dex romweber duo

The folks at The Village Voice catch up with brother-sister duo Dex and Sara Romweber to ask some goofy questions ("What's one thing you've never done?" Dex: "Gone spear fishing off the coast of Key Largo." Hey, Dex, there's still time!) and then film them doing some stripped down versions of songs of their latest album, Ruins of Berlin, in an alley behind a theatre. Check out the video here. And then check out Dex and Sara on tour now.

Heads up vinyl junkies!

We've got FOUR new vinyl items for your turntables:  Re-issues of the Detroit Cobras classic first two albums (limited edtion of 1000), a live Dex Romweber Duo album recorded at Jack White's Third Man store/studio (edition of 1000, but we only got our hands on a few), and, after much demand and strong arming, the debut album by Justin Townes Earle The Good Life; this limited edition of 1000 is only available in a few stores and thru us and it includes a digital download version.

So, there you have it.  Some sweet goods to load up on the hi-fi for your summer listening needs.

You know, this indie music racket is a tough one.  We struggle, we plan, we do everything we can to mitigate all the travails that are heaped upon our artists in their tour vans.  Blown tires, shot transmissions, snowstorms, unscrupulous promoters, commercial indifference, bird flu, plagues, hangovers, faulty Mapquest directions, stalkers, and a hundred other factors have reared their ugly heads to disrupt tours.

But a VOLCANO?  In Iceland?  ICELAND?

That's a new one on us.  However, it is our duty to inform our European buddies that the Dex Romweber Duo has had to cancel their upcoming run through Spain and France due to the chaos in the air thanks to that F***ING Icelandic volcano eruption.

We're sorry about that (to the extent that we had anything to do with magma shooting out from the center of the earth...) We're gonna try to get them back as soon as we can.

As of this writing, the DRD are still planning on making their festival date in Kilkenny IRELAND.  But that could all change.  Maybe they'll hit by a meteor or something, who knows?

The dynamic Dex Romweber Duo played a smash instore at Jack White's Third Man Records in Nashville last night for 250+ excited fans. No less than country legend Charlie Louvin amongst the throng.

Mr. White Stripes/Raconteurs/Dead Weather himself kicked things off with an introduction and fiesty acoustic rendition of "You Don't Love Me  Anymore" from Dex's Flat Duo Jets days (check out the original on the classic 1993 FDJ platter, "White Trees...." It could not possibly come with a higher recommendation.)

Their as-always explosive performance is set to be nigh-instantaneously pressed up on wax and ready for sale (ain't technology grand?) We hope to have some to sell through our web store soon.

Seems most of the folks that came out to Jack White's pad must've liked what they heard, as there was a damn-near sold out show at The Basement later that night as well!

Stay tuned for further details on the vinyl, and where you'll be able to see footage of this momentous occasion!

Read about the show HERE

Listen below to an EXCLUSIVE podcast with Dex Romweber. He's spinning obscure discs that he's into and telling us about them.  Weird, cool stuff.  Then, be sure to check out Dex and Sara on the road this month with Exene Cervenka.

We thought these babies were long, but we thought wrong.  We managed to get a few dozen copies of the LP Ruins of Berlin back from a distributor.  We only pressed up 1000 of these and they disappeared pretty quickly, so act fast.

Just in time for the tour of the southern US with Exene Cervenka starting in late January.

Greetings,

We here in the office are already to the bottom of our Day-Glo Pumpkin candy bucket---just a few Sweet Tarts, gumballs, packets of candy corn and one broken pixie stick that lost all its powdery goodness are left at the bottom.

Speaking of sugary delights (hey, not all segueways can be perfect), here are some tidbits that have come across our desks this week.

• Dex Romweber appeared in Nashville alongside the LEGENDARY Charlie Louvin.  Here's some photos and video.

• Chicago Sun-Times writer Jim DeRogatis gives the world an update on the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir's recovery following their horrific van accident in September and previews the benefit concert at the Hideout on November 12th.  Read the article here.

• In other Chicago-related news, we are in danger of taking our amazing music scene for granted.  For all that goes on here, we lag far behind in getting City Hall's support. Now, they are threatening to cut the budgets for public music events.  Sign the petition to make sure they know we care about our city's cultural offerings and to keep this a world class destination for music and the arts.

• Make sure you take advantage of our Random Cool Giveaways event, wherein you can score free t's, Lps, CDs, or 7" singles for yourself as endeavor to clean off some shelves before the Holiday onslaught.

• Finally, some sad news to report for all Chicagoans who are fond of old-school drinking establishments (that would CERTAINLY include us): Johnnie,  owner of Johnnie's Lounge (or "the Hamm's Bar" as i always knew when i lived down the street from it) on Lincoln Ave died last week.  The Bloodshot Staff Xmas dinner is held at Fernando's (due to their Queso Fundido and toxic margaritas) and we always went across the street for a nightcap(or seven) afterwards.  Much dancing, tomfoolery and Johnnie storytelling took place.  He shall be missed and the era of the local tavern, in these days of "concept" bars, mixology places and thrice filtered autumnal blueberry ales, comes one step closer to existing in our memories alone.  Read about him here.

Prosit, Johnnie and thanks.

• Here's an entertaining read by the ever-entertaining Jon Langford;  he tells the folks at Pitchfork about the most influential albums during different times of his life.

• WORLD PREMIERE VIDEO! As of midnight last night, Amazon.com is airing EXCLUSIVELY (through June 19th) the new video for Justin Townes Earle's title track Midnight at the Movies.  Check it out, it's rather fancy pants.

• With the imminent release of Ha Ha Tonka's new album, the band wanted to share a video of the "Making Of..." Get the inside skinny!  See all the drugs and dancing girls that went into its production!  Is that a donkey in the studio?  We can't be sure!  Oh, the depravity!  (We kid, they are very nice and polite.)

• Dex Romweber Duo+Jack White+vinyl= Yeah, baby!    Perhaps you remember a few weeks back we told about Dex Superfan Jack White recording a single with the DRD.  Well, the fruits of that labor have arrived, and it didn't take no stinkin' nine months either.  The 7" single is our busy little hive, awaiting your fevered order!

• The first of our 15th anniversary Beer-B-Qs, featuring FREE ADMISSION, FREE food, beer specials galore and lots and lots of music has been confirmed in PITTSBURGH on July 4th.  Lots more to come!!

• Rob's Recommendation of the Week: Rob has no recommendation this week.  The unparalleled lousy weather in Chicago, persistent overcast, 20 degrees below normal temperatures, insidious chilly lake breeze---all this as we are purportedly heralding the arrival of summer, has put him in a fouler than usual mood.  Thus, no recommendation.  He is sitting in his basement with a wool blanket over his head cursing the buckled jet stream and will not come outside again until he can  do so without needing some sort of rain gear or heavy jacket.  So, nyaah.

Bloodshot Records celebrates its 15th anniversary of bringing you top shelf music with a nationwide series of fan appreciation Beer-B-Qs through the summer! Sponsored by Rolling Rock.

Saturday July 4, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA
Smiling Moose
1306 E. Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 
FREE ADMISSION, 21+
Free food and inexpensive Rolling Rock
4pm doors / 5pm show
featuring:
Bottle Rockets
Bobby Bare Jr
Deadstring Brothers
Ha Ha Tonka
Dex Romweber Duo
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir

More Beer-B-Qs coming to:
Madison
Minneapolis
Boston
Philadelphia
Chicago
Austin
Tempe
Brooklyn
Baltimore/DC
Trenton/Princeton
Seattle

Check back here for more details!