CMJ TMT Announces Initial Lineup for This Year's CMJ Music Marathon

By Mario Speedwagon on Aug 14 2008

You don’t really see it too much anymore — large groups of bands hitting the road together that aren’t tied to a festival, like Warped Tour or Lollapalooza. It’s probably because touring is a pain in the ass and gas is ridonkulous. Some DIY labels still do it, mostly punk or hardcore labels. Anyway, a bunch of bands from Baltimost are hitting the road for the Baltimore Round Robin Tour. Here is the scoop.

The tour runs from early-October till mid-October and features 29 bands. Apparently, the “Round Robin” part of the tour title is literal — all the bands set up at the same time around the perimeter of the venue with the audience in the center. Each band plays one song per round, back-to-back. There are no breaks and no headliners. I imagine it's like the dance circles in Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, but in reverse.

Expect similar attire at the Baltimore Round Robin.

The festival is “curated” by Dan Deacon and includes bands from various Baltimore music families representing Wham City, Floristree, Tarantula Hill, The Bank, Comfort Dome, among others. Performers include Dan Deacon, obviously, along with Beach House, Video Hippos WZT Hearts, The Deathset, Nautical Almanac, Double Dagger, and more. They’re also traveling green in veggie-powered vehicles with all 60+ musicians. I bet that shit is gonna get gamey.

You’ll also notice there are two shows in each city. Well, the first night, “Eyes Night,” is folk, noise, theatrics, improv, and “music that is spiritual, dreamy.” The second night, “Feet Night,” is a mixture of electronic, punk hardcore, dance, and rock. The tour is only hitting a few cities, mostly on the East coast. They also note that “like-up is subject to change”, which means someone probably couldn’t get out of their dish shift at Holy Frijoles.

Baltimore Round Robin Tour:

By Mario Speedwagon on Aug 13 2008

Chicago's Pit Er Pat will be releasing their latest album entitled High Time October 21 on Thrill Jockey.

Comprised of Fay Davis-Jeffers (vocals, piano, guitar), Butchy Fuego (drums, vocals, percussion, electronics/programming), and Rob Doran (bass, vocals, guitar, electronics). Pit Er Pat also employ a variety of other instruments on the record, including electric kalimba, Burmese temple gongs, bongos, shakers, bells, chimes, claps, melodica, and a bunch of other clangy hippie shit. High Time was recorded by drummer Butchy Fuego, who has also recorded Soft Circle and Matteah Baim, in their own Top Cat Studio. And if that wasn't enough, the record also includes horn arrangements by Dylan Ryan (Icy Demons, Bronze, Herculanium) and flutes.

The band is planning a monster tour in the fall to support.

Tracklisting for High Time: