(“Dead Molly, “Submerge”, “Bell” and “William”, live, May 25, 2013, Instants Chaviré)
Just a reminder that the original Come lineup of Thalia Zedek, Chris Brokaw, Arthur Johnson and Sean O’Neil hit the road today in support of the double LP/double CD 20th Anniversary edition of ’11:11′. Dates are below.
6/19 Bootleg Theater Los Angeles CA (w/ Tara Jane O’Neil)
6/20 The Independent San Francisco CA (w/ Tara Jane O’Neil)
6/21 Mississippi Studios Portland OR (w/ Rebecca Gates & The Consortium)
6/22 The Crocodile Seattle WA (w/ The Redwood Plan, No Grave)
6/27 The Sinclair Cambridge, MA (w/ 27)
6/28 Bowery Ballroom New York NY (with Jennifer O’Connor)
7/12 Empty Bottle Chicago, IL (with Brother JT)
7/26 40 Watt Club Athens GA (with Subsonics, A)
7/27 The Earl Atlanta GA
Our 20th anniversary edition of Come’s astonishing 1993 debut, ’11:11′ is in stores today ; I’d love to show you a photo of how awesome the packaging is, but either someone has misplaced the camera in our New York office or they’re worried that you’ll be blinded by the sheer brilliance of it all. But rest assured, band + associates knocked it out of the park (or, if you deeply dislike inappropriate baseball analogies, they’ve done appropriate justice to one of the most important album in this label’s history).
Over at The Awl, Choire Sicha’s interview with Thalia Zedek touches on the band’s history, their recent reunion (clips from last week’s shows in Germany and Holland are above and below, respectively), the nutty ’90′s and Thalia’s solo work.
5/17-19 Orange Blossom Special Festival Beverungen DM
5/20 Bitterzoet Amsterdam NL
5/22 The Ruby Lounge Manchester UK
5/23 Dingwalls London, UK
5/24 Instant Chavires, Paris FR
5/26 Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona ES
5/27 Le Romandie Lausanne, Switzerland
5/28 Jubez Karlsruhe, Germany
5/30 Locomotiv, Bologna IT
5/31 Kino, Ebensee AT
6/01 Pilot, Prague CZ
6/02 Festaal Kruezberg, Berlin DE
6/19 Bootleg Theater Los Angeles CA
6/20 The Independent San Francisco CA
6/21 Mississippi Studios Portland OR
6/22 The Crocodile Seattle WA
6/27 The Sinclair Cambridge, MA
6/28 Bowery Ballroom New York NY
7/12 Empty Bottle Chicago, IL
As mentioned earlier in this space, in May (the 21st to be exact) we’re reissuing one of the most important debut albums in rock/Matador/human history, Come’s ’11:11′. To coincide with our deluxe, double LP/double CD version of this landmark title, the original Come quartet of Thalia Zedek, Chris Brokaw, Sean O’Brien and Arthur Johnson are playing select shows overseas and in the US, as listed below.
5/17-19 Orange Blossom Special Festival Beverungen DM
5/20 Bitterzoet Amsterdam NL
5/22 The Ruby Lounge Manchester UK
5/23 Dingwalls London, UK
5/24 Instant Chavires, Paris FR
5/26 Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona ES
5/27 Le Romandie Lausanne, Switzerland
5/28 Jubez Karlsruhe, Germany
5/30 Locomotiv, Bologna IT
5/31 Kino, Ebensee AT
6/01 Pilot, Prague CZ
6/02 Festaal Kruezberg, Berlin DE
6/19 Bootleg Theater Los Angeles CA
6/20 The Independent San Francisco CA
6/21 Mississippi Studios Portland OR
6/22 The Crocodile Seattle WA
6/27 The Sinclair Cambridge, MA
6/28 Bowery Ballroom New York NY
7/12 Empty Bottle Chicago, IL
We’re told this might be footage from Come’s first public performance. Perhaps you thought this would be the post where we’d announce the presale for the May reissue of Come’s debut album, ‘Eleven : Eleven’. Or maybe even the post where some live dates would be unveiled. If you should know anything by now, it’s that we have a tendency to drag this shit out. “Are they being paid by the post?” you might well wonder, and why yes, in fact WE ARE. (video courtesy Chunklet)
Way back in 1993, when things like newsstands and magazines still existed, Entertainment Weekly’s David Browne called ‘Eleven : Eleven’, the first album from Boston’s Come, “enthralling, like watching someone howl into a rainstorm.” The album in question was the result of a collision between Boston/New York guitarist/vocalist Thalia Zedek (formerly of Dangerous Birds, Uzi and Live Skull), Oberlin product / guitar wizard Chris Brokaw, and one of the more powerful rhythm sections of the last half century, drummer Arthur Johnson and bassist Sean O’Brien. Despite being one of the best album in this label’s long history and one of the more memorable debut albums in an era full of ‘em, ‘Eleven : Eleven’ has been out of print for far too long. This May, however, that situation is rectified with a deluxe, double disc reissue (2XLP, 2XCD) comprising the original album plus a bonus disc featuring Come’s October 10, 1992 performance at the Vermonstress Festival. The 2XLP edition will also include a bonus 7″, a reissue of the “Fast Piss Blues” b/w “I Got The Blues” single.
Matador will handle the North and South American release ; Glitterhouse will be reissuing ‘Eleven : Eleven’ in the same configurations in Europe.
After a handful of reunion shows in 2010 and 2011, Come’s original lineup will be playing selected shows later this year. In addition, Thalia Zedek’s 5th solo album and first since 2008, ‘Via’, is being released by Thrill Jockey this March, while Chris Brokaw is currently touring the West Coast with former labelmate Jennifer O’Connor in support of his most recent solo album.
Following a terrific performance at last October’s Matador 21/ Lost Weekend in Las Vegas, Come are again returning to the stage, playing Brooklyn’s Bell House on Saturday, April 16, along with Chicago’s Eleventh Dream Day (whose new Thrill Jockey album, ‘Riot Now’ is available at better record shops). Tickets are available here.
(ADDENDUM : Come are also playing Cambridge, MA’s Oberon Theatre on April 14).
