The Moondoggies ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Following in the funky footsteps of Wheedle’s Groove isn’t an enviable task, but a newly expanded Moondoggies line-up stepped up to the challenge Sunday afternoon at Sasquatch. Taking the stage as a six-piece after an all-night drive from Montana, the central harmonies of Kevin, Carl and Caleb were joined by Jon Pontrello on tambourine/guitar, Micah Simler on bass and Jeremy Bruno on lap steel. Simler is recognizable to local music fans as the bassist of SHIM and The Golden Blondes, while Bruno is being borrowed for shows from former Moondoggies’ tourmates Quiet Life.

It wasn’t just the line-up that was different, the band played three brand new songs amidst old favorites like “Black Shoe” and “What Took So Long” that the mid-afternoon crowd happily sang along to. The expanded line-up and two of the new songs highlight a more robust Moondoggies, a return to the driving hooks and harmonies of Don’t Be A Stranger. “Don’t Ask Why” is a boogie blues rocker, where Caleb Quick’s masterful work on keys overtakes Murphy’s throaty twang, culminating in a jangly jam of keys, guitar, lap steel and drums that even The Dead could be proud of. Sasquatch set ender, “Do You Love Me?” was so new it seemed all but the skeleton of a pop song. The tune took the Moondoggies out of their three-part-harmony sweet-spot and featured Dahlen, Murphy and Quick singing the same plaintive howl of “Do You Love Me?” in crisp solo rounds. It was one of the few moments where the newness hurt more than helped, ending the set on a tentative note rather than with an exclamation point proclaiming the promise shown in these new explorations.

Your next chance to see The Moondoggies locally is June 15th at Westlake Park as part of the “Out to Lunch” summer concert series and it’s free.

The Moondoggies ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

The Moondoggies ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

The Moondoggies ::: photo by Abbey Simmons