popwreckoning

Beach-goers will be getting a taste of the Midwest this December as the indie pop boys in Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin head out on the two-week second leg of their tour in support of recent release Tape Club. Missouri mates in Ha Ha Tonka will be contributing an alternative country set as co-headliners while the bands venture down the West Coast.

The kick-off was held on November 30 at the Hi Dive in Denver and will take the bands as far north as Vancouver, then all the way back to New Mexico.

The tour will feature performances off the 26-track album, Tape Club, compiled of rare and previously unreleased tracks from SSLYBY’s career thus far.

SSLYBY West Coast Tour Dates w/ Ha Ha Tonka
11/30 – Hi Dive, Denver, CO
12/1 – Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT
12/2 – Neurolux, Boise, ID
12/3 – Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA
12/4 – The Wild Buffalo, Bellingham, WA
12/5 – Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, Canada
12/6 – Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR
12/8 – Hotel Utah, San Francisco, CA
12/9 – Bootleg Theater, Los Angeles, CA
12/10 – Soda Bar, San Diego, CA
12/12 – Club Congress, Tucson, AZ
12/14 – Sol Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM

SSLYBY | website | facebook

Post written by Stephanie Castor

Long Beach, Calif. band, The Fling is getting a taste of the Midwest during this chilly month with Yukon Blonde. Both bands will be playing this upcoming Friday, December 2 in Omaha at Slowdown Jr and the very next day in Kansas City at the Riot Room.

Being on the road since October with David Vandervelde and Floating Action, they’re finishing up the third leg of tour with Canadian rockers, Yukon Blonde.

The Fling are currently supporting their recent seven song EP released on Dangerbird Records, What I’ve Seen. Along with the EP, you can view a video from their single “Dogpile” here.

Yukon Blonde also has a new EP out, Fire//Water, released in September on Dine Alone Records. Watch the “Water” video here.

These are both two bands you won’t want to miss especially on the same bill together. Check out their tour dates below, websites, and other cool things.

Tour Dates:
Thu, Dec 1    Ames, IA  @  The Maintenance Shop
Fri, Dec 2    Omaha, NE @   Slowdown Jr
Sat, Dec 3    Kansas City, MO @   Riot Room
Sun,Dec 4    Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
Tue, Dec 6    Little Rock, AR  @  Juanita’s Cantina
Wed, Dec 7    Dallas, TX  @  Double Wide
Thu, Dec 8    Houston, TX  @  Fitz Downstairs
Fri, Dec 9      Austin, TX  @  Emo’s Inside
Sun, Dec 11    Denver, CO  @  Larimer Lounge
Tue, Dec 13    Salt Lake City, UT  @  Kilby Court
Wed, Dec 14    Boise, ID  @  Neurolox
Fri, Dec 16    Spokane, WA  @  A Club
Sat, Dec 17   Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Café
Sun, Dec 18  Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
Wed, Dec 21 San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar
Thu, Dec 22  Los Angeles, CA @ Echo

The Fling | website | facebook | twitter
Yukon Blonde | website | facebook | twitter

It was announced on November 21, 2011 that members of Thrice would be taking some time off after their upcoming tour. Front man, Dustin Kensrue, stated that the band is not breaking up, however after thirteen years of relentless touring and recording, it’s time for a bit of repose:

“Thrice is not breaking up.  If nothing has broken us up by now, I doubt anything ever could.

However, we will be taking a break from being a full-time band, and the upcoming tour in the Spring will be the last one for the foreseeable future.

Playing music for the past 13 years with Riley, Ed, and Teppei has been such a gift.  We have been able to see the world, share music with thousands and thousands of people, and make records with a variety of talented and inspiring people.  The four of us have been through many highs and lows and overcome them together…”

Click here for the full statement

Watch the video for “Promises” here.

Be sure to purchase Major/Minor in stores and on iTunes now, and catch Thrice on their upcoming tour. Check out their Official Site for more info on dates, releases, and details on their hiatus.

Written by Stephanie Castor

Some of the nations favorite frontmen embark on a national tour together starting January 19. After three years of short regional tours, this will be the first time WTB? sets out nationally.

Matt Pryor (of The Get Up Kids), Chris Conley (of Saves The Day), Anthony Raneri (of Bayside) and for the first time, Ace Enders (The Early November, I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody’s Business) and Evan Weiss (of Into It. Over It.) will be joining them.  Dustin Kensrue (of Thrice) will also be joining for three dates in Southern California. The tour features each of these frontmen performing solo acts and possible collaborative sets for 20 dates together across the country.

Pre-sale tickets are on sale now at wherestheband.ducatking.com and general public onsale will be available Wednesday, November 30 at noon local time.

This is definitely a tour you don’t want to miss.

Tour Dates:

Jan 19 — Stroudsburg PA — Sherman Theater
Jan 20 — Philadelphia PA — Theatre of Living Arts
Jan 21 — Brooklyn NY — Music Hall of Williamsburg
Jan 22 — Baltimore MD — Ottobar
Jan 24 — Carrboro NC — Cat’s Cradle
Jan 25 — West Columbia SC — New Brookland Tavern
Jan 26 — St. Augustine FL — Cafe 11
Jan 27 — Gainesville FL — Double Down
Jan 28 — Orlando FL — The Social
Jan 29 — Atlanta GA — The Masquerade – Hell Stage
Jan 31 — Dallas TX — Club Dada
Feb 1 — Austin TX — Antone’s
Feb 3 — Phoenix AZ — The Crescent Ballroom
Feb 4 — San Diego CA — House of Blues *
Feb 5 — West Hollywood CA — The Troubadour *
Feb 7 — Santa Ana CA — Yost Theater *
Feb 8 — San Luis Obispo CA — Downtown Brew
Feb 9 — San Francisco CA — Bottom of the Hill
Feb 10 — Portland OR — Doug Fir Lounge
Feb 11 — Seattle WA — Tractor Tavern

* includes Dustin Kensrue

Where’s The Band? | Facebook

On November 16, 2011 it was announced that Every Avenue would be canceling their tour for the remainder of the year. The band stated:

“fans, promoters, and other bands that we’re on tour with. For those of you that have followed us for a while you know that we love to tour and play shows and the last thing we ever want to do is cancel a show so having to miss these shows makes us feel awful. We will be flying to LA with our guitars and playing the 11/18 show at the House of Blues while our van, trailer, and gear remain in Texas. Our apologies to Yellowcard who were so gracious to put us on their tour, the promoters that booked us, and most importantly you the fans that have bought tickets to the shows. We promise to make it up to you soon.

Love,
Every Avenue”

To honor their fans and ticket holders, the band will be scheduling the make-up dates in February 2012. To find out more info regarding the tour and reschedule, visit their Facebook.

Written by Stephanie Castor

Due to illness, Gym Class Heroes are canceling their remaining tour dates. The Dirty Heads and Gym Class Heroes have been co-headlining a tour since Oct. 9.  The Dirty Heads, however, will continue to play as sole headliners, with the exception of the Milwaukee show on Nov. 4 which has been canceled completely.

The Dirty Heads released a statement regarding the issue:

“While we hope Travie gets better soon (nothing worse than being sick on the road), the last thing we wanna do is cancel the whole tour.  So no matter what happens we wanna stay out and keep playing music and putting on the best shows we can for you guys. Whether it’s playing for 2 people, 20 people or 2000 people we are staying out. Thank you guys for your continued love and support. We love you peace!!!!  And it’s the first time we are playin’ some new songs!! Hope you enjoy.”

Gym Class Heroes also issued a statement on their website saying “We promise as soon as Trav is back on his feet, we’ll get back out soon to see you.” To read the full statement go to gymclassheroes.com.

Remaning Dates:
11/2 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
11/5 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
11/6 - Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
11/8 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
11/9 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex/Rockwell
11/10 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
11/11 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox SoDo
11/12 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
11/14 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
11/15 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ Club Slo Brew**
11/16 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
11/17 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre**
11/18 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
11/19 – Anaheim, CA @ The Grove of Anaheim
11/20 – Santa Barbara, CA @ UCSB – Hub**
** originally without Gym Class Heroes 

Make Do and Mend have announced they are releasing an all acoustic EP. Part and Parcel will be released on Paper + Plastick Records on November 22. You can stream “Unknowingly Strong” on their artist profile through absolutepunk.net here. Part and Parcel can be ordered on the MDAM webstore or a special from Paper + Plastick that includes moving clock parts.

They play The Fest in Gainesville then hit the road for most of November supporting Senses Fail and again in December supporting Thursday. Check out all of their tour dates below.

www.makedoandmend.me
www.myspace.com/makedoandmend
www.paperandplastick.com
www.panicrecords.net
10/29 – Gainesville, FL @ The FEST

w/ Senses Fail
11/4 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
11/5 – Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge
11/6 – Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre
11/8 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
11/9 – Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
11/11 – Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
11/12 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
11/14 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
11/15 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
11/16 – Mesa, AZ @ The Nile
11/18 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s East
11/19 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
11/21 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
11/22 – Covington, KY @ Mad Hatter Club

w/ Thursday
12/26 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
12/27 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
12/28 – New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
12/29 – Boston, MA @ Royale Nightclub
12/30 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts

So, there’s this band whose CD has been playing in my car constantly since seeing them at Crosstown Station a while back. They’re called The Bright Light Social Hour and they’re from Austin, Texas.

It was one of those impulsive “I’m going to see this show, it could be really awesome or really terrifying” kind of nights. Well, it was definitely the former.

TBLSH has been on tour since September throughout the entire U.S. and Canada. They even made a PSA video about their tour.

If they played the whole tour like they did in KC, I’m sure they are making an impact in every single venue. They are just one of those bands. The kind you dance to the entire night, get their songs stuck in your head for weeks, and that you can’t seem to get enough of.

Sitting down with them before the show I could tell it would be an eventful night. Between the laid back personalities and the kindness of every member, they treated me like I had known them for months.

TBLSH is fronted by bassist and lead vocals, Jack O’Brien who’s stage presence pulls the audience in. Although, it could be his long hair and epic moustache that makes him so memorable.

These guys know how to rock, plain and simple. Their sound is a fusion of blues, funk and southern rock all mashed together making a beautiful blend that appeals to any loving rock n’ roll fan.

There’s this moment in their live show that sticks out the most. During a dynamic guitar solo from Curtis Roush, all four band members dancing around the stage stop to snap their fingers in the microphone.

After giving their self-titled a listen, the snapping has easily become my favorite part of their album. About halfway through the 10 minute track “Garden of the Gods,” I find myself snapping along with ease and usually rocking out the solo in my car.

Oh, and they have a keytar. Any band with a keytar is a win in my book.

These guys took home six awards at SXSW 2011, including Band of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Bassist, Best Keyboardist, and Best Producer. They have played Austin City Limits, appeared on the cover of The Austin Chronicle twice, were featured in Paste Magazine’s Best of What’s Next and have sold out multiple venues in Austin and across the U.S.

The Bright Light Social Hour is a band we all need to keep our eyes on. They’re going places.

The great thing about most debut albums? A band can go balls to the wall and give it everything they’ve got and want to give, because they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. This definitely describes the Static Jacks‘ first album length offering to the world, If You’re Young. Despite the fact that the band hails from New Jersey, they sound more like the Libertines than Bruce Springsteen. They mix anarchic punk, the angst of youth, and remarkably accomplished instrumentation to create a really engaging sound.

My first introduction to the quartet was their impressive opening set in support of one of my current English rock band favorites, the Futureheads, in June 2010. I remember hearing them let rip onstage at the Black Cat and thinking, yep, I know exactly why the Futureheads chose them for support. While they must certainly have had different musical upbringings (the Static Jacks are very young: when I saw them, they all had Xs on the backs of their hands), I imagine the two bands’ mindsets are pretty similar: make it loud, make it powerful, and make it fun.

If You’re Young is, from what I can tell, a pretty good distillation of the band’s frenetic energy in live performance. Some of the songs are as chaotic as beloved Ramones numbers from the ’70s that should appeal to people who think American guitar rock is dead. (It’s not. There are plenty of indie bands in America. They’re just not getting played on the radio. Thanks Kings of Leon.) Opening track “Defend Rosie” tells you straight out from the gate that you are not dealing with just any band. The Static Jacks are a force to be reckoned with. “Girl Parts,” another high octane track, features added vocals from Ceci Gomez from Brooklyn band Beast Make Bomb.

But there are more melodic numbers that show off the band’s songwriting and musical ability. “Into the Sun” is a great example of this, with great guitar work and lead singer Ian Devaney‘s powerful vocal delivery. Other contagious tunes include “My Parents Lied,” a song I immediately picked up on live because of the infectious handclapping and minor key melody, and “Mercy, Hallelujah” and “Relief,” which both remind me of, dare I say it, the Boss. (I know. To some of you out there, that’s flat-out heresy. But I’m saying it because I want you to give this album a chance.) “Blood Pressure,” with its great singalong of “I’m afraid of the future / I want to share it with you” is oddly touching: as Devaney said in a recent interview about the album, “It’s mostly saying ‘if you’re young – or if you ever were – you’ll know where we’re coming from with these songs.’ These are pretty universal experiences that most people experience from their late teens and early twenties. It’s such a transition period, figuring out what you want to do and where you want to go. Youthful anxiety, I suppose.”

There are some surprising moments on here as well. “Sonata (Maybe We Can Work It Out)” is the band’s attempt at a tender ballad, with Strokes-like guitars, but its “partner” song, “Walls (We Can’t Work It Out)”, brings things back up tempo with feverish intensity. Considering their relatively young age, the Static Jacks have managed to put together a nice collection of hard rocking, memorable songs that show off their talents, talents that are sure only to grow. Catch the band live this fall as alongside New Yorkers the Postelles, they open for English rockers the Wombats. Will I be there for the opening night of the tour? You bet.

The Static Jacks’ debut album, If You’re Young, will be released in North America on August 30 on Fenway Recordings.

Track Listing
01. Defend Rosie
02. Girl Parts
03. Into the Sun
04. My Parents Lied
05. Sonata (Maybe We Can Work Out)
06. Walls (We Can’t Work It Out)
07. Mercy, Hallelujah
08. Blood Pressure
09. This is Me Dancing
10. Relief
11. It’s Such a Shame
12. Drano-Ears

Tour Dates
Oct 21 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC*
Oct 22 – Johnny Brenda’s / Philadelphia*
Oct 24 – Jefferson Theatre / Charlottesville, VA*
Oct 25 – Local 506 / Carrboro, NC*
Oct 26 – Loft / Atlanta*
Oct 29 – Fitzgeralds / Houston*
Oct 30 – Parish / Austin*
Nov 01 – Granada / Dallas*
Nov 02 – Record Bar / Kansas City*
Nov 04 – Outland / Columbus*
Nov 05 – Subterranean / Chicago*
Nov 07 – Varsity Theater / Minneapolis*
Nov 10 – Wonder Ballroom / Portland*
Nov 11 – Venue / Vancouver*
Nov 12 – Crocodile / Seattle*
*opening for the Wombats

The Static Jacks: website | myspace | @ Black Cat

Reptar have announced that they have signed to Vagrant Records, who will be working in partnership with Make Records Not Bombs on the upcoming Oblangle Fizz Y’all EP.  The EP was due out digitally on August 2nd.

The band will later take to the road to support the Oblangle Fizz Y’all EP by playing Austin City Limits music festival, after already playing Lollapalooza.  A nationwide tour with Foster The People and Cults will immediately follow ACL festival in September.

Tour Dates:

September 15 – House of Blues – Dallas, TX * ^
September 16 – Austin City Limits Music Festival — Austin, TX
September 17 – House of Blues – Houston, TX * ^
September 19 – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA *
September 20 – Beacham Theatre – Orlando, FL *^
September 21 – Masquerade – Atlanta, GA *^
September 23 – The National – Richmond, VA *^
September 26 – 9:30 Club – Washington DC *
September 29 – House of Blues – Boston, MA *^
September 27 – Terminal 5 – New York, NY *
October 1 – Sound Academy – Toronto, ON *
October 2 – Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH *^
October 4 – The Vogue – Indianapolis, IN *^
October 6 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN *^
October 7 – The Aquarium – Fargo, ND
October 9- Showbox at the Market- Seattle, WA*
October 10 – Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC*
October 15 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
October 18 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
October 23 – Chicago, IL – Metro **
October 24 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon **
October 26 – Minneapolis, MN – First Ave **
October 27 – Omaha, NE – Waiting Room **
October 28 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theatre **
November 01 – Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s **
November 02 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore **
November 03 – Santa Barbara, CA – Soho **
November 04 – Los Angeles, CA – The Music Box **
November 05 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent **
November 08 – Dallas, TX – The Loft **
November 09 – Austin, TX – Mohawk **
November 10 – Houston, TX – Fitzgeralds **
November 11 – Baton Rouge, LA – Spanish Moon **
November 12 – Birmingham, AL – Workplay Theatre **
November 13 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade **

* w/ Foster the People
^ w/ Cults
** w/ Phantogram

For more information on Reptar please visit their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/reptarmusic