Road Journal: 2009-10-08

On The Road

Dear Usual Suspects,

You may have noticed what, on first glance, appears to be an empty calendar of Grift gigs. Never fear - nothing could be farther from the truth! There is no shortage of Griftiness in the world right now - here's a quick update on shows:

Clint is currently on tour in Europe playing a run of dates with Brian Chartrand from The Sweet Remains. Jeff and Peter are preparing to hit the road for a nice long run of shows backing up Jer Coons. (Clint, an integral member of The Jer Coons Band, will re-enter the fray mid-tour upon his return Stateside.) Jer, meanwhile, after a few years of hard work and operating under the radar (aided and abetted, of course, by The Grift) has officially burst onto the radar, and in a big way. Two weeks ago The Jer Coons band played his CD release party for the brand new album, Speak (which The Grift recorded with Jer at Strangeways Studios) and the Showcase Lounge at Higher Ground was sold out beyond capacity. The official national release of Speak was Tuesday, September 29, and the album made it to #38 on the iTunes pop charts! Yes, that's right - it's all happening. And yes, if you don't own it already, you need to go buy Speak from iTunes. Like... right now. Or come to a show and buy it in person (even better). You shan't be disappointed.

We'll be covering a lot of ground this month as we hit the road in earnest as Jer's band, (we'll be reaching as far west as Minneapolis and as far south as Hot-Lanta), so please check out the tour dates on jercoons.com and come say hello at a show! Meanwhile, check back in as there will be more Grift dates posted in the near future.

The Grift abides.

http://www.jercoons.com/?s=tourdates

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Road Journal: 2009-09-21

Movin' On Up!

Yes yes y'all. Fall is here and The Grift boys are a beehive of activity - festivals, tribute sets, backing band shows, song learnin', travel plannin' - it's all happening.

Recently played The Backwoods Pond Fest in Peru, NY and had a real blast - it's always inspiring to be surrounded by fellow musicians and other folks who are passionate about creating (and listening to) live music! It is alive and kicking. Also played an incredible show with The Sweet Remains at The FlynnSpace in Burlington - it is a real treat to make music with those guys - check 'em out (link at the bottom) and if you don't have their album, Laurel & Sunset, do yourself a favor and pick it up. They write a hell of a good song!

Coming up: BIG SHOW Friday September 25 at Higher Ground, backing up Jer Coons. This may be your last chance to see him in a venue this small, so don't miss out. Tickets are only $5!! (and the backing band ain't half bad, either!)

http://www.thesweetremains.com/home.html

Yes yes y'all. Fall is here and The Grift boys are a beehive of activity - festivals, tribute sets, backing band shows, song learnin', travel plannin' - it's all happening.

Recently played The Backwoods Pond Fest in Peru, NY and had a real blast - it's always inspiring to be surrounded by fellow musicians and other folks who are passionate about creating (and listening to) live music! It is alive and kicking. Also played an incredible show with The Sweet Remains at The FlynnSpace in Burlington - it is a real treat to make music with those guys - check 'em out (link at the bottom) and if you don't have their album, Laurel & Sunset, do yourself a favor and pick it up. They write a hell of a good song!

Coming up: BIG SHOW Friday September 25 at Higher Ground, backing up Jer Coons. This may be your last chance to see him in a venue this small, so don't miss out. Tickets are only $5!! (and the backing band ain't half bad, either!)

http://www.thesweetremains.com/home.html

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Road Journal: 2009-09-01

Cannonball!

Cannonball coming... well, maybe not a cannonball, but a cannonball run of sorts coming up - heading out to Chicago for a quick weekend indulging our Caddyshack bent. That's right, we will be paying tribute to the classic film (and a fine soundtrack, at that, featuring a few unforgettable hits by Kenny "The Log" Loggins and Journey) with a special golf-course engagement. Featuring Clint as the dapper Ty Webb, Big Time as Danny Noonan, Jeff as Tony D'Annunzio and Peter as groundskeeper Carl Spackler, we're excited to add another tribute to our roster. Be the ball! na na na na na...

In other news, there are some special shows coming up:

(This) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2: Sublime tribute at Two Brothers Tavern in Middlebury!!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11: Backwoods Pond Fest in Peru, NY. We're psyched to be part of this very cool music festival featuring The Grift and some other incredible bands including Ryan Montbleau Band, U-Melt, The Breakfast, Twiddle, Lucid, and Spiritual Rez, to name a few.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 at The Flynnspace in Burlington, VT, with The Sweet Remains. Don't miss this one! Find out more about The Sweet Remains - history, song clips, etc. on their web site (link at the bottom.) These guys are incredible, and our shows with them last fall were epic. Get your tickets early, as this show will likely sell out!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 at Higher Ground - backing up Jer Coons for his CD release party. Huuuuuuuuuuuuuge.

That's all for now, folks.


www.myspace.com/thesweetremains

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Road Journal: 2009-08-14

fresh, local music

Very much enjoyed our recent show in the barn at The Intervale here in Burlington. The food was delicious, the sun was shining, and the vibe was stellar... you just can't beat a barn fulla dancing kids, happy dogs, and grooving peoples fueled by flatbread, zero gravity beer and vermont summer. outstanding! many thanks to all the folks who put together the summer thursdays in the barn music series at The Intervale, and to American Flatbread, and also to the good folks at The Radiator who got grifted the other night and will now be spinning some tracks from Doppelganger. If you're in greater Burlington, make sure to check out The Radiator at 105.9 FM or online at theradiator dot oh-are-gee. tasty! and feel free to drop em a line and request some Grift!!

Next up is The Tamarack Grille in the wilds of The Northeast Kingdom (Fri 8/14) and a special Middlebury appearance by the full band on Friday August 21 at Two Brothers. See you there!


http://theradiator.org/

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Road Journal: 2009-07-23

I'm On a Boat!

FRIDAY, JULY 24 - Boston Harbor Booze Cruise with the Old Silver Band!!! Link for tickets below.

Well, it was great to be back in New Hampshire again - we kept it around Area C last week with shows in Manchester and Concord. The Shaskeen, in Manchester, is a great venue and they made us feel right at home. (Thanks to Jordan for his help promoting and getting things set up!) Concord, meanwhile was a very fun show and a great day all around - made our triumphant return to the capital city in a big way, playing the final night of the city's annual Market Days Street Fair and Music Festival. Seemed very fitting that were right outside our old stomping grounds, The Barley House, and it was great to catch up with some old friends! Big up to Dave and Leon for the stellar (huge!) sound and musical wisdom, and also to The Stompers horn section - you guys rule! If you missed it, we closed the set with a rockin' Bloom - spur of the moment, Clint invited the Stompers horns up to sit in on the tune and they proceeded to step up to plate and play the tightest, sweetest horn arrangement that sounded like we'd been rehearsing for months. James Brown would have been proud. Thanks, y'all! And thanks to everyone who came and boogied, and especially to everyone who stuck around after the set to buy a CD and say hey. Keep in touch!

See you Friday in Boston for an EPIC adventure on a boat with the Old Silver Band! This one is not to miss!!!

http://www.rockonconcerts.com

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Road Journal: 2009-07-04

Independence Day

Independent Music, that is! Wait, what's that? Oh. Oh, I'm told there's a different, more eventful reason to celebrate. Something about the US of A, too. Right. That's huge.

**FRIDAY, JULY 10 @ NECTAR'S!**

That will also be huge. (huuuuuuuuuge.)

Summer has started with a bang, much like the fireworks at Martin and Jen's party last week (which was, by pretty much every account, one of the coolest shindigs we've ever been a part of) Further proof of our theory - The Valley rocks. We heart The Mad RIver Valley! Thanks again to Martin and Jen and everyone who put on one hell of a throwdown.

In other Grift news, GIGANTIC THANK YOU to everyone who came to the CD release show at The Middle East!! There were some usual suspects there who came a long way to take part in the festivities, and we cannot overstate how incredible that was! (you know who you are!) Thank you thank you. The night was a huge success - about a dozen folks short of a sell out! and the energy was great, and The Van Buren Boys were an awesome opener. Those guys rock - check 'em out if you're in the Boston area!

coming up: we're getting our New Hampshire fix! Get yours!

FRIDAY, JULY 17: The Shaskeen in Manchester, NH

SATURDAY, JULY 18: Concord, NH's Market Days and Summer Music Festival!

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Road Journal: 2009-06-15

Midwest Roundup, Boston CD Release Party!!

BIG NEWS! BIG REMINDER!

FRIDAY, JUNE 19 at THE MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS!!

This is it, folks, our big Boston CD release party. This is a huge show that will probably sell out, so get your tickets early!! (save a couple bucks, too) You can go to the box office (472/480 Mass Ave in Cambridge) 1pm to 7pm, 7 days a week and pay no service charge (recommended), or you can go through Ticketmaster: (617) 931-2000. link to ticket order form at the bottom.

Midwest roundup: The Grift boys returned home in the wee hours after a pleasant 16 hour drive from Fort Wayne, IN. (also in attendance in Vanna White were Bower and Maple, who were excellent and well-behaved road dogs! The weekend was a blasty, as usual. Thanks everyone for the strong showing at Buckets, and Saturday night was a fun party (congrats, y'all!)

Big thanks to Jamie for once again coming through huuuuuge (and for learning parts like a madman) and to Denver Bierman for his surprise guest appearance on keys. Always a pleasure.

See you on Friday night in Boston!

http://www.ticketmaster.com/The-Grift-CD-Release-Party-tickets/artist/1315749

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Road Journal: 2009-05-22

Le Sacre du Printemps

Ahh yes, spring has sprung! Vermont is glorious, indeed. The Grift is back from a very successful Southern Tour, and looking forward to a big spring and summer season here in The Northeast! Huge thanks to Jamie "Flash" Bright for being the road warrior of warriors. You name it, he helped make it happen better. Sound, merch, promotion, in-store performances, general shenanigans, etc. Big up!

Coming up is a special Grift acoustic show at Parima on Saturday May 30. If you've been to a Grift show here, you know what a treat it is, for band and listeners alike.

Also on the horizon:
JUNE 19 UPSTAIRS AT THE MIDDLE EAST: BOSTON CD RELEASE PARTY!!

This is a huge show that will probably sell out, so get your tickets early!! You can go to the box office (472/480 Mass Ave in Cambridge) 1pm to 7pm, 7 days a week and pay no service charge (recommended), or you can go through Ticketmaster: (617) 931-2000. link to ticket order form at the bottom.

* * *

In other news, there have been many requests for the lyrics to La Fille de L'Auto-Stop. Enfin, les voila! Apologies for the lack of accents

C'etait une belle journee d'ete
il faisait chaud je conduisais
une voiture rouge et super-fly qui ne m'appartenait
pas de probleme que je sache
le conducteur il se fache
mais je m'en fiche, je vais au beach,
je dirais meme la plage

elle attendait si tranquillement
a cote de la route il semble
naturel de s'arreter pour l'inviter a bord
Elle portait pas beaucoup
elle avait guere couvert ses deux genoux
ses yeux brillaient l'esprit pour
faire un peu pour faire le tout

(refrain)
viens, viens, viens avec moi
viens, viens, viens avec moi
viens, viens, viens avec moi
la fille de l'auto-stop

elle disait pas grande chose
elle n'avait pas besoin everyone knows
ce langage de la langue qui fait
l'explorations du corps
et soudainement j'ai claxonne
le clignotant a clignote
la ceinture de securite me retenait a peine

j'ai essaye de mettre les freins
elle se frottait contre mes mains
en liberant les seins avec le dos sur le volant
sans demander elle a pris mon levier
pour changer la vitesse
avec ses fesses qui avaient la priorite

viens, viens, viens avec moi
viens, viens, viens avec moi
viens, viens, viens avec moi
la fille de l'auto-stop

et bien ma fille - qu'est-ce que tu dis?
on y va? viens avec moi

je voyais rien on s'enfoutait
il y avait une nouvelle chaussee
qu'elle dessinait avec sa tete frappant le pare-soleil

impossible de ralentir
nous avions les grands sourires
"on va mourir!" en allant directement au paradis

viens, viens, viens avec moi
viens, viens, viens avec moi
viens, viens, viens avec moi
la fille de l'auto-stop

"viens, viens, viens avec moi
viens, viens, viens avec moi
viens, viens, viens avec moi,"
a dit la fille de l'auto-stop



http://www.ticketmaster.com/The-Grift-CD-Release-Party-tickets/artist/1315749

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First off, important update: Regretfully, with the ski season melted away, the Slidebrook show in Warren VT Thursday, April 2 has been cancelled. Apologies!

More importantly, however - tickets are now available for the big CD release party at The Town Hall Theater in Middlebury on April 24! You can get them through the Town Hall Theater's website - http://www.townhalltheater.org/calendar.html - scroll down until you find The Grift in the calendar of events) Tickets are also available at any Grift show between now and then (or in person from any of the Grift gang, Jeff Clark included.) Jer Coons will open the show, and material from the new album will be showcased (including a few you haven't heard yet. Yes, you!) Expect a few sonic surprises, as well - the band is pulling out all the stops for this one!

And finally, we would like to extend a massive, heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has donated so far to the Doppelganger campaign - thanks to your generous contributions, we can send the album to press, but there's still the matter of re-paying all the kind and talented folks who made the album possible through production, recording, mixing and mastering! But wait...

It's not too late to help! Click on the image on thegrift.com and find out the different ways to donate! We'll thank you with a copy of the album - you can download a special "Usual Suspects" (that's you) version of the album now to your iTunes, or, for a few extra bucks, you can get a physical copy delivered to your door when it's ready, before the official release date!

Thank you again to all of you for supporting the band - it means so much to all of us, now more than ever.

With gratitude - Clint, Jeff, Peter and Ryan