We actually cannot wait to get back to the states and Northampton to begin our second full year together. For the time being, however, you can follow our European adventures at www.busktilldawn.com. Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you in September!

Fear not, dear reader.  The very next day, Sam and I (with help from my mother’s car) liberated the band’s newest and possibly most handsome member from a car dealership in Monsey, NY.  A vision in maroon, his capaciousness and functional air conditioning had us crowing all the way up to Lake George.  After trying out a variety of celebrity names (Tommy Hanks, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Abraham Lincoln), we finally arrived at Chauncey.  Where he been all our lives?

Reliability at First Sight

We enjoy some slick water-skiing (Auyon’s first time, see pics) and a Burn Notice marathon up at Dave’s family’s house (The Woodshed), which tides us over until our next gig in Saratoga Springs.  Our outdoor show wins over a number of summer passersby, and we pit our Muse cover against that of Saving Atlantis, a pop-rock outfit with some serious 80’s flash-and-dazzle.

Trials

Perseverance (Unfortunately Still Wearing Boy Shorts)

The weekend passes by quickly at the lake between boat outings and CD printing (at this point we are still hand-stamping and burning our new EP).  The following week sees the beginning of our famous 13 gigs in 13 nights experiment.  We begin in downtown Hartford, continue along to Block Island where we lend an electric cello to the ferry service for a night (as described in an earlier post).  After one gig in Portland with a special guest appearance by the soundguy’s rental cello, we rock Boston’s cute little face off at “Church” (no, we explain more than once, not a real church obviously, but a rock club).  The next day, we move our outdoor show at Williams reunions under the overhanging roof of the hockey rink and get our alumni spirit on.  Having had obviously not enough gigging, we decide to play yet another show that night at a small music festival in Turner’s Falls, north of home in Mass.  Turns out this place has super-cool fans and some of the best tea we’ve tried.

Missing Cello, Friendly, Last Seen Here

CDs printed, some drying required

We sleep that night for approximately 13 hours, so that we’re ready to put on our birthday suits for our dear friend Matt Earle’s mom.  Because it’s her birthday.  And it’s a nice party.  Where one wears a suit, am I wrong?  We ride out the night with acousticy vibes, succulent BBQ, and modest portions of something I can’t remember for some reason that may have had Campari in it.

Next night, we bunk at Dave’s family’s non-lake house (less watery but just as nice-y) after a performance at Two Boots Pizzeria in Bridgeport, CT, where we are paid in part with spicy pizza.  The next night is nothing short of momentous, as we join Caitlin Canty at Brooklyn Bowl, where we are served Blue Ribbon food in a dressing room, given a real soundcheck by not one but two soundpersons, and treated to Brooklyn Brewery beers and a game of bowling (again, can’t recall, but I probably won– knowing me).

The Sweet Energy-Efficient Lights of Brooklyn Bowl

And the very next night, wouldn’t you just know…it was so crazy that…

Excited for the next gig though, weren’t you?  Wait for Part Deux, faithful readers, my fingers are getting crampity right about now…

When we are rock stars.

<Enter Auyon’s dream sequence>

When we become rock stars, someone else will carry my mandolin and my violin into every venue, set up my instruments, rosin my bow, tie my shoes, and shake Don in the bathroom while he is urinating just to get him riled up before the show.

When we become rock stars, someone else will cook our meals, so that we will have more time to focus on our creative process.

When we become rock stars, someone else will write all of our music, to give us more time still.

When we become rock stars, someone else will perform said music on stage and in the studio, so that we will have time to do photo shoots for Rolling Stone and The Economist.

And so on. Thank you all for helping us chase our dreams. We will never forget your support, and will make sure to have our people’s people write you letters when we are absurdly rich and famous. Until then, please don’t laugh when you see me trying to pick up Sam’s drum hardware bag. I think I have developed a hernia.

Much love,

Auyon

Gig recaps from our recent appearances are forthcoming…

“Bang-thud” is the sound your heart makes when you’re in Portland, Maine, forty-five minutes before a show, and you realize that your electric cello is still on a boat off the coast of Rhode Island, more than 200 miles away. This was specifically Harris’s heart, yesterday at approximately 7:15 pm, well after the Block Island Ferry office had closed, and not long at all before we needed to entertain a growing crowd of Portlandites. In a brilliant stroke of luck, the North Star Cafe sound guy, who’d taken up cello not two weeks prior, offered to fetch his acoustic for us. In a matter of a few minutes, and with HIS cello’s status still uncertain, Harris re-learned parts that had been written for six strings on the borrowed four-string acoustic, and the show somehow went without a hitch (if perhaps a hair behind schedule).

After a long night of what-iffing and an early morning of desperate phone calling, the cello was located and Harris made the solo trek back to Block Island to retrieve it. What could have been (and still maybe was) the most traumatic experience of our band’s short history is now in hindsight a colorful lesson about the perils of sea travel and the importance of double-checking the van.

Speaking of! Our fifteen-passenger van, which we’re calling [your favorite male celebrity], has been converted by way of seat-removal into an 8-passenger van with quite a lot of trunk space (our rehearsal space, on the other hand, has been converted into a chic 7-passenger lounge). The six-track EP, which we’ve effusively titled “EP 1,” is now on sale online as a digital download or mail-order disc, or you can buy one directly from us at one of our shows, as long as you’re willing to wait while we look for the keys to the cash box. The tour doesn’t have a name or a title yet, but it’s definitely a tour, because we have a tour van, who for the moment is Christopher Walken.

In all seriousness, we’re elated to finally have a van, and to have physical EPs in hand, and to have the cello safely back in Harris’ clutches. We’re also very happy to announce that tonight’s show at Church of Boston is our 50th show! Except none of the other guys know that yet, so unless they read this before we go on stage, I’ll be surprising them with that news in a few hours. See you in a jiffy, Boston!

A quick note on our EP pre-release…

–It’s come to our attention that a couple “data” CDs might have gotten out into the larger pool (the kind that play nicely with your computer but not with your CD player). If you run into any issues with your CD, email info@darlingside.com and we’ll get it sorted out.
–The EP will be up for download on this site in the next couple weeks. Keep checking back– we’re pumped to get it out there!
–Dave, please contact me at autoshun@darlingside.com if you’re still unclear on what “pre” and/or “release” mean.

Thanks to all who came out to the Iron Horse and made it such a welcoming atmosphere for us!

This Saturday at the Iron Horse!

After this weekend we’ll be gearing up for a packed summer of more than 30 shows all over the Northeast. If you live anywhere near anywhere near New England and/or the greater Megalopolis area, check the tour schedule, because we’re probably playing in your backyard sometime soon.

As we struggled with our food comas, we found out from Julianna and Natalia that Julianna’s mother’s close friend since childhood had purchased the ingredients for the meal from the most delicious eateries in the North End.  And this is why I am posting today: as the self-appointed food-appreciator for Darlingside, I want to formally thank this friend for supporting us, feeding us, and bestowing such a generous gift upon us.  It made for a night filled with merriment and good grub.  Thanks so much for the feast, we really appreciate it!  A huge thanks to Julianna and Natalia for their expert cooking skills (they whipped up an incredible sauce from scratch for the occasion) and for the great company.  And a special personal thanks to all the contributors for saving me from having to prepare dinner for the house on my scheduled cooking night!  I’ve included a snapshot to help paint the scene.