MMM's blog

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This is my slogan for the rest of the year. I can't think of a better sentiment for the coming holiday season. If there is a silver lining to the daunting act of buying your way out of a depression I believe this sign captures it. Purchasing power has the ability to spread even more positive energy beyond the giver and getter. The benefits of putting a little more thought into where your purchases come from and how they are made are many fold. It might even be helpful, if you are one of those "hard to shop for" gift receivers, to point your potential benefactor in the right direction as well. That could be a present in itself. Post your favorite Small Local Merchant suggestions or experiences for Holiday Shopping this year. Also you can go here and discuss it more in depth on the OJ forum: http://www.olivejuicemusic.com/forum/2011/10/17/1628 Here's to all of us getting what we want this year.

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Occupy Update (October 10th and 11th)
I went down to Liberty Park on Monday afternoon for the afternoon general assembly. I picked up a copy of the Occupy Wall Street Journal. It has articles by Naomi Klein and Chris Hedges. You can check it out through Facebook: HERE!The amount of people had noticeably grown since the last time I was there about a week ago. The section of Broadway just outside of the park has been blocked off. There were about twice as many food carts and street vendors. The afternoon General Assembly was a bit more chaotic. I ran into a friend, Dave, who had spent the past few nights in the park. He said that there had been a rise in thefts perpetrated on the people sleeping there and that more of the general NYC homeless population was starting to show up. This was making stuff like sanitation and the general "No Drug" policy of the group a bit harder to control. I think this is an interesting issue that could be addressed and used as some kind of case study on how a society, literally, deals with their homeless population and how much that populations is connected to how we deal with stuff like mental illness and drug addiction. The Medical Working Group spoke out extensively about helping people who might be struggling with addiction. There was also a guy, who I recognized as an early organizer, speaking out about having been robbed in his sleep for the past 3 nights in a row. I thought about the irony of this considering the amount of 24 hour police presence encircling the camp. I spent a little time sitting around the library working on lyrics for a song. I manged to come up with a couple of more lines. Read more »

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1. How did we originally meet?
i was at sidewalk and remember latch trying to sell your album and talking about how it was on shoeshine records. a while later i heard about oj and i basically as far as i remember asked if american anymen could be on oj. you said yes and we started recording music soon after.

2. 3 things that make you happy?
skateboarding makes me happy. big audio dynamite make me happy. just saw mick a few weeks ago in boston when they did a reunion show. i love their big hats and there 1980 ny hip hop style. world war 2.

3. 3 things that make you sad?
the winter. working like a slave. rent.

4. What is your favorite color?
black. it makes girls look like women. and boys look like men.

5. 3 people who inspire you?
jimmy the gent from goodfellas. i love that they say in the inro scene that jimmy was the kinda guy who roots for the bad guys in movies. well so do i. william s. burroughs cause he has so much style and he loves cats. harmony korine cause he made my favorite movie "julien donkey boy." Read more »

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Erin and Dan's Wedding
This weekend I headed up to Woodstock to help celebrate the wedding of two members of of the OJ Distro Community: Erin Regan and Dan Penta (Cockroach, Larval Organs, Everybody Knows). It was camp out wedding. I managed to snap some kind of creepy pics on my new phone. I think everyone had a great time playing music and hanging around the fire late into the night. I wish the awesome couple much love and happiness in the future.

Read more »

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10-05-11
Rubber band.
Rubber brand.
Blubber bland.
Lubber land.
Rubber band man.
Blubber man band.
Lubber lamb bland.
Lover land. Love her land. Land lover.
Love lover.
Lover of love.
Lovers of loves
Rubber of rubs.
Rubber of rubbers.
Rubber of glovers.
Glover of Dans.
Lover man.
Love ban.
Love gland.
Love roller.
Stealer of covers.
Cover of others.
Other of others…others…others…lovers
Occupy covers.
Hover abovers.
Occupy others.
Occupy occupiers.
Occupy occupations.
Patience…patience…patience.
Patience occupations.
Occu pay.
A kill you-paaaay
Ffffuckin…pay you.
Pay…pay.
Paaaay shunts. You.
Ahhhh…ahhhhh…ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
Bluuubb…..Bluuuuu….bleeeeeeeee….d.
Bleeeeed. Oooon you.
Bleeeeeeedooooon….
Ooooooon.

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In line with her previous records (Solar Bipolar and Shout Like a Lady), Randi Russo’s third studio LP, Fragile Animal, embraces the raw and the refined, some punk angst with some of the polished allure of the sensual and melancholic.

Produced by Russo & Paul Megna, Fragile Animal incorporates layers upon layers of guitars, backwards tracks, lush keyboard beds and thick harmonium drones. Raucous, angular lead guitar riffs mingle with some sweet slide guitar, as East meets what is mostly West, at times recalling Berlin Era Bowie.

Russo still flexes those lyrical muscles with her knack for “great outsider anthems” (Lucid Culture). Whether it’s a political song about immigration (“Head High”) or a song about one’s personal war with the world (“Invisible” and “Alienation”), a feeling of empowerment is given to those who live on the fringe. Listen closely to her “honest, provocative lyrics” (The Big Takeover), and you’ll get a sense of what Russo’s sound and vision is all about.

Randi will be performing at Juice Box #4 on October 25th at the Sidewalk Cafe. Read more »

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Temporary Solo Mission: My 10+ year, live-in, significant other (Nan) has gone away on business for 2 months. I'm going on day 3 since she left. I remember hearing somewhere that one of the reasons ending long term relationships is so difficult is that you literally are losing part of your mind. When we engage in intimate relationships, not only do we bond sexually and emotionally, but we actually start to meld in a practical sense. Through time, one mind starts filling in the gaps for the other. If the relationship is healthy, these "filling ins" are based upon personal preferences. For example: Nan is very sensitive to time. She hates to be late and she hates to wait. I'm a bit looser in this department but Nan's penchant for promptness makes her an excellent planner when it comes to directions and navigation. Needless to say, when going to a party with Nan, I often don't even consider where I'm going until I've practically stepped out the door. But I'm always sure that I'll be there, on time (if not a little early). With Nan gone I'm forced to do my navigating on my own. Read more »

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700 Occupy Wall Street protesters arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday. I wasn't there. If you were there please feel free to comment or blog about your experience right here. The more first hand accounts we get about this movement the more people can begin to unpack and realize its purpose. I've discovered that news commentary that includes police accounts of events are occasionally skewed to influence public opinion negatively. We've seen this with statements made about the protest by Mayor Bloomberg and the NYC police department.

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Juice Box is a DIY Indie party featuring live bands and DJ's brought to you by Olive Juice Music. (To stay informed about Juice Box events and other OJ related matters sign up for the OJ Newsletter to your left.)

Juice Box #4 will take place on October 25th, 2011 at Sidewalk Cafe (6th St. and Ave. A) All Ages/ No Cover/ Tip Jar/ 1 Beverage Minimum/ Free Raffles!
07:30 - Anders Griffen's Accompanied Open Mic
08:30 - Prewar Yardsale
09:00 - American Anymen
09:45 - Randi Russo
10:30 - Kung Fu Crimewave
w/DJ Spastic Yo Yo Man (Justin from Elastic No No Band) Read more »

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I was watching the videos of some of the arrests from the Occupy Wall Street marches and I couldn't help but think about what it might literally feel like to be forced to the ground, face down, on concrete. What would it feel like to have the full weight of a grown man's knee pressed into the small of my back while two others force my arms behind me? How hard would it be to fight the bodies natural urge to resist this trauma? How would if feel then to sit and wonder what would become of me now? How would it feel, stretched out like a poached animal, waiting to be subjected to the bureaucracy of the criminal justice system. Imagine the humiliation of what could amount to days of sitting and being subjected to whatever will your captors at this point wish upon you under the name of justice. How would if feel to feel so unsafe within the arms of an organization who's purpose is to "serve and protect?" I was wondering if most police officers could ever imagine what it might feel like, literally, to be arrested and detained in this manner? Read more »

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I Spent 8 hours yesterday at the Occupy Wall Street protest site. I witnessed 2 General Assembly meeting and got a chance to talk to and observe a lot of very inspiring people. I would highly recommend before placing any kind of judgment or opinion about what is going on down there to go and see for yourself. It's very hard to get a sense of the incredibly positive consciousness raising energy that resonates throughout this park through a livestream or press coverage. If you don't live in NYC it just might be one of the best reasons to come and visit this great city that I can think of in a long time. This is more than just a protest. This is democracy in action and you can feel it growing by the hour. There is lot of intelligent and constructive behavior here. And there is a lot of love. It's really something special. Come on down. Respect the process, educate yourself, and share the love. https://occupywallst.org/ Read more »

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The quirky and comic musical revue “Awesomer & Awesomer!!!: The Songs of Phoebe Kreutz” returns for another run of performances at the Triad (158 W. 72nd St.) on Monday, September 26th & Tuesday, September 27th at 7:00pm.

For years award-winning composer/lyricist Phoebe Kreutz has been singing her downtown “joke-folk” ditties in the dirtiest clubs in the Western world. Now her songs are putting on their fancy pants and being re-imagined by Broadway actors and musicians. AWESOMER AND AWESOMER!!! features Ann Harada (Avenue Q, 9 to 5), Carey Anderson (Mamma Mia!, Avenue Q), Gwen Hollander (Little Women) and Adam Halpin (Glory Days). Musical direction is by Jason Loffredo (Xanadu) and musical supervision is by Gary Adler (Altar Boyz). The evening will be directed by Alan Muraoka (NAATCO’s Falsettoland and Sesame Street). Read more »

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Occupy Wall Street is leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.

The original call for this occupation was published by Adbusters in July; since then, many individuals across the country have stepped up to organize this event, such as the people of the NYC General Assembly and US Day of Rage. There'll also be similar occupations in the near future such as October2011 in Freedom Plaza, Washington D.C.
(Take from: https://occupywallst.org/)
NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1PM TODAY. Read more »

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New Jeffrey Lewis album "A Turn In the Dream-Songs" out October 11th, 2011 worldwide on Rough Trade Records

Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard FALL TOUR DATES now announced (for Ireland/UK/Spain/Portugal)! The band on this tour will be a 4-piece: Jeffrey, Jack, Dave, and Nan (of Schwervon!)!

Sun, Oct 2 - Galway, Ireland - Kelly's Bar & Lounge (Bridge St)
Mon, Oct 3 - Cork, Ireland - Crane Lane Theater (Phoenix St)
Tues, Oct 4 - Dublin, Ireland - Button Factory (2 Temple Bar)
Wed, Oct 5 - Belfast, N. Ireland - Auntie Annie's
Thu, Oct 6 - Sligo, Ireland - McGarrigles (11 O'Connell St)
Mon, Oct 10 - (Possibly some kind of free art show/signing/talk or something, at the Rough Trade East record shop in London)
Tues, Oct 11 - St. Andrews, Scotland
Thu, Oct 13 - Granada, Spain - Planta Baja
Fri, Oct 14 - Seville or Alicante, Spain (tbc)
Sat, Oct 15 - Madrid, Spain - Neu! Club
Sun, Oct 16 - Gijón, Spain - Monkey Club Read more »

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Album Release Party, September 22, 2011 at Sidewalk Cafe 94 Avenue A, NYC, NY 10009

The release is a limited edition 100 12" vinyl pressing which will also be available for download. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the vinyl please email me. Since it is such a limited pressing, they will not be available for long.

"Elizabeth Devlin is a creative young singer from Queens, with a voice at once strong and ethereal. She accompanies herself on Autoharp, which casts her every song in shades of spooky." -TimeOUT NY, December 2008

On March 19, 2011, beneath the largest full moon seen in 18 years, utilizing one mic, an autoharp and her "at once strong and ethereal" voice, Elizabeth Devlin tracked 8 songs at FLUX Studio NYC, which will be released on For Whom The Angels Named, a limited edition, signed, 100 copy 12" vinyl pressing on Sept 22, 2011 at Sidewalk Cafe in LES, NYC.

"Elizabeth Devlin croons brassy dreams over Autoharp." -TimeOUT NY, August 2009 Read more »

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Pennies
Today I bought 3 rolls of toilet paper at the deli. The cost was $2.37. I only had $2.36. I asked the shop keeper if he could spot me the penny and of course he said, "No problem." I said I'd give him an extra one next time I'm in but it was understood that both of us we're not going to be losing much sleep over it. Occasionally, I'll make a purchase there and have a a few cents in change. Often I'll just tell him to "Keep the change," not wanting to even bother with things rattling around in my pocket all day. Sometimes I get annoyed with the concept of pennies. Their value has been proven to be worth less than the labor and materials it takes to make them. But I was thinking about how, in the retail world, pennies often serve as small tokens of good will. Read more »

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1. How did we originally meet?
We originally met when I came down from the Hudson Valley to master my first album How to Hold Your Own Hand. I was 21, had just met Dan Fishback at a show I set up for Cheese on Bread and asked Dan over email where to master my album, and he was like, "why, with Major Matt Mason of COURSE!" The rest is herstory. I moved to New York a while after and started recording Fruits Commonly Mistaken for Vegetables, and working as the OJ Intern!

2. 3 things that make you happy?
1) People who make powerful art about their life experience,
2) hanging out in the woods/on the beach
3) bein' on tour with friends, performing, making costumes

3. 3 things that make you sad?
1) When the only reason a person can't do something is that they think they can't do it
2) When people who are hurting take it out on other people and
continue the cycle of hurt
3) when people are stuck in situations that hurt them and for whatever reason can't change them

4. What is your favorite color?
PURPLE!

5. 3 people who inspire you? Read more »

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Front Projects/Side Projects
Tonight I'm practicing with Kansas State Flower for the first time in a long time for our Juice Box show. We only play about 1 show a year so it's kind of a special event. I think it will be a good break since I've been in super Schwervon! mode for the past 4 month. Nan and I completed the first round of rough mixes for the new Schwervon! album yesterday so we'll let those stew for a few days and see what happens. I always go back and forth between where to put my energy. Schwervon! used to be a side project that has turned into a main thing. Before that Major Matt was just something I did because I couldn't manage to put a band together. It's cool to keep a lot lines in the water to see what bites but occasionally you have to up the ante for some better bait and you may not be able to cover all your hooks. Sometimes, I feel like the world is moving way to fast for me. Read more »

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9-11
Up until this day all of the TV and radio PR about the 10th anniversary of 9-11 were really putting a bad taste in my mouth about the whole thing. But now that the day is here and I'm watching a bit of the reading of the names on television and I'm allowing myself to grieve. I was here when it happened. Ironically enough, I was working a freelance job in midtown recording a guy reading a book on tape for Stephen King's: Dark Tower series. Watching people read out the names of the people who died that day is bringing me to the brink of tears over and over again. Ten years ago, on the days immediately following the event, I was glued to my TV for hours on end. I used the event to lock out the rest of the wold. I was looking for some kind of reason and I almost went into a serious depression. Now it feels different. I rarely even think about it any more. If feels as if our anger has been diverted to the subway ambulance chaser ads soliciting 9-11 workers and downtown Manhattan Mosqe locations. Debates over the national debt and job loss have given us all a more tangible demon to fear for now. Read more »

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http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/folkicide-darwinian-snuff-film/Content?o...
A handmade CD turned up in the mail the other day from Burnie Booth, a local guy who records under the name Folkicide. It's called Devotional Hymns From the Church of the Darwinian Snuff Film. The album art is a collage, the focal point of which is a nearly nude Filipina undergoing some kind of bloody voodoo operation involving a needle.

The music is no less provocative. Booth has a nasally singing voice and plays a kind of fast, punk-style, bar-chord acoustic guitar. The songs have an eerie, dissonant undertone, which he often achieves by bending the strings far above or below the original notes. But it's the lyrics that are most striking about Folkicide. You can read Atlas Shrugged as often as you want, but you're still a cunt, Booth bleats on one song. On another, he asserts with a sort of militant pride, I am a turd in the punch bowl, and I feel wonderful. He has a tendency to sing in complete sentences: I love my Mom and Dad, but I can't wait 'til the baby boomers are dead. Nothing good came from their generation. Read more »

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The New Sidewalk Cafe

I had my first, newly renovated, Sidewalk Cafe back room experience last night. Hmm...that sounded a little strange. Anway I was lucky enough to be treated by excellent sets by: The Ladies of Old Hat, Liv Carrow, Toby Goodshank and Yaya Herman Dune. Nan and I went to brunch at the front restaurant part a few days before and thought I dug the creme brulee French toast but we both thought, over all, it was slightly over priced for what you got. I also miss to the 3 egg Benedict style meals they used to have like the avocado poach. Perhaps there is new cook but Nan noticed that the huevos rancheros was pretty much the same as before jut without the option of a salad or potato and about a dollar more. Hello new New York. The wait staff was nice and attentive and the coffee was very good. Read more »

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Music Communities/Schwervon! Tour Pics
I worked a live sound gig 2 nights ago for a Hip Hop party that featured 21 MC's. It was kind of like going to an old Antihoot open mic at the Sidewalk but for Rappers. They all performed to backing tracks and most of them even had lead vocals on them. So, it was a bit like watching someone karaoke to themselves. There was a DJ who played the tracks and made funny noises. He kept the energy going. My job was to mix the over all level and try to mix the live vocals in with the track. It was tricky because all the rappers had different levels of experience and different qualities of backing tracks. There was a guy on stage who would announce the acts. He was also the promoter. He went by the name Green Eyes. At first he seemed kind of curt and mean but I think he was just a little nervous about the event. As the night went on I could see that he was really trying to create a scene. I can respect that. Some of the rappers were better than others and I'm sad to say that out of all the performers the only women during the whole night was a single guest singer and few back up dancers. Green Eyes kept encouraging people to network and buy drinks. Occasionally, one of the rappers would talk about "unity" and urge the other rappers to support each other because it's the only way they will be able to make it. Read more »

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We're super happy to announce, after a long hiatus, that both Dave End CDR's are back in stock at OJ Disto. The charming, cup cake loving, debut How To Hold Your Own Hand. And the slightly more complex, socially conscious Fruit Commonly Mistaken For Vegetables (recorded at Olive Juice Music). Not to worry. There's a Dave End for everyone. Read more »

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Check out these 3 new videos by our friends Winter Berries from Norwich, England. Kyle (guitar, mandolin, vocals) and Kayleigh (keyboard, percussion, xylophone, vocals)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Winter-Berries/209311555781042

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Erin's debut album is the perfect accompaniment for a long car trip, a bright winter day or a solitary sunrise. Her poetic songs sung in a heart-stopping dark alto over sparse acoustic arrangements touch on confusion, pain and transcendent beauty in family, mortality and childhood. Songwriter and playwright Dan Fishback describes this record as "smack dab halfway between Elliott Smith and Suzanne Vega." Produced by Casey Holford. (2010)
http://www.olivejuicemusic.com/products/erin-regan/erin-regan-cd

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1. How did we originally meet?
I haven't a very good memory for specifics. Or dates, for that matter. I'm not even sure exactly how long I've known you. You're like this little brown spot on my arm. I don't quite know when you showed up but you're here (and you're non-cancerous). I've never been an active member of the antifolk scene but I showed up to a few open mics in the late '90's, and I guess I've played a few shows there; I imagine it was through Nan and the rest of the Sidewalk Cafe crew that we actually physically met.

2. 3 things that make you happy?
Cooking good food. Finishing a song. A day with my wife and daughter without any distractions.

3. 3 things that make you sad?
Squandered opportunities. Human brutality. Ignorance.

4. What is your favorite color?
Don't have one, find the whole notion foreign. However, if one were to look for a pattern in my wardrobe, it'd be plaids that involve brown.

5. 3 people who inspire you? Read more »

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this saturday
aug 13th 3pm
from afternoon till early morning
at goodbye blue monday
1087 broadway
bushwick brooklyn
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=146071955469184

Inside Stage (The World's Most Modest Music Festival)

3:00 Elastic No-No Band
3:45 Thomas Patrick Maguire
4:30 They would Be Happy People
5:15 Kung Fu Crime Wave
6:00 Season Finale
6:45 Berth Control
7:30 Zombie Jesus and the Chocolate Sunshine Band
8:15 Nan & the One Nite Stands
9:00 Prewar Yardsale
10:00 The Wowz
11:00 The Purple Organ
12:00 Huggabroomstik

Backyard Stage (The Debe Dalton Folk Revue Festival)

3:10 Ladies of Old Hat
3:50 Major Matt Mason USA
4:30 Space Rainbows
5:10 Matt Frye
5:50 EquinoX Ent
6:30 Frozy
7:10 The Rainbow Vomit Family Band
7:50 The Pendulum Swings
8:30 The Happy Rappies
9:10 The Fools
9:50 American Anymen
10:30 Erin Regan
11:10 Debbie Dalton

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Well Here We Are is the brand new home recorded EP by your favorite folk duo A Brief View of the Hudson. It was recorded specifically for their first European tour earlier this year. (2010)

01. Oh Why Oh Why
02. Sick Old Dog
03. Too Wild To Tame
04. Though It Is My Heart
05. Wisconsin Window Smasher
http://www.olivejuicemusic.com/products/brief-view-hudson/well-here-we-a...

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"Phoebe Kreutz's chanteusey delivery and comic writing are genuinely funny."- THE NEW YORK TIMES

"Musically, her simple song structures are lifted to near-genius level by her clear, bright vocals and vivid personality...as melancholy as they are witty." - SANDMAN (U.K.)

(2011)
http://www.olivejuicemusic.com/products/phoebe-kreutz/bemusement-park-cd

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Things are just not hot enough for us in NYC this summer so Schwervon! is happy to announce that we will be taking a little trip down south to record with legendary sound engineer/ producer Doug Easley (Sonic Youth, Pavement, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) in Memphis, Tennessee. We've decided to play some shows on our way down there and back.

SCHWERVON! SOUTHERN FRIED SUMMER FUN TOUR
Aug. 18 - Charm City Art Space (Baltimore, MD) w/ The Dangerettes and Silence Kid
Aug. 19 - Bazaar Consignment (Roanoke, VA) w/ Uncle Bengine & the Restraining Orders, Elephant Child
Aug. 20 - The Lab (Asheville, NC) w/ Her (ruined majesty), The Ringing Cedars
Aug. 22 - The Hi-Tone Cafe (Memphis, TN) w/ The New Mary Jane (ex Grifters, Those Bastard Souls) Read more »