Ori Sneezes at the Ocean

TommyPlural here. Lots of cool stuff happening. Nich and I spent last weekend on tour with The Cartridge Family. The show we played in Rockford, IL at CJ’s Lounge on April 18 was one of the all time great tCF shows that I have witnessed. I spent the bulk of the show in the turtle costume, and the crowd was rowdy and awesome. I got my ass kicked in that turtle costume… it was amazing. It was incredible to parade out of the venue into the streets of Rockford singing “Hungry Heart” a capella, the next Lansing mayor Ben Hassenger clad in naught but a jock strap, myself in the turtle suit, and everyone else sweaty and in various stages of costumed/ undressed. The show was so great that the fact that our stay that night fell through and we had to drive five hours back to Lansing didn’t really matter. When the world seems too heavy or complicated, just play a tCF show. When life gives you lemons, make a mess.

Prior to this tCF adventure, Hattie, Loren, Johnny Unicorn, and myself went to see Jeremy Quentin Rizik perform a set at (SCENE) Metrospace on April 16. Jeremy played some really cool new songs as well as most of the songs recorded at the last Head and Toe recording session, which will be released this summer, I so solemnly swear. Breathe Owl Breathe headlined the show and they were amazing… I’d seen them before and liked them, but they seem to have embraced their zaniness more or something and the show was awesome. It was nice having Jeremy around for a night… the second he’s around it immediately feels like no time has passed since we all lived in Lansing together. There just seems to be even more friends now. Yay… friendship!

The last Plurals shows we played have been really cool. We played a show at (SCENE) on April 10 where we brought out several new songs and had Loren and Johnny Unicorn guest on some songs with us. Then on April 15 we played an extremly unique show at Schuler Books where we played a set after Michigan author Michael Shilling read from his new book Rock Bottom; free PBR in a keg was available at this show. It was strange and fun. I’m looking forward to the show this Friday at Basement 414… we’re playing with those cats from A Paschal Circus for the first time in several months, so that’ll be fun. Both bands should post accounts of the night and we should see who’s more delusional.

There’s a lot of good GTG stuff coming out this summer. We haven’t put anything out since Bermuda Snowhawk 3, but that doesn’t mean nothing’s going on. Jason Alarm have recorded an EP, Too Much Too Fast Too Soon recorded most of an EP with us and have started an album, Jeremy’s recording an album, The Plurals are recording a bunch of stuff for a bunch of releases in addition to that live album we need to put out, The Break-Ups have recorded a “GTG Session,” the Head and Toe “GTG Session” is close to being ready, Jessi Spreitzer recorded some stuff just last night, Abbey Divine is recording an EP, A Paschal Circus is recording an EP, and Stargrazer is recording as well – with Eric “CrookedSound” Merckling no less. Really Cinematic really needs to record something soon what with the rave reviews they’re racking up in Lansing and Chicago. Timmy and I are also really trying to get this Drinking Mercury album off the ground, but… eh, 9 years in the making… let’s not open that can of worms right now. Lots of stuff coming this summer… and… GTG Fest is scheduled for July 11. Whatever you know will make my head explode. Happy Earth Day!

tommyplural