Desolation Wilderness

bye!

2010-02-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

Hey readers! We decided to call it quits with the band. I'm moving to San Francisco in a couple days and it feels like the right time to give it up. We had a lot of fun but we're all moving on in various ways. Thanks to everyone who bought an album or came to a show. Also, the people who set shows up for us and/or housed us are all really great. It made a big difference to a tiny band from Olympia.

Like I said, I'm moving to San Francisco, so if someone who reads this lives there and wants to hang out, get in touch! I have a new band which is called Electric Sunset, and that is what I'll be working on in the bay area. You can hear the songs if you want:

Myspace
Muxtape

Otherwise, take it easy and hopefully I'll see you again!

2009-12-22T15:35:00.000-08:00

home!

2009-11-19T19:28:00.000-08:00

Landed in Seattle yesterday, Ben got all his stuff searched because we both looked sort of scruffy but I managed to sneak my guitar and clothes over the US border without getting stopped. It's good to be home! We had an incredible time on tour and frankly I sort of miss it already, thanks to everyone who housed us, fed us, and threw shows for us!

Malmö Day 84

2009-11-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

So mainland Europe has been pretty great. Lots and lots of good food here, but it seems like mostly meat, so Ben (a vegetarian) has been spending short amounts of time going hungry between cheese rolls. Though there is also a lot of really excellent cheese, so it's not all bad for him. We've spent time driving all around the alps playing shows in Zurich, Munich and Innsbruck, and that area is definitely one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Especially Innsbruck. Wow.

Played Berlin last night, a really great weird show. We only spent about 5 hours in there but it was still super awesome. I can't wait to go back. Right now we're in Malmö, Sweden, which is pretty sweet. Tomorrow, Oslo.

In Munich, the fellow who sort of curated the venue, called Kafe Kult, showed us his old German war sword and WWII rifles he found in a dry riverbed:

Sweet jam room:

Kalki, the squat we played in Zurich. Super fun and crazy show.

Zurich store entrance:

Innsbruck!:

Paris Day 77

2009-11-01T16:56:00.000-08:00

Haven't updated for a bit because we had way too much fun with our new UK compatriots. Met and hung out with way too many cool people to list here, but if you're reading this, you know who you are. Big ups to you, lads and lasses! Really, we had an awesome time and saw lots of beautiful places (the grass is greener!) and played some really fun shows. Though we had trouble driving. I guess in the UK no one needs street signs to get around!

Now we're in Paris, which has well hidden street signs also (a European thing?), about to start the second leg of our tour, on the European mainland with our buddy Angelo Spencer. More soon, pictures below.

Our Leeds homies the Spectrals. We played most of our England shows with them and it was superb. Really great band and guys to boot:

England was really nice for the most part but every once in a while we would drive by power plants that had eight huge cooling towers in a row (picture by Ben):

Entrance to the old city of York (we luv York!):

Sideways picture of York Minster, an incredibly massive cathedral that we visited. These pictures seriously cannot do justice to how big this thing is. It's really, really enormous. Almost two football fields long and one tall:

Ben's picture of York Minster Cathedral:

Me w/ Neil Brogan, proprietor of the record label CASS/FLICK and drummer of Girls Names on the rainy streets of Belfast. We played a house party with Girls Names there yesterday, on Halloween, and it was superb. They killed it and everyone had a good time. We spent just a day in Northern Ireland but it was even more beautiful than England. The people there are super sweet as well:

London Day 70

2009-10-26T18:58:00.001-07:00

Boy oh boy. It's day 70! And here we are in London. The first time being here for Ben and I both. It's been very fun here! We've been staying on Broadway Market in the London Borough of Hackney, which has been completely lovely, with a great weekly community market, and a sweet canal with swans just hanging out in it, and organic sandwich places. And just played a surprisingly good Monday night show at the Old Blue Last. Yeah, been good, but I'm excited to see the more rural side of the UK. Tomorrow I get to drive on the left side of the road for the first time, going against 23 years of conditioning and life training. Also, I'm going to be very American and say how 'different' everything is here, mostly the stuff that you buy, but also, many people I see in London are immaculately dressed and very good looking. Ben and I aren't ugly slobs (I hope), but being here makes me feel like we need to up our game a little bit.

Anyway, this is a part of the canal near us in Hackney, with a strange thing in the background:

Big Ben and Little Ben:

Broadway Market:

Me at the Tate Modern w/ Jeff Koons:

Day ??

2009-10-13T11:49:00.001-07:00

Been back from tour for a few days now, and once home got immediately steamrolled by flu. We're leaving for Europe in just a little over a week. Until then I'll be drinking infinite amounts of Throat Coat and Emergen-C and trying not to succumb.

2009-10-05T16:40:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Day 45

2009-10-02T01:50:00.000-07:00

Plenty of great photos to post but they're all in the camera which is in the van and that is parked very far away. Typical LA, amirite!?!? Anyway, it's super good to be back in the southwest of the country. Arizona was totally amazing and we just finished an unofficial three day mini-tour with now best buds Stephen Steinbrink and Cole Milner. Tomorrow we head up the coast... Okay, that's all for now. Bye bye.

Fort Smith Day 38

2009-09-24T22:03:00.000-07:00

We are in Fort Smith, Arkansas. It's been an interesting journey out here from North Carolina. We've met a lot of nice people and seen a lot of beautiful places. It's been humid and mosquito-ey, rainy and weird. We've been turned away from Graceland, eaten at Waffle House, and played at a hippie Lisa Frank punk house. It's been interesting and has radically changed my perception of this part of the South.

In the Nantahala Natl. Forest:

The boys at the creek:

They wouldn't let us in!!!!

Venue of the future:

Bathhouse life in Hot Springs:

Our new merch table item:

Greensboro Day 32

2009-09-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I haven't been taking to many photo's as we've been going south down the East Coast. The country around here is beautiful! I don't think I could really capture how nice it is down here anyway. The air in North Carolina right now has a consistency that I've never felt anywhere else really. Last time we were in the south it was winter and pretty cold...
I was walking around the area outside the venue last night in Charlotte and the lights from the downtown towers were making the air glow, almost like it was fog or something. Pretty sweet.

Tomorrow is our first day off in 25 days or something and I'm really looking forward to it! Tour is great but a guy needs a break sometimes. I think we're going to try and see the new Tarantino or some other movie. After Sunday we start heading west, back in the direction of where we live.

New York City Day 27

2009-09-14T23:05:00.000-07:00

We've been chilling in Williamsburg the past few days at my friend Noelle's place. It's been great. Seeing stuff, hanging out, also, playing shows around NYC. Just did a 'maze show' at Death by Audio with CJ, CC, AD. Good times. Off to Philadelphia tomorrow. I'd say more but it's 2:30 AM here and I need to sleep. I'll leave you with these:

Syracuse Day 22

2009-09-09T21:32:00.000-07:00

Now we're firmly in Upstate New York, things have relaxed a little and we're living the sweet life: Visiting museums, drinking chilled white wine at lunch, eating pasta and mozzarella. It's been pretty nice. Tomorrow we play Ithaca, where none of us have ever been but keep hearing great things about, then we play Bennington college, and then after that we'll be in NYC for three days straight. Nice nice.

Our Labor Day weekend was sweet. We played music Sunday at a full, awesome chapel in Oberlin college and then spent Labor Day proper at Ben Kamen's parent's house, played Frisbee and ate ice cream. What could be better?!

Chapel 'O Music:

George Eastman's garden:

George Eastman's elephant tusk:

Lousville Day 17

2009-09-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

So in the past few days the tour unexpectedly changed in tone quite a bit. We lost some members and gained another. For a second it seemed like it would all fall apart in Chicago, but I think we'll keep going on and see what happens. That's adventure, right?!

We've managed to get to Louisville today, where outside the venue there was constant Akira-style motorcycle speeding going on, up and down East Broadway. To an almost absurd amount: back and forth all evening long.

Also, we played in Bloomington, Indiana yesterday and that was pretty sweet. We all really like that town. People there are good to us. Someone today told me the Dalai Lama has a house there! Next time we're in B-ton we'll have to look the homie up.

Hmmm, I had some pictures I was going post but for some reason I can't upload them. So I'll just describe them:

Picture 1:
A shot of the Merchandise Mart from a bridge in Chicago. I've seen a lot of big buildings but that place was insane. We turned the corner and then there it was, just so ridiculously big. Like how does it stay standing?? You can see the pictures on the internet but that doesn't really do the thing justice.

Picture 2:
A shot of Ben Kapp (DW guitarist) walking on the abandoned train tracks we played our second night in Chicago. A whole elevated and decrepit railway that we hung out on at dusk. It was pretty sweet.

Picture 3:
A shot of the enormous leather couch at the house we're staying at tonight and which I'm about to go to sleep in after I finish this. Literally the best sleeping couch I've ever seen. Almost the width of a twin bed. Total heaven for a band on the run stuck in tour-land.

Madison Day 13

2009-08-31T22:51:00.000-07:00

Been in the Midwest for a few days now. I realized I love east Kansas, specifically Lawrence, and want to give up the nomadic life and move there. St. Louis is pretty sweet too. It seems like deciduous green summer forests fill all these states and we've already crossed the Mississippi three times, going up to Madison through Missouri and Iowa. Lots of old cities and lots of cool Midwestern folks.

Lord Carson of Lawrence, KS:

This is where we played in Madison!!:

Infinite radio relay near the Daytrotter studio:

Daytrotter:

See what I mean?:

Denver Day 8

2009-08-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

After some long drives and a couple shows we find ourselves in Denver with a day off. We're playing at Rhinoceropolis tomorrow with Milton Melvin Croissant III, which should be a fun jam. The last few days have been pretty cool. Wyoming is incredibly beautiful and also eerie. Boise was the best show we've ever had on a Monday night, and SLC was a great chance to hang out with our friends in Navigator and Stag Hare.

Here are some pictures from our out of space time journey across the Wyoming badlands:

Requisite van picture:

Carson Churchill, our irreplaceable 'roadie':

Ancient prairie schoolhouse tableau in the middle of nowhere:

Two totems:

Portland Day 5

2009-08-24T00:01:00.001-07:00

We're in Portland tonight, Boise tomorrow. We won't be back for over a month, and it feels like we're leaving the 'known world' even though we've done this before. That's what happens when you live somewhere most of the time I guess!

Hornet Leg.

Weston Currie, our good friend in all his glory, relocated to Portland.

Helsing Junction Sat. night.

Metal.

US Tour

2009-08-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hey, so tomorrow we leave on our tour. Look at the shows here. There's a good chance we're playing where you live, because we're playing shows everywhere.

New Universe out today

2009-08-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hey! Our second full-length on K Records (and fifth total, if you're counting) comes out today. Come get it from us in person on our six week long US tour that starts later this month! The dates for that are here.

Or, you can get it even sooner on iTunes, LP or CD.

Also, we're playing the Helsing Junction Sleepover on August 22nd, at the beginning of our tour. Here's more info on that.

Commercial

2009-07-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a commercial our good buddy Weston Currie made for New Universe, which comes out on August 4th:

Desolation Wilderness - New Universe (COMMERCIAL) from Weston Currie on Vimeo.

News

2009-06-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

We're playing a show with Grouper this Saturday, June 27th, in Olympia at the Northern. Also, our good friend Ben Kamen will be playing as Invisible River. This is our last Olympia show, or any show, before tour, and we're really excited about it! If you're anywhere near Olympia you should come.

Speaking of tour, we're going to be doing a circle around the US starting in late August and ending in October. Most of that is already booked but I'll wait until it's finished to explode it on the internet.

Also, we're going to the UK and Europe in late October and November. I'll be getting back in touch with the Dutch fatherland and we'll be playing some shows around the continent. More on that soon too! These tours will be in support of our album New Universe, which comes out in a little over a month.

No Tomorrow - IPU 123

2009-05-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

The No Tomorrow 7" single is out today!

The b-side is called Pacific Palisades. It's an advance single for our new full-length which comes out on August 4th.

Get it here.

Europa

2009-05-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

California

2009-03-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

Hey, SXSW ruled. It was totally fun and overwhelming. Now we're relaxing in L.A., poolside. Gonna do a video with Thee Weston Currie. Home soon, see you!

SXSW

2009-03-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

Okay so we're leaving for Austin pretty soon. Spring break baby!! We're gonna get free. Come see us play a show:

Wednesday, March 18, 9:00pm:
Tomlab/K Showcase - Beauty Bar Backyard

Thursday, March 19, 3:00pm:
SCD Showcase - End of an Ear

Saturday, March 21, 4:15pm:
PIAPTK Day Party - 1024 East 44th St.

Speaking of End of an Ear: The Times

2009-02-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, the new album is done and being mastered right now. I feel very excited, not only because it's done but because I think it's really good. It's nice not to be spending every day in the basement recording studio, too.

Last day, Adam crazy:

We're going to be playing a few shows before we leave for SXSW in three or four weeks. Once we get closer I'll post our schedule for down there. That day will come.

No Tomorrow

2009-01-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

We just posted a New Year's jam on the Myspace. It's called No Tomorrow. It's about living in the moment and being happy. It's going to be on our new album, which is almost done and due in the summer.

Also, we're going to Austin for SXSW, maybe we'll see you there.

PS: BEST SONG EVER. Amazing. And the overdriven videotape recording of it makes it even weirder and better. And it was produced by Joe Meek.

New Year's Day

2009-01-01T16:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, here we are.

I'm in Sausalito right now. Spent last night driving around San Francisco with my friends, riding BART to the Excelsior. I heard "Up the Junction" by Squeeze for the first time, in the car on Market Street. It was a very good night.

And All the Boys Looked

2008-12-11T00:50:00.000-08:00

It's great to be home but now I miss tour. It was very cool and thanks to everyone who saw us, put us up or hung out.

There is a new video, made by a friend, Michael Cahill, in Portland. It's for the song "And All the Boys Looked" from White Light Strobing.

Here it is:

Midwest -> Home

2008-11-25T11:56:00.000-08:00

South II and Northeast

2008-11-11T21:58:00.001-08:00

Album Out Today

2008-11-03T22:54:00.000-08:00

Now that it's technically November 4th in Louisiana, our new full-length, White Light Strobing, is out today. Get it from us at one of our USA tour shows, or order on CD or LP from K. If you want it on MP3 you can get it from iTunes or Emusic.

South

2008-11-03T22:18:00.001-08:00

West Coast II

2008-10-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

West Coast I

2008-10-23T02:55:00.000-07:00

A few days in

2008-10-19T17:35:00.001-07:00

USA tour Tomorrow

2008-10-14T18:06:00.001-07:00

Okay, we start touring the USA tomorrow.
Our first show is in Bellingham, Washington. And then we play Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Portland (twice), Arcata, Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Tucscon, maybe West Texas?, Dallas, Austin, Lafayette, Tallahassee, Athens, Atlanta, Charlotte, Knoxville, Lexington, Pittsburgh, NYC, Purchase College, Rochester, Syracuse, Oberlin, Grand Rapids, Bloomington, Chicago, Des Moines, Denver, SLC, and then maybe one or two other places as our tour winds down.

Hope to see you there!!

Homecoming

2008-10-06T18:14:00.000-07:00

Hello, we played a very fun show over the weekend. It was called Homecoming, and all our friends were there, dressed up. Photos courtesy of Andrew Ebright.

Everyone assembled:

Ohioan played:

We played:

LAKE played, and we're touring with them across the country starting two weeks from now.

OK

Video on Pitchfork

2008-09-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

The video for "Come Over in Your Silver Car" from White Light Strobing, due out in November, is now on Pitchfork.tv.

Here.

In the Studio

2008-09-20T23:49:00.000-07:00

Andrew, caught:

Bob, Andrew, Me. It's all very intense here:

Home

2008-09-08T16:55:00.000-07:00

Played an amazing show back in Olympia last night with Angelo Spencer. It was a really amazing, fun tour for me. We go around the USA with LAKE in the Fall and I can't wait.

LA SF again and then Arcata

2008-09-06T00:52:00.001-07:00

Joel Gion? NO: Cupcake.

Today I'm 22 and we're in L.A.

2008-09-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

Yes Please in Oakland:

Critical Mass vs. Our Van:

Edinburgh Pub:

Somewhere in the valley:

Pehrspace:

Devon Williams at the Smell:

Canter's:

Where I turned 22:

Weston Currie, Filmmaker Extraordinaire:

Reno Lunar Landscape

2008-08-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

Alas, Alak, Alaska in Placerville:

Spencer's Butte to Buff Castle

2008-08-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

While we were loading a train went by:

Buff Castle, Sacramento:

Olympia Portland ∞

2008-08-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Opsticks:

Mastroianni in the back seat:

Ben and his Ringtones:

The inimitable Warren Lee of the band Problems:

Oh, and this band:

There he is:

2008-08-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

Ben Kamen in Seattle.

Goodbye Olympia

2008-08-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

From our Olympia kickoff show last night:

Ben Kamen and the Hot New Ringtones, who we are on tour with:

Starfucker:

West Coast Surf Tour '08

2008-08-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

Desolation Wilderness tour starts on Thursday, August 21st in Olympia. Myspace for shows in the ocean cities. See you somewhere!!