Jillian Pollock says she’d follow Dude Mountain to the ends of the earth.
So far, that hasn’t been necessary. But Pollock did fly from Ketchikan to Juneau with a bunch of friends to catch their hometown band at the Crystal Saloon on Saturday night.
“We’ve been talking about how exciting it is to be in such a vibrant scene, because Ketchikan is amazing!” Pollock said. “But it’s a little bit sleepy.”
Pollock and friends were part of what the Juneau bar’s sign called a “Ketchikan takeover.” Stasha McCormick, the wife of frontman Cullen McCormick, had rallied their close friends and fans at bars and on Twitter before the show.
“I just started talking them into it,” Stasha said. “Dividend checks, air miles, end of season: everyone had a little extra money, and I said, ‘Let’s go!”
Dude Mountain say their music is a mix of psychedelic rock and blues. The trio formed two years ago, first playing the instrumental backing for open mic nights in Ketchikan, which they say helped them learn to improvise and communicate in the moment.
Their musical chemistry was immediate, said drummer Kalijah LeCornu.
“Right from the first jam. There were some songs we played at our show that were literally from the first time we played together at his house,” LeCornu said.
The Crystal Saloon show was just their second gig outside of Ketchikan. McCormick says it was easily their best.
“We went backstage, and we’re talking, and we’re like — we didn’t miss a note,” Cullen said. “Not one note was missed. Not one.”
Next, the band is planning to record an EP featuring songs they performed at the Crystal Saloon on Saturday night, including a tribute to their hometown called simply, “Ketchikan.”
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly described the band’s drummer as its bassist.
