and super soakers were the items of choice as festivarians enjoyed the sunny Wydaho weather. As the festival set into a rhythm we found ourselves on a loop. Dance until we get too hot, then head over to the guy with the super soaker. After that it’s on to the cocktail tent for a nice cold margarita. Finally, head back to our blankets for some rest before we take part in a hula hooping extravaganza. Repeat.

By the time Grace Potter and the Nocturnals took the stage, the crowd had been whipped into a frenzy. As Grace’s one of a kind smoky voice belted her soul healing lyrics, the crowd seemed to engage overdrive. The sun was again setting on the second day of Targhee Fest and Grace was rocking us senseless. Still to come Los Lobos, for those of us with the stamina to keep rockin’.

Los Lobos hit it pretty hard. Good tunes and good vibes, people were really enjoying themselves. Only the hardcore remained in the front dancing their hearts out. We couldn’t take it, we had to take a break. Sitting in the back watching the scene unfold is a music festival’s hidden vacation. We chose the trees off stage left where we laid down our blankets and looked up at the sky. The sun was down, the air was cool and the party was rockin’. A near perfect evening, we even found ourselves commenting on the lack of mosquitoes!

We caught a second wind and resumed our hippie gyrations vehemently when La Bamba came on. We stayed that way for the rest of the evening. When all was said and done, Targhee Fest had once again made good on its promise of musical thrills and entertainment. Satisfied, we walked back to the shuttles for a quick ride home and some rest. We still had one more day of musical festivities and little did we know, we were going to get all we bargained for!

The last day of Targhee Fest started much like the previous day. Except that some of us chose to sleep in our beds instead of sleeping bags. The day had started with rumors that Katchafire wasn’t going to make it. The feeling of disappointment was soon allayed as Paper Bird took the stage. Then forgotten completely as Great American Taxi sang “420 Long Years”. Taxi soon became a crowd favorite the days activities took shape. More hula hooping, dancing and hiking to the beer tent, in between Kobe beef hot dogs (thanks Pete!) and margaritas. Great American Taxi really put on a show and by the end we didn’t want them to leave. On his way out, Vince Herman shouted to the crowd, “I’m here for a few days, let’s party!” referring to the free show they would later put on at the knotty pine supper club.

As they packed their gear and prepped the stage for Michael Franti and Spearhead, we wondered how Franti was going to close such a great weekend? We questioned whether or not placing Franti’s act on Sunday was a good idea. However, every once in a while at a music festival a band is able to connect with an audience in a way that makes everyone in attendance feel like they were a part of something amazing. Michael Franti and Spearhead managed to do just that.

If you’ve never heard Franti live, he’s pretty spectacular. High energy is an understatement. This band really knows how to mix it up. The tunes were good, Franti raised his hands and the whole crowd started jumping and waving hands more like an outdoor revival than a concert, Franti’s inspiring lyrics simply can’t be ignored. The scene grew more exciting as folks began to filter down from their festival chairs and tents high up on the hillside to be apart of the mob gathering at the sound of Franti’s voice. A third of the way into their set, the band is happily jamming, when Franti asks the crowd if anyone knows how to play guitar? A few brave souls raise their hands and are promptly invited up on stage to jam! “No no, he’s cool…” Franti instructs through the microphone as a fan tries to get on stage. A particularly pointed moment is when a child hops on stage, takes the guitar and actually rocks out! The crowd went wild at the site of the little guy strumming next to the towering Franti.

Franti ends his song and disappears back stage for a minute, the band stays front and center and many of us find ourselves wondering where he went. A minute passes by and we hear his voice…but no one can see him on stage! All of a sudden the crowd starts moving back toward the sound setup and we see Franti in the crowd with a microphone and guitar! He plays a song amongst the crowd and gets pats on the back as he makes his way through the gathering masses to return to the stage.

A couple more songs on stage and the crowd is prepared with all manner of digital recording device, just in case he decides to play amongst the crowd again. Another little guy and young lady are brought on stage and rock out with the band. They transition to Nirvana’s ‘Smells like team spirit’ and everyone near the stage starts jumping.

Then the entire band goes off stage. The crowd waits in anticipation, hoping to for another surprise. Not to disappoint, Michael Franti and the entire band march out from the behind the stage and start playing for us. They stride up the hill, towards the sound tent, then across the field and back down, all the while courteously meandering through the crowd. One thing is certain these guys are non-stop excitement!

If that wasn’t enough, they invited some locals to “shake it” onstage, had a short jam session with Tom Garnsey of Vootie Productions and managed to take an already beat crowd after a weekend of dancing in the sun and turn the the place into an uproar. What a show.

The finale came when the band invited all the children on stage to dance along to one of Franti’s most popular songs “Say Hey (I love you).”

Targhee Fest was over, and what a festival it was! We headed home with smiling faces, confident that we had attended the best Targhee Fest to date. But heck, I guess we feel like that everytime…

Friday 7/16

• Branding Iron – open 7:30AM for breakfast and all day for lunch/dinner until 9PM
• General Store – open 9AM and closes 10 minutes after the last band starts
• Trap Bar – open 11AM until the last band goes on, no band schedule to play in the Trap tonight
• Retail Tent – Mugs and 21+ wrist bands go on sale at 2PM
• Main Beer Tent – open at 2PM
• Pizza Tent – open at 2PM
• Cocktails – open at 2PM
• Mexican Tent – open at 3:30PM
• BBQ Tent – open at 3:30PM
• Second Beer Tent – open at 3:30PM
• Treats Tent – open at 3:30PM

Saturday 7/17

• Branding Iron – open 7:30AM for breakfast and all day for lunch/dinner until 9PM
• General Store – open 8AM for coffee and breakfast burritos and closes 10 minutes after the last band starts
• Coffee Tent – open from 8-11AM, serving waffles and breakfast burritos in the main plaza
• Trap Bar
• open 10Am-12PM for bloody mary bar
• open 11AM-8:30PM for food and drink
• open late for special appearance by Equal Eyes after Los Lobos finishes, $10 at the door
• 11AM
• Mug sales begin
• Main Beer Tent open
• Liquor Tent – bloody marys
• 11:30AM
• Mexican Tent
• Pizza Tent
• 12PM
• BBQ Tent
• Second Beer Tent
• Treats Tent

Sunday 7/18

• Branding Iron – open 7:30AM for breakfast until 10:30AM, then all day for lunch/dinner until 9PM
• General Store – open 8AM for coffee and breakfast burritos and closes 10 minutes after the last band starts
• Coffee Tent – open from 8-11AM, serving waffles and breakfast burritos in the main plaza
• Trap Bar
• open 10Am-12PM for bloody mary bar
• open 11AM-8:30PM for food and drink
• open late for special appearance by the Jet Black Funkgrass Unit after Michael Franti finishes, $5 at the door
• 11AM
• Mug sales begin
• Main Beer Tent open
• Liquor Tent – bloody marys
• 11:30AM
• Mexican Tent
• Pizza Tent
• 12PM
• BBQ Tent
• Second Beer Tent
• Treats Tent

Located just 13 miles from the world famous Spud Drive In, your stay at Grand Targhee Resort includes slopeside lodging, your concert tickets, free Continental PLUS breakfast, two complimentary adult chairlift tickets, and access to our outdoor swimming pool, hiking and biking.  Valid July 23 through July 26.  Starts at just $58 per person for one concert, and $116 per person for both shows, based on maximum occupancy (4 ppl) in Teewinot Lodge.  Prices subject to taxes and fees.  Some restrictions apply.  Other lodging options available, prices vary.  Valid July 23 through July 26, 2010 only.

CALL 1-800-TARGHEE to speak to a reservationist!

McCall, Idaho based Equal Eyes, a four man band with an eclectic blend of rock, funk and blues with a psychedelic twist, will take the stage at the Trap on Saturday, July 17 for a 10:30 pm show.  Tickets are $10 at the door.  Their new CD Heartbeat is available at all of their live shows and will be available digitally soon.

The second place finisher in our Battle of the Bands concert (a difference of just 5 votes), Jackson’s Jet Black Ninja Funkgrass Unit will close the 6th Annual Targhee Fest with a 9:00 pm show at the Trap on Sunday, July 18.  Tickets are $5 at the door.  For those that missed their excellent performance at the Battle of the Bands, JBNFU is an all instrumental trio consisting of acoustic and electric mandolin player Tim Farris, bass player Brad Corbin, and drummer Scotty Barrett. Their original songs, though absent of lyrics, intend instead to create visuals through musical melodies. Song names like Senior Badgers Wild Ride, Funky Tractor in a Cornfield Hoedown, The Search for Optimus Prime, Sneakin Marie through the Prairie, and Cold Rain on a Hot Tin Roof evoke images and set up the listeners’ ear for a musical story. Songs are written with multiple parts and cues so they can change quickly from one hook to the next while still leaving room for improvisation.  Their first album, “Brownchickenbrowncow” was released this spring.

Gear

In order of importance…

• Clothing. There are two schools of thought when dealing with the clothing issue at festivals. First, the “minimalists”. These are the people you see running around in short shorts and two bandannas as a bikini. Minimalists have some valid arguments for instance, “it’s better to go bare foot than constantly dig dirt out of your shoes when dancing like a shameless hippie.” They show up with a duffel bag of goods usually having nothing to do with wardrobe and decide to “wing it” on the clothing issue.
  But what if it rains? That’s where the “baroques” come in. These blokes often come geared for every situation except nuclear holocaust. They like to be prepared and actually get a certain amount of satisfaction from knowing that if weather arises they have a garment or accessory mitigate it. You can find many of these types enjoying the creature comforts of their own homes in all manner of RV and trailer positioned in the lower parking lot.
  Granted, most of us fall somewhere in the middle. Whether you like to challenge mother nature head on with nothing more than a tattered shirt and some team spirit or you get a certain fulfillment from knowing that your neighbors are sweltering while you bathe in the glory of your umbrella shaded patch of music festival heaven, there are some things we can agree on.
1. There’s no shame in sandals. Both camps agree, sandals are an acceptable solution. Sandals are stylish, functional and no one can argue that human beings haven’t been walking around in some form of sandals since the ice age. We here at TargheeMusic say, stick with what works.
2. Shades. We won’t comment on the style of sunglasses to bring, because we can’t agree on which styles actually are a style. Blame it on generation gaps between the producers at TargheeMusic but we can smoke the peace pipe over the fact that having some form of sunglasses are a must.
3. Sun Screen. Does this count as a form of clothing? Maybe, but at least we know it’s essential. At the very least it rivals the importance of wearing something more than a man thong on a hot summer with 80% body hair. Also, it turns out that choosing the right sunscreen is important, before you stock up for the show.
4. Wigs. It really depends on the type of music festival one is attending. Suffice it to say, wearing something that makes you look like Gandolf may not go over so well at a bluegrass festival and is probably best left for the raves and lord of the rings gatherings. However, clown wigs seem to be random enough to fit any occasion and if you can find a red, white and blue one, you will most likely be labeled a patriot (kudos).
• Beer. Nuff said…
• Friends. We have found in this category, its easier to come prepared, there is safety in numbers. Start a one man social media campaign and gather friends far and wide. Use the tools the interweb has provided and twitter/facebook/myspace your group to a sizable posse with which you can conquer music festival mayhem. The larger the group, the more exciting and memorable the experience! However, if you happen to associate with polite company and find all your friends “have to work that weekend.” Fear not lone wolves, music festivals are places where the combination of warm sunny days, virtually complete freedom, and copious amounts of adult beverages combine to make a perfect storm of new friendship acquisition!

Tactics

Moderation in all things, except some things, sometimes. Above all, consider those “what if” scenarios to come prepared for any occasion.

• Balance. We’d love nothing more than to head straight off the deep end of the sanity pool and dive into a musical bender lasting for the rest of our lives. However, moderation is actually important to keeping things entertaining and fresh. So the TargheeMusic team has decided its a good idea to balance your musical forays with some much need rest and relaxation. Obviously, one attends a music festival to soak up as much musical whimsy as allowed, but it’s important to refuel the plane before takeoff. We recommend alternating musical fracas with quiet day hikes or a refreshing lunch at a sit down in town. If you’re staying at the resort, it’s always nice to cool your jets with a swim in the pool or float leisurely to the top of Fred’s mountain on our Dreamcatcher Chairlift. This weekend Targhee’s chairlifts will be open from 9AM to 4PM, maximizing your TTR (Time To Relax). There are even discounts on a two-day unlimited lift ride package at the resort. All you need to do is show your three day festival ticket and get two days of unlimited lift rides for just $25. One thing is for sure, this year’s Targhee and Bluegrass Festivals are going to be musically picante so you must mentally prepare yourself to prevent being overwhelmed.
• What if? Preparing for “what if” scenarios are a great way to protect against boredom at music festivals. Unless of course, boredom is your intent. Depending on your mindset, random events like rain could be really fun or really inhibiting. Therefore, it’s a good idea to plan ahead. Where will you meet your friends if you get separated? What will you do in case of a beer drought? If it rains and there happens to be mud in the “mosh pit” are you the kind of person who heroically dashes into the fray or do you pitch a lawn chair and look lively on the ensuing spectacle (in which case, bring lawn chairs)? Careful consideration of these questions may make or break your music festival experience. We recommend you have a backup plan just in case. Especially for the beer drought…did we mention we love beer?

Preparation

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. We’re not saying spontaneity isn’t fun and who knows if you skip work to attend a music festival and lose your job, it may lead you down the path to a better one. We just believe, there are certain levels preparedness that make sense.

• Work. Sometimes the stars align and you happen to have a 3 day weekend line up perfectly with an upcoming festival like Targhee Fest. For the rest of us, it’s going to take some effort to free ourselves from drudgery. In the case of Targhee Fest, drawing nearer at a little more than three weeks away, creativity becomes essential to how we free our time for festival weekend. If you have children, consider yourself fortunate as you bathe in the shower of excuses a child can create for you. Anything from a strange form of the flu to a last minute boyscout camping trip can be valid reasons for you to take a long weekend.
  If you don’t have kids, rest easy, your situation isn’t as difficult as it may seem. The key is preparation. Start now, if shifts can be traded or schedules swapped go the honest route first. However, if ethical means are exhausted your mission becomes subversion, karma points be damned. We suggest reading The Four Hour Work Week. Specifically the section about ways to get your employer to let you work from home. If telecommuting isn’t an option, then the real dirt begins. We don’t suggest going as far as getting temporarily suspended without pay, but tactics like employing a strong body Oder to get yourself dismissed the day before the festival, is allowable. Or consider how little your company enjoys paying overtime, then simply make sure you put in 40 hours of work before the Friday of the show. The point is, one must have a full sense of freedom to maximize enjoyment. If at all possible, free up your entire weekend for 100% play.
• Mental. If you’re the curious type, then learning the area’s history before you attend a music festival might peak some sense of intellectual intrigue. Plus, it never hurts to look up some of the artists before you head off, you might even want to learn a few songs. Besides, you get mad social points for being able to sing along to your favorite hits at concerts.
• Addiction. The TargheeMusic staff are no strangers to addiction, especially when it comes to facebook. In order to combat our addiction, we have decided to binge the week before. During this time we will Facebook so much that the arrival of Targhee Fest weekend (July 16th – 18th) will be a welcome relief. With our addictions mitigated, we can focus our attention on the festival. No hopping on the resort wide wifi to see if our videos of Grace Potter singing happy birthday to Shannon have been tagged yet! We are strictly about the music on festival weekend.

Alas, there are bound to be important music festival tips we’ve missed. How do you prepare for a music festival weekend? Have an interesting piece of writing on a music festival? Send it to us we’d love to hear your story.

Kathleen Hanson, of Hanson Illustration, is our first winner!

(read on to hear more about her design inspiration, and see all of the poster entries!)

Kathleen and her husband Steve moved from Utah to Teton Valley in 2007 to work more closely with her sister Meghan on Hanson Illustration, a design agency focusing on architectural rendings, technical drawings, flora & fauna, magazine illustrations and greeting cards.  Kathleen studied art and majored in forest resource management at the University of Montana and spends her free time painting images of friends, pets and the iconic imagery of Teton Valley.

“I was inspired by the rock posters that came out of the 60′s and 70′s, the stunning valley I am so lucky to live in, and the amazing people that are a part of my life,” said Kathleen.

Kathleen will receive VIP access, lodging and tickets to the 23rd Annual Bluegrass Festival in August, and a version of her poster signed by all of the artists at the festival.

Our other participants made the choice a tough one – here are the additional entries:

Designer: Jim Anderson

Designer:  Jen Boyce

Designer: Emily Detrick

Designer: Kathleen Hanson, Hanson Illustration

Designer: Aimee Babneau Reeves, ABabneauArt

Designer: Marc Roulstone, marcart

Designer: Chris Vest, Jaeger Graphics LLC

” … few bands have produced instrumental virtuosos who can follow the lead of newgrass icons like Sam Bush, Tony Rice and David Grisman … The Waybacks, on the other hand, feature hot pickers who are destined to become revered new-acousticians, thanks to their individual solo styles and the band’s novel and irreverent tenor.”
— Scott Nygaard, ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAGAZINE

From their website:
They draw freely from the old school and the old world, but The Waybacks are no throwback. They’ve been erroneously pigeonholed as a bluegrass band and celebrated as purveyors of “acoustic mayhem.” They are as uninhibited and unpredictable as the eclectic San Francisco Bay area that claims them, and for nearly a decade, their experiments have always proven sharp-witted and musically dazzling. They’re living proof that in music anyway, evolution and intelligent design are entirely compatible. “The whole spirit of improvisation – that’s always been the cornerstone of this band for me,” says founding singer, songwriter and guitarist James Nash. “Through all the stylistic changes and regardless of the instruments we’re playing, to me the fun of this band has always been that in some ways I can do whatever I feel like doing at any moment.”