So friends,
As you know we're getting more and more stoked to go on tour as our new record "Fill Up The Room" comes closer into view. More dates are being added, we're practicing, we're getting our spirtiual minds together. Not to play favorites, but one of the really exciting developments in tour are the double live record release shows we're playing in Chicago; one 21+ at the Hideout and one all ages jam at Schuba's the next night. What makes it so exciting is that we've developed a plan to make these shows very special and very different from each other. Both nights set's will showcase songs from "Fill Up The Room" as well as new, not-yet-recorded songs that we're working on right now, but the Hideout set will draw into our more reved-up rocked-out guitar solo jams, and the Schuba's show will be a mellower, sound-shifting affair, playing for the first time live ever songs off Green Mansions, Cold Colors, Cruel August Moon and other never-played stuff. Both shows will also feature bigger versions of the band, with a lot of old friends who have played with us before coming together to add strings, horns, additional percussion, etc.. And for all of you who have missed the female vocals of our older material, yes, the dearhearted Betty Barnes will be in attendance to sing some numbers as well.

Now, this is cool in and of itself, but the thing that makes my tape Op heart beat fast is that both nights will be recorded professionally and released later on in the year as our first live album. Double Live, 2 LP set even. Our live shows have never stuck to one consistant sound, and they always sound a lot different from our studio recordings, but after years of apologizing and feeling weird about that, I realized that we should be embracing this odd fact. Because it's actually pretty amazing to write a simple pop song and never have it sound exactly the same. Captain Beefheart knew this, and I'm just learning.

So, you're thinking to yourself... "Ok, that's cool, but what does this have to do with me? I live in Chicago, I might go to one or both of these shows, no big deal..." Except, we're calling out to anyone planning on attending either show to let us know what songs they want to hear. It would suck to have two shows so very different that you miss your favorite song because you weren't old enough to get in, or didn't have the cash to go to both. We definately have ideas of what stuff we want to get in the sets, but your input is requested and will be factored in seriously. Something as monumental for us as a live album really couldn't exist without the interaction that's always ongoing between the band and our audience, and we appreciate your attention and love more than you'll ever know.

Drop us a line on myspace or comment here, and if you don't have a myspace account, feel free to email me directly at westsideaudio@hotmail.com. We're extremely excited about these shows and the recordings, and we want you to be as much a part of it as possible.

Counting down,
Fred & The Saturdays