We’re going on our first tour next month and we could use some help filling a few open dates at the end of our route. If you have an answer to either of the questions below, please leave a comment here or email us at booking@balthropalabama.com.

1. Do you know anyone who has some pull at any small- to medium-size venues in Asheville or Charlotte, NC? We’d like to book a show for Monday June 30th or Tuesday July 1st in one or both of those towns.
2. We have a possible show booked at the Nightlight in Chapel Hill, NC for Wednesday July 2nd, but we need a local band or two to fill out the bill. Do you know of any local bands in Chapel Hill who might be interested in sharing a bill with us?

Our existing tour dates are posted on our upcoming shows page. Hope to see you on the road!

Thanks for listening, and thanks for any help with booking these NC shows!

Update: our North Carolina shows are booked!

My buddy Tim found a giant Smart Media card on the street today. These photos were on it. Are they yours?

On Thursday, March 20th, the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, we will release a digital download of our new single, God Loves My Country. The song asks the question: “Does God bless America, or any country or people over all others? Does God condone the violence enacted by one nation against another?”

Those who download the song will be encouraged to make a donation in support of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

To be notified when the download is available, join our mailing list.

Nifty: two songs from our first record were featured in the February 4th episode of the Sounds in My Head podcast, featuring music from NYC bands. It’s a pretty nifty site too: Check it out »

So the town got a nice mention in the New York Times’ latest Habitats column, a profile of Bernie and Pascal. Check it out »

By the way, the artist who created the paintings that figure prominently in the article and the accompanying photos is my dear friend Paul Cordes Wilm, aka Theodore Dawes. Check out his website, or his other website.

Also, Bernie’s custom desk and bed were built by our friend Ryan Deaville.

Read the New York Times article »

There’s been a couple web sightings for our little town of late:

Some rad girl name Cindy Nawilis told Spin Magazine that *we* were the craziest thing she saw on Halloween.

And our song Explode (on our Myspace page) made New Century’s Top 20 Heatseeker Tracks for December, 2006. I wonder how they compile that list? Can’t seem to find their homepage.

[ My personal blog is kinda broke so I'm puttin this here. ]

There’s been a lot of (ridiculous) speculation among the media punditry that the violence in Iraq has escalated this month in an effort to affect the upcoming elections in the US.

If you want to believe that, go ahead. It’s silly, but you can buy it if you want.

But if you believe that, then I have to ask what you think about this little gem.

The verdict in the Saddam Hussein trial was originally to be delivered a couple weeks ago, on October 16th. But somehow it has been delayed until November 5th, two days before the election.

So who’s trying to affect the outcome of the elections?

Read more: http://mediamatters.org/items/200610260010

Especially the bit about how ‘American officials have heavy influence on the court’. Hmm.

Last week we had a practice over at Florence’s in her living room, and she put up a mike and recorded it. We were practicing for a gig at this little local honky tonk called Sunny’s, so we played some old timey covers and some old timey songs that we wrote but hain’t never recorded. Sometimes the mike got a little overloaded, but hey! What is it that you are going to do.

So without further ado, we present unto you, o listener:

The Living Room EP

Free for your downloading pleasure. Go on, click it.

I forget who all was there exactly, but sometimes you can hear our friend Blair playin the harmonica. Real nice.

The cover photo was taken (in San Francisco) by my friend Bernie DeChant. Thanks mang.

Details:
The Living Room EP
10 Songs at Florence’s - Red Hook, Brooklyn
Recorded September 12, 2006

Full song list:
1 You’re Runnin’ Wild (Louvin Brothers)
2 You Used to Love Me So
3 I Look at You
4 The Hobo Song
5 You Belong To Me (from The Jerk)
6 Bamboo Wine
7 Waitin’ on a Train
8 The Butter Song
9 Lonesome Whistle Blues (Hank Williams)
10 Dream a Little Dream (Ella Fitzgerald)

This Wednesday we will be havin’ a show at Sunny’s place again in Red Hook.

It’s the same old down to earth bar we played last wednesday and the one before that.
This show will be different however…..This will be the last show that we’ll see Georgiana.

Georgiana is leaving us on Thursday for gay Paree or some shit, so this show is gonna be her big honky-tonk sendoff. We’ll be doing some Balthrop standards as well as some classic hits by Hank, Roy, Patsy, and the Louvins. Not to be missed. Come say goodbye to Lauren!

Also this week:

8pm Friday, September 22nd
3LD Gala Opening
also featuring Magic Bryan, Kilsy, and Skip
and probably some more of the Amazing Renaldo in some form or another
Three Legged Dog Theatre
80 Greenwich Street at Rector
South of WTC
Free for all, with beers and stuff

Come to one or both!

I love you with all of my heart. And my left kidney.

This post is only for the gang, really. I’ll update it as songs are taken.

Taken:
x - Tightrope - Mel Kadel
x - And You Are A Rock - Brewton
x -Colored Egg - Georgiana
x - A Brother Was Dead - Luverne
x - Tell The Stars - Theodore
Explode - Florence
x - Another Hell To Live In - Clanton
x - Song For A Little Girl I Saw At The Beach - Babbie
x - Blanket - Elmore
x - Taipei - Grace
x - Georgiana Starlington - Jemison
x - Satellite - Elba
x - The Biggest Mistake - Douglas Snead
x - Love To Love You - Grant Fyffe
x - Angel - Benton
Down On Us - Elba