So nice to see this posted here!!

Though I don't know him personally, I've had the pleasure of crossing paths with Lucas a few times over the last few months and he is as delightful in person as he is in writing. First met him when friends of his in Bellingham hosted a house concert to benefit New Orleans relief work and several friends of mine played. After the scheduled show, banjos and fiddles and dobros and washboards and more started coming off the walls and out of rooms and the night continued with Lucas and friends playing bluegrass, square dancing, juggling and otherwise filling me with glee into the wee hours.

He's still playing up a storm (at least five shows with his various projects scheduled between now and the end of May). Some of the instruments he plays (as he lists them on his MySpace site): Banjo, Saxophone, Accordion, Harmonica, Spoons, Bones, Suitcase, Guitar, Jug, Washboard, Vocals, Jaw Harp, Ukulele, Gourd Banjo, Piano, Beatbox, Marvelous Contraption…. some genres he's been known to play: Klezmer, Country Blues, Ragtime, Math Rock, Country, Old Time, Bluegrass, Eastern European, Progressive, junk hop.

His square dances are the talk of the town. I haven't (yet) made it up to see most of his music projects, but The Gallus Brothers (he and Devin Champlin) are pure joy! After their recent Seattle show, Lucas called an impromptu sidewalk square dance rehearsal which was great fun! I could fill pages, but the Pool or Pond website - http://poolorpond.net/lucashicks.html - has info, links to several of his MySpace sites, mp3s and a video clip of the Gallus Brothers from a show in Portland that's not to be missed! http://www.mizkittysparlour.com/podcasts/GallusBrosMKP.mov

Bellingham clearly has a wonderful, supportive, tight-knit community (much like this here Mudcat community seems to be… "virtual"? I don't think so! on the few occasions I've had to visit, what I've seen is as real as it gets). The love and warmth I've witnessed and felt radiating from these folks may or may not make cancer go away, but there's no doubt that it's powerfully healing. I came across this article of his a little while back, as the 6th turn-of-the-century house on my street was being torn down to be replaced by cheep new townhouses… his insight on sustaining a vibrant community through unwelcome changes was also powerful and timely.

Glad to see word getting out in the wider music world. Thank you Kat!

Claudia
zpackrat@gmail.com
Seattle, WA