Lake Street Dive Answers Your Questions in a Facebook Q&A

July 14  / Friday

Lake Street Dive takes over The Cap stage on Saturday, July 29. They answered some of the burning questions that many of you asked during the recent Q&A. Read on as their responses cover everything from greatest influences to favorite snack food. Be sure to grab a ticket to come see this awesome group do what they do!

Which of the Mikes can jump higher?- David Bourne

Bridget: I'd venture to guess Calabrese because he lifts weights like every day and his legs are incredibly strong. But McDuck is full of surprises, so who knows!

Bridget - I'd love to know which bassists influenced your sound and style.- Randy Matthes

Bridget: Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Diana Gannett, Mark Urness, Charlie Haden, Ben Street, Reid Anderson and Benjamin Lazar Davis

How does it feel knowing you'll be playing the same stage as one of your musical influences Fleetwood Mac played on in their prime?-Anthony McHale

Bridget: I actually didn't know that until I read this question, but I LOVE Fleetwood Mac and it is always inspiring and humbling to get to stand in the shoes of the people whose music moves me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdRAcoD5Gt0

At what moment did you all look at each other and say, "we actually have something here"?!- Mark Moehle

McDuck: There wasn't so much one single moment...in fact, over the years, the moments have been more akin to "let's make something here!" as opposed to "we already have something!" About seven years ago now we decided to go full time with this band, and it was the best thing we could've done. A band like this really needs everyone's full musical commitment to work! But even now, its sort of a night-by-night assessment: sometimes we get off stage and say "we've really made it!" And others we say "hmm...still needs some work..."

There have been so many iconic shows at The Capitol Theatre, like the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and Pink Floyd. If you could go back in time, what throwback show would you see at The Cap?- Danielle Renee

McDuck: Which Grateful Dead show?? They played there like a million times, over a dozen in 1970 alone!! You know, I read recently that David Bowie played there in the 90's, and I have to say, since losing him last year, I have really regretted not ever having gotten a chance to see him...so probably Bowie, in '97. It was probably a super weird show, but I'm sure it was rad too. Either that or eleven Dead shows in a six month span. You really can't hear "Tennessee Jed" too many times, right? And Bob Weir was so cute back then...

When you were naming the band, was there any other names that came to mind besides Lake Street Dive?- Craig Browning

McDuck: We initially thought we might go with the "Lead Singer and the Somethings" model, so here are some of the ideas we originally had: Rachael Price and the Price Tags Rachael Price and the Price is Right Rachael Price and a Price on Your Head Rachael Price and Two Guys Named Mike Rachael Price and the Bridget Kearneys Believe it or not, Lake Street Dive was ultimately the best choice. Go figure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya9lvA1POfQ

Being on the road on tour I'm sure you've had some crazy fun and wacky experiences....What tops them all?- Sara Driscoll

Calabrese: The wackiest was probably getting to play the south lawn of the White House for a staff party, and afterwards getting to meet Obama and Biden. I don't think anyone took a breath for four hours.

How many hours would you estimate you spend on the vocal harmonies for the background vocals? I saw you live in saxaphaw and they were flawless!- Spencer Morris

Calabrese: It varies song to song. At this point we're able to throw them together pretty quickly as soon as we decide the parts. Then it just takes a couple shows to get them feeling and sounding like we want.

If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you want to work on?- Erica Hernandez

Calabrese: I'd just want to play duo with James Jamerson for a couple days. He's the famous Motown bass player. Everybody, bass players and otherwise, should understand how he got that feel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMEPgLxvNPk

What is everybody's favorite snack food?

Rachael: Rachael's is popcorn. Bridget's is Doritos. Calabrese's is anti-snacking. McDucks is cheese!

How do you write your songs? Does one person write lyrics, or is it a collaboration? Or does the melody sometimes come first? And who's musical ideas are the melodies?- Sharyn Strassman Friedman

Rachael: We've always written our songs separately and then we do the arranging together. But recently, we've been trying our hand at co-writing and it's super fun. Currently we play song tag where we send a seed of a song to someone and have them finish it. As far as what comes first, it's always a bit different.

If you had the opportunity to have magic fairy dust sprinkled on you that allowed you to instantly master any instrument, which instrument would it be?- Jessi Bierbaum

Rachael: Druuuuuums! Or maybe just congas. But actually all drums cause singing drummers are the coolest.

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