Hello everyone! The time is almost upon us. Next week (or perhaps THIS WEEK, depending on when you read this), OCtoberflame begins.
OCtoberflame is, for those of you who have not heard, a festival of sorts that will be headlined by Tiger Army for each of five nights at The Grove in Anaheim, CA, beginning this Thursday, Oct. 23rd and concluding on Halloween night.
They're not going to be just any shows, and I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a bit more about them and what they mean to us.
Just over two years ago, we entered the studio to begin the process of recording our latest album, Music From Regions Beyond. When we completed the album, we immediately went to Europe and didn't stop touring from there. In the year and a half since we left the studio, we've done the equivalent of three full U.S. tours, our first-ever Canadian tour, tours of Australia, Japan, and four separate trips to Europe. It's funny, because there are still places we need to go. There were a lot of great shows and a lot of great experiences there, but touring can be a void – endless like space. If you're not careful you can get lost in it, and not be able to come back.
Some people seem to be unaware of just how much we've toured. We've gotten more than a few messages lately saying "Don't you guys ever leave California?" Sometime when you're bored, check out the Gig Archive, it's got a list of literally ever live appearance we've ever made. It's linked from the Tourdates section at our site TigerArmy.com. As you can see from that, it's more like we never stay in California. But that's about to change.
After two years of almost non-stop work, Tiger Army's taking a break. Our lifestyle of constant touring will shift into something else. It's something I need to be creative, something I need to write the next record. OCtoberflame will be a goodbye of sorts, the end of a moment in time. It's also a thank you to all the fans for all their support over these last two years, and all the years before that.
We're not just playing five shows in a row somewhere (well four in row then Halloween, but you get the idea), a LOT of work is going into these shows to make them something special and unique, for even the most diehard Tiger Army fan who's seen us everytime we play in Southern California.
We've been hitting the practice space on a regular basis – our goal is to play TWENTY unique songs over the course of five nights, you will hear at LEAST four songs each night that are not played on ANY other night. The setlist will change quite a bit nightly in addition to those unique songs as well, it's not just gonna be the same core set plus four new songs. As always, we'll draw on the entire catalog for our setlist – including songs that haven't been played live in YEARS, and a few that haven't been played live EVER.
For those of you who haven't heard about the fourth show, Sunday October 26th, that's gonna be another special night. Adam Carson of AFI, who also happens to be the original drummer of Tiger Army, will rejoin the band for one night only. The set will consist solely of songs that he recorded with the band, or were played during the era he performed with us. We've practiced with Adam several times so far, and I already know it's going to be a blast. Sometimes touching base with the past is a good way to look towards the future, it's funny how that works.
What else? We might be joined onstage by some friends and special guests. I've got to leave some surprises.
Sadly, T.S.O.L. had to cancel, something related to their drummer. I was sad to hear this because they were one of my favorite bands scheduled to play, and I've been a fan since I bought Dance With Me at age eleven. But an important announcement: not only are horrorpunks "Calabrese" from Arizona playing, but as of today a special surprise guest has been added to the bill for the Saturday, Oct. 25th show! We can't announce them til Monday, but I think a lot of you will be excited, I know I am.
Another bit of information that's important to OCtoberflame that I haven't mentioned here – as you may have heard, the next record I do will in all likelihood not be a Tiger Army album, but a Nick 13 solo album. A little background: as most of you know, I grew up in a town called Ukiah, CA with Dave, Jade and Adam from AFI (as well as Geoff Kresge from Tiger Army!). Dave and Jade's lives have been similar to mine in the sense that we've all basically devoted our lives to our respective bands. In the last year or so, they found time to do a side project called Blaqk Audio. I've wanted to do an album vintage-inspired honky-tonk for years, and there was something inspiring to me about their example. They found the time to make a record and even do a quick tour with something that was musically different from what they do, without it taking away from the band that they've dedicated their lives to. A lot of things have been important to my plan to finally do this record, like Tiger Army's trip to Nashville this year, but there's a VERY good chance it'll happen. BTW, think "Outlaw Heart", "In the Orchard", "The Long Road", "Where the Moss Slowly Grows" for musical direction.
So let's take a look at what this could mean for playing live with Tiger Army. A disclaimer – you NEVER know what's going to happen. We took somewhat of a break to write for Music From Regions Beyond in '05/'06 and that's when we were offered shows we felt we couldn't decline by Morrissey and AFI. We also did a show here and there because we missed playing live when the writing process took longer than I wanted to, as it often will. So things like this could happen again, but they also could NOT.
That being said, let's take a look at one scenario: finish OCtoberflame on Halloween night. Chill for a couple months. Write for a few months. Record Nick 13 solo country album for a few months. Play a few shows, maybe a quick tour or two with country project. Back to Tiger Army at that point, but maybe straight back to writing or the studio – it could be a year or more until Tiger Army plays again! I'm not saying it will be for a fact, I'm just saying that with the country project in the mix, NO ONE knows the next time Tiger Army will play a show and as things stand now, anything before at LEAST mid-2009 is unlikely. So if you're in Los Angeles, San Diego, wherever else, don't wait for us to come to your doorstep. I wish I could have one version of myself to tour constantly, and another version to write, record and create constantly, but alas, there is only one of me.
What else? No service charge at The Grove box office. If you bought the five-night package, your ticket will be slightly different than a regular ticket, and people at the venue will know this for the meet-and-greet after the Halloween show, the limited poster (by Linas Garsys!), and so on. We're playing with some ridiculously good bands over the various nights – VNV Nation? The Quakes? C'mon!
Preparation for these shows has consumed my life lately, it's the last hurrah on a long path before we go down a new one. I hope OCtoberflame will mean as much to the people who see it as it will for us to play it – we'll see you there!
Tiger Army has made a special announcement regarding the fourth OCtoberflame show that takes place at the Grove of Anaheim on Sunday, October 26th! Adam Carson, drummer of AFI and original drummer of Tiger Army will rejoin the band for one night only to perform a special set comprised exclusively of songs from his time with the band! Don't miss this very special show, you won't see this again anytime soon! October 26th marks the nine-year anniversary of the first album's release!
On Night 4, Tiger Army is supported by UK psychobilly legends the Guana Batz and Creature Feature. Tiger Army drummer James Meza will perform at the other four shows.
Bassist Geoff Kresge posted in his blog last night,
"As you may have read HERE, Adam Carson will be performing with Tiger Army as a special part of the OCtoberFlame 2008 shows in Anaheim, CA later this month. This is something you're not likely to see again any time soon, so needless to say, it's going to be something worth changing your plans for.
We've already begun working out the set for this show with Adam, and I'm very excited to be playing with Adam again, even if it is only for one show. This will be the first time in over ELEVEN YEARS that Adam and I will be playing together and the first time in almost NINE YEARS that Adam has performed with TIGER ARMY!
Make sure to catch this show if you can! It's going to be one for the history books!
Hope to see you there! GK"
Night 4 and the Halloween performance of OCtoberflame
are both nearly sold out! The OCtoberflame event marks the last time
you'll be able to see Tiger Army before the band goes back into the
studio to begin work on both the next Tiger Army album, and Nick 13's
"solo" country-style album next year...
Tiger Army and Social Distortion's Mike Ness will co-headline Hootenanny 2008 on Saturday July 5, 2008 @ Oak Canyon Ranch in Orange County California. The festival includes three music stages, vendors and a display of classic cars.
The event is All Ages (Kids 5 and under free admission). Tickets are still available from ticketmaster.com (VIP tickets include a backstage pass)... see the official event site for more details.
Also scheduled to appear are Glen Glenn , BR549's Chuck Mead, Royal Crown Revue, Cadillac Tramps, Grant Lee Phillips, Big Sandy, James Intveld, Guana Batz, Throw Rag, Blood on the Saddle, Roger Allen Wade, Russel Scott, Powerflex 5, Chris Schiflet, Dusty Rhodes, Rickey Warwick, Sh*tkickers, Hellbound Hayride, Wil Ridge
Dr. Drew and Stryker welcome back Tiger Army's Nick 13 to their radio show "Loveline" on Tuesday, June 10th from 10pm-midnite (Pacific Standard Time)!
The show airs on 106.7 FM KROQ in Los Angeles & Orange County. It's also nationally syndicated and airs all over the country, so check your local listings or at Lovelineshow.com for times and stations!
If you're not in the States or can't tune in, listen to it streaming online on your computer at KROQ.com!
You can also call or e-mail in with questions about love, sex or Tiger Army during the show!
Call: 1-800-LOVE-191 (1-800-568-3191)
Or email: questions@lovelineshow.com
T♠A♠N♠D
(Note: If you can't listen live, the shows are generally available for download from KROQ's website after they're broadcast... ~Misery)
Local Punks Turn Out @ The Showcase Theater 04.04.2008
Mark Unseen gets close to the audience during The Unseen's performance @ Southern California's premiere all-ages punk venue The Showcase Theater in Corona, CA on April 4, 2008.
Hellcat Records The Unseen shared the stage with opening bands Civet, Viva Hate and A Wilhelm Scream, who delivered a sonic assault of punk rock, hardcore and hard rocking psychobilly to a packed house of local diehard punk kids that screamed, moshed and not infrequently flew through the air from the stage and in one case the upper balcony.
The Showcase Theater, host to inumerable punk bands large and small over the past 20 years, including AFI, Tiger Army, Saosin (who played their first live show there), Sick Of It All, The Unseen, and a an endless roster of local and national bands, from the unsigned to the major label, will be closing it's doors for the last time at the end of May, as local development in downtown Corona forces the older stores and strip malls out of it's path.
The Showcase is located in an old movie theater in a small strip mall, across the street from a church... and the newly built upscale Corona Public Library and business bankers. The owners plan to reopen a venue in another OC city (one source mentioned Rancho). It is always sad to see a landmark of local and alternative music have to close it's doors due to "progress", hopefully the new location will as accessible and welcoming to the generations of fans and bands that have considered The Showcase if not a home, a welcome stop on their tour schedule alongside larger mainstream venues.
