Benjamin Weikel, former drummer for Modest Mouse, is 50% of the Portland-based Sub Pop indie rock duo The Helio Sequence, who spent countless hours in their home studio learning to wack out their pop-rock templates with spacey ambient electronic keyboard textures for 2004’s Love And Distance.

The Helio Sequence - Blood Bleeds
The Helio Sequence - Everyone Knows Everyone

Unfortunately, the other 50%, guitarist and singer Brandon Summers, shredded his vocal cords on the subsequent tour, and had to totally relearn his craft with rigorous training and rehab sessions before last year’s Keep Your Eyes Ahead became feasible.

The Helio Sequence - Can’t Say No
The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

The opening acts couldn’t be more perfect: former Hackensaw Boys bassist Tom Peloso also went on to play with the Mouse, and local favorites Ki:Theory also play glitchy gizmo-rock.

Ki:Theory - The Smallest Piece