Shows! People! Things!

I’ll admit, for a little while there I wasn’t sure this whole “USA” plan was going to work out.

You relocate a band to the Eastern US, an area which has more people in it than the entire country of Canada, and you think: maybe we can start growing around here, getting some vibes going, maybe polka-punk with sea shanties is what these people secretly need. Lol.

But there have been some rough moments. Many of which have involved dealing with the various people in the US music system who want to either nakedly steal from us, repeatedly show basic disrespect, violate basic contractual requirements, or just do a meh job because meh.

But we also had a few attendance/promotional issues… gigs that weren’t in the right places, gigs where people just couldn’t be bothered to come out. Hey, fair enough, I wouldn’t come out either. We always had a blast, and I personally really enjoy a 30-person show, but that is a not a long-term plan for someone in his mid-40s. If you’re 20 and playing to nobody, awesome, that’s super punk and you have time to grow. If you’re 45 and in the USA, you’re like, "my health coverage might not pay for this recurring back pain thing”.

But after this most recent run of shows, I think we can confidently say that it is working out. And it is working out because we are finding the right people. So let’s do a few shout outs.

To Winzige Hosen and to Captain Tom and the Hooligans, who helped to make our New Years’ Eve Polka Party an absolutely bonkers, off-the-wall bonanza, and who served notice that polka is officially back on the menu. Next stop: getting the polka award back at the Grammys.

Myself, Tom, and Kala from WH

To our unbelievable merch person Sara, who just shows up wherever we happen to be and sells our merch for us, making it so that I don’t have to shout my voice ragged every night selling merch: <3 <3.

To Apes of the State, our fellow folk-punkers in arms, who have been absolutely brilliant to play with and who are also some of the kindest and most interesting people you’ll ever meet:

To Brandon at Punkerton Records: he asked if we could do show in Columbus OH, and I basically tested him by asking for a larger guarantee than usual, to see if he could promote a show with us and Apes properly. And did he EVER deliver: we came within 33 tickets of a sellout at the huge Skully’s Music Bar, on the same night as the big Ohio State football game. That is what is called stepping up and making it happen. It’s what happens when people realize that with a little effort and cooperation great things can happen.

Polka train video here.

And last of all, to the new bandmates, who I really should profile on here soon, but who manage to combine being complete and utter idiot children with being excellent and brilliant musicians to tour with. In other words, par for the course in a good punk band.

So it’s working out, basically. We should be able to play this area for a long time, building the band, releasing new music, relying on these personal connections and cutting ties with those who disrespect us. A pretty huge privilege.

Now we just have to buy that huge RV and start touring the south…