Last month I had the privilege to go on tour with Horseshoes & Hand Grenades again. This time in Alaska. We all flew out of Milwaukee landing in Anchorage. Along with the band traveling group we had some parents join us on the trip and along the way met many old and new friends from Wisconsin. Here are two pics with all the Wisco folks at the Hope Alaska show. These photos are filled with rad folks I am happy to have met in my life.
Preceded to our hotel for the evening and had a few drinks...realizing that while still light out it was 11:30 at night! Our first full day in Alaska was a travel day to Nilichik for a late night set at Salmonfest. First off the drive down the Kenai Peninsula is pretty spectacular. Second the folks at Salmonfest were about the raddest folks on the planet. They were accommodating and great and served some awesome food for us. The late night set started at 1:00 am ( 3:00 am Wisconsin time.) and went till 3:00 am. The sun was already starting to come up as we arrived back at our cabins after load out.
Day two at Salmonfest was just as great. A MainStage show with a kick ass large crowd. Pretty sure the guys won a ton of new fans at those two shows. and it showed at the rest of the gigs on the tour with people following the band to each gig. An off day was next with some of us traveling to Seward to whale watch and some staying behind to go check out the last day of Salmonfest. I was on he boat and we saw around 40 Orcas all around us. Swimming under the boat. Puffins and otters as well. The scenery can not be explained. Alaska is an unbelievably beautiful and vast land that makes you feel so small. even when standing there looking at it...it looks fake.
The rest of the trip was some awesome gigs in Homer ( super jam with members of Great American Taxi, Gipsy Moon and Railroad Earth) Soldotna and Hope Alaska as well.
Hope was one of my favorite gigs and places I have to say. A cool small town with some awesome people.
I left just before the Anchorage show so i missed that and the Healy show. The crowds in Alaska were great and the fans have a lot of love and passion for live music and having a good time.
I have gotten to watch these guys play to a lot of people in the last few years in many places. Watching the crowd is always my favorite. Its fun to see people get sucked in and people as far away as Alaska singing along to songs. I again feel lucky to be able to do what I love and help these guys as well if I can. There is no other group of guys I would rather be stuck in a van or backstage with. Go catch a show if theirs if one is near you. promise you will have a great time. Here are some pics from the trip.