Mainebiz Special Editions

V O L . X X X I I N O. X I X 76 Fact Book / Doing Business in Maine C O N T E N T S Labor Day marks 23 years since I took that leap. My love for Maine continues to deepen as I discover more of its land, waterways, and people. e stories I create are born from that affection. Whenever I fly back to Maine, I always book a window seat to watch the familiar lights of Casco Bay. On my late-night flight back to Portland after Christmas, I listened to "Portland Town" as the plane arced over the ocean before making a sharp left turn toward the bay. To my left, the beams from Portland Head Light, Spring Point Ledge » C O N T I N U E D F RO M PA G E 7 4 C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 7 8 » ABOVE: A week later, the band loads in for a show at Maine Beer Company in Freeport. The scene is far removed from the moment that helped set the band's formation in motion. After graduating from college in 2008, Will planned to work before pursuing graduate school. That October, as the weather turned colder, he spent a week beneath a camp on Sebec Lake, digging a trench by hand. "I was just laying in the dirt and thinking that maybe I should have a different adventure," he said, laughing. Soon afterward, he began visiting his brother and Nick, who were living together in Portland. During those early visits, he slept on their couch and played guitar with them to "see if we come up with any good ideas." Before long, Will moved to Portland, found another carpentry job and helped put the band together. RIGHT: Before the show in Freeport, Brian greets Will's sister, Molly, and Will's niece Maren, 1, and nephew Max, 5. The band members have become more than friends. "We're family at this point," Luke said. "You've got to be family, and you've got to treat each other as such." Will adds, "It's just been such a wonderful way to move through the world with this group of guys, working towards a common goal," he said. He remains grateful they took the chance. "To actually figure out a way to make it work, it's just been really wild and amazing," he said. The lights of 'Portland Town' In the weeks that followed, I listened often to the band's live recording of "Portland Town." It reminded me of that night and how unexpectedly meaningful it had been. My twenties were a restless blur in Wisconsin. I spent five years taking solo road trips across the coun- try, camping, visiting national parks and searching for a place that felt like home. One thing I knew for sure: wherever I landed, it had to be near the ocean. During one of those trips, I spent a single day in Portland. at was all it took. By the time I left that eve- ning and headed west, I knew I needed to move here. Lighthouse and Bug Light cut through the dark- ness. To my right lay the city lights. Looking out at the lights, the grief was still there, but it no longer filled the entire view. Sadness had been joined by a sense of closure and peace. As tears blurred the view outside my win- dow, I thought how comforting it was to see those lights again. I was home.

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