The Blokes’ Highway 89 Road Tour: Day 1, Part 1
Day 1, Part 1: The day begins
Day 1, Part 2: Pine Creek to the Livingston Bar and Grill
Day 2: Wilsall, Martinsdale, Twodot, and Big Timber
Details and a listing of bar stops for this May 3 and 4 tour
Confucius said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This one began with a logo. Although the journey will be considerably less than a thousand miles, the plan is an ambitious one, encompassing two days of musical bar hopping along the way from Gardiner to Two Dot, and beyond to Big Timber.
Blokes bandleader Keith Lawrie told me this morning as the band was preparing to take its bus load of fans south on Highway 89 that the idea for the tour was hatched when Brant Robey designed the Blokes’ logo. From there, all agreed, there had to be a tee shirt. And if there was a tee shirt, it had to have a listing of tour stops on the back. And, Lawrie said, “Of course, you can’t have a tour tee shirt without doing
a tour.”
Adding more energy to the idea was a recent purchase of new sound equipment. The new gear makes it so easy to set up and tear down that The Blokes decided they could easily play for half an hour at every stop and get back on the road within minutes. (Although, if Grand Hotel owner Larry Edwards is granted his wish, the Big Timber bar
stop on Sunday might be a bit longer.)
Brant told me I could stay in touch by phone to get an idea where I might catch the band later today. The band does have a schedule, but “You never know what’ll happen as we go.” That, along with the musical treat for Park County listeners along Highway 89 and beyond, is the point and the charm of the Aussie Folk band’s excellent adventure.
When I asked this morning’s early bus ride ticketholders if they were groupies they responded “Yes!” with great
enthusiasm. I asked the bus driver, who has never done anything like this before, if he had any idea what to expect. He said no, but agreed that he was ready for anything and willing to go where the day took him. 
PHOTOS, from top to bottom (click any image to enlarge): Blokes Don Corbo and Keith Lawrie; proud owners of Blokes tee shirts: Keith, Rashid, Elizabeth, and Brant (who designed the logo that started it all); Blokes Bingo Mielke and Keith Lawrie load the band’s sound gear and instruments; on the bus with self-avowed groupies Sarah, Pat, and Holly; the willing driver, ready for anything. Part 2: Pine Creek to the Livingston Bar and Grill
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