Blind Pilot Ditch Their Bicycles for Tour With Low Anthem

When Blind Pilot kick off their national tour with the Low Anthem this October, don't expect anything unusual in terms of their method of transportation. They're not going to be jogging in 'Flintstones' cars nor will they hop in a horse and buggy to get from venue to venue. That should all be a given, except that in 2007 Blind Pilot went on an entire tour without hopping in a car -- they did it by bicycle. "The bikes make touring a lot easier," group frontman Israel Nebeker tells Spinner. "We were always happy, healthy and optimistic. In a motor vehicle, you get used to just sitting."

This summer, Blind Pilot became a little more acclimated to modern methods of touring when they opened for the Decemberists and then headlined their own little jaunt across the Midwest and the Rockies. They will make a quick but highly anticipated stop at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Aug. 28, and then, in a manner of speaking, will gear up for their two-month fall tour with the Low Anthem. The band is riding the momentum from their debut, '3 Rounds and a Sound,' which does actually sound quite pleasant during leisure bike rides and Sunday drives.

Nebeker says that the band, now expanded from a duo to a six-piece, will definitely do another bike tour at some point. Cyclists tend to be a zealous bunch and you'd think all the miles logged by the band would attract their fellow enthusiasts at shows, almost out of hobby loyalty. "It's not always prevalent, but sometimes, yes," says Nebeker. "We played in Columbia, Mo. and a group of bicyclists came out and did a ride with us that ended at our show."

Luckily for the rest of us, listening to '3 Rounds and a Sound' is just as enjoyable while sitting still in a living room or bedroom. No movement necessary.