Back again with hilarious content and news of upcoming shows!
Hello internet users and abusers!
It’s been a while, I know. I figured that after the inundation of messages and blogs from our not so distant UK tour, you might like a break. Give the old yuk yuk muscles a chance to heal. Or something. Also, quite honestly, we haven’t been up to that much. Yes, like the mighty phoenix, the Hot Seats awaken, flame out for a while, then recede into the ashes, awaiting our next opportunity to spread twang and slang to the masses. And those opportunities are fast approaching! Can’t you hear it on the wind? Smell it in the trees? My advice, watch for the birds and squirrels, somehow the animals are always the first to know (likely because, as you know, Ed’s favorite food generally contains at least one of every animal).
If you want to know about upcoming gigs and don’t wanna hear about miscellany and randomness, just skip to the bottom now, please. However, if you view your brain like a vintage shop, full of mental oddities and doodads, please continue.
But what, you might ask, have you Hot Seats been doing? Do you retreat to the Ice Palace in the North Pole? Do you burrow underground? Do you work simply disintegrate into other dimensions? Do you work menial jobs in order to pass the time between gigs, your one chance to lick that shiny brass ring?
Well, one of those is true.
Most of us have been simply enjoying some down time here in Central VA. Playing little gigs, working little jobs. You know, just surviving. Obviously we had a great time in the UK, sold out of our old timey “Knife and Fork” album, and spread music far and wide!
Edward has been doing a lot of work with the Lincoln movie here in Richmond. He was just walking past the set and Senor Spielbergo saw him and said, “Hey, you look unkempt and malnourished! Wanna be famous? Do you like hard tack and salt pork?” And our Eddie said, “Yessir!”
Graham has been “slaving away” up at Monticello (sorry, bad joke?), the home of Virginia’s number one ultra-prudish holistic libertarian, Thomas Jefferson. Every time I see him, he’s just dirty and carrying root vegetables, munching on a potato like an apple, and carefully looking over his shoulder for lawmen searching for errant fieldhands.
Jake has gotten himself an office job and spends a lot of time looking at his watch, lurking around the secretary’s desk and charming the pants off all the civilians. There’s really no way that people who are used to normal office demeanor can handle the 150 watt beam of our very own Jake’s personality. He’ll probably be CEO within a week.
I (PF) have been doing a number of little things. Primarily taking kids out on rivers, bending them to my worldview. In a side project note, I’ve teamed up with Alison Self, a local Richmond folkie, and started a little duet called Starch & Iron. These are verbs, not nouns, people. It’s from Say Darlin’ Say! Check out the music if you want to hear a Hot Seat do actual pretty music.
And, finally, our Benny Baby missed the plane home, and has been living near Gartly (site of the fabulous Tin Hut Sessions) with his little wifey, Annie Campbell-Belcher. Ben’s been doing, oh, ALL kinds of stuff. You know, like . . . things, and . . . stuff. I’m not really sure what he’s been doing, truthfully. Not much of a communicator, that boy. A few things I know: he worked on a drawing for the Carolina Chocolate Drops; he and Aaron Lewis just played a gig in Edinburgh at Douglas Robertson’s excellent house; he’s still just as KEEEEYEWT as a button! If you want to know more, Annie has been keeping a great blog HERE.
As many of you know, we “released” a Live album in September, right in time for our UK tour. Most US audiences haven’t had much of a chance to buy it, though it’s available HERE. We, of course, will have them out on the road.
OK, so now we’re all caught up, so let’s talk about December and January!
As you guys all know, we’re really cutting back on full band gigs, just due to the nature of our activities and locations. There will still be gigs, hopefully fun festivals in the summer, but just not as much during the week. Alas, so it goes. For the time being, seeing the Hot Seats on a Tuesday in Milwaukee is a no go. That being said, we have some fun fun gigs a comin’!
Saturday, December 24th
Cafe Nola – Frederick MD
Two sets – 8pm and 10pm, $5
Josh, Ben, and Graham will be joined by Ben Townshend and Lars Prillaman of the Fox Hunt for a night of raucous unrehearsed entertainment! Come play the magi with us!
Monday, December 26th
Hoss’s Deli – Newport News
9pm, Free!
Come out for the FIRST Hot Seats show in months! We’ll be working out the kinks and lubing up the joints!
Thursday, December 29th
Shepherdstown Opera House – Shepherdstown, WV
$5, 7:30pm
A great time will be had on this night! We are playing with The Acoustic Burgoo, and it WILL be fun.
Friday, December 30th
Ashland Coffee & Tea– Ashland, VA
$10/$12, 8pm, all ages
Back at Ashland C&T for a little pre New Years warmup! Get your tickets early! They’re cheaper, and it may very well sell out!
Saturday, December 31st
The Birchmere – Alexandria, VA
$39.50, 8pm Sharp!
Oh Emmm Gee! We’re playing the Birchmere on New Years Eve with the Seldom Scene and the Eastman String Band! We go second. I can’t imagine I need to sell this to you. Come have fun!
And then, in the year of 2012 . . .
Saturday, January 7th
Franklin Park Arts Center – Purcellville, VA
8pm, $15/20 (get tickets at the website)
With The Acoustic Burgoo and Jake & The Burtones! It’s a LVHS (PF’s high school) Talent Show!
We’ll be back in the studio in very early January as well, so expect some new album news soon!
OK, there we go! A little refresher, and now we’re back on the same page.
So, make yer plans now, come see us play!
Love,
PF Hotseats Et Al.
