FWR started out kind of like a gang . . . four super tight mofos that liked to hang out and be stupid together got together to play what was supposed to be a one-off show.  Three years later our bass player Joe decided to leave the group to focus on other stuff.

But the three remaining members got together and didn't want to call it quits.  We still felt the Riot within.  About this time last year we gathered a couple of the bestest musicians we knew and forged on.  Until now . . .

Until now, what, you may ask?  No, we're not calling it quits.  But we have made the rather hard decision to ask Rob and Kristof to sit this one out and let us continue to condition and flex the singular muscle that is FORT WILSON RIOT with the three remaining original members.  It has caused us great distress, but ultimately we feel that this is the best way to move forward creatively. 

We would like to thank Rob and Kristof for everything they have contributed and we know we'll work with them in some fashion again.  We'd also like to thank all the people who continue to come to our show and support us as we find our third wind . . .

The Last Gang in Town,
FORT WILSON RIOT

playing May 1 at the Hexagon & May 29 at the 501 Club

January 2, 2008

Press Inquiries
Ben Smith
ben@fortwilsonriot.com


(Minneapolis, MN)  Minneapolis theatre company Lamb Lays with Lion is proud to announce the encore presentation of Fort Wilson Riot Presents: Idigaragua in the spring of 2008.  This award winning "indie-rock opera" will return to the Bedlam Theatre for a very special encore presentation and will run in repertory with the world-premiere production of Massgraves, written for the stage by Jeremey Catterton.  As Artistic Director of Lamb Lays with Lion, Mr. Catterton will return to direct Idigaragua and Massgraves.  The productions will play nightly, alternating orders from one day to the next beginning April 3 through the 15 at the Bedlam Theater in Minneapolis.  Tickets may be purchased for each show independently or at a reduced price for the double feature.

Fort Wilson Riot Presents: Idigaragua premiered at the Bedlam Theatre to great critical acclaim and sold out crowds in September of 2007.  Conceived by local art-rock band Fort Wilson Riot and directed by Catterton, Idigaragua features dance, puppetry, film and live rock 'n' roll to fully visualize their concept album of the same title.  A five-part epic, Idigaragua relates a magical tale of one man's lifetime, from the mundane to the fantastic.  It speaks of intention, possibility, and choice, while all along accompanied by a mystical bird and its song, "Idigaragua . . . "

"Few bands can summon the creative stamina required for a project like Idigaragua.  Yet with their first full-length effort, local musicians Fort Wilson Riot have fearlessly thrown down a jewel-encrusted, multi-patterned, Technicolor gauntlet.  A nexus of dance, costume,  puppetry, film, theater, concept album, and live rock 'n' roll, Idigaragua is perhaps the most ambitious and imaginative debut release in indie-rock history," writes Christopher Matthew Jensen for City Pages.

"Massgraves…is a lot of bodies…or the end of religion... or possibly the mourning of our weak wrecked planet, as we gift it unto our children.  Massgraves is the story of how to properly put to bed everything we hold dear.  It is how we say goodbye to all that was good about life and striving.  The Requiem for all that we did not do, or simply the Prayer for all that we still hope to happen…which keeps us living.  Massgraves is a hiphop-beat ridden vision that peers through the art of performance to tell us the story of ourselves in a city, Nosferatu on the floor in a heap, and The Egyptian Book of the Dead in our sleep," from writer/director Jeremey Catterton

About Lamb Lays With Lion

Lamb Lays with Lion is a Twin Cities theatre company that produces challenging and original performances. Lamb Lays with Lion's creations experiment with different forms of performance and multi-media expression.  The intent is to create a challenging, enriching and entertaining  experience when the lights go down.  The Lamb Lays with Lion company includes: Cameron Brainard, Jeremey Catterton, Jesse Corder, Alexis Cuttance, Jayne Deis, Garrett Fitzgerald, Jake Lindgren, Katie Rose McLaughlin, Melissa Ann Murphy, Jacob Mullis, Dan O'Neil, Ashley Smith and Carl Swanson.

About Fort Wilson Riot

Fort Wilson Riot have been writing and performing together since 2005.  They have gone on to achieve critical success, earning the title of "Picked to Click" by the City Pages in 2005, being named "Best Live Band" by the Star Tribune in 2005 and finding their yet-unreleased epic, Idigaragua winning "Best Song" in the Star Tribune's year end poll in 2006.  In fall of 2007 their theatrical production of Idigaragua played to sold out crowds at the Bedlam Theatre.  The concept album of the same name went on to make "The Top 20 Local Albums" in addition to FWR being one of the "Favorite Live Acts" in the Star Tribune's year end poll in 2007.  They are in the process of preparing to tour the production in the CAFF (Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals).

About the Bedlam Theatre

For years the Bedlam's shows have been called "the gustiest, riskiest theater around . . . "  The Bedlam is located on the West Bank of Minneapolis at 1501 South 6th Street.



www.fortwilsonriot.com

Happy New Years All,

My god, I think we can honestly say we're pumped to be starting a new year. How 'bout y'all? Not that it wasn't a beautiful year. Just that it was a year full of exciting, yet overwhelming change both personally and musically.
Three of our number took a 2 month trip through Central America, we had a summer full of fun fuckin' shows, we got to play with some of our favorite local, and out of town bands, and we capped the year off with a slumber party in the studio to kick off the recording of our "epic" song that has been in the making since we started this goddamn outfit. Yowzah!
We are in the studio at this very moment editing, and overdubbing and that'll take at least till the end of January.
In the meantime we wanted to announce a special FWR produced New Years EP.

Brought to you straight from the depths of Fort Wilson comes Burlingham Children with their first new years EP entitled "Bob & Mabee's Resolutions" available for free only on myspace.
To listen to, and download all four delightful tracks you can go to:

Burlingham Children

Hello Friends,

It is sunday morning. A very north west coast feeling day, ye olde global warmeth hath cometh in minnesoteth. None-the-less, a good day to be locked away in a recording studio working on some tunes. We've risen with a strong sense of optimism, and a hankering to do some rockin which is promising considering how yesterday morning began...

Saturday was set to be our longest most productive day, and I'm happy to say that we did get a lot done, but we had a rough awakening when we stepped outside to greet the day with rotting babies eaten by aliens littered throughout the streets where cars once were. Needless to say quite the disheartening event. It also delayed our getting started by about three hours. And of course once we began it made it a little hard to stay completely focused and positive. We persevered though. And now we have but two minutes-ish to finish up, then we're on to the nice tasty overdub fun.

Happy New Years Eve Day.

FWR

Howdy-do folks,
So it is 1 o'clock in the AM and we are about 30 min. through our silly little song "Idigaragua". To be honest it feels a little sureal to finally be putting this shit down . It's been over two years in the making, and has been constantly evolving througout, and now to be faced with the prospect of setting it in stone (or tape, or digital signal if you will) and having to say "Yeah for sure, no doubt that's exactly how that shit needs to sound"....tis' a bit of a daunting process. But joyous to the end no doubt. We're gonna be camped out here at The Cuddle Zone right up until the eve of the new year, and then we will be coming back periodically throughout January to do overdubs and all that goodness. Just FYI, our friends Thunder In The Valley, and Vampire Hands will be playing a free NYE show at the Hexagon Bar. So all who have not yet formulated plans should hit it up. Yeah!

-FWR

So my friends, it is finished. We played Idigaragua all the way through this past saturday for a small group of four friends, and it went very well, all things considered. It came out to 56 minutes, but of course you have to take into account the adrenaline that took control of fingers, and the many sections that need to be smoothed out, but we can say with confidence that the story has been written, and the music has been realized. We've a month now to work out all the kinks before we go into the studio, and once in, anything goes. It looks like we're gonna play one more show on thursday Dec. 21st before we go into the studio. Our plan is to test out some of the new material, so we hope you can make it down. If not we understand. Weekday night and all. But for whoever can we promise something new. Hope everyone had a marvelous turkey day. Keep those waist lines expanding. Gotta prepare for the winter.

-FWR

Howdy folks. Just wanted to let y'all know what we've bee up to. We've been working our tush's off to finish up our godamn "epic" song, Idigaragua, to meet a recording date at the end of december. The progress is going great. We're all extremely excited with the direction it's going in, but the monster keeps growing and growing. We're at 53min. right now, and expect it to end at at least 60min. We can't wait to play it for everyone and finally give you the full story, begining to end.
As far as shows go, we're looking to play a show in late Dec. right before we go into the studio so keep an eye out. Other than that we're gonna be working to get this record out late winter or early spring, so we'll be back playing shows in Feb. or March.
Stay Solid,
-FWR

Just wanted to check in and let everyone know that Ben, Amy, Yael, Mark, and I are all doing well.  More stories to come, hope all is well in Minneapolis.

-Jacob 

In last weeks Star Tribune, Fort Wilson Riot tied for fifth place for their live shows in 2005.  This was a result of a city wide critic's poll.  Thanks to all the friends, family, and anonymous fans that make all our shows so fucking fun.  There's nothing like a bar room of drunks shouting "Walk the Plank!"  Oh, and we tied with Atmosphere and Happy Apple, two amazing bands that have been around here for awhile.  You can check out the article out here.