Califone Living Room Show Tour

[M. (hristine]

Public Service Announcement. Tickets go on sale Tuesday the 26th of March at 1 PM CDT.

 

http://www.undertowmusic.com/califone-living-room-tour/

[Albert Tatlock]

After 30 secs on YouTube (Funeral Singers), these seem like something I should get more of.

Any top tips where to start M.Chris?

 

 

P.S.

[M. (hristine]

Hey you! 

Funeral Singers Is a good place to start. That is Califone's last release, and one of my favorite albums of the past 20 years.

Quicksand/Cradlesnakes was a popular album around here for a good while. I like Roomsound and Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People also. Califone's catalogue is extensive though, as are the preceding and subsequent spin off projects. I fell down this rabbit hole some years ago, and haven't really come up for air.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Califone

[KevinG]

Quicksands/Cradlesnakes is by far my favorite album to come out in past 10 years.  I absolutely love it and still listen to it on a weekly basis.  You defiantly cannot go wrong with this album.  I also really like Roots and Crowns, which is fantastic as well.  

[Cold as Gasoline]

Thanks so much!  I haven't heard this band before, but am really liking their sound.  Will try to see them in Chicago.  Thanks for the tip!

[M. (hristine]

Thanks so much!  I haven't heard this band before, but am really like their sound.  Will try to see them in Chicago.  Thanks for the tip!

You're sure welcome! Happy to spread the love. I listen to a lot of music and these guys sit at the very top of a stellar heap.

 

Just a word about these shows. Tim Rutili wants them to be 60 person shows. This is an incredible opportunity. When I asked him if he wanted greater exposure than just his fan page, he wrote this: 

 

"exposure? sure. The main thing I want from these living room shows is to play for the people that really want to hear these songs. Things are changing. some of the changes are great and some are just the way the cookie crumbles...I'm finishing up a new record and trying to figure out a good, realistic way to proceed with califone. trying to find an enjoyable and enriching way to bring this music to the people that want it in a way that is healthier for the people playing the music."

[mountain bed]

Thanks for starting this thread, M ( !! 

 

The first time I heard Califone was through an old VC stalwart, Basil II. That was about 7-8 years ago. It was a revelation on par with the first time I heard Wilco. Since then I've managed to get nearly all their stuff, and they continue to amaze me. Bottom line - my favorite band at this point in time. 

 

Now....how am I going to get myself into one of these gigs? This is the kind of thing that occupies my mind. 

[Cold as Gasoline]

 

I'm finishing up a new record and trying to figure out a good, realistic way to proceed with califone. trying to find an enjoyable and enriching way to bring this music to the people that want it in a way that is healthier for the people playing the music."

 

What a great attitude.  Rare.  I've been thinking about reports I read and heard about Foxygen at SXSW, and it seems like they kind of crumbled under the demands of their schedule.  You tend to think that rock bands really have it made, living the dream, but there are a lot of unhealthy things about that life.

[augustus westerberg]

I'm in for Toronto & waiting on Ottawa confirmation. Know exactly what you mean about the rabbit hole & not coming up for air, since I saw Califone open for Wilco in Hamilton & London, Ontario in 2010 they've been my favourite & by far most listened to band. By the 3rd song in Hamilton I was having a "where have you been all my life" moment with this music, such a shame I missed the previous decade but that's the way it goes sometimes I guess. Most grateful to Wilco for bringing them along on that tour and introducing us.

 

Saw the new lineup in San Francisco earlier this month, one regular show & one improvising live soundtrack to films performance. They were great, but I missed Becker's versatility - the banjo & fiddle, the variety in sounds - and the emphasis on percussion. Still a 4 piece band but sounding way stripped down from what I remember in 2010. Not to sound too negative though, they were still great and the new members are probably still feeling their way a little bit. They played about 4 new songs that all sounded excellent, can't wait for the new album. Beyond that they did Bottles & Bones, Fisherman's Wife, The Orchids, Electric Fence(YES!!!!), Funeral Singers, Ape-Like, Pastry Sharp & one Red Red Meat song.

 

My 2 cents on where to start is start with Funeral Singers and work backwards, that's what I did on Tim's recommendation when he was working the merch booth at those Wilco shows. He sold me Roots & Crowns at the 2nd show, I love them all but that one's my favourite.

[LouieB]

This livingroom show is kind of goofy.  Chicago's show is sold out.

 

LouieB

[M. (hristine]

10 of the shows are sold out, Lou.

[M. (hristine]

I'm in for Toronto & waiting on Ottawa confirmation. Know exactly what you mean about the rabbit hole & not coming up for air, since I saw Califone open for Wilco in Hamilton & London, Ontario in 2010 they've been my favourite & by far most listened to band. By the 3rd song in Hamilton I was having a "where have you been all my life" moment with this music, such a shame I missed the previous decade but that's the way it goes sometimes I guess. Most grateful to Wilco for bringing them along on that tour and introducing us.

 

Saw the new lineup in San Francisco earlier this month, one regular show & one improvising live soundtrack to films performance. They were great, but I missed Becker's versatility - the banjo & fiddle, the variety in sounds - and the emphasis on percussion. Still a 4 piece band but sounding way stripped down from what I remember in 2010. Not to sound too negative though, they were still great and the new members are probably still feeling their way a little bit. They played about 4 new songs that all sounded excellent, can't wait for the new album. Beyond that they did Bottles & Bones, Fisherman's Wife, The Orchids, Electric Fence(YES!!!!), Funeral Singers, Ape-Like, Pastry Sharp & one Red Red Meat song.

 

My 2 cents on where to start is start with Funeral Singers and work backwards, that's what I did on Tim's recommendation when he was working the merch booth at those Wilco shows. He sold me Roots & Crowns at the 2nd show, I love them all but that one's my favourite.

Do you know who was touring with Rutili when you saw them in SF?

 

At the announcement of this tour I asked Tim who was going to be with him, he said that it was yet to be determined. The original intention for Califone was to be Rutili and a rotating selection of musicians. I spoke with Ben Massarella after a show in St Louis (which is where I will be going to see them again), and he spoke of the difficulty of touring. Rutili says his balls aren't as big as they used to be. These guys live all over the country and have their own things going on locally. At Califone's level of income it would be difficult to make the sacrifices necessary to tour for a year. That said I sure would like to see Joe, Ben, Tim Hurley and Jim Becker rotate in and out for these shows.

 

The new album has been mixed and is in the can, so hopefully there will be some of that as well. Rutili calls the process difficult like birthing a baby. I'll be happy to midwife.

[Magnetized]

Including Baltimore. Which I was hoping to make, but I didn't get on in time. I was going purely based on the strength of your recommendations, plus others here, bolstered by some Spotify listening.

 

I wish they were doing a waitlist or had some way of alerting you if something opens up.

[LouieB]

10 of the shows are sold out, Lou.

They will be sold out soon considering the small venues.  I am hoping to pick up a Chicago ticket through CHIRP. Not sure how they got some tix, but they did.

 

If I miss this it won't be the end of the world. I have seen them lots of times, including at the nearly livingroom sized Hideout. 

 

LouieB

[augustus westerberg]

My Heron King Blues coloured vinyls came yesterday! Got a green and a yellow, yes I know I'm insane. Band in SF was Tim Hurley, Danni Iosello & Griffin Rodriguez. Same lineup played a few shows towards the end of last year, I'm assuming they'll be on the album & living room tour too but have no official word on that. Some press item I read related to the SF shows said that Tim had put together a new lineup because Joe, Ben & Jim were "on neverending tour with Iron & Wine", don't know how much truth there is to that but it sounds like a steadier gig than Califone that would pay the bills more dependably.

 

The SF Noise Pop program has a brief interview with Rutili in which he mentions playing with Tim Hurley:

 

Noise Pop: How has it been revisiting early material with the recent reissue of Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People?

 

TR: It's been interesting to feel the lifespan of these older songs. Some of them refuse to come out of my mouth after all these years and some feel better to play and sing now than they did back then. It's been great to play with Tim Hurley after all these years too, he was a huge part of what we did on those first few records.

 

Revisiting Good Weather and getting the Roomsound vinyl reissue together has helped me get some good perspective on where we come from and how to get the next phase of Califone to stay creatively vital and survive in this weird world.

[M. (hristine]

Colored vinyls are the awesome though!

 

Interesting slice of interview. Thanks for that.

 

Yeah, I forgot about the whole Iron & Wine thing. That has got to be steadier and more lucrative that Califone.

 

Tim Hurley and Danni Iosello are Sin Ropas in case you haven't fallen down THAT rabbit hole.

[elephantstone]

Iron & Wine have a new album coming out and neither Jim nor Ben were part of the recording or figure in touring plans this time out...so there is still hope maybe?

 

I loved what Jim brought to the Iron & Wine live show.  

 

I've yet to see Califone live, and to think my first time will be a 40 person Living Room Show just excites the hell out of me.  I had almost convinced a buddy of mine to road trip to Missoula back in 2009 to see Califone open for Wilco (seriously a DREAM pairing of mine).

 

So what's the protocol for these shows?  I know to be as respectful to the host as possible, but is it ok to bring a few beers in with you?

[ditty]

Thanks M. (hristine

 

Would have missed this without your post!

[Preferred B]

None of the shows are convenient for me, unfortunately, but I will add that "Horoscopic Amputation Honey" is one of my favorite songs ever.

[Spawn's dad]

Who are you again?

[Preferred B]

Ron Cey.

[M. (hristine]

On Tim Rutili's blog there is a photograph of a Lebbeus Woods quote which in part says, "It is not only that light pervades the universe and is a kind of a messenger of the histories and mysteries of time and space, but that it is also the most intimate of phenomena, even as it is the most ephemeral. Maybe the two concepts are inexorably linked, sensuality and transience, intensity of experience and its brevity."

When I was coming up, the music I loved was played in huge stadiums. There something brave in in the performer and the fan who interact on a more intimate level. "This is so much better than playing in a bar. I'm old. I go to bed early an wake up early. The people who are here, I know they are here to listen to the music."

They played four songs from the new album. The older stuff has been eaten and respun like fine spidersilk. I think I actually drooled during the spinning of Electric Fence. 

Setlist, loosely translated:

• Funeral Singers
• Michigan Girls
• The Orchids
• Fisherman's Wife
• Stepdaughter
• Vampiring Again
• Electric Fence
• Bottles and Bones
• Braindead

New songs:

• Movie Music Kills a Kiss
• Moses at the End
• Stitches
• another that the title was not given

Tim Rutili has said that this is one of the most personal albums he's ever written. If these four songs are any indication, that's a true story.
 

The livingroom concept has been catching fire. I hope some of my friends bought tickets for these shows. It is one of the most enthralling live music experiences I've ever had.

Album drops in September and a tour is planned to coincide.

 

 

[elephantstone]

ahhhh, i'm so stoked!  this will be my first time seeing Califone...and in this intimate of a setting!  can't wait.

 

any word on whether Jim Becker and Ben Massarella will be re-joining in the future?

[DrNo]

I caught this tour in Dallas last week. One of the best shows I've seen in a long time... Honestly, I think the new songs were the best ones, too. I'm seriously stoked for this new record now. Seems like it will be more song-oriented and less sprawling than Funeral Singers... maybe closer to Roots & Crowns.

[M. (hristine]

ahhhh, i'm so stoked!  this will be my first time seeing Califone...and in this intimate of a setting!  can't wait.

 

any word on whether Jim Becker and Ben Massarella will be re-joining in the future?

Tim did say that he missed playing with everyone. I made the assumption that the album tour this fall would be with the band, though with the Iron and Wine thing happening, I'm not sure.

 

elephantstone, please find out at your show and report back!