I can't help but do a bit of self promotion, since my band Anne Castellano & the Smoke is playing in Norwich on Thursday night. It's our first show at the Strange Brew Pub, a venue that is quickly becoming a favorite of local music lovers. Also on the bill will be The Saturday Giant, from Columbus, Ohio. The Saturday Giant is Philip Cogley, a one man experimental indie band who is on tour across the U.S. for the next two months. He uses no prerecorded samples, with layers of drums, guitars, bass, keyboards, and vocals being created in real time at his shows. The Saturday Giant has recorded three EPs, with the most recent, When Death Comes, released in 2012. My band plays first, beginning at about 9:30 or 10 pm, and we'll be doing a few new songs that we think you are going to like. Strange Brew serves food, and they even have Southern Tier Pumking on tap, if you need any further convincing. The last band I saw there couldn't stop raving about the wings (and carnivorous friends of mine have agreed). It's Ladies' Night, so women get in free, and they also get half priced drinks from 7 to 10 pm. For the guys, it's $5 admission.
On Friday night, The Hoolios and Girls Guns and Glory will be appearing at the Knickerbocker Cafe in Westerly, RI. Girls Guns and Glory have a new album out called Good Luck, and it's their fourth full length release. Alternative Root Magazine has named it the best album of 2014 so far. The band has also recorded two songs with fellow Boston artist Sarah Borges to be released as a limited edition 7” single, produced by David Minehan (of the Neighborhoods). The Hoolios, a five-piece local Americana band led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Jim Carpenter, will open the show. Expect great songwriting, three different lead vocalists, lots of harmonies, stellar playing, and great potential for dancing. These two bands are a great match and they have played several shows together. Westerly is only about 20 minutes from New London and it's well worth the trip. The show starts at 8 pm and cover is $15 at the door.
On Saturday night, the extremely busy and talented Daphne Lee Martin kicks off another tour with a show at the Oasis Pub in New London. Tour buddy Hannah Fair is also on the bill, as are Mission 0 (or Zero). This will be a full band show for Daphne, and she has hinted about some new songs as well. Following this show, Daphne and Hannah Fair will begin their month-long Blonde On Blonde tour, which takes them all the way down the east coast and out to Indiana. Hannah will return briefly and then head out west on another tour, this time with the Meadows Brothers. Mission Zero is a brother-sister electro pop duo from New Haven, with Chenot on guitars, keyboards, and vocals and David on drums and vocals. The siblings released an EP called Sky Candy earlier this year. David will also be playing in Daphne's band at this show. Cover at the Oasis is $5 and the show starts at 8 pm.
Also on Saturday night, The Manchurians and The 3-Pack will be playing at Cafe Nine in New Haven. It's great to see that the 3-Pack are beginning to do more shows, as they gain more confidence in the new lineup. This is the Manchurians' home venue, so to speak, and these two bands are old friends as well. It should be a loud, rocking night. Cafe Nine is a great club that has been doing some amazing booking recently, and it's an easy trip from New London. (Now if they could only do something about those parking meters...) Cover is $6 and the show starts at 9 pm with the 3-Pack.