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The Rex Theater was filled with the sounds of storytelling last Thursday evening when Tylor & the Train Robbers took the stage at the historic Thompson Falls venue. The Boise-based band played for two solid hours and welcomed Thompson Falls alum Tanner Laws as their opening act.

Laws warmed up the crowd of about 70 with his original songs, including one that he finished writing the lyrics for while traveling Thursday from Missoula, where he now lives. Randy Roberts, who coordinated the entertainment for the evening, called Laws "the singing engineer," noting that Laws graduated last year from Montana Tech with an engineering degree.

"Everyone has been thankful we've been playing, and we're thankful for you all to be here," said Tylor Ketchum as his band began their set on Thursday. The band was forced to cancel tour dates for more than a year due to the pandemic and recently hit the road to begin playing again.

Ketchum and his bandmates, including his brothers Tommy and Jason Bushman and his father-in-law Johnny Pisano, were headed to Whitefish to play Friday and Saturday before heading back to Idaho for more stops. The band said they also have an East Coast tour planned for September with the band Reckless Kelly.

Tylor & the Train Robbers' new album, "Non-Typical Find," drops in July. Much of the material for the new album came from time sidelined during the pandemic. Ketchum told the audience how he got married right before COVID-19 forced closures and how he was inspired to write some of the band's new songs. He writes the lyrics and takes them to the rest of the band, who add the perfect tune to his stories. "If you wanna walk with me, you better hand me your heart," Ketchum sang during "Before It's Too Late."

Ketchum said he is inspired by being on the road, and more than half of the new album is based on "what everyone was going through" during the pandemic. The title track from the new album was inspired by a buddy's tale of going horn hunting and coming upon a dead body. "This guy can turn anything into a song," Pisano said of Ketchum.

The band typically spends more than 200 days on the road during the year. While the four men have different musical influences, they all bring something unique to the band. Roberts said he heard them about three years ago, liked their music, and had hoped to bring them to Thompson Falls one day.

Tylor and the Train Robbers closed their main set with "This Town," written about all the little towns they visit on tour, Ketchum said. He said they have met great people on the road, many of whom have become friends they come back to and visit. The band had never been to Sanders County and commented on the friendly residents and the beautiful scenery.

Next up at The Rex will be open mic night on Friday, June 18, followed by father-daughter duo The Teccas on June 19.