Thanks to everyone who came out to the Good Sponge Sampler Vol. II CD release party on March 29… it was a great time! We played a short acoustic set, including the song “When Times Were Good” which is on the sampler (see video above). The Sampler’s been getting some great reviews, check ’em out and please pick up a copy if you haven’t, it’s a great current snapshot of the roots/Americana/rock scene in southeastern CT.

In other news, we’re lining up some great summer shows in some of our favorite places, and some new ones as well… check out the show page for more details! Rivergoddess Nancy Parent also has a bunch of solo shows in the works, head on over to her page for more info.

Recording and mixing continues on our next EP at Stonewall Studios in North Stonington, CT. It’s sounding really great, and we can’t wait to share it with you! Here’s a couple of recent shots from our sessions… that’s music/arts/dance guru David Dorfman laying down some baritone sax on the song “The Curse” on the left:

In the meantime, we’re working up some fun new material for our summer shows. See you soon!

It’s official! Good Sponge Records (http://www.goodsponge.com/) is pleased to officially announce the release of the Good Sponge Sampler Vol. II, a compilation of 18 freshly-minted songs from 18 southeastern Connecticut-affiliated bands/artists (including us!)

There will be a CD release party Friday, March 29 at The Bulkeley House (111 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320, 860-444-7753) beginning at 7:00 pm, featuring many of the artists from the comp performing live. The CD release party will feature two showcases: an acoustic-leaning “dinner set” downstairs, followed by a more rocking “dessert set” upstairs. CDs and other merchandise will be available for purchase.

About the Good Sponge Sampler Vol. II:

Following up on last year’s Vol. I, the Good Sponge Sampler Vol. II offers a diverse sampling of roots rock/Americana/singer-songwriter/rock artists associated with the region. From the opening New Orleans-fueled blues of the Sue Menhart Band, to the warm country lilt of Hannah Fair, to the groovy, theremin-tinged space rock of the album’s closer by Dave Rave, the Good Sponge Sampler Vol. II offers a consistently solid musical ride throughout. The individual tracks stand on their own, but are also meant to work together as a whole. The overall listening experience is not unlike coming across your favorite FM station on the dial: you may not know all the songs or artists, but it’s all music you should enjoy listening to.

The Good Sponge Sampler Vol. II features new or current tracks from:

Sue Menhart Band http://suemenhart.com/
The Rivergods http://www.therivergods.com/
Josi Davis http://www.sonicbids.com/josiwails
Chris MacKay & The Toneshifters http://www.toneshifters.com/
Hannah Fair http://www.reverbnation.com/hannahfair
Carl Franklin http://www.pwop.com/
Amalgamated Muck http://www.amalgamatedmuck.com/
Ken Atkins & Honkytonk Kind http://www.kenatkins.com/
Dogbite http://www.myspace.com/dogbitegrrr
Matt Gouette http://www.reverbnation.com/mattgouette
Lauren Agnelli https://sites.google.com/site/laurenagnelli/
Vincent Tuckwood http://www.vincet.net/
Doug Woolverton & Carl Franklin http://www.pwop.com/
Nancy Parent http://www.nancyparent.com/
Burnouts from Outer Space http://www.facebook.com/pages/Burnouts-from-Outer-Space/128504343862190?ref=ts&fref=ts
Dirt Road Radio https://www.facebook.com/dirtroadradio
Black Marmot http://www.blackmarmotband.com/
Dave Rave http://www.dave-rave.com/

The Good Sponge Sampler Vol. II is also available for digital download NOW at http://goodsponge.bandcamp.com/.

Our next scheduled show (Saturday, Feb. 16) at Sneekers brings back to town our good friends Black Marmot from Boston… most of them anyway! Linde and Tim will perform material off of their new EP “The Everyday Seeker” and will undoubtedly sit in with us for a few, too. A fun room with great food and no cover. 8pm showtime.

In other news, we’ve got a brand new single “When Times Were Good” off the brand new Good Sponge Sampler Vol. II that just leaked! Check it out here and please download it if you like it… a mere $1. Thanks!

Happy 2013, all… Hope everyone survived the holidays! Here’s a video from our recent Holiday Acoustic show of the band doing an acoustic version of “My Problem”, the song we covered on last year’s tribute album to fellow New London band The Reducers, Rave On: A Tribute to the Reducers Vol. 1. The video accompanied a nice little review from Patch New London.

We wrapped up 2012 by getting back into the recording studio to lay down four tracks which we hope to release in early 2013. One of those tracks (“When Times Were Good”) will see light of day later this month, part of a new Good Sponge Sampler set to debut later this month. Check out photos from the studio on our Facebook page.

Later this month, we’re playing as part of a great bill on Hygienic Night in New London, Saturday, Jan. 26. We’ll be playing with our friends the Sue Menhart Band (with horn section!), Chris MacKay & The Toneshifters, and Carl Franklin. Expect lots of fun and inter-band interplay. More info here. Before that, Rivergods’ singer Nancy Parent has a couple of solo shows (Wednesday,  Jan. 9 and Saturday, Jan. 19, more info at her website) and Ben and Trevor will play a show with their once-in-a-blue-moon surf/punk project Superbald on Saturday, Jan. 19 in New London. More info here.

 

Due to the snow and poor road conditions, The Rivergods are rescheduling our holiday show til TOMORROW NIGHT (Sunday 12/30) at 7pm (not 7:30). Sorry for the inconvenience… stay warm tonight and we hope to see you tomorrow!

A year-end tradition for us, our annual semi-acoustic holiday show, now in its umpteenth year! At the all new Bean and Leaf on Bank Street in New London, CT… so cool it even has it’s own parking garage. This year, we’ve got our friends The Meadows Brothers opening up for us. Wait ’til you hear these cats, if you haven’t. More soul than than should be legal at their age. 7:30, free, but donations warmly encouraged. More info here. Happy Holidays!

We’ll be upstairs at Bulkeley House in New London for a homecoming show Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday 11/21) at 9 pm. We’ll be playing a couple of sets, and there may be a few special guests in the house! Should be a great time. The Common Hour Open Mic/Happy Hour is on downstairs before that, starting at 7pm, with drink and food specials. Hope to see you there! More info >

Rivergods’ singer/guitarist Nancy Parent will celebrate the release her brand new solo CD “Vision of Angels” with a concert on Friday, October 26 at All Souls Unitarian Congregation in New London, CT. The album, produced by Hugh Birdsall (The Reducers, Dogbite) and Nancy has been a year-and-a-half in the making, and features 12 original songs.

The overall flavor of “Vision of Angels” is twofold – Half of the songs lean toward ethereal folk underscored by the legato bowing of violinist Dana Takaki, along with upright bass, piano and pedal steel, while the others feature more upbeat tempos and layered arrangements including drums, bass, and electric guitars. All of the songs showcase Parent’s strong soprano voice, which has been compared to Joan Baez and Judy Collins. Nancy’s lyrics are informed by her keen personal interest in social justice, women’s issues, personal relationships, spiritual reckoning and her work as a professor of women’s studies and anthropology at UConn Avery Point.

Read more about Nancy in last week’s Grace Magazine (published by The Day).

The CD release concert is part of All Souls’ ongoing Friday Night Folk series. Dogbite will open the show, and Nancy will perform with her own band, featuring most of the musicians who performed on the CD. Here are the details:

Friday, October 26, 2012
Nancy Parent “Vision of Angels” CD Release Concert
Friday Night Folk (http://www.fridaynightfolk.org/) at All Souls
19 Jay Street, New London, CT
Opening acts: Dogbite
Showtime: 7:30pm
$10 suggested donation
Wine & refreshments available
“Vision of Angels” CD available for purchase.
More info: (860) 443-0316 (tel:%28860%29%20443-0316)

Nancy’s concert band features: Hugh Birdsall, guitars, Dana Takaki, violin, Rachael Aikens, vocals, Mike Palazzolo, electric bass, Ron Lewis, drum kit, Donna Piacenza, flute, Chris MacKay, vocals and Dan Spano, piano/keyboard

Couple small festival type shows coming up next week… First off, we’ll be part of Radio Mitchell College’s College Radio Day festival on Tuesday, Oct. 2 along with New London bands the Suicide Dolls, Anderson Family Picnic and a couple of others. We go on around 7 pm.

On Saturday, Oct. 6 we’ll be doing a matinee stint at the New London Americana festival, along with our good friends Dirt Road Radio (2:00pm) and Dogbite (4:30pm). Lots of other great bands on the line-up into the evening, too. Check it out here.

Please join us Saturday, Sept. 22 for the official CD release party for “Rave On: A Tribute to the Reducers Vol. 1”, a brand new 24-track tribute to our good friends The Reducers. We had the pleasure of recording one of our favorite songs of theirs, “My Problem” for the album.

The show takes place at the first venue the Reducers played together as a band — the always wonderful Rose Barn at the Eugene O’Neill Theater in Waterford, CT. There will be live performances from Reducers peers and friends Heap, the Dogmatics, the Manchurians, Paul Brockett Roadshow, the Rivergods (w/ Lauren Agnelli), the Clothespins, Jes Farnsworth (of the Backstabbers), Matt Gouette (with band), Blonde Furniture and Missy Roback will focus on Reducer’s (and Reducers-related) music. Bring your dance shoes!

Doors open at 6:30pm. There is a suggested donation of $10, and the new CD will be available for purchase. All profits from the event and CD sales will benefit the family of Steve Kaika, the Reducers’ bassman who died earlier this year after a courageous battle with cancer. Beer and wine will be available for purchase, and as always at the O’Neill, there will be free pretzels. More info here.