The Weather Machine is the band project of singer/songwriter Slater Smith - originally local to

Sisters, now living in New Zealand, and touring across both continents. Over the last decade

Smith has come to be known for his hearty lyricism and theatrical flair, always complimented by

the band’s reputation for exploring a wide territory, spanning everything from experimental post-

glam to more traditional indie folk and rock. Smith now returns to The Belfry, and will be joined

by opener and longtime friend Travis Ehrenstrom, both of whom share deep roots in the

community as alumni of Sisters’s unique Americana Project. Every Weather Machine show at

the Belfry is warm, tinged with nostalgia, and just a little bit of a ruckus, and tonight will be no

different.

Smith started The Weather Machine recording in Pacific City and living in Portland, Oregon in

the early 2010s, self-releasing the ‘The Weather Machine’ album debut and sophomore ‘Peach’

with his bandmates and collaborators and seeing wide success with b-side ‘Slow Dance Slow’

released through Portland label Tender Loving Empire.

Independent and self-managed, Smith made some odd creative bedfellows by collaborating with

the Oregon State Parks system to promote environmentalism and the outdoors. This resulted in

a viral music video in ‘Back O’er Oregon,” and a collaborative concept record called ‘The

Pelican,” commemorating Oregon’s famous Beach Bill.

The Weather Machine’s success ultimately led to opening for Alabama Shakes, Lumineers,

Cold War Kids, Josh Ritter, and Mt. Joy in the late 2010s. However, the onset of the 2020

pandemic forced Smith and his bandmates to turn away from touring and inward toward

recording - but now they’re back on the road playing new songs! Recorded and produced by

Tucker Martine at Flora Studios, The Weather Machine’s latest record is full of deep thoughts,

big rock and roll sounds, and lots of fun featuring longtime Weather Machine band members

and collaborators Luke Jackson (drums), Tim Karplus (guitar & keys), Noah Berstein (sax), and

André Zapata (bass).

Travis Ehrenstrom brings quality musicianship and well-crafted original songs to every

performance. Whether gigging with his band TEB or performing solo, Travis is accompanied by

an old soul and the spirit of John Prine, Jackson Browne, and Bob Dylan. He has released four

albums—Selections (2020), Northwest Americana (2019), Something on the Surface (2018),

Remain A Mystery (2013) since his 2007 debut, Somewhere in Between. Travis’s last project,

titled “Our Creative States,” saw him traveling to and writing & releasing songs about most of

the states in the America. Look for Travis across America or at home in the Pacific Northwest.