Being in a band is a lot like being in a relationship.  Sometimes relationships end, and even though you start dating someone else, there’s still something that prompts you to get back together and give it another go.  Band breakups and reunions can be like that too, and recently reunited bands Three Mile Pilot and Optiganally Yours will soon show Bay Area audiences whether they’ve still got the magic in a couple of upcoming shows.

Three Mile Pilot – “One Step Ladder”

Three Mile Pilot used to be a prolific indie band, hailing from the great coastal city of San Diego. Band leader Armistead Burwell Smith IV has gone on to see much more acclaim with his “other” band Pinback, but among fans, the question of which act is better is hotly debated. Alongside the reunion tour, there are whispers of a new album dropping sometime this year, so everybody can get their fill of the mighty Three Mile Pilot.

But wait, there’s more! In relationship terms, this tour is something of a love triangle, as Optiganally Yours, also from San Diego, is Pinback singer Rob Crow’s other band. The group formed in 1995 around the Mattel instrument the Optigan (hence the name), and their music can be described as witty, dreamy and refined. You can definitely also hear where Rob got some of his math-rock influences in Pinback.

The bands will first stop in the Bay on July 18th, for a Bottom of the Hill performance that is totally sold out. 3MP and Optiganally Yours are also playing at the Blank Club in San Jose on the 24th and tickets are still available. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and predict some Armistead/Crow crossover at the upcoming shows. Just a humble bet, but it would be rad.