It was Otis’ massive comeback show … the first featuring our NEW line-up!

We also performed six songs off the new album!

Set List:

Hold On
Last One Standing
Sad Song (NEW)
Better Life (NEW)
Contrived
The Graduate (NEW)
Never Look Back
The Everybody Steps (NEW)
Nothing Left To Say (NEW)
Complete (NEW)

Here’s some pics

IMPORTANT - We’ll be playing a short acoustic set at 12:30pm SHARP …

Best part of all … cover is only $5!

The Boat
158 Augusta Ave.
Toronto ON
12:30pm (afternoon) SHARP!

What a lot of people don’t know, is that “Love, Lies and Fireflies” was actually recorded over a couple years.  BTW … if you don’t own it yet … you’re totally missing out!  After completing it, we immediately started to work on new material … you know, instead of playing shows.

Interesting fact:  Did you know that Barack Obama owns a copy?  He doesn’t, I’m just hoping people Googling him will accidently click here.  I’m sorry. 

So yes, about this new album “White Rabbits” it’s going to feature an allstar cast of artists.  Dan, Brad, Angus … LEE TESSMER!  Cause you know HE brings the goods.  It will also be our first full length … very nice.

On a side note, feel free to post your thoughts, we paid the extra 3 trillion dollars so you could. 

I love you all,

Mike

This will be the break out show for some new additions to the group … should be exciting!

Right now we’re working on a couple things … We’re sending out our music to college radio stations all across this fine country, and we’re in the midst of preparing a new set for our upcoming Kitchener show.  We may also be playing a couple shows with friend of the band, Emma Acott … we’ll keep you posted on that.

I don’t know if it’s because things have been pretty stressful cause I’ve been writting a ton of new material.  We’ve slotted September to start working on our next album “White Rabbits” … Lee and I are pretty excited about this one, because we’ve learned a lot working on “Love, Lies and Fireflies”.  With this CD you’ll hear some of the new songs we’ve been featuring at past live shows.  Songs that really capture where that band is at right now … more upbeat with a dash of emo … sigh.  ALSO we’ll be working with former bandmate Brad Weber again, and cause of that … it’s sure to win a Juno.  Brad will be recording/producing this badboy for your listening pleasure.

It’s pretty nerve racking to make something like this and hope that some how people are going to buy enough to break even.  I feel pretty overwhelmed that so many friends of the group support us like they do.  Through buying the CD or showing up to the show .. it’s pretty cool, cause I understand how busy things can be.  Don’t forget that with every CD or digital download purchased … we’ll be donating 20% of profits to the Canadian Diabetes Association.  So even if you don’t like our music, at least buy it cause I have diabetes!

Apparently, you can even buy our songs as a ring-tone … which is totally mental.  I don’t know how, but you can … If I’m ever hanging out with one of you and your phone goes off to “Last One Standing” … I tell you, that would be frig’n amazing.  We even donating 20% of our lucrative ring tone profits … !!!  Defending Otis is even making the purchase of ring-tones into a kind act that helps humanity …

We’ve also been looking out for indie film makers to help us with some creative images … it would be awesome to have some low budget videos up for viewing.  If you know of anyone interested, let us know!

It really means a lot to have people come out and support you like that … especially with all the prep the artists put into their sets.  I have to say … Emily and Angus were amazing … !!!

The Staircase Theatre was a wicked venue to hold the show.  We wanted to have a smaller space and we got out a great group of friends.  I would recommend it highly … just make sure you run a sound check well before the show (we had a bit of a problem that we had to work through … sigh).

The set was a real mixed bag of old and brand spanking new songs …

Nothing Left to Say
Never Look Back
Home
Everyone’s a Fascist
Contrived
The Graduate
Rise
Hold On
Lack of Colour (Death Cab cover)
The Man Who Is Greater Than
Last One Standing
Sad Song

It was pretty wild playing a couple tracks that were weeks old along side some that … well … have been around the block a few hundred times.  What’s wild is the song that we actually played the best was “Sad Song” … one that is only a couple weeks old.  I’m hoping to get the video posted for that one shortly.

Our sights have been set on a show to be held in Kitchener in a couple months time … I won’t give away too many details just yet!

We wound up taking almost three years off because it kind of doesn’t make sense playing shows without a CD or website.  Now that we finally have both … I guess no excuses. 

On a side note … if you haven’t heard the new Wintersleep album … it’s magical.