Bart Budwig

LA GRANDE — Cooper Trail and Desolation Horse will make a stop in La Grande during their first tour in the band’s three-year existence.

They’d planned a tour in 2022, but illness sidelined those plans.

“This is our debut tour,” Trail said. “We’re super stoked.”

Desolation Horse will headline a show on Wednesday, July 12, at HQ, 112 Depot St.

The concert opens with Bart Budwig as a solo act, followed by Pendleton band Sheridan.

The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance at lagrandehq.com/tickets or $12 at the door.

Now a four-piece band, Desolation Horse began as Trail’s solo project at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But it wasn’t his first foray into songwriting and recording.

In 2020, when the pandemic shut down all live shows, Trail was touring in Europe with Budwig, who he’s known for more than 20 years.

“He’s one of my oldest buddies, especially in terms of music,” Trail said.

He’d entered the music scene as a drummer for various bands after graduating from high school in Moscow, Idaho. Now, at 28, he’s studying English at the University of Idaho, in addition to his music.

Desolation Horse is his second band — he recorded an album with his first, called Mise.

As for the name of his current band, Trail said it was inspired by a tattoo featuring a horse and the word “desolation.”

“It won’t ever get confused with another band,” he said.

He describes their music style as indie rock, but also “distorted” with the use of all electric instruments.

“It’s got a thorough rock vibe,” he said.