Tonic Room (Chicago, IL) 9.16.2011, Plus Good Times in Champaigne and Decatur

Wow the days have just gotten by me here. Getting ready for our fall tour (kicks off this Friday!) has taken away from my all my precious blogging time. I sat down today and realized that it's been nearly a month since I posted pics from any of our shows. eeeyikes.

So here's the short and sweet of it.

Memphis on Main (Champaigne, IL) 9.10.2011
On Saturday September 10, we rolled into Champaigne for a show at Memphis on Main with Neoga Blacksmith and Devout Sinners. Both sets were really fantastic. It felt like a dark stormy night on a backwoods porch somewhere in Mississippi. Lots of talk of devils and moonshine, and amazing harmonies from Devout Sinners.

The fuel tank bass above was pretty awesome...I'm not sure if that's what it was, but it had one string and you had to wear construction gloves to play it... nice.

We toasted the night with beers in jars.


Tonic Room (Chicago, IL) 9.16.2011
Six nights later we were sobered up for our Tonic Room show in Chicago.  This was our first time at the Tonic Room and I have to say it might be one of my new favorite places to play here at home.  There was a "who gives a fuck attitude" to the night.  You were all clearly cramped and hot, and I'm sure all the dancing only made it worse.  You absolutely made it the kind of night we wait for.

Oakwood Block Party/LSB After Party (Decatur, IL) 9.24.2011
The following weekend we strolled into Decatur with guest bassist Patrick Byrd (back of head pictured below) for the Oakwood Block Party.  It was grand ol' time and always fun to catch up with our friends in Decatur.  We played an after part that night at Lock Stock and Barrel with Ashley Riley (big ups to Doosh Mcgoosh).  The good times rolled on through the night and we even made some new friends, one of which was an investigative reporter for the local news (I'm expecting a 10 PM news shout out, Paulina).

So that brings us to today...a little over 24 hours before we embark on our fall tour. Getting the bags packed and the fantasy football roster preset as we speak.  Check out all the dates HERE!  See you in Bloomington!

Oakwood Block Party And Lock Stock and Barrel After Party in Decatur, IL This Saturday 9/24!

So excited for this!  We're pleased to announce we'll be performing at this year's FREE end-of-summer Oakwood Block Party in Decatur, IL on Saturday 9/24.

The festival is happening on S. Oakland in the West End of Decatur.  It's FREE to get in! Here's the line- up... we're stoked.

9:00 - England Chambers Band
7:30 - Emerson Holliday
6:15 - Matt Livasy
4:30 - Verona Red
3:00 - Cal Street Band

If a full day of drinking isn't enough, and I hope it's not, we'll be performing at the official festival after party at Lock Stock and Barrel (129 S. Oakland Ave.) at 10 PM!

Let's get weird Decatur.

Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=203819139654738

Lincoln Square Lounge (Decatur, IL) 7/9/2010

So I've decided there must be something in the water in Decatur IL, that brings out the kind of serious rock and roll mentality that it's residents possess.  This past Friday night at the Lincoln Square Lounge made me remember what makes rock and roll so special.

We waited for the dinner crowd to leave before we cleared tables and chairs out of the small restaurant dining room of the Lincoln Square Lounge, turning the pleasantly decorated eating space into a dimly lit and very intimate rock venue (the original venue that was supposed to host the show was shut down two days before, and the Lincoln Square Lounge was cool enough to let us take over their restaurant for the night on a last minute notice.)

The hospitality of the staff and the enthusiasm of the crowd to see a show in this kind of environment was really refreshing.

Local rock fans began piling into Lincoln Lounge around 9:30. The night started off with a great opening set by Jodyboss (http://www.facebook.com/JodybossMusic).  They had a great folksy sound that really set the mood and got feet tapping.

Verona Red was the ham in Friday night's rock and roll sandwich, playing second out of three.  We had a great time jumping off booths, wearing women's clothing, and just letting go a bit.


Ambient Green (www.myspace.com/ambientgreen) headlined the night, and played a fantastic set into the wee hours of Saturday morning.  This is the second time we played with them, and they put on another great show for the local Decaturites.

This was also the second time we got to go out partying with these guys after the show.  These fuckers are hilarious people and once again we had tons of fun with them and many of the other friends we made out at the first show in Decatur back June (Big shout out to Brandy, Jill, Tara, Curtis, Nicole and Lydia...you guys are awesome!)

Special thanks to Curtis and Lydia for showing us so much hospitality and letting us crash at their place.  You guys are the BALLS.

We can't wait to get back to Decatur soon!

Decatur Round 2 This Friday!

The location of tomorrow's date in Decatur has changed, but the good times should be just the same.  The new venue is Lincoln Square Lounge (121 N Main St. Decatur, IL.).

The bill is the same as before... awesome guys in Ambient Green, friends we haven't met yet in Jodyboss, and of course Verona Red.

This FREE show starts at 9 PM.

Can't wait to come back and party it up in Decatur!
 

Lock, Stock & Barrel (Decatur, IL) and Lemmons (St. Louis, MO): 6/11 - 6/12/2010

Decatur proved to be one of the most fun towns we've visited so far in 2010. The folks at Lock Stock and Barrel were great and the band we met there, Ambient Green (http://www.myspace.com/ambientgreen), were a bunch of fun guys.

Free food and beer put everyone in a great mood right from the get go. After the show we hit up an after party with our new friends in Ambient Green. Good times were had so the needless to say the camera was getting a little shaky by the end of the night. Here's what I got.

St. Louis the following night was tons of fun too. More free food and beers led me to believe that people really do get more hospitable the further south you travel.

The show at Lemmons was fun.  Played a full set with ear plugs for the first time and met some really cool people after the show.

One of the highlights of night two was the toilet in our motel room. This seriously may have been the loudest toilet in all of St. Louis. Enjoy!