If “Stevie Nicks with a folky twist” created “danceable indie-pop gems” you might get something like The Equines. That might sound like a fun show, until you remove all doubt by adding “the performance art party band to end all performance art party bands,” aka The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! The latter are keeping true to the promise of touring forever by teaming up with Sarasota’s own for a string of shows beginning at the end of August. The outing will climax with New York’s Eskalators, and there will be no way to count the collective number of official band members involved throughout the ordeal. Catch the show for lights, costumes, candy, beards, a pinata filled with condoms, and music. Special tour edition EPs are recommended.
Craig from Lovers-Lament in St. Pete sent Sparta Philharmonic our way to Sarasota a few weeks ago; right now they’re winding their way along the west coast. We set them up with a show at our beloved Shamrock Pub with Devin Robinson (last show in FL) and a stripped-down but always fabulous Fancy Rat. In one evening, Alex and Greg of SP morphed from strangers into some of my favorite people I’ve met in passing. What classy gentlemen.
The whole show rekindled my love for the truly intimate sets I just don’t see too often anymore. Sparta Philharmonic did not skimp on enthusiasm despite the small room, though – watching Greg hunched, half-standing over the cello, layering sounds with his loop station and the unrelenting smile on Alex’s face was proof they were really enjoying themselves as much as we were. And oh, my ears! It was a torrential, abstract, beautiful, shipwreck movie soundtrack with sprinkled-in lyric phrases that made me adopt their music in my soul. I scored a copy of their double-disc vinyl LP, “(trans)migratory birds,” as well as a good ol’ dose of friendship. Me being an irresponsible vinyl owner, I left it in my car overnight. What I found, though, is that the warped versions of their songs (especially my favorite favorite favorite, “Never, Ever, Ever”) are somehow even more beautiful.
Cheers, Sparta Philharmonic. Breeze on through anytime.
Here’s a video of Fancy Rat’s “Hands for Shaking” live at Shamrock Pub as an extra present for your eyes/ears.
I’m sure you folks are well aware of Finch House’s “relationship” with Andy Matchett & the Minks. We like to see him play as much as possible, and not just because of the confetti or the parachute party or that sweet hairdo (PS – I heard Mosephine of the Equines has plans to challenge him in a hairspray-off contest). We just plain and simple love his songs.
And, by the gracious powers of sweet baby jesus, Andy Matchett & the Minks just released 11 of their finest songs on their first ever album, the Apple Tree Circle, July 23. You can stream it here on their bandcamp page to see what we’re raving about these days.
Oh, and check out these photos from the AM&TM album release party with your very own Equines and Peter Baldwin by the fabulous Kelley Luna Pearl Jackson.
Summer is the time of the year that bands tour and collect their winter clothes on the cheap. It may also be the time to join a touring band or pick up an antique tour bus. In full bloom, Finch House Records is bearing the heat to bring the goods across the United States, and we’re passing along the coolest bands, scenes, labels that we can find.
First off, we bring you the Lawrence, Kansas based cassette tape label, Solid Melts. I knew something funny was up when I walked into the house of our host, Drew Gibson, of Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk. Navigating between his massive collection of everything analog, we raided his basement dungeon for reverb tanks, tapes, and a summer compilation that the dude is giving away online! Check out Solid Melts’ Summer Compilation 2010: An Empire of Fun.
