Road Report: Cloud Cult Recap Their Tour With Mimicking Birds

Posted on Oct 11th 2010 7:20PM by Cloud Cult
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Cody York Photography

Cloud Cult have just released their eighth studio album, 'Light Chasers,' and the Minnesota outfit has been busy traveling the country in support of it. Inspired by rebirth, this concept album takes listeners on a journey through love, loss, life and death.

But Cloud Cult have recently wrapped their own physical journey on the road with Mimicking Birds. Read about the band's delightful adventures -- including killer shows, awesome covers and dog petting -- and check out photos from the first of their two-part recap after the jump.

Northfield, Minn.
We began our trip in Northfield, Minn., 30 miles south of the Twin Cities at St. Olaf College. It was the first day of classes for the students, and it was a bustling place -- a big white van and trailer blocking the sidewalk and unloading impossible amounts of gear was just part of the landscape. With the help of so many smiling student volunteers and one perpetually beaming merchandise seller and photographer, Cody York, we unloaded in the shadow of St. Olaf's wind turbine -- you could almost hear the whoosh it was so close. This was the first show Scott and Connie tried out their new easels -- and these aren't just any easels. These are easels that spin. And one has brakes. No lie. Our good friends Dewi Sant opened the show, and beautifully so, and we were up and running afterward. The reception was so big, so robust, so appreciated. What a start!

Cody York Photography

North Platte, Neb.
This was our hotel stop after driving for a seriously solid driving day. We had some foot races in the parking lot.

Cody York Photography

Turns out our tour manager and sound man extraordinaire, Jeff D. Johnson, is also a sprinter extraordinaire. After some morning stretching and fake yoga outside the van we were off for...

Cody York Photography

Denver, Colo.
The Bluebird! This was our third time playing here, and we're getting to know the neighborhood better each time. After sound check, we headed to the Thai restaurant almost immediately across the street. We heeded the lessons learned from our last visit there and no one even thought of ordering their food "Thai hot." We made our way back across the street in time to see Jeremy Messersmith's solo set. He's from the Twin Cities as well and has a beautiful, beautiful voice. We questioned him endlessly (maybe three minutes) on how his pedals worked and then took the stage. Denver was a big show -- the crowd was so involved and so in tune when singing along, which happened often. Effects of altitude aside, the set felt like it was about a half hour long -- just a big ole blur of joy and music and fog. Here's a time-lapse video of the show right here that is just that.

Boulder, Colo.
The last time Cloud Cult was in Boulder the band did some busking on Pearl Street, and made just a bit more than most shows during that week-long stretch. We were back today to play the Boulder Theater for a taping of 'eTown.' As we were pulling into Boulder we saw so many people walking so many dogs, and from the back of the van came five words: "We will pet dogs today." No one knows who was gripped by this premonition, but it came to pass not ten minutes later, almost as soon as we got out of the van.

Cody York Photography

After a few minutes of a kind owner and happy husky meet-and-greet, we loaded into an awfully gorgeous theater with some timeless-looking drum baffles, the kind your great grandma would have under plastic wrap if she had mastered the trap set in her younger days. While some production details were being sorted out, Sarah Jane and I went back in the alley to warm up and, inevitably, rehash pep band songs. Sarah gave an impromptu trumpet lesson to a passing four year old and we were called in for sound check.

Cody York Photography

We were met by a kind technical crew who gave us a run-through of the show, a run-through that included multiple references to a grand finale. We were then introduced to the show's hosts, Nick and Helen Forster, and the kindness continued. After Shawn Mullins (the other musician appearing for this taping) was done with his sound check we all went upstairs and discussed the finale. It was to be a cover we all knew that was evocative of the situation facing Boulder (we visited when the Four Mile Canyon fire was blazing on the outskirts of town). Craig suggested Tom Petty's 'I Won't Back Down' -- everyone at least knew the chorus -- and we got cracking. The show happened in a hurry after that, and the hospitality of everyone there was unflagging. We were introduced after the E-Chievement award winner was announced -- Sister Debbie Blow, a woman doing amazing work in Nicaragua (her organization's website is ncmissionofhope.org) -- and the good feelings abounded. While there were a number of familiar faces from the show in Denver the night before, we were an unknown to many attending the taping. The folks hearing us for the first time (and there were many who introduced themselves as first-time listeners) were gracious and receptive. The hospitality continued with some amazing post-show food, drink, and conversation and a late-evening tour of eTown's new digs down the street led by Nick and Helen.

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