Blind Pilot
Encyclopedia
Blind Pilot is an American
indie folk
band based in Portland, Oregon
. Their debut album, 3 Rounds and a Sound, reached number 13 on the Billboard
Top Digital Albums chart.
The band completed a bicycle tour in 2008, biking from Bellingham, Washington
to San Diego, California
, carrying their instruments on custom bicycle trailers they fashioned themselves. They made more than two dozen stops along the way, including Port Townsend, Seattle, Olympia, Portland, Corvallis, Eugene, Coos Bay, Arcata and Santa Cruz.
In 2009, Blind Pilot added four more touring members, Luke Ydstie (upright bass, backing vocals), Kati Claborn (banjo, dulcimer, backing vocals), Ian Krist (vibraphones), and Dave Jorgensen (keyboards, trumpet), to match the sound of their album, 3 Rounds and a Sound
. The group started a new U.S. tour in March 2009, the first with the six-member lineup. They headlined in clubs across the country. The band also filled support slots for Langhorne Slim
and Gomez
on a handful of dates during this tour. In May 2009, the band traveled to Europe for a series of gigs opening for Counting Crows
and The Hold Steady
. Blind Pilot returned to the U.S. in June to join The Decemberists
on the road as their opening act
. They followed this run with another tour of clubs in the Northeast
, Mid-West
and Canada
.
In May 2009, Blind Pilot performed at the Sasquatch! Music Festival
at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington
. In August 2009, the band performed at the Lollapalooza
music festival in Chicago
, Illinois
, and the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
in San Francisco, California.
On December 29, 2009, the band released an iTunes
only live EP
. This EP featured a cover of Gillian Welch
's "Look At Miss Ohio". The EP also included new versions of previously released songs, along with a new song, titled "Get It Out". The EP was mixed and recorded by Tucker Martine
, who has also mixed for The Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie
, and R.E.M.
Blind Pilot completed a tour in July 2011 that included five Colorado stops in Winter Park (SolShine Festival and Smokin Moe's), Boulder (Chautauqua w/ Josh Ritter
), Telluride (Sheridan Opera House), and Aspen (Belly Up) as well as Salt Lake and Santa Fe. Their second full-length album, We Are the Tide, was released in September 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie folk
Indie folk
Indie folk is a music genre that arose in the 1990s from singer/songwriters in the indie rock community showing heavy influences from folk music scenes of the 50s, 60s and early 70s, country music, and indie rock. A few early artists included Lou Barlow, Beck, Jeff Buckley and Elliott Smith...
band based in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Their debut album, 3 Rounds and a Sound, reached number 13 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Digital Albums chart.
The band completed a bicycle tour in 2008, biking from Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
to San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, carrying their instruments on custom bicycle trailers they fashioned themselves. They made more than two dozen stops along the way, including Port Townsend, Seattle, Olympia, Portland, Corvallis, Eugene, Coos Bay, Arcata and Santa Cruz.
In 2009, Blind Pilot added four more touring members, Luke Ydstie (upright bass, backing vocals), Kati Claborn (banjo, dulcimer, backing vocals), Ian Krist (vibraphones), and Dave Jorgensen (keyboards, trumpet), to match the sound of their album, 3 Rounds and a Sound
3 Rounds and a Sound
-Personnel:*Israel Nebeker – vocals, guitar, bass*Ryan Dobrowski – drums, percussion*Luke Ydstie – upright bass*Kati Claborn – vocals, mountain dulcimer, banjo*Shawn McLain – violin*Ian Krist – vibraphone...
. The group started a new U.S. tour in March 2009, the first with the six-member lineup. They headlined in clubs across the country. The band also filled support slots for Langhorne Slim
Langhorne Slim
Langhorne Slim is an American singer-songwriter, . Scolnick attended high school at Solebury School in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, part of the SUNY system.He began to gain public notice through several years of touring with the...
and Gomez
Gomez (band)
Gomez are an English indie rock band from Southport, comprising Ian Ball , Paul "Blackie" Blackburn , Tom Gray , Ben Ottewell and Olly Peacock . The band is distinguished for having three singers and four songwriters, employing traditional and electronic instruments...
on a handful of dates during this tour. In May 2009, the band traveled to Europe for a series of gigs opening for Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
and The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
. Blind Pilot returned to the U.S. in June to join The Decemberists
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
on the road as their opening act
Opening act
An opening act or warm-up act is an entertainer or entertainment act that performs at a concert before the featured entertainer...
. They followed this run with another tour of clubs in the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
, Mid-West
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In May 2009, Blind Pilot performed at the Sasquatch! Music Festival
Sasquatch! Music Festival
Sasquatch! Music Festival is a music festival held annually at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington. It is presented by the House of Blues. There is an emphasis on indie rock bands and singer-songwriters, although there are also alternative rock, hip hop and comedy acts...
at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington
George, Washington
George is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 528 at the 2000 census. Its name is a play on the name of George Washington.The city is known for being near the Gorge Amphitheatre, sometimes being called, "The Gorge at George"....
. In August 2009, the band performed at the Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
music festival in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
The Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is a music festival held annually in San Francisco, California at Golden Gate Park. The first edition occurred August 22–24 in 2008, and included over 60 musical acts from around the world, as well as several art installations...
in San Francisco, California.
On December 29, 2009, the band released an iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
only live EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. This EP featured a cover of Gillian Welch
Gillian Welch
Gillian Welch is an American singer-songwriter. She performs with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. Their sparse and dark musical style, which combines elements of Appalachian music, Bluegrass, and Americana, is described by The New Yorker as "at once innovative and obliquely...
's "Look At Miss Ohio". The EP also included new versions of previously released songs, along with a new song, titled "Get It Out". The EP was mixed and recorded by Tucker Martine
Tucker Martine
Tucker Martine is an American, Grammy nominated record producer, musician and composer who has worked with artists such as My Morning Jacket, Mudhoney, Bill Frisell, The Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens, R.E.M., Laura Veirs, Spoon, and Tift Merritt...
, who has also mixed for The Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
, and R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
Blind Pilot completed a tour in July 2011 that included five Colorado stops in Winter Park (SolShine Festival and Smokin Moe's), Boulder (Chautauqua w/ Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.- Early life :Josh...
), Telluride (Sheridan Opera House), and Aspen (Belly Up) as well as Salt Lake and Santa Fe. Their second full-length album, We Are the Tide, was released in September 2011.
Discography
- 3 Rounds and a Sound3 Rounds and a Sound-Personnel:*Israel Nebeker – vocals, guitar, bass*Ryan Dobrowski – drums, percussion*Luke Ydstie – upright bass*Kati Claborn – vocals, mountain dulcimer, banjo*Shawn McLain – violin*Ian Krist – vibraphone...
(2008) - iTunes-only EP (2009)
- We Are the TideWe Are the TideWe Are the Tide is the second studio album from the Portland, Oregon indie group Blind Pilot. The album was released on September 13, 2011.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Israel Nebeker – singing, guitar, ukulele, harmonium...
(2011)
External links
- Blind Pilot page at NPR Music
- Blind Pilot Concert Review from ZapTown
- Blind Pilot interview from Burnside Writers Collective