After over two years of living in Portland, I have been without a band. I went two years, three months without being onstage, which since age 11, when I first picked up the double-bass in orchestra, is a record.

Then I met up with a keyboard player at work, Graham, who needed a fill-in bass player for his group, The Modulators, and I had my first gig as an Oregonian. That band promptly crumbled as the guitarist, drummer, and female lead singer quit.

But out of the ashes arose this new band. Graham and the other guitarist, Brad, have stayed and joined me and Cousin Kenny on drums to form…

WeeDunno

Coming up with band names always sucks. So when asked by the promoters of our first gig what our name was, Kenny just said, “we don’t know”, and the more we thought about it, the more we liked it. It’s in the tradition of The Who or The Guess Who; a name that should inspire an Abbott & Costello routine:

So what’s your band’s name?
WeeDunno.
Oh. Well, let me know when you think of one.
We have.
Oh. What is it?
WeeDunno.
You have a name, but you don’t know what it is?
Sure we do! I’ve told you twice!
You’ve told me “we don’t know” twice!
Exactly.
So that’s your band name?
Yes.
You’re called “exactly”?
No, WeeDunno.
If you say “third base” one more time, I’ll break your neck!
Sorry, I think you’re in the wrong routine. “Who’s on first” is down the hall…

Our first gig will be at an outdoor festival in St. Helens, Oregon, on Saturday, June 18th, from 3PM-3PM, at The Olde School. It will be at the end point of the city parade that day, so after you watch people and stuff ride slowly down the street, you can come on down for great music. There will be BBQ and a beer/wine garden as well.

WeeDunno is what we call a progressive/classic rock band. Our goal is to perform great rock tunes that you’re not hearing anybody else perform, stuff on the more eclectic / musically challenging edge of rock. You’re not going to hear any “Taking Care of Business” or “Sweet Home Alabama” three-chord jams that usual “classic rock” bands play. Our litmus test is that the songs we perform could not be called out at a jam session; every song requires a very definitive part to be played and the skill to play it right.

WeeDunno’s strengths are high-calibre musicianship and lush four-part vocal harmonies. Each member is a fantastic instrumentalist and vocalist. Our tight and accurate renditions of familiar and complex tunes is going to impress you and our four part harmonies are going to knock your socks off. Your sockless feet will be unable to resist the urge to tap to the beat and dance to the groove.

What are you going to hear? How about some Doobie Brothers, Sugarloaf, Climax Blues Band, Elton John, Greg Kihn Band, The Who, Genesis, Level 42, Steely Dan, The Doors…