If you feel like you’re in the middle of a Canasta assault, you’re totally on. We’ve made it our top priority to bring you pop sweetness to complement your savory summer. The last two months have been a whirlwind of activity in the orch-pop canasta camp. The Fakeout, the Tease and the Breather was released at Schubas with two jam-packed shows in May. Thanks so much for making the album’s debut a smashing success. The Fakeout has received heaps of acclaimed reviews, including the likes of Chicago Reader, Sun-Times, The Onion, Flavorpill and Adeqacy.net, and we could not be more grateful. If you haven’t gotten your copy yet, feel free to order from our merch page, iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Insound or CD Baby. If you’re out and about in Chicago, you can find it at all Reckless Records locations, Hard Boiled Records & Video, Laurie’s Planet of Sound, Logan Hardware, Transistor and many other fine independent record stores.
Being the PBS dorks we are, we were pretty stoked to make our “Chicago Tonight” debut on WTTW back in May. Phil Ponce had a nice little chat with Matt before the band ran through a drummerless performance of “Mexico City.” Check out the clip here and see if you can spot the Canasta CD we slyly planted on the wall of artifacts. Canasta’s public media jaunt also included an appearance on WBEZ’s 848, where they played the full-band version of “Mexico City”, along with “I Don’t Know Where I Was Going with This.”
It gives us all kinds of warm and fuzzy feelings inside to announce the addition of three new most excellent musicians into the Canasta fold! Fellow Chicagoan Ryan Tracy is rocking piano, synth, and bass, making his debut back in May when we played with Clem Snide in Madison. Taking us to happyland on piano and synths is the lovely Angie Ma, who made her debut this past weekend at the “Great Performers of Illinois Festival” at Chicago’s Millennium Park. Bringing a whole new level of thunder on drums is Brian Palmieri, who will make his Canasta Chicago debut on August 20 at Lincoln Hall as Canasta plays with Elisonore. The newbies have definitely brought their A game and are pushing the live show to a whole new level. We’d also like to take a moment to recognize and thank our very talented buddy Jay Santana, who has been filling in on drums for the past two months while The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir take it easy and heal.
In Canasta foodie news, (yeah, we loves us some blog seeking food finds), our first sandwich is available at Catering<>Chocolate. The “Canasta” panini is an amazing combination of grilled chicken, goat cheese, portobello mushrooms and celery with a delectable truffle spread. We dare you to eat one and not hum “Appreciation.”
If you live outside the Chicago area and are feeling neglected, dry your tears. We’ll be at Champaign, IL’s Canopy Club on August 14 for the CD release of fellow RWIM labelmates Elsinore. We’re also currently putting together a tour for sometime in September and should have more details in the coming weeks. The Fakeout awaits you, America. Stay tuned!!
