Amy Lu's View

Sometimes it really does feel like all the world’s a stage, or at least that an audience can pop up at any time. 

Our band Pigeons From Hell played an impromptu concert this weekend–okay, only for two people and only for about twenty minutes–and it was awesome. 

As a literal garage band, we were in the midst of our mostly weekly Friday night rehearsal in our lead guitarist’s garage, when a car stopped in the alley. We all immediately thought “Uh-Oh…” We’re we going to be yelled at for being too loud? We actually had the cops called on us a couple of years ago at the South Minneapolis neighborhood Porch Fest, so have some basis for this fear. 

But no, we weren’t in trouble…the woman driving the car said they had heard music and so were driving around looking for the source, and wanted to know if it was okay if they stopped and listened to us. 

Of course it was okay, and after a song or so we invited them to hang out on the patio so they’d be more comfortable. They listened to a total of three or four songs (including Chad’s original “Naked” and a cover of Lone Justice’s “Shelter”) and said they thought we were great. They even clapped. 

They asked where we played, and we said “here” (as in the garage) but listed a few of our venues from the Before Times (Driftwood Char Bar, Acadia). As they left they said they hoped to catch us again. 

We don’t know for sure how they found us–were they people from the neighborhood? Visiting some friends or in the area for one of the high school sports ball events? (We couldn’t really see them as it was dark). 

It was a random and beautiful moment of connection with strangers–something that probably wouldn’t have happened before we were vaccinated. 

It was also our first performance since Covid (unless we count the cyclists who stopped by a couple of weeks ago), and our first performance of the latest version of our band–Pigeons From Hell 4.0. 

Yes, Pigeons from Hell has yet another lineup, with the biggest change that I’m now on drums, instead of keyboards. Why? Our most recent drummer and drummer #3, Tom, who is an amazing drummer, understandably decided he needed more time for other things. So I finally decided to let go of my career as a Linda McCartney (keyboardist for Wings) and go back to my home instrument of drums. 

And I LOVE it. Yes, I miss the keys, and I definitely appreciate my time playing them and how I had the chance to grow my keyboard mojo, but playing drums now feels so very right. It feels right for me, and right for the times, and the boys of the band are doing an admirable job of adapting to a new drummer and my quirks (I basically have a three grove repertoire and cannot be reliably counted on to end a song the same way twice in a row). 

Pigeons From Hell current lineup:

• Mike Trench: lead guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, garage/rehearsal space owner
• Chad Snyder: guitarist, bassist, lead vocalist, songwriter, mandolinist, provider of witty acerbic remarks
• John Price: guitarist, bassist, lead vocalist, songwriter, provider of witty interstitial banter
• Amy Luedtke: drummer, lead vocalist, consumer of canned wine cocktails

I’ve also discovered that I can regularly drum AND sing lead (for at least three of the songs in our set). Maybe I’m moving from my Linda McCartney phase to aspiring to be Karen Carpenter.

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Whatever version of the band we are or may be, playing for other people is magical (and somewhat terrifying–yes, I was nervous about having an audience of two!). Playing for each other and for ourselves is the heart of making music, but adding the experience for playing others is–well, I can’t think of a good metaphor or analogy or description (which is one of the many reasons I am the only band member who has not written my own song/s) so I just have to settle for saying it’s really cool. 

Speaking of songwriting…not only do we have a pretty different lineup from when we started as a Twin Town Guitars student band covering The Pretenders (as in Chrissie Hynde and the) we now play several original songs and a wide variety of covers. Currently, we only do two covers of The Pretenders songs. (Trivia question: where does our band title come from?)

“Circumstance beyond our control,

The phone, the TV and the news of the world

Got in the house like a pigeon from hell,

Threw sand in our eyes and descended like flies”

“Back on the Chain Gang,” The Pretenders

If you’ve made it this far in this post, you must be wondering how and where you can catch a Pigeons From Hell performance. We actually do have a gig coming up (hopefully for more than two people) but it’s for a private corporate event (thanks to John’s connections). But it’s not too early for you to think about if you, yes you, could host a backyard or garage Pigeons show next year as soon as the weather gets nice (the cops probably won’t get called). And maybe, just maybe, Covid will start getting less scary and we’ll be able to perform indoors somewhere with walls and everything. 

And…maybe, just maybe, we’ll spend some time in the garage this winter when it’s not too cold and might even record an original song or two. Maybe we’ll even come up with an original song about Pigeons.