Plenty of people go to see bands when they come through their town, but most people don’t think about everything that it takes to get those bands to their favorite club. Being on tour for a musician is both enlightening and daunting, as physically and mentally draining as it is stimulating. And no matter what, there are always stories to tell. In Tales From The Golden Road we let musicians tell their own stories of life on the road to get a behind-the-scenes, up-close look at what really goes down between each show.
Brooklyn outfit 79.5 have plenty to be excited about these days. Composed of “honeyed vocalists, street flautists, and psych guitarists”, the group are gearing up to release their new album Predictions on Big Crown Records. As you can hear from their single “Boy Don’t Be Afraid” (streaming below), their sound is catchy and funky, filled with group exuberant group harmonies and funky disco grooves. Their music is aimed at accomplishing two things: making you feel good and making you dance. It’s no surprise that they caught the attention of soul-psych group Chicano Batman, who have enlisted them to open their upcoming tour. The group are also collaborators and friends of Chicano Batman. We are excited to share dispatches from the road from this talented group as they traverse the country hitting venues and festivals alike.
Here we are, a week into tour with Chicano Batman and the shows have been incredible! They have the sweetest fans, and it’s been a pleasure playing for them, and gaining new fans of our own. The three bands on the road, 79.5, Chicano Batman and SadGirl are such a dope lineup. Couldn’t be more happy.
The tour started off with the 3 singers from 79.5 backing up Chicano Batman for an in-studio performance on KEXP. So rad. Just incredible to see their new building, and to perform on such an esteemed radio station: a dream come true. And they even let us sneak back into their library to see all their vinyl, many with humorous DJ notes.
Thanks @lomography cameras for giving us these dope instant cameras!
That night, the tour kicked off strong with a sold out night at The Crocodile in Seattle. Then sold out at the Star Theatre the next night in Portland (Read a review of the show).
Then we played Eugene, followed by Aracata, CA. Arcata was such a beautiful old theatre and a gem of a little town.
Last night was Sacramento, at Harlow’s, and was the best show thus far. The crowd was lit the second we hit the stage, and continued to want more long after Chicano Batman did their encore. What a crowd, Sacramento!
Next up, San Jose at The Ritz, The Fillmore in San Francisco, and The Roxy in Los Angeles. All three shows are sold out!
79.5 is a band known for keeping things natural. So we decided, along with our buddy and tour manager, Colin, to hit a hot spring as a band before the Eugene show. 79.5 has been feelin super groovy, riding that natural wave.
The West Coast has been good to us. We’ve been shredding every night on the stage, feeling the right vibes and with each show, getting tighter as a band. And, doing some “squachin,” a new dance our guitarist Matty has invented for all Sasquatch enthusiasts.
