Lisa and John McLaggan included Humboldt as one of 10 tour stops for their two week long joy ride across the prairies as Tomato/Tomato (pronounced To-May-Toe, To-Mah-Toe).
The musical husband and wife pair were on the Humboldt and District Gallery stage on March 9 as part of the Humboldt Area Arts Council’s third of four shows for the Stars for Saskatchewan series.
“I really like getting to know these communities and stepping in and seeing what it’s all about everywhere. Everyone’s been wonderful,” says Lisa.
In regards to their Humboldt stop, Lisa hopes everyone got the chance to get to know them, both as musicians and people, and left the Gallery happier than when they arrived.
From La Ronge to Leader, the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Council (OSAC) Stars for Saskatchewan tour was a great way for New Brunswick based band to see the province, says the duo, with plenty of stories of them getting to know Saskatchewan.
And Saskatchewan did not disappoint, says John since they actually got to see the province instead of flying into Saskatoon or Regina and flying back out.
“You really get a feel for what the province is like and I do like your straight roads.”
Arriving for the first show in Hudson Bay, none of their bags or instruments arrived with them, says John.
Unfortunately, that did mean playing in the clothes they travelled in, but thankfully they were able to rent some instruments to play and concerned Hudson Bay residents offered them the essentials.
That is just goes to show the true definition of Saskatchewan hospitality, says Lisa.
“We tour quite a bit and to show up somewhere with no instruments, no suitcase, no toothbrush, nothing, we couldn’t have been in a better area for that to happen. The communities here have been so welcome and warm. We just felt so taken care of.”
Storytelling was a major part of their OSAC stops with John and Lisa having numerous stories to share about their life on the road and their life together.
Bats were a big part of their life in Iowa with bats often getting trapped in the house. Being humane people, and considering brown bats are endangered in Iowa, John says he got really good at catching them under a salad bowl and sliding a cookie sheet underneath to take them outside for release. Lisa never was “equipped” to deal with bats, she says, and admits to being more of a hindrance to the process than an actual help.
They do get angry under the salad bowl, says John.
When they went to sell their house, they were hesitant to tell potential owners their bat troubles.
With many of their songs being written from stories of their life, Lisa says they did mention their house full of bat in their song, Gotta Get Out Of This Town.
Tomato/Tomato’s Humboldt stop was sponsored by Causeway Natural Health.
Tomato/Tomato wrapped up their OSAC Saskatchewan tour with their last show on March 14.
Chris Henderson will be wrapping up the second Humboldt Area Arts Council Stars for Saskatchewan series on April 14 and will be sponsors by Behiel Will and Biemans Law Offices.
