A lot has changed since the last time Birds of Chicago played in Toledo. Band member and Toledo native Jeremy Lindsay welcomed a baby girl with fellow vocalist Allison Russell. Their daughter, Ida Maeve, was born in December.
Birds of Chicago with newest member, photo by Chris Hamilton
“She’s our little road dog. She’s been touring with us since she was 4 weeks old,” Lindsay said. “She’s got 28 states under her belt and after [the current] tour she’ll be up to 34.”
The band began touring the Netherlands with their newborn in January.
“That’s her normal, you know? She sleeps in the car. She can sleep at night no matter what hotel room we’re in.” Lindsay said.
Lindsay said he never imagined raising a family on the road until they were forced to think about it.
“It occurred to me that the only way we can live like this … if you’re not bringing your family, you’ll just never see them,” Lindsay said. “I couldn’t handle that.”
Birds of Chicago will play at 9 p.m. May 28 at The Village Idiot, 309 Conant St., in Maumee. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.
The show comes after the release of their live album, “Live from Space,” which includes 17 tracks recorded live in Evanston, Illinois.
The collection of music features new songs and new arrangements of older songs.
Lindsay first started playing music in a jam band while in college. Some of his earliest music memories consist of him seeing indie bands at Frankie’s Inner-City on the East Side.
Birds of Chicago is the union of Lindsay’s Chicago band JT & The Clouds with Russell, who was originally from the band Po’ Girl. Their self-titled debut, which was released in 2012, consisted of mostly acoustic tracks including “Trampoline,” “Cannonball” and “Flying Dreams.” The band will be recording a second studio album later this year and will perform new tunes on the road this summer.
Back in September, Lindsay told Toledo Free Press it’s important for him to return to his hometown once a year.
“[There’s] a lot of people I love there and it’s where I’m from. … There’s always a little extra anticipation when I come back to visit my hometown,” Lindsay said. “Anytime you’re in a homecoming situation, it’s special.”
During the visit, like every time he comes home, Lindsay will get a pizza from The Original Gino’s Pizza.
“Nothing is certain but that,” he said.
Birds of Chicago has contributed a song, “All The City Girls,” to the upcoming American Red Cross charity CD, “Red, White & You, Too.”
For more information, visit the website birdsofchicago.com.
