by Bill Pearis

The Dears' tour bus was stolen Wednesday night in Montreal as the band was home packing for their six-week North American tour. The coach was taken from the parking lot of the Comfort Inn at 700 Blvd. in St. Jean, Pointe-Claire while the driver was asleep in the hotel, prior to their 6 a.m. scheduled departure. Fortunately, no luggage or gear was on board at the time of the theft and the band's trailer was left behind. True to The Dears' resilient nature, the veteran band isn't letting this minor mishap slow them down and will kick off the tour tonight in Toronto. All shows are planned as scheduled.

If anybody has any information about the stolen tour bus or knows of its whereabouts please contact your local authorities. Bus model: Prevost, Series 60. Accuride Alcoa; license plate: V957YW [press release]

The Dears [whose bus was probably stolen by their publicist... just kidding!] will be playing their first NYC show since CMJ last year when this mostly-new iteration of the group were still getting their sea legs. And they were good then, but I'd have to imagine The Dears are a lot tighter now. Their most recent album, Missles, is another fine blast of epic-ness as only Murray Lightburn could give. Apparently they've written already written almost a whole new album's worth of songs since October, so hopefully they'll play a few while they're here. If you can't go tonight (5/1) at The Bell House, The Dears also play Bowery Ballroom on Monday (5/4). Eulogies and Great Northern open both shows. All dates below...

Continue reading "The Dears are here, stolen bus or not"

by Andrew Frisicano

The Dears @ Hiro Ballroom - CMJ 2008 (more by Gabi Porter)

"Making [2008's] Missiles was a kind of therapy; written as the band was falling apart, recorded in the groups' final days. We finished it and then everyone who played on it left. While the collapse of the band doesn't correlate to the meaning or message of the songs, that sense of defeat, hope and uncertainty is still there. [The Dears keyboardist Natalia Yanchak to Vimby

The Dears are going on tour this May. That includes two NYC shows: a Friday, May 1st gig at The Bell House in Gowanus, and Monday, May 4th at Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan. Tickets for the latter go on AmEx Presale on Wednesday and then regular sale on Friday at noon. Both shows will be opened by Great Northern and the Dears' Dangerbird labelmates Eulogies.

Dangerbird will release Eulogies' full-length, Here Anonymous, on April 7th. See the video for the album's first track below.

The Dears played last year's CMJ as one of the first shows with its new line-up that includes members of Pony Up and Kill the Lights.

All tour dates, and videos, including the latest episode of The Dears' ongoing The Gospel According To The Dears series, below....

Continue reading "The Dears - 2009 Tour Dates (2 NYC shows) & some videos"

The Dears (new lineup) (pic by Liam Maloney)

Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards - (Jason Kent
Bass Guitar, Keyboards - Lisa Smith (Pony Up)
Drums, Keyboards - Yann Geoffroy (Kill the Lights)
Piano, Keyboards, Vocals - Natalia
Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards - Murray
Keyboards, Vocals - Laura Wills (Pony Up)
Guitar - Christopher McCarron (Land of Talk)

As mentioned before, The Dears are back with a new album and a new lineup and a plan to tour around CMJ this October. I don't know how Christopher McCarron is going to be in NJ and Virginia on the same day, but tickets are on sale for an October 22nd show at Maxwell's in Hoboken and for one the next day at Hiro Ballroom in NYC. All dates below...

Continue reading "The Dears - 2008 Tour Dates (CMJ, Maxwell's, etc)"

DOWNLOAD: Film School - Lectric (MP3)

Land of Talk are in town - Mercury Lounge tonight (Oct 23), Boston tomorrow, Mercury Lounge again Thursday, and Maxwell's on Friday. Some of the shows are with Eulogies, and all of the shows are with Film School. All tour dates below....

Continue reading "Land of Talk & Film School - 2007 Tour Dates"