The Field of Dreams

Local guitar-and-bass trio Silo Halo is on an eight-day tour of the Midwest. We’ve asked the band to send us thoughts and photos from the road.

Christin Durham writes:

If you build it, we will come. On the movie set of Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, Chris rounded the bases, and the woman working the tourist booth rambled about tattoos, piercings (“all those holes”) and regret. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. I was amazed by all the little black birds with bright red-striped wings. Chris thought maybe they were related to the oriole (turns out they are called red-wing blackbirds). Rachel seemed relieved when we finally headed east and crossed over the boarder into Illinois. We successfully sprung her from small town Iowa.

I slept some more in the van and awoke to find us crawling in Chicago Skyway traffic, but it really wasn’t bad compared to what can happen in the D.C. area. We made our way eagerly to the Chicago Diner, which has been meat-free since 1983. I had the vegan chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes, and I can say without a doubt that it was one of the 10 best meals I’ve ever eaten in my life. Greg got this amazing-looking vegan milkshake, but I was too full to partake of sweets. I did have two Jameson and gingers, as my tummy was protesting all the ibuprofen I’d been taking on an empty stomach to combat the throes of my demon uterus. They are served in pint glasses for $7—enough said. We had a dreamy waiter who ended up at our show at Township later that night.

Christin Durham, Greg Svitil and Chris Goett of Silo Halo in front of the Chicago Diner

This has been a tour of meeting up with old friends. Before the show, I met up with my buddy James who I lived with in Austin, Texas, and also with my friend Mark who I hadn’t seen since 1996. It felt like no time had passed. It was so great to catch up with them both, I just wish we’d had more time. Rachel dutifully set up and womaned the merch table while we watched Transmontane play a beautiful set. We played second, and then Architecture took me to a perfect place with some of the sweetest, saddest and dreamiest music I’ve ever experienced live. We implored those ladies numerous times to please come play in D.C. I could see them on a bill with Cigarette, creating a night of sonic magic.

Chris crashed with his old buddy Katie and her dog, Badger. Rachel, Greg, and I stayed with Ryan. He has a house full of musical toys, awesome and kitschy art and two cute little doggies named Bones and Tatertot. He brought me a cup of coffee in bed, which is probably the nicest and most helpful thing anyone can do for me on tour. Once we were all adequately cleaned and dressed, we headed back to the Chicago Diner to meet up with Chris and have another mind-blowing meal. I got “steak” and eggs, an Irish coffee, a regular coffee and a Bloody Mary. We then said goodbye to Ryan and headed off to the toll booths, where I was reminded of Edie Sedgwick tour when Justin Moyer aggressively assisted a confused couple in front of us at one of the automated booths who couldn’t seem to find their way forward.

The people we are about to meet up with in Bloomington, Ind. are more dear friends who knew me during the craziest times in my life. I keep telling Chris, Greg and Rachel, “Everything I’m telling you will all make sense once you meet these people.” First stop, Big Red Liquors.

Architecture at Township