INDIE INSTRUMENTALISTS RETURN TO TACOMA WITH SHOWS AT JAZZBONES AND THE NEW FRONTIER >>>

Trip the Light Fantastic is back - after taking some time off - but the band's return was far from a given. There were plenty of times of the last year, roughly the length of Trip the Light's "hiatus," when it seemed plausible that the instrumental indie rockers might never plug in together again.

Luckily, for ears in Tacoma, the boys of Trip the Light Fantastic figured it out, and their brand of far-out (now apparently chunkier) instrumentals has returned to the stage. On Sunday Trip the Light will play an all ages show at Jazzbones, then on Thursday, Feb. 4 they'll plug in for a 21+ crowd at The New Frontier with Freeze and Fur Coat and Clyde Kurtis.

In preparation for those shows, the Weekly Volcano caught up with Trip the Light Fantastic's Tyler Pratt. Below, you'll find his witty thoughts. This interview posted to Spew in two installments, with the first installment posting on Wednesday.

VOLCANO: You've got a show coming up at Jazzbones on Jan. 31, and then one at the New Frontier on Feb. 4. What can people expect? How would you describe the band's relationship with Tacoma these days? Does Tacoma get you?

PRATT: Expect lots and lots of shit-eating grins from us on stage. We don't get to play music like in Trip with any of our other projects. It's very special for us to get to get up there and throw down like there is no tomorrow. Tacoma has been great to us over the years. We are proud to have been raised here, and only hope to make the people of the City of Destiny feel the same way. I don't know if Tacoma "gets" us. We barely "get" us. All I know is we are lucky to play music that makes us smile like idiots and we hope we get the chance to do that till the day we die.

VOLCANO: What are your goals for 2010?

PRATT: Buy a generator and start playing on a whim in the middle of the fucking street just because. Oh, and keep riding the Trip the Light beast through the cosmos. 

VOLCANO: In your humble opinion, what are the top 3 bands playing in Tacoma right now?

PRATT: $2000 Puma, Goldwing and Wheelies

VOLCANO: Has the direction of the band changed at all since you've returned? What's different, and what's the same?

PRATT: Trip the Light Fantastic actual direction hasn't really changed. The music is very different, but what's the same is that idea behind why we play and the dynamic. When Joseph, Tom, David and I come together as Trip the Light Fantastic... you hear four guys; individual style trying to come out and come together. That's what we do.

VOLCANO: If you had to sum up Trip the Light Fantastic in one sentence, what would it be?

PRATT: Getting to bro down, throw down, and on a good night throw up.