Saturday's gig arrived before I knew it. It was my and Chad Hinman's first gig with Thin Rail. I am admitting rather openly - except for typing in the address for the event and updating it on this website - I had no idea the location we were playing. Imagine my excitement when I realized the building! If you know Southeast Portland, but you haven't been to an event at the Hawthorne Theatre, you will recognize the building on the corner of 39th and Hawthorne. It was once

I was getting comfortable with practicing and woodshedding material in the basement of our 1916 Foursquare in Southeast Portland. There was no looming gig dates - no official debut of the new band line-up. Besides, I was safe. No one in the band was actively working to book the band at a venue. With no goal in sight, and no pressure to get it exactly right, I relaxed. I found myself relaxing into play time with a bunch of kind hearted, playful Montana boys. My relaxat