On the afternoon of opening up for Kneebody, one of their favorite bands, our Portland friends Trio Subtonic played the same role in the KNKX studios. Spirits were high, and the trio brought a pair of exciting additions.

It was a wild afternoon, with both bands arriving at our studios and Kneebody setting up first but performing second. Trio Subtonic keys player and leader Galen Clark wondered about how much of his own gear he should load in. "I guess I'll just play his Rhodes?" he said, as Kneebody's Adam Benjamin warmed them up on the other side of the studio's (mostly) sound proof glass.

Frequent trio collaborator Dan Balmer made the trip up from Portland, lending exciting guitar effects from interstellar tones to burning solo runs. Balmer's work on the trio's Live at the Alberta Street Pub CD solidifies his role as the "Fourth Subtonic".

Balmer told us he's had many opportunities to play opening sets. He says common courtesy is the key. "You stop when you're supposed to, you get out of the way and say 'Thank you'. You're always glad to get yourself in front of the other group's audience."

The band's second studio session bonus was hearing Seattle's D'Vonne Lewis with the group on drums. Galen Clark was thrilled to have him on their new single "Elegy", "We love playing with D'Vonne every chance we get!"

Trio Subtonic visited Olympia's Rhythm and Rye for another show on their way home, and told us they hope to perform regular engagements up and down Interstate 5 in the new year.

With a new single out, Clark told us we can also hope for a new album. "We haven't set any recording dates yet," Clark says, "but I have a bunch of new material." We're ready when you are, fellas.

Songs:
1) Bombast
2) Elegy

Musicians:
Galen Clark, keys
Dan Balmer, guitar
Bill Athens, bass
D'Vonne Lewis, drums

Audio:
John Kessler

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