Local Band Loses $15k In Equipment In Portland

Posted Monday Afternoon by Heather Roberts

PORTLAND, OR -- Bend-based rock band Precious Byrd lost vital instruments and equipment when their rig was broken into at a Portland-area hotel over the weekend. Lonnie Chapin says the band's SUV and trailer were parked in Lake Oswego Saturday night, "At a Hilton hotel; on the side of the hotel, lights were very bright in that area. We never put our band rig with our trailer anywhere that could be possibly suspicious, whatsoever." But, he tells KBND News, when he came out Sunday morning to head to a charity concert at the Moda Center, "The back window is blown out in our Yukon, a side window is blown out and $15,000 worth of guitars is gone out of the back of the rig."

Chapin says they were still able to perform at an event "near and dear" to the band - the Walk to Defeat ALS. "Lucky we had some backups and that helped us get through that event."

Insurance won't cover the loss, so the band is hoping they will be found. "All three guitars that were stolen are very unique," he says. The five-string bass is made by Warrior, with a distressed black body and maple neck; there was a Gold Top Gibson Les Paul, and a custom-made "TMG" Telecaster-style guitar.

Precious Byrd heads to Nashville this week. "Luckily, we have backups that we will take with us and use those," says Chapin, "That will get us through until hopefully someone can have some information or happens to see these guitars or hear about these guitars." Anyone with information is asked to contact Precious Byrd through their website or social media platforms.