Another brief tidbit of news: The Marionette and the Music Box LP has officially sold out, which is good in that they sold like the dickens, and yet saddening because any of you who wants it now is simply a lost soul in search of a resting place which no longer exists. However, you can still purchase the album in the magnificent hardbound book & CD format in the online store, right here, so there’s really no need to mourn for long.
Those of you who have taken a glance at the tour section lately may be wondering, “Hey, what’s with that giant hole at the beginning of September? I thought Unwed Sailor was an unstoppable touring beast, and yet there’s no dates for, like, three weeks!” Well, fear not, my friends. Never ones in favor of silly things like “rest” and “food,” the band has now filled part of that gap with a handful of dates with The Appleseed Cast and the frighteningly-titled Murder By Death. Go look for yourself.
A quick note to all of you who are hoping to see Unwed Sailor on tour: There are a slew of new and updated dates in the Tour sector. Read, consider and plot your journey to the venue nearest you.
The Unwed Sailor tour is already well underway, and now even more tour dates have been announced, including a good amount in the western U.S. Click here to see them. Also, the second Unwed Sailor disc to be released this year, The White Ox will be set free from its cruel bonds on October 17th. You will then be able to rescue and adopt it through use of your credit card in the online store. After the Ox-loosing, Unwed Sailor will then embark on yet another tour, slated to envelop most of the United States in November/December. It’s truly maddening. Check back next week for more new dates.
Unwed Sailor is now preparing for a summer tour with Me Without You, which will take them all around the midwest throughout June and July. After that, Mr. Ford and his troupe of musical wretches will trek around the western United States, until they get so sick of it that they fly off to Europe for a change of scenery while playing shows in September and October. Yes, visitors, that is five months of touring. I’ll be updating the tour dates as they are confirmed, and you can view them all right here, or by clicking the aptly titled “tour” option in the menu above.
A new review of the Circles EP is up for reading in the Press section. Check it out right here.
Here is a news article about an upcoming ballet based on The Marionette and the Music Box:
JACKSON, MS April 24, 2006 – Living Water Dance Company and local record label, Esperanza Plantation will team up this spring for a family friendly event filled with live music, dance and theatre. This exciting production, put on in part by Fondren Renaissance and Graphic Anthem, will benefit the after-school arts programs of local non-profit, Neighborhood Christian Center. The event will be held May 11 at 7pm in the Duling School Auditorium in Fondren and will feature live music by Wooden Finger and El Obo. Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for adults. Seating is limited.
The evening will premiere “The Marionette and the Music Box”, a full-length children’s ballet choreographed by local dancer Stephanie Miracle. Miracle’s work is based on the instrumental storybook/album by Unwed Sailor and Jamie Hunt which as been described by Stephen Thompson of The Onion as “sublime and endlessly rewarding.” Uniquely blending contemporary dance and elements from mime and theatre, “Marionette” tells a story of love, adventure, despair and forgiveness. Combining the talents of professional dancers from Living Water Dance Company and children from the Neighborhood Christian Center after-school program, Miracle’s ballet is one that can be enjoyed by both young and old. The evening will also include “The Night Angels Came to Visit” also choreographed by Miracle with set design by sculptor Richard McKey.
LIVING WATER DANCE COMPANY – was founded in 2004 by Amy Roark-McIntosh. The professional dance company has performed various original dance works around school, parks, and theatre venues in the community. Stephanie Miracle previous works include “Synchronized”, “Doodlings” and the children’s opera “Robinson” staring Lester Senter-Wilson. She teaches dance at Belhaven College, Ballet Magnificat!, and Neighborhood Christian Centers.
ESPERANZA PLANTATION – was formed in 2002.Taking its title from an antebellum Mississippi Delta farm of the same name, the members of Esperanza Plantation decided on the moniker based on the definitions and literal interpretation of each individual word. Billing itself as a “new settlement for hope”, the significance rang true to all the individuals involved. The logo concept was borrowed as well, taking the bowed “E” brand, which exemplifies hope, always pushing upward.
This month, we have good tidings and foul tidings. On the positive side, the new Circles EP is now available for purchasing in the store! And on a more wretched note, Johnathon’s bass was stolen whilst he was touring in Philadelphia with Rosie Thomas. If you live in the area or know friends, you might keep an eye out for it at pawn shops or perhaps in the hands of some mischievous thieving musician… To aid you in your search for the missing bass, here is a photo.
Hello everyone! I realize that Unwed Sailor news has been a bit sparse lately, but that’s because Johnathon is currently on tour with Ester Drang. You can check out their Web site if you want to find out more about their music and tour. I’d also like to let you all know that since the forum has become a bit of a magnet for spammers (whose messages I periodicallly have to clear), I’ve changed the board to require that you be registered to post. This way casual spammers can’t come along and bombard the board with links to “free poker sites” and the like. I know it’s a bit of an extra hassle for those who just want to post a message, but hopefully it’ll be a much more pleasant reading experience without all the unrelated advertisements. That said, post away!