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Sunday, April 5, 2009
These United States to play Canal Street
These United States are on the fast track to indie stardom. In just one year since the release of the debut album, entitled A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden, they have gained national attention from the likes of Alternative Press, NPR, WOXY, and the Washington Post.
The band, who is originally from Lexington and now hail from DC, released their second record at the end of 2008. It was called Crimes and was labeled “one of the best records of the year” by Daytrotter.
I would second that statement. I recently got a hold of a copy and I became an instant fan. It’s garage-folk-rock with heart, hooks to die for, and a books worth of intelligent lyrical imagery.
The band is on tour and stopping by Canal Street Tavern on Wednesday, April 8th, with Jesse Remnant and Wes Tirey.
I caught up These United States front-man Jesse Elliott as the band was leaving Austin after a week of shows at South-By-Southwest. Here is what he had to say.
KN - How was SXSW? Judging by your schedule it must have been pretty hectic?
JE - “Yeah, it was a blast. Sunshine, tacos, friends, tacos, large beers, large tacos, the occasional music mixed in for good measure. Our favorite eve was spent around a campfire, actually, with our good old friends from Daytrotter, who were hosting at their temporary compound on the outskirts of the East Side.”
KN - What is the best and worst part of being on the road?
JE - “All the miles go by so fast they blur together. That’s the most inspiring whirl and the most depressing vertigo there is.”
KN - Have you guys been to Dayton before?
JE - “I’ve traveled through there a few times myself, truly dig the place. But, no, we’ve never played there as a band. The people (of Dayton) can expect the rock and the roll.”
KN - What has the set on this tour been like? Are you guys playing any new material? or covers?
JE - “Good question. Yeah, it’s been a mix of new and old, though I guess all of it is relatively new, given how young we are as a band. Several songs off A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden, and even more stuff from Crimes. Now we’re playin’ songs from the forthcoming third album, probably out this summer if all goes according to plan, which of course it never does. We had to learn “American Girl” by Tom Petty for a friend’s b-day in Denver. That was a blast. We’ve been sent some really awful internet video of us drunkenly exuberating our way through that one.”
Visit www.canalstreettavern.com or www.theseunitedstates.net for more info.
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