Tour - Day 10 - Wilmington / Newark, DE

This was our most interesting day of the tour so far. We added this show last minute because another show fell through. The name of the venue we were playing at was called Bank Shots. We pulled up to the venue and it had the vibe of the bar that the  Blues Brothers play at in the movie. The bar was essentially on a concrete island in the middle of the highway. Locals call it the Fish Bowl because it's all glass. Although every single window in the place was broken, so the fish wouldn't have been too happy.

We pulled up and no one seemed to know who we were or what we were doing there. After parking in their lot for about 30 minutes while everyone cycled into their bathroom, the owner finally came out drinking a fresh Budweiser can in the parking lot and informed us there were actually 4 Bank Shots in Delaware, all under different ownership; it's just a popular name.

After breathing a sigh of relief because there was no PA at the Fish Bowl, we hurried up to the real Bank Shots with only 30 minutes to get their, get dressed, unload and setup our gear. We pulled up and were welcomed by the other band, Drunk Unkle,  who was playing that night. They were a great bunch of guys. Extremely friendly and helpful. They let us use their entire setup so we only had to bring in our guitars which was a huge time saver.

theWANDAS & Drunk Uncle @ Bank Shots in Newark Delaware

We were treated so well at the venue. The owner bought a bunch of our CDs, refused to let us pay for drinks and made us feel right at home. It was great playing with Drunk Unkle, they were an awesome cover band who really got the crowd going. They reminded the crowd time and time again to help us out and buy some of our merchandise; which they did in turn.

It is safe to say we will be back in Delaware; hopefully at Bank Shots...in Newark, that is..

Right now we're spending Easter in a Walmart parking lot, but it's a super Walmart so it makes it special. Happy Easter!

Tour - Day 9 - Danbury, CT

We decided to stay in Brooklyn for a little longer since we were only 90 minutes from Danbury, CT. Keith and Will decided to try to make a few extra bucks and do an acoustic performance on the streets of Brooklyn. They made some friends and even had another street musician jump in on guitar. It was a great way to wrap up our time in NYC. Check out the video below!

Then it was on to Cousin Larry's in Danbury CT. I must say, going into the tour I was most uncertain of this venue. Maybe it was the name, maybe it was my lack of familiarity with the location; I'm not sure what it was, however I couldn't have been more wrong. We pulled up and were greeted by a lively staff and group of regulars who were at the bar. We unloaded our equipment and then hit the bus for what has become our pre-show ritual; watching the Simpsons. The band who played before us Panda and Child knew our good friends in 28 Degrees Taurus from Boston, so we felt right at home.

We were the last act and went on around 12:30am. Since there was no one after us we were able to play extra long. We threw in a couple of old ones and even included an jammed out version of Why don't we do it in the road? The crowd was really digging it by the end and we were having a blast. It's safe to say we will be back at Cousin Larry's.

Will's drums looking sharp on stage at Cousin Larry's in Danbury, CT.

Last night we were leaving the club around 2:30am and got pulled over for no real apparent reason; other than the fact we were pulling out from a parking spot and the cop didn't seem to appreciate us doing it in front of him. After a few minutes of running the license and registration, we were let off the hook and proceeded to a local diner where we enjoyed our 3am breakfast.

We're on the road to Wilmington Delaware right now for a show tonight at Bank Shots. Then we have Sunday and Monday off for Easter on the road.

See you in Deleware!

Tour - Day 8 - Brooklyn, NY

NYC Skyline from the bus

We pulled into Brooklyn around 5pm yesterday, hassle free. This gave us plenty of time to relax and walk around before the show. We always love playing in brooklyn. It's such a fun city and we have a lot of friends in the area. We went on at 11pm which was a perfect slot; just before local act Quiet Loudly. After we played, Ross, Keith, Will & Danielle  went out on the town with some old friends. Brent stayed behind to rest up because he has been feeling a bit under the weather.

theWANDAS at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn NY

It was a perfect night. Great music, good friends, beautiful weather and a lot of laughs. We didn't even get any parking tickets! The trip was capped off when we bumped into Nels Cline from Wilco this afternoon. Will chatted with him for a bit about is guitar playing and we were off.

It's off to Danbury CT tonight!

Tour - Day 7 - Baltimore, MD

We started yesterday by leaving NYC with a fresh violation with no amount written on the ticket. Does that mean we don't need to pay it? Somehow I doubt it. We hit the road bright and early and arrived in Baltimore with some time to walk around the city a bit.

This was the first city we saw anything outside of our bus and the club we were playing at. Even at that we were limited to a street or two. The weather was a beautiful sunny 65 degrees and we were parked on a pretty happening street. Lots of bars, restaurants, and culture. Right down the street from the venue was a walk through market that had every type of food you could imagine, including fresh fruits and vegetables, similar to a farmers market. It reminded me of a mix betwen Super 88 and Haymarket in Boston.

After we ate some food we had plenty of time for a full sound check which is always nice. The club had a great vibe. Nice stage, excellent sound and sound-guy, and an extremely friendly staff. It's safe to say we've never been treated this well at a club before. We had our own dressing room stocked with beer, soda, coffee, tea and water and our own bathroom and shower. Very nice accommodations. 

We played with three other bands, all which had an upbeat fun sound. 2 of the 3 acts featured a horn player. One of the artists, Tom McBride, had lived in Boston for a year, a few years back so it was fun connecting with someone who was familiar with our roots.

We were headlining, which means we didn't go on until after 12am. Normally this is what we're used to, but since we've been playing everywhere between 9pm and 1am for the last week it makes it tough to get into a pre show routine; which is very helpful to relax and prepare for the show. You're always trying to find the middle ground between not being rushed and not sitting around for too long.

Either way, the show came quickly and we were happy to jump on stage. It was great to see a lot of the fans from the earlier bands stick around especially at 12:30 am on a wednesday night for an out of town band. We enjoyed playing with such great sound and Danielle our tour manager even got some of the girls in the crowd dancing. Always fun to see people dancing.

We're on our way to Brooklyn to play at the Trash Bar. We're really looking forward to this show because we have a bunch of friends who live in Brooklyn. 

Rock On!

Tour - Day 6 - Manhattan NY

Yesterday was a day of firsts. First time draining the sewage from the bus, first time paying a $20.00 highway toll, first time trying to get a vehicle carrying propane into New York City. The bus has a propane tank that fuels the stove, refrigerator, hot water heater, etc. Well apparently vehicles carrying propane aren't allowed in most tunnels in New York, and in our case; the Holland Tunnel. Pulling up to the tunnel, we were 5 miles from Manhattan, then we had to be re-routed to go over the George Washington bridge which is 20 miles north. After our 40 mile detour we were back on track to the packed streets of NYC rush hour traffic.

Back within 5 miles of the venue, it took us another hour to get through the traffic. Nonetheless it was worth it. We found a big enough parking spot right in front of Lit Lounge. The parking gods were on our side today because we were able to stretch a 1 hour parking spot into 3 hours until the meter maids were off duty, without getting a ticket.

Right when we pulled up we were greeted by our good friends and killer NYC band; Akudama. We were playing with them and pumped to be doing it again; they played our Worcester Kick off show at Ralph's. After unloading and finally being able to relax, we cooked some dinner in the bus and had a few cold ones with Blake and Jay from Akudama. Our relaxation time was cut short when we were informed that the band before us didn't show up; so we had to jump on early.

theWANDAS at Lit Lounge in Manhattan NY

There were a few snafu's like Ross was using the house bass amp that was super low-end heavy and it was rumbling the whole stage; which made it hard to hear anything else in the monitors. The DI box that controls Will's sequencer was kicking in and out, so during "The  Lady" the horn section was abruptly starting and stopping. Even with the technical difficulties we still had a blast. Akudama put on a sick set and we were pumped to play for all of their fans.

Akudama at Lit Lounge in Manhattan NY

Riding high from the night, we decided to push our luck and stick around in our blessed parking spot. We scoured the street for signs and decided we were cleared to stay until 9am without trouble. Ross woke up at 8:50 am to feed the meter only to find what looked like a scene from "I Am Legend". We were the only vehicle on the entire street as far as the eye could see. Looking over we saw the damage; a big sticker on the window and a violation on the windshield. "Street cleaning between 8:30am-9:00am". Baah.

Oh well on to Baltimore! See you tonight at 8x10.

Tour - Day 5 - Somewhere in NJ

Yesterday was a low key day. We had the day off and spent most of it in either a gas station, K Mart or Walmart parking lot. We had some time to relax, watch The Simpsons and play a marathon game of Monopoly.

In Monopoly Ross got off to a quick start and was the front runner with property being built immediately. With Will, just about crippled, Brent lead a revolt against Ross with a 3 way trade to give everyone else property to build on. Miraculously Will avoided landing on anything for the next hour, while Brent and Keith formed an alliance against Ross. With everyone luckily avoiding the hotels on Ross's properties, Ross quickly found himself out of the game.

Monopoly Round 1: Brent is the victor

Will lasted a while but never regained momentum and was out, not too long after Ross. In earlier dealings Keith had granted Brent immunity of 3/4's of his properties and was just a matter of time before Brent dismantled Keith, piece by piece.

Brent was the victor this round, but a rematch is inevitable.

Lit Lounge in Manhattan Tonight. 8x10 in Baltimore wednesday!

Tour - Day 4 - Washington DC

So we're all loaded up in a 22 ft RV, or as we call it; a Tour Bus. Our first stop was The DC9 club in Washington DC. The club had great atmosphere and a friendly staff. The sound was exceptional. The show went well and we made some new friends. Some old friends made it to the show as well.

After the show we loaded up the bus and hit the nearest Wal Mart to setup shop; our new home away from home. We had the day off today so we're enjoying some time somewhere around New Jersey. We'll be at Lit Lounge in Manhattan Tuesday Night. See you there!

The Tour Bus

Ross & Will enjoy Keith's shoes.theWANDAS at DC 9 in Washington DC

Tour - Day 3 - Boston, MA

Last night was a blast. We played at O'Briens in Allston, MA. Allston has been our stomping ground for 5+ years so it's always fun to play there. The venue is a cozy setting and fills up with just a few people. It's was a blast sharing the stage with The Highway for the first time and our old buddies Watcher. With just a 3 band bill the night moved quickly.

It was a late night because we had to pack the RV for this morning's departure. We were done around 3:30am and on the road for 9am. We miraculously fit all of our gear into the RV. It's all about growing up on Tetris. We're on our way to DC right now for the show tonight at the DC 9. It's been smooth sailing until Brent gave us a nice tour of the New Jersey airport. Those GPS's can be tricky!

See You in DC!

Tour - Day 2 - Worcester, MA

Ahhh Ralph's; a little bit rock n' roll, a little bit country, a little bit honky tonk and everything in between. Known for it's eclectic style, playing at Ralph's is always a blast. Last night's show was a perfect sendoff from one of our favorite clubs.

There was a great lineup consisting of Hot Box from Boston, Akudama; one of our absolute favorite bands from New York, who we'll be playing with April 7th at Lit Lounge in Manhattan, and The Campaign for Real Time who always put on a stellar show.

There was a great crowd filled with new and old fans; it was really awesome seeing so many familiar faces before we head south. We were really blown away at how supportive everyone was for our tour. Great wishes from everyone really made our night.

theWANDAS at Ralph's in Worcester, MA April 3 2009. Photo Credit: Jim Kusz

We're doing our last local show tonight at O'briens in Boston; where theWANDAS started their career many moons ago. After that it's on to Washington DC, bright and early.

Tour - Day 1 - Hamden, CT

Early shows are always hard to adjust to. After years of going on stage between 11pm-12:30am, you definitely settle into a routine. Our show at The Space in Hamden CT had a start time of 6:30pm, so needless to say

Setty from And The Money Notes & Keith compare red Bandanas

we had to pack up and head out earlier than usual. The show was all ages, which was great because we never get to play to the under 21 crowd, never mind under 18.

We caught a couple great bands who were also on the road, away from home. And The Money Notes a 6 piece from PA were a mix of Gogol Bordello, Modest Mouse and Ryan Adams. They put on a lively show and were great bunch of guys.

Papermoons from Austin TX are 2 piece with a similar vibe to Death Cab for Cutie, but more creative song writing.

Next up, Worcester MA Friday, Boston MA Saturday and Washington DC on Sunday. We'll see you soon.

Spread The pabLOVE

The music industry is riddled with stories of self service, deceit, and betrayal; probably more than any other industry. That's why it's so important to share the positive experiences that we come across when working in this field.

On may 17th of 2008 Dangerbird Records co-founder, Jeff Castelaz's 5 year-old son, Pablo, was diagnosed with Wilm's Tumor, a rare form of cancer that surfaces most commonly between 2-5 year olds and effects the kidneys. Since then, Pablo has been undergoing treatment at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) to help him make a healthy recovery.

The greatest judge of a man's character is how he deals with adversity. By forming the pablove foundation, Jeff has turned this gut wrenching scenario into a way to help other people in need.

From their web site:

Each penny donated to the foundation will be matched with our time, our Rolodex, and our reach into the community. CHLA is a stand-alone, not-for-profit institution that has a growing need for community connection.

They also put together and awesome double disc compilation CD featuring Radiohead, Oasis, The Dears, Bloc Party and many more great artists in which $13.88 of every $14.99 goes to the pablove foundation.

You can help the cause by donating to the pablove foundation. Every bit helps!

Boston, MA - Show Reviewed

We had a blast playing to the sold out crowd at Tommy Doyle's last night in Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA. A writer from boxofboom.com was in the crowd and had some kind words to say about the show. Here is an excerpt of the review.

...I was lucky enough to catch a great show by a local band right here in Boston on Saturday night. The WANDAS played an explosive set to a packed room at Tommy Doyle’s in Harvard Square, featuring several songs from their latest album, New Wave Blues. The band’s sound is refreshingly upbeat and reminiscent of the new wave power pop of Elvis Costello and Cheap Trick. The energy and eagerness in their live set is contagious...

theWANDAS @ Tommy Doyles in Boston, MA. 3/7/2009. Photo by Ryan Siu

You can read the rest of the review on boxofboom.com

theWANDAS Nominated for Best Pop Act - Worcester Music Awards

We're honored to be 1 of 4 bands nominated for Worcester's Best Pop Act in the Worcester Music Awards. You can vote for theWANDAS and any of your other favorite acts by CLICKING HERE. Thanks for all of the support thus far. Until next time.. looks like it's a 1 in 4 chance.

John Lennon's "Imagine" Performed on iPhone

Here's a free add for Apple. Keith sings and plays John Lennon's "imagine" using the keyboard application on the iPhone.

New Tunes

Here's a song fresh off the presses. It's called "Do or Die" and this is an accoustic version by Keith and Brent.

Enjoy!

Rockin' for a Good Cause

Next time you go to see theWANDAS perform, not only can you feel good about the music, but you can feel good about making a difference in the world. For our upcoming shows in Cambridge, MA (starting at Tommy Doyle's on March 7th) we will be donating the profits from our CD sales to the Auroroville or bust project.

Ann & Ali are two women in their 20's who are sailing from the U.S. to India where they will be living and working 20hr/week in Sadhana Forest where there is an ongoing effort to restore near-extinct dry tropical forest and revive the dried land and its waters.

The will be working with many volunteers to re-create the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest indigenous to the area. This forest type is found only in Southern India and Sri Lanka and provides a rare biological richness due to its very high species abundance (over 1000 species of trees, shrubbery, and liana). The Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest is now close to total extinction as only 0.01% survives. This is a last moment effort to keep this very rich and beautiful Forest on Earth. Water conservation and soil management are central to the effort.

You can read all about their adventures at donate to their cause at AlternativeGradSchool.com. As always you can view all of our upcoming shows on our Tour Page.

Thank You Note Video Takes 1st Place on Ourstage.com

The video for Thank You Note was released a few weeks back and is already creating steam. Not only has it been viewed by thousands of people already, it's receiving some accolades as well.

Thank You Note took first place out of 300+ pop music videos submitted to ourstage.com for the month of December 2008. If you haven't seen the video yet, check it out below.

New Wave Blues - Quickly Becoming Press Favorite

There's nothing more rewarding than recieving praise for creating something from your heart and sharing it with the world. Pasta Primavera, a Baltimore-based indie music blog gave New Wave Blues high marks.

[theWANDAS] just put out a new LP, New Wave Blues, and it’s teaming with pop melodies that send me overboard...

A pop sound reminiscent of the Beach Boys and Elvis Costello at times. The echoed vocals of Keith McEachern are the key. They can be fragile one second (”Please Come Home”) and down right infectious the next (”Bending Over Backwards”)...

New Wave Blues is a well rounded explosion of an album and The Wandas have just made my new favorites list.

Read the entire review HERE

Rave reviews from The Weekly Dig

theWANDAS were featured in The Weekly Dig this week and recieved high praise for their latest work New Wave Blues. Here is what they had to say:

The four-piece group The Wandas separate themselves from the large pack of Boston pop bands with a tightly designed, smart sound. Besides the production from Patrick Krief (of The Dears) and the mastering of Ryan Morey (The Stills, Arcade Fire), the vocals from Keith McEachern and friends are a delight.

Check out the matching harmonies of "Bending Over Backwards" or the falsetto on "Trepidation" for the ingredient that truly adds to the already focused formula. Expect this Berklee-bred band to do what many others have done: blow up. [David Day - The Weekly Dig]

It's always great to be recognized for your hard work and dedication. See you soon at one of our upcoming shows.

Thank You Note - Video - Launched

It's official, the video for Thank You Note as been released. You can read all about it at thewandas.com/thankyou. Or by clicking on the video section in the navigation.