Go forth and slather

2011-07-15T18:30:00.001-07:00

Ya Ho Wa 33: gettin the band back together again some more

2011-07-01T11:28:00.000-07:00

Djin Aquarian's coming back to town and we're gonna psych out with him and the gang for a few Northwest dates this month. This time the gang includes: Me (Shana), Gonzo and Johnny, David and Emily of Midday Veil, Garrett Kelly of Hollow Earth Radio and buncha bands, Sam Yoder (Geist and the Sacred Ensemble), and Dave Abramson (Diminished Men) for one show, and maybe some others filling your head with the good noise.

Signal to Noise

2011-06-30T23:01:00.000-07:00

Check out the new issue of Signal to Noise for a nice little bit about the Shana Cleveland and the Sandcastles album written by the great Plastic Crimewave. And thanks to P.C. Esq. for reminding me of the beautiful sounds of Angel Olsen (whose tape I heard briefly months ago in my friend Danah's car on a quick drive to a house party and then forgot about). I just ordered Angel's new LP (a total bargain at $10 on the Bathetic Records website) and can't wait to see it on my doorstep.

Tiniest Lights from Randy Sterling Hunter on Vimeo.

2011-06-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

This Saturday!

2011-05-31T11:20:00.000-07:00

Another great review from the Big Takeover!

2011-05-22T21:39:00.001-07:00

2011-05-16T22:22:00.001-07:00

2011-05-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Springtime in Montana

2011-05-01T12:45:00.001-07:00

2011-04-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

bad indians

2011-04-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

2011-04-22T12:55:00.001-07:00

the Heidelberg Project

2011-04-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

If you're ever anywhere near Detroit you've gotta get to the Heidelberg Project. I did what I could with the camera but it really must be walked through. When we came across it yesterday Nic and I were lucky enough to meet the artist, Tyree Guyton, who was there working on different parts of the project and talking to everyone who came by.

Youngstown, OH

2011-04-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

band crussh

2011-04-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

MMOSS - "Thyme" (Live at Middle East Upstairs) from Foundwaves on Vimeo.

Mmoss from New Hampshire. Buy their excellent new album HERE.

Just as soon as we get back home

2011-04-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

Actual penguins, due diligence

2011-04-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

the Central Park Zoo to the Cake Shop:

In West Philadelphia totally lazed

2011-04-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

From the streets of Philadelphia, big Spring, and the Danger Danger Gallery

Harrisonburg, VA

2011-04-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

Preacher.

Orks and blurbs and hello East coast

2011-04-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

A couple of real nice write ups on Revolt of the Apes, and Boss not Boss

On and on

2011-04-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Pictures from the Stash house in Memphis, Yauhaus in Charlotte, Kerry's house in Athens, and Legitimate Business in Greensboro. So nice to be here in the South, storms and all. Thanks to all the bands that played with us and the people who put us up and showed us a good time. Bake Sale (Memphis) is in the first shot, and 1-2 (Greensboro) is in the 2nd to last, both great bands. Tonight we're in Harrisonburg, VA and then it's on to the East coast.

It's just the little things you do

2011-04-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Rapeseed oil

2011-03-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

A couple shots, a bit delayed, from the ghost town gallery in Oakland. Played with Zoobombs from Japan again, so good! Check the guitarist wearing our shirt (the drummer had one on too!). I think Sir Lord Von Raven was scheduled to play too but couldn't because of bass player illness.
Of the sick bass player Tony, the drummer, says:
'yeah, he just has a sore throat. This one time I was on tour and my arm was paralyzed for a week but I still played every night'
Me:'wait, how did your arm get paralyzed?'
'oh, I don't know, too much to drink I guess'

One the road again I had a Butterfinger ice cream bar with the most horrifying list of ingrediants (partially hydrogenated rapeseed oil!)

Johnny's Macro Manor

2011-03-31T20:25:00.000-07:00

Island Syndrome

2011-03-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you are alredy familiar with Tucson's Golden Boots, if so you will surely want to help them with this kickstarter project because to know the Boots is to love them and recording an album on the beach in France is exactly what they should be doing. For the uninitiated, check this vid and then donate HERE

Joshua tree, I love you

2011-03-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

Coconuts and first show

2011-03-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

Last night was our first show of tour. We shared the Knockout stage with Zoobombs from Japan (sweet!) who are in town recording with the talented Greg Ashley who played next with a dirty sax quartet. Today we went to a cafe that Lonesome Shack recommended and one I wish I could visit everyday called Trouble. It's right be the ocean and they serve whole coconuts, coffee, and thick cinnamon toast and not much else. Johnny took these photos.

van slumber party/photo shoot

2011-03-25T17:28:00.001-07:00

Californya

2011-03-25T17:24:00.001-07:00

fully formed in layers

2011-03-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

On a Sunday night it's nice to turn off the lights and listen to this strange, lovely album a couple times...

Pay what you want download of her whole album here

Oh man, cover the ground

2011-03-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

The Shana Cleveland and the Sandcastles record is done and it sounds great. Endless thanks to everyone who played on it and especially to Johnny and Ola. Check it out here.

Live on KEXP tonight! + Ya ho wa 33!

2011-03-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

Two crazy happenings tonight, my friends:
First, the Myst'll be live on KEXP tonight at 8pm pst. We'll be playing 4 songs off of "We Creeling" (in stores everywhere in a matter of days). If you live outside of Seattle you can still tune in live at http://kexp.org.

And tonight at Radar hair and records, Nic and I (along with Dave Abramson (Master musicians of bukkake, Diminished Men), Emily Pothast and David Golightly (Midday Veil), Kaz Nomura (pwfl power), and Garrett Kelly (Hollow Earth Radio)) will be sitting in with Djin Aquarian, an original member of the famed 70's psych band Ya Ho Wa 13! This show is part of Hollow Earth Radio's Magma fest and you can find more info about this show and the other stellar shows this month here.

Only only only only

2011-02-25T10:18:00.000-08:00

video by So Spun We Spun West, check their other stuff!

In the evening heat we ate cookies like meat

2011-02-15T20:40:00.000-08:00

First trouble

2011-02-12T22:12:00.000-08:00

Shana and the Shredders!

2011-02-11T14:15:00.001-08:00

Our friends Thousands have this Tuesday night residency at the Sunset this month and on Feb. 22nd Shana Cleveland and the Sandcastles will share the stage with those absolute shredders, Cock and Swan (featuring Johnny from the myst) will close the night with some of that ghosty-lonesome-feel. Check out these dudes tearing it up in Kristian's kitchen:

thousands - red seagulls from Thousands on Vimeo.

...and some of said feel:

Sympethizer from Ola (Dandelion Gold) on Vimeo.

nougat cars

2011-02-06T23:02:00.001-08:00

A still from our upcoming video for the song "Night Ride Reeling", wherein Nic gets back from soloing in Space and the rest of the band has aged twenty or thirty years. Another brilliant oddity from our friends at So Spun We Spun West. And hey, and that's my mom!

We Creeling in the Oxford American Journal's "Editor's picks"

2011-02-05T00:39:00.001-08:00

It's right here!
Jim Morrison always reminds me of that guy in Annie Hall who's like 'touch my heart...with your foot'

"a slow, dark majesty"

2011-02-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

Oh man were we glad to see this review today on the Big Takeover! The wait can be rough between the time it takes to finish recording an album and the time when people start hearing it. I think Nic and I both had a sigh of relief this morning, can't wait to share this record with the rest of you come March!

ode to snock

2011-01-30T22:30:00.000-08:00

just perfect

2011-01-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

Shows

2011-01-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

Some shows before we leave to play more shows:
Jan 26th at the Sunset, Seattle- w/ X-ray Press, and Wah Wah Exit Wound

Mar 5th live in-studio at KEXP, 8pm

Mar 11th Seattle Record release party at the Comet w/ Karl Blau, Lonesome Shack, and DJ Mamma Casserole

Mar 12th Olympia Record release party at Northern w/ Karl Blau and Georgy

Mar 17th at New Frontier Lounge, Tacoma- w/ Lozen and CJ Boyd

Famous Faces

2011-01-25T10:26:00.000-08:00

I made a calender, it's got whatchu need from a calender and Little Richard too. You can but one through the K mail order dept here for cheap!

Oly winter nights

2011-01-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

This Friday we pack up the van and head to the heralded HD video studio at Evergreen State College to play on the first episode of Olympia Winter Nights. If you live in Olympia you can watch the show live (Friday at 8pm) on cable access or hear it live on KAOS, if not you can watch it live on online I believe and I suspect it will be archived, more information at the OWN blog

sweet sweet new year

2010-12-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

come

On the threshold of the dying day

2010-12-27T23:30:00.000-08:00

we'll be at the Comet with Corpus Callosum, some cool kids we met in San Jose. And Smokey Brights who are so fresh they have no 'web presence' as is said. It'll be a fine time for sure, and all done nice and early so if you want to you can just go home afterwards and have a smoke and watch Ark II and still be in bed kinda early.

show stoked

2010-12-07T11:01:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen Op Id just get a load of what yr in for:

Rob Shreds from Operation ID on Vimeo.

We share a member w/ the PB's now. We are one fourth Pica Beat now and they are one one fourth Curious Mystery! Oh maybe we're each one eighth of each other if the member we share is half...no, one fourth. So, you know.

A survey of visionary narratives

2010-11-09T10:19:00.000-08:00

Booking a monster tour

2010-11-01T22:37:00.000-07:00

Big news, this week we start booking a tour that will take us across the US and back. Drop us a line if you know a good place for us to play anywhere in the country. Be it gallery, bar, vegan potluck, chilly warehouse...we just wanna spread our new album liberally around all of your affected areas. you can reach us at: thecuriousmystery@gmail.com

Shows!

2010-11-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

we've got'm... Looks like Myspace is not displaying show listings anymore, man that thing bugs me! Hope to phase it out and start a new site in the next few months. Here we go:

Fri Nov 5th at the Black Lodge w/ Rollerball and Dramady

Sat Nov. 20th at Cairo w/ the Hive Dwellers! (Calvin's crew) and Jaguar Paw

Fri Dec. 3rd back at the Black Lodge w/ progsters Happy Birthday Secret Weapon and Wah Wah Exit Wound

Sat Dec 18th at the Josephine w/ Operation ID and the Pica Beats

Escalator Fest!

2010-10-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

Next weekend is Escalator Fest 2.0, two nights of spacey psych rides at Lo Fi (429 Eastlake Ave E). This is a Portable Shrines happening, check them out over here

Cold creelin

2010-07-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

I just posted two songs from out new album which is almost all finished (but won't be released until March'11). They're over at the myspace.
Also: we're playin August 1st at the Comet, didn't mention that in the last post, it's with Spindrift. Should be a good time.

Summer!

2010-07-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

It's finally summerlike in the Northwest and we've got some fun shows coming up here! Lemme tell you about them:

First off, we're playing this Friday the 16th at the High Dive with our friends Gabriel Mintz (w/ special backup musicians Nic "Gonzo" Gonzalez and Bradford Button) and the Diminished Men! Yes! (Also beginning on 8/16 our friend Stacey Rozich who is doing all the art for our uncoming album has a solo show "Patterns of Renewal" going up at Pun(c)tuation gallery in Seattle)

Then the Weekend of the August 20th we're heading down towards Oly for the Helsing Junction Sleepover! Three days of K Records bands and other rad bands and films and dancing and organic food. We're playing Friday night sometime.

On Sunday Aug 22nd we're lucky enough to get to play the Seattle Arts in Nature Festival which is just one of the finest times you can have in this city... and it's free! While you're there check out Nic's cabin sound installation, it will be up all day Saturday and Sunday.

Here's a of my fav pics from our last show at the Comet(and first with new drummer Adam (not pictured)). All pics by the great Lord Fotog:

I've got a feeling

2010-05-14T20:10:00.000-07:00

We went to this theater and Joseph Peter snapped some pix, a few more at the myspace... But what I'm here to tell you about is folklife. I love folklife, I know it stinks and it's overcrowded and there's dudes trippin out with "free hugs" t-shirts and stuff; but big, free, obnoxious summer festivals are part of the joys of living in a city if ya ask me. We're playing on Saturday May 29th at the Center House Theatre at 5pm and will be joined by special guest keyboard genius Aaron Otheim plus other surprises. But come early, the K Records showcase starts at 3 with the Hive Dwellers, LAKE, and Karl Blau!

Sweet Thursday!

2010-03-15T22:56:00.000-07:00

We're playing with our friends the Diminished Men (one of the best bands of all time, fr real!), ++ the spaghetti western sounds of Federale and DJ Mamma Cassarole's spinning! Yes! It's all going down at the Comet. Then we're off to Olympia to record a new album! I could go on. I won't, not now, but it's going to be good! Hope to see ya.

Also,

2010-01-12T12:44:00.000-08:00

Kristian Garrard is playing drums with us. He's amazing and you should check out all of his other bands!

site

What we talk about when we talk about what we're talking about

2010-01-12T12:26:00.000-08:00

Hey, it's been awhile. Some things are happening! First up we have a couple shows on the horizon:
On Feb 17th we'll be at Neumos w/the Blood Red Dancers, See Me River and someone else. Plenty of room there to really get into your own interpretive jive and just ride it all night long (highly encouraged).
Then on March 18th we're back at the Comet w/ Federale, and some other people (hopefully the Diminished Men). We're just gonna play those two shows and then in April head back to Dub Narcotic studio to record our next album with Karl Blau. And then who knows? Oh, and Folklife fest in May w/ Calvin and Karl! Yes! Hope to see ya around!

Sweet home

2009-11-22T10:50:00.000-08:00

Our set at the Whistler in Chicago is the featured video today on Chicago psych blog Acid Marshallow! This was our favorite stop from our last tour... check it our here:

http://www.acid-marshmallow.com/

Toilets of our tour volI #2

2009-11-09T09:30:00.001-08:00

Bloomington, IN

last leg

2009-11-09T09:27:00.000-08:00

Kansas

2009-11-09T09:24:00.001-08:00

playin with Prince

2009-11-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

Toilets of our tour vol1 #1

2009-10-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

PAs Lounge, Somerville, MA

The road again and again

2009-10-27T11:14:00.001-07:00

Starting at the bottom: I can't tell you how beautiful it was in Michigan; bedroom light show in Ann Arbor; face in the wall at Sugar City; Zebra man Karl; LAKE and Karl at Sugar City

Black Sand

2009-10-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

Tour kickoff on Saturday!

2009-10-14T11:53:00.001-07:00

Come help get us to the other side of the country and back, we'd sure appreciate it PLUS this show is gonna be super sweet! Our buddies the Quiet Ones and Hair Envelope will be sharing the bill. The video for "Black sand" is done and it's keeeeeler (by Doug, Malakai and Olivia or "sospunwespunwest" check out their other brilliant videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/sospunwespunwest), we'll be debuting it before our set on a big screen. This Saturday at the Sunset in Ballard, which is so lovely this time of year. 10pm.

video shoot now at the Josephine

2009-09-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

The location has changed and we're now going to meet at the Josephine at noon tomorrow for the video shoot. If you have any questions drop us a line! Doug wants me to tell you that you should be prepared to go "buck wild"

Come on and be in our music video!

2009-09-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

This Saturday we're shooting a video for our song Black Sand and wanna invite all our friends to be in the video. It would be cool if you dressed up as a monster, but you can dress up as anything you want, or nothing at all. Make a hat out of a shoe. Tape some sticks to your shirt. It's up to you. We'll have face paint available if you want it. Be prepared to dance! Or not! Gonna be fun! This Saturday the 12th at the Healthy Times Fun Club in capital hill. Early afternoon, not exactly sure what time yet, but drop us a line at thecuriousmystery@gmail.com or on our myspace and I'll fill ya in on the details.

Be somebody!

2009-09-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

Couldn't resist. We're playing at the Comet this Friday with buddies Strix Vega from Arcata, CA and Blood Red Dancers, Scriptures opens the night... gonna be fun!

Oh, by the way, thought I oughta post this video from our last tour. That's Chris Stroffolino on trumpet and this was at the Hemlock in San Fran. which ended up being the slowest night of the tour but this was a highlight...

Some date posted

2009-08-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

I just posted the dates that have been confirmed so far for our fall tour. Expect more updates soon... and if you have some idears on how to fill some of those holes let us know! You can see the schedules on our myspace here.

(s)Two Sweet Shows this week!

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

Hello! I've just gotta tell you all about these (s)Two Sweet Shows!!!
Thursday we'll be jammin at the Tractor Tavern w/ the Beats, Man and 1-2-1-2 in a night that the Tractor lists as "beats driven dace punk". We'll do what we can.
Friday we head down to Olympia to play at the ABC House with Heatwarmer, Quinn, and Sunn Dagger in a bill that had yet to be catorgorized (any suggestions?).
As an added bonus we'll be debuting two new songs at these Sweet Shows.
Hope to see ya there.

Fall tour

2009-07-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hey gang, I'm booking a tour for the fall. Mid Oct. - Nov. We'll be going to the east coast and back. Let us know if you'd like us to come to your town or know of a cool place to play or have a sweet band that wants to rock with us or whatev! States we could be through include (in no particular order): Montana, Idaho, S. Dakota, Colorado, Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconson, Minnisota, Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Virginia, DC, Maryland, Penn., Mass, and I'm tired of this but you get the idea. But not much of the South this time, and not Cali, and although I wish we could go to Maine I don't think we'll have time for that either. But drop us a line at thecuriousmystery@gmail.com !

Shows, in some detail.

2009-06-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday, 6/27 we'll be live on KEXP at 6pm! Playin some songs and doing an interview. Hopefully I don't screw up this time and get stoned and talk about my love of grunge music (that was embarrassing!)

THEN.... that night we're playing at Jules Maes in Georgetown with: Eugene Wendell and the Demon Rind, Mike Dumovich (Dumovich!) and Jet Sparks!

Tuesday, 7/7 we're playing this Seattle Sound Magazine happy hour party showcase deal at Nectar Lounge... it's free and I heard something about free beer while supplies last or something! That starts at 8pm.

That Friday, 7/10 we're playing at the Deerborn house with is always fun and involves BBQ which is the best. Oh man, this show's a good one...Calvin Johnson, Lonesome Shack and Drakkar Sauna are also playing. And it's all ages, can't wait!

Next up is Sat 7/25 when we'll be at the Comet Tavern for the Capital hill block party after party, joined by Hallways. Show starts around showtime.

Not sure if we're playing in August yet, but we'll be at the Comet again on Fri 9/4 with our friends from Arcata, CA Strix Vega, plus Blood Red Dancers, and Heatwarmer. This is a great bill and if you've never seen Heatwarmer you need to as soon as possible.

Ok, that's all from now. I'll leave you with this:

Phoenix

2009-06-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

It is extreemly hot. Let's see here, what's happening? All of my gear broke down (really, almost all of it) and we're scrambling to fix things. Actually right now we're sitting in a cafe with "What if God was one of us" oozing from the ceiling speakers like a buncha Seattle wussies playing chess and drinking iced lattes and hiding from the 100 degree heat. Also there is something seriously wrong with the van. Tonight we go to Mesa, AZ to play a college party that someone randomly myspaced us about.

KDVS Krew

2009-05-29T14:46:00.001-07:00

in studio at KDVS

2009-05-29T14:35:00.001-07:00

Whoa!

2009-05-28T14:17:00.001-07:00

You have GOTTA check out this new flavor!

BBQ in Arcata

2009-05-25T14:05:00.001-07:00

Andy of Strix Vega plays electric bass to filet mignon wripped in bacon.

In the redwoods

2009-05-25T14:04:00.001-07:00

Last night at the Arcata theatre

2009-05-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

Last night we played at this amazing place with our friends Strix Vega, I really should have taken more photos. Today we hike into the redwoods and later we BBQ. Favorite audience member quote thus far: "Yall rocked the hardest but you also make me think about stuff too, I mean, that's MUSIC! MUSIC! you know? I mean, that's MUSIC".

Arcata

2009-05-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

Late Night Tacos at Midnight

2009-05-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

There's a new flavor in town, America! When Nic bought these at the gas station somewhere in Oregon the cashier informed us that you could "kinda taste the lettuce", and whaddaya know he was right!

2009-05-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

Record release PARTY!

Rotting Slowly tour dates, y'all!

2009-05-02T23:25:00.000-07:00

We're finally hitting the road for more than one show at a time...they call it "touring". If there is a better way to spend a few summer weeks than rolling around the West coast playing smokey jams I do not know what it is. Here're the dates:
Starts out with our record release parties May 15th at the Sunset in Seattle with our friends (bluesmen) Lonesome Shack, (metalheads) the Abodox, and (mariachis) the Romance Duo.... then a second release party in Olympia with (no shit) Old Time Relijion. Then we hit the road for real:
Thurs May 21st -- Portland, OR @ the Dunes
Fri May 22nd -- Salem, OR @ the Space
Sat May 23rd -- Arcats, CA @ the Arcata Theatre
May 24th & 25th -- fun in the sun or something
Tues May 26th -- Redding, CA @ the Downtown Eatery
Wends May 27th -- San Francisco, CA @ the Hemlock
Thurs May 28th -- Live on KDVS Radio 90.3 in Davis, CA (11pm)
Fri May 29th -- Sacremento, CA @ we don't know where yet
Sat May 30th -- San Jose, CA @ Streetlight records (4pm) then the Blank Club at night
Sun May 31st -- Los Angeles, CA @ the Smell
Mon June 1st -- Pheonix, AZ @ the Trunk Space
Wend June 3rd -- Tucson, AZ @ the Red Room
Fri June 5th -- Salt Lake City, UT @ the Woodshed
Sat June 6th -- Boise, ID @ Neurolux

On TV

2009-04-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what we would look like in 2 minute photo documentary style? Now you can find out on this week's edition of the Seattle Channel's "Art Zone"! Ken Burns it aint. But it IS pretty sweet to be all featured! Thank's to DJ Sharlese for being so cool.

http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=3350914 ...we're about halfway through the show.

Blog!

2009-04-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all! We've got a blog! More later...