CANASTA - Madison (Sat. w/ The Acorn) + Chi. (Sun. w/ Field Music) + Oct. Tour: Indy, Mnpls., Brooklyn!

(sent on 2010-10-01)

'H'-to-the-'ello'...

MADISON + CHICAGO SHOWS THIS WEEKEND / BOTH CD'S ARE BACK IN-STOCK!
After months of talking it up, the weekend is finally here. This Sunday (10/3), we'll be playing Chicago's Beat Kitchen with the U.K.'s invincible Field Music. Just watch this music video and tell me your pop senses don't tingle (if you're a fan of XTC, you oughtta already be in line). But the previous evening (Sat. 10/2), we'll be returning to Madison's Frequency once again for a sure-to-be packed show with Ottawan up-and-comers The Acorn. We're in the middle slot at both shows (9 and 11 pm, respectively). In semi-related news, both of our albums were nearing sell out status, so we ordered another few thousand CD's. And though it's nice to see our stock looking robust again, my place doesn't really have room for all these boxes. So order a few, huh?

OCTOBER IS DECLARED "NATIONAL CANASTA AWARENESS MONTH"!
There's been some grumbling lately about the over-reach of government, but it's hard to get too miffed when our leaders keep coming up with such excellent national celebrations / holidays. First there was "Gourmet Peanut Butter Day"... then "Dinosaur Memorial Week"... and now "National Canasta Awareness Month," happening all throughout October! And we'll certainly be doing our part to observe the occasion with a string of shows across this great land of ours, including all of the cities listed below. More specific details can be found here, but allow me to touch on some basic details...

Saturday, 10/2 @ The Frequency (Madison, WI)
w/ The Acorn + Pezzettino

Sunday, 10/3 @ Beat Kitchen (Chicago, IL)
w/ Field Music + Death Ships

Thursday, 10/14 @ Locals Only (Indianapolis, IN)
"Broad Ripple Music Fest Pre-Kickoff Party" (Free!)

Wednesday, 10/20 @ 400 Bar (Minneapolis, MN)
w/ Black Prairie (members of The Decemberists)

Thursday, 10/21 @ TBA
w/ Black Prairie (members of The Decemberists)

Friday, 10/22 @ Highwood City Hall (Highwood, IL)
"The Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival" (3 Sets + All Ages + Free!)

Saturday, 10/23 @ Pete's Candy Store (Brooklyn, NY)
"CMJ Music Marathon"

Friday, 10/29 @ TBA

IN CASE YOU NEVER TIRE OF READING OUR NAME...
We got some more press, in anticipation of our Madison show tomorrow... some great and some not-so-great. But we're confident enough in our relationship with you, that we feel ok about sharing both. The University of Wisconsin's Badger Herald gives the album four stars and says it "takes songwriting and composition to a whole new level" and "just may produce shivers down a few spines" (here). But the praise from the Isthmus newspaper is a bit more measured (here). It starts out nice enough, calling our music an "innovative departure from pop music's standard instrumentation and song construction," but then starts throwing around words like "uneven," "unwieldy" and "jarring." So frankly, we're not entirely sure where we stand with Madison right now. Perhaps this weekend's show will settle things once and for all. See you at the gigs!

CANASTA
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