Books

Winter has crept in again and I wasn't even ready for Fall yet. I've been reading a lot of poetry lately. It helps me see the world differently and changes my creative expression. I've been dancing by myself in my room a lot lately too.

Books
It is when we are near the end of a book that we enjoy it.
Guests who we anxiously expect often fail to come.
So the world runs always contrary to our wishes
How rarely in a hundred years do we open our hearts!

On a heist

For halloween this year, we played the most fantastic party at Bottom of the Hill and dressed as bank robbers on a heist. We threw play money into the crowd and gave out money sugar cookies so I guess we were sort of like the Robinhood of bank robbers. It was one of the best parties we've ever played.

CMJ!

we're playing a few shows:

Oct. 22
show time 9:15pm -
Death By Audio
49 S. 2nd Street
Brooklyn, New York 11226

Oct. 23
Friday,9pm
Shea Stadium/All Ages
20 Meadow Street
Brooklyn, New York 11206

Oct. 24
Saturday-
show time 3:00pm
Spike Hill
184 & 186 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11211

Oct. 24
Saturday
show time11:45 pm
Cake Shop
152 Ludlow Street
New York, New York 10002

Homesick at home.

We've been too busy, too busy loving the UK, it's people, history, culture, and food. Our last show in London was the perfect ending to a beautiful three weeks spent travelling across the kingdom. I felt truly at one with the audience and felt safe and completely libertated on stage, which doesn't usually happen all at once like that. Maybe it was watching that depressing yet inspiring documentary on the metal band Anvil the night before that gave me a renewed sense of appreciation and love for what we do. In either case, it was a good last show in the UK and it felt spectacular. Also, on our last show day in London, we did an in studio at XFM and the engineer was kind enough to play us all of our favorite bands that had come into the studio before us. It was so humbling and amazing to be able to listen to all these insanely gorgeous live tracks.

I have a bright picture in my head of places like Cardiff, Brighton, York, Southhampton, Birmingham...I have a newfound appreciation for all things salmon and prawns and mayonnaise, Superdrug, Primark, and castles. I've learned that "you okay" pretty much means "how are you". And it's cool to say Cheers! after everything pretty much anything. But I still haven't figured out when someone is going to reach in to kiss me on the cheek versus hug me 'cause this is different with every british person we meet.

xo ann

Southampton

Last night we played one of our last few shows in a big but little city called Southampton. It's typical that all the cities shut down by 6pm so most of the time when we're finished with soundcheck, we are seeing the city in it's quietest moments. Walking through Southampton was a lot like New York City at night, there was a beautiful park and streets lined with shops. The venue we played was just plain rad. So many bands had played here - Radiohead, The Libertines, British Seapower, Coldplay....there were old fliers dating all the way back to 1996! The first question the venue staff asked us when we arrived was how spicy we wanted our pasta. Really? Cooking for us and asking us about spice factor? Yes please!!! To top it off, sound was spot on, everyone there was friendly , and we even got to hang out after the show was over and have a few drinks while dave geeked out on drums with the sound guy. Pretty much the entire bar was open to us including candies which I indulged in. There is no greater pleasure than this.

London so far...

Beautiful weather here, every neighborhood we chance upon there is sun, pubs, and english sausages. Good times. Today we did an instore at Pure Groove, one of the coolest record shops I've been to in a long while. Was planning a big night out tonight having a day off finally, but the hour long ride into Hackney and our lack of rest until tonight barred us from leaving our comfortable abode here. We met a really cool band last night called Bodies of Water and were keen to hang out with them so it's a shame we stayed in. But, Mick has a copy of Samuel Beckett's complete works and I've begun reading a play called Play which is quite good and humanistic in it's portrayal of a man, one girlfriend (i think), and one lover. The guys are watching a movie in the other room, ahhhh. Staying inside was a good decision.
x ann

Manchester

Hmm, where to begin. Manchester is a city of greatness, there are cool shops, people, and places to eat everywhere in the Northern end of town where we stayed. We had two proper full english breakfasts! The place we stayed in was a pimp ass (sorry no other way to describe it) apartment right next to a supermarket and in walking distance of the fun. We played a show to people who'd even come all the way from Spain and Atlanta, Georgia to see us in Manchester. I will never forget that, and I hope that we can continue to grow with those that have followed us and supported us so much. I have so much love for them. After the show we went to a rocknroll bar called Big Hands with our labelmates The Answering Machine and Mick. Late night fun at it's finest. Had my first drink of tour, southern comfort and lemonade, so delicious and refreshing, kind of a girl drink I suppose. :) xo ann