The Accidentals in Where the Rhubarb Meets the Road

The Accidentals are currently in the midst of a major tour of North America (which included a Vancouver stop at the Rickshaw Theatre Oct. 14). But that hasn’t stopped the Traverse City, MI city trio from releasing a new video (see below). Or from taking part in our new feature, Where the Rhubarb Meets the Road. 

The group is made up of multi-instrumentalists Sav Buist and Katie Larson, along with drummer Michael Dause. Sony Masterworks recently released their debut album Odyssey. The record includes the singles “KW”, “Memorial Day” and the title track. Co-produced by the band members along with engineer Jason Lehning, the record includes guests such as Kaki King, Jenny Conlee, and Keller Williams. 

The band’s energy-filled live shows and genre-bending songs have earned attention from the likes of Billboard, NPR Music, and Yahoo Music. Below, Larson and Dause share what keeps the hard-touring band’s engines running. 

Jake Allen needs his chocolate malt!

The Snipe: Do band members have any special food needs, allergies or eating disorders?

Katie: The road has made us very flexible eaters. Sav was born without a sense of smell, so she has a hard time tasting and judges most food based on texture and level of spice. She is also allergic to mint.

The Snipe: What/where was the last great meal you had?

Katie: Last night we had a day off in Seattle and our tour manager took us to a fancy restaurant called The Palace Kitchen where we splurged on fondue, mussels, hearty entrees and coconut pie and custard. Sometimes our meals are squished in between soundcheck and a show, or on the road traveling to a venue, so taking the time to sit down and feast was amazing. I’m still full.

The Snipe: Are you, or someone else in the band, what you might call a “foodie”? If so, in what way is s/he a foodie? (i.e., “So-and-so has to find a farmer’s market in every city we visit…”)

Diversity is the spice of life

Katie: I think all of us have our own foodie moments. We’re touring with another artist named Jake Allen right now, and he’s constantly on a desperate hunt for either a chocolate malt or hot and soup. Michael is really into local beer, and since Sav was born without a sense of smell she is a daredevil when it comes to trying exotic hot sauces.

Personally, my goal is to have diverse and enjoyable food experiences on the road. I love eating healthy but on this tour I have equally loved eating beignets at 2 a.m. in a New Orleans cafe, tacos in the southwest, BBQ in Austin, acai smoothie bowls at the beach in California, Thai food from an Oregon food truck..etc. We’re rarely in one place long enough to buy groceries and cook, but when we do I often find that to be a therapeutic experience. I have an Instagram account called Katie.Eats.Food where I record our interesting meals and stories from finding food on the road.

Watch–The Accidentals, “Odyssey” (official music video)

The Snipe: What is the one most important thing that you’ve learned about eating while touring?

Michael: Trying to make healthy food choices on the road is super important. Making sure that you are putting good things into your body is half the battle when trying to stay physically and mentally healthy out on tour.

Katie: My biggest focus in the past three years is to listen to my body. When we’re looking at food options or items on a menu I really focus on what kind of energy I need and make an intentional choice.

If I’m feeling heavy after a long drive day I might need fresh greens/vegetables, or something easy to digest. After a busy day I might need a giant hamburger, or a really sweet smoothie or if I’m feeling sick I’ll slam down some soup, tea, water, etc. Sometimes you have to indulge as long as you can find a balance.

In 2015 our touring experiences made me want to spend some time in nature learning more about sustainable agriculture. I had the opportunity to spend a week working on a goat dairy farm in Florida called Serenity Acres. One of the best experiences I’ve had.

What doesn’t kill you: one Taco Bell meal per tour

The Snipe: What is the meal-of-last-resort when on the road?

Michael: While we try to stay super healthy, sometimes no other options present themselves. If all of us are starving after loading out from a show at 1 a.m., there aren’t too many places open that late. We allow ourselves one Taco Bell meal per tour. It’s a last resort move that happens every so often, but sometimes it’s the only option.

Katie: Gotta love those bean and cheese Taco Bell burritos. Sometimes in the middle of the night I’ll buy ramen noodles at a gas station and use the hot water dispenser to heat them up. I bought a spoon-fork-knife utensil so I am always prepared.

The Snipe: How do you find places to eat–crowd-sourced via social media, restaurant reviews, Yelp?

Michael: Whenever we’re in a new city, we’ll ask the locals. People love to tell you where that cool hole-in-the-wall place is that only locals know about. But apps like Yelp and TripAdvisor are good sources to tap when you need to find something good to eat fast.

Kombucha! 

The Snipe: Any shout-outs to venues that are especially memorable due to extraordinary food that comes with playing a show?

Michael: Some of the festivals we play in the summer take place on farms, and usually the food at the fest will come directly from the farm it takes place at. I don’t know if I could name just one, but the fests that cook all their own food are some of my favourite meals ever.

Katie: Our friends at City Winery always feed us amazing brussels sprouts.

The Snipe: Locally-made craft IPA vs. a PBR (or, if neither, beverage of choice).

Katie: Kombucha! Some of the bars we’ve played on the west coast actually have kombucha on tap and it’s gives me the will to load out after a show.

Michael: Local IPA. Or local soda, or kombucha. It’s always interesting to see what is being locally produced across the country. There’s no better way to connect with potential fans than to ask them about the things they love in their community.

The Accidentals tour dates:

22 – Pueblo, CO – Sangre De Christo Arts Center
26 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe – Back Room
27 – Muskegon, MI – Frauenthal Center
28 – State Theatre of Bay City – Bay City, MI
29 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall

NOVEMBER
2 – Milwaukee, WI – Live From The Back Room @ Colectivo
3 – Yorkville, IL – Law Office Pub & Music Hall
5 – Chicago, IL – City Winery Chicago
5 – Fort Wayne, IN – C2G Music Hall
6 – Louisville, KY – Zanzabar
7 – Columbus, OH – The Basement
8 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern
9 РPittsburgh, PA РClub Caf̩
10 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java
11 – Takoma Park, MD – Square In The Circle
12 – Easton, MD – Stoltz Listening Room
13 – New York, NY – The Cutting Room
14 – Bethlehem, PA – Fowler Blast Furnace Room & Loft
15 – Cambridge, MA – Club Passim
16 – Greenfield, MA – Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center
17 – Albany, NY – The Linda – WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio