10 State Borders in 48 Hours

(Written on 9/25/10)

Cincinnaughty,

We played the fair city of Cincinnati and the Mid Point Music Festival for the first time last night. I think we were all surprised at how great the city, venue, and festival was. We played at a bar called Jack Potts, and shared the stage with some really incredible talent. Opening up the evening was one of the better folk singers and writers that I’ve heard in a long time, Mr. Tom Evanchuck. The guy is a monster writer, and a great front man. He threw in a few delta blues tunes, to which I’m continually amazed at how much great, gritty blues is coming out of somewhere like Ohio. When asked about it his response was, “it comes from boredom. I mean, this is Ohio.” Boredom or not, it was killer. We left pretty quickly after our set, and began the 600+ mile journey west to the great wheat fields of Kansas. It’s currently 8:39am and we’re enclosing on her quick. Ben Azzi, Greg, and the infamous H. Read Davis are sleeping soundly in their bunks. I’d imagine this is what my parents felt like during my childhood road trips. The babes are asleep in the back, Dave and I are holding hands in the front, and the gas station coffee sips slowly as the sun rises. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think we were in some strange backroom of heaven. Anyways, Lawrence tonight. We’re releasing our new E.P. entitled “Bird Called Angola” to the Kansas crowd, and sure do hope that they like it. Tonight we’ll raise a pint of the delicious Boulevard Wheat in honor of Cinci, in appreciation of you, and in remembrance of the past 600 miles that didn’t realize how soon it would become our bitch.

To all you Saints, Sinners, and Soon to be Drunkards,

Good Night, Good Morning, and Godspeed,

_The Delta Saints

An Unposted Blog from the Past

(Written on the morning of April 3, 2010)

Friends, Faculty, and Respected members of the Board,

We’re currently headed out of Jonesboro, Arkansas, 6 deep in an Xterra, and back home to Nash-Vegas-City-Ville after an incredible couple of shows. We’re all friends here, and after 3 days in such close quarters, we all seem to have enough dirt to ensure a slow and painful burial for one another. If my thoughts start to wander, it’s because the vibrating concussion of having only one window open in a car traveling 70mph is damn near deafening.

Anyways, back to the moment at hand… We’ve definitely had better ideas than traveling 6 deep in such a vehicle, but Lucille (the affectionate moniker given to the Xterra) is a trooper. She’s been through hell and back, with 6 people, and a full trailer over about 1200 miles. Her only complaint comes in the form of gas mileage that equals out to about 23 cents a mile…(donations welcome.) We’ve learned a lot about each other while being in such confinement. Greg takes 45 minute showers, and we’re not quite sure what he’s doing while in them. John Shaw enjoys falling asleep on the shoulders of the lucky person next to him, mouth agape, looking like a redheaded cherub. David smells like cheese, and acquires an endearingly bitchy personality when drunk (who also really enjoys T-Bell’s 4^th meal). Ben Azzi is the “Poppa Saint” who gets grumpy when not sleeping in a comfy bed. Melissa Madison Fuller can literally fall asleep on the most precarious pieces of furniture, and end up with a comfortable and complete nights sleep. And I am finding (through the gentle help of those that I love) that I am ¼ diva, ½ helpless child, and ¼ silly bitch, who argues about useless matters. But in the end, we luh ee udders… And are all looking forward to the solitary confine of our solitary, quiet, and lonely beds for a few days.

All in all, the weekend was pretty silly. We got to play in front of amazing people, in some wonderful towns. Lawrence, KS is our home away from home, which we don’t get to see near enough. There is a ridiculous amount of love in our hearts for that city, and its people. And last night we had the distinct honor of playing with The Last Straw in Jonesboro, Arkansas. A great time was had by all, and we’ve realized that we need to step up our post-show partying, as the Last Straw boys put our idea of partying to shame. Well done good sirs, well done. Thanks to everyone who came out, as we look forward to getting loud and rowdy with you again real soon. Until next time, drink up me hearties yo’ ho’!

Love,

The Delta Saints

Warm Thoughts.

We, like most of you have been inspired by the recent apocalyptic weather to focus on the things that can be enjoyed inside. Things such as sleeping, snuggling (mostly between David and Ben Azzi), movie watching, and a bit of song-writing. We are very pleased to announce that we have taken the first big step in the journey to a new recorded product. We are honored to be working with J. Hall, who will be producing the new recordings and helping us steer this awkward ship to what we hope will be a partly sunny horizon. We still aren't exactly sure what the final product will actually be, so as not to jump the gun and use the terms EP, full-length, multiple disc youtube anime soundtrack, etc... What we do know, is that we are beginning preproduction and are all really excited about the next 6-8 months.

We are also beginning to plan our shenanigan filled show for April/May. We are wanting to throw a big party/release show for the DVD footage that we took back in September. There are talks of pressing a limited number of DVDs and figuring out something for the online enthusiasts. Anyways, we'll be getting back to you with more info as it becomes available. We are also competing in a couple of different local music competitions over the next few months. We've been selected along with 32 other bands to compete in Lightning 100's "Music City Mayhem" campaign. Each weekday, 2 local artists face off throughout the day to see which can get the most votes and support. The winner of each day moves on the next round until there is an overall winner. Our day is March 2nd, 2010 and we'll be matched up against the incredibly talented Zut Alors. On the 2nd, go to (http://www.lightning100.com/) and vote for our track (Train Song) to move to the next round. We are also privileged and pleased to announce that we will be competing in this years "Road to Bonnoroo" contest. Our day is May 17th, so if you're free, 21 and older, and feel so inclined, come out to the Mercy Lounge and help us get out to that "field of dreams and other hallucinated journeys" in June.

We hope that this post finds each and every one of you happy, healthy, and warm. Much love,

_The Delta Saints

The Thank You Speech That Should Have Been..

I just reviewed the couple of posts that we've got on here and I apologize if their seems to be a frequently reoccurring theme... But to add to a possibly over-beaten drum, we just want to say thank you to everyone who came out and showed their support at the Rock Showcase tonight. It has been a dream to win a showcase for each and every one of us, and to be a part of tonight and to be chosen as the winner is an incredible and humbling experience. As always, there is bittersweet feelings involved, as the other 3 bands that we had the honor of sharing the stage with are incredible and each deserved to win. Daniel Berrios is a really great songwriter, and has one hell of a stage presence. In the 2+ years that I have watched Danny, he has never ceased to impress me (http://www.myspace.com/danielberriosmusic). Eikon is one of the great fresh new bands that I have come across. Tonight was my first time hearing their music, and I as well as many of the people who I have talked too, was blown away. They are an awesome mix of Muse like melodies and a writing style that is faintly Radiohead-esque (http://www.myspace.com/weareeikon). And finally, John Flanagan.. I've never heard a voice like this guy's got. Him and his band were tight, his voice was on, and his performance was captivating. To top it off, he's one of the nicest, most humble guys that you will ever meet (http://www.myspace.com/johnflanagan). We are humbled and thrilled to have shared the stage with such incredible friends and performers.

The crew of the Rock Showcase this year were second to none. Jessica Wardwell, Lindsey Woodward, and Philip Hagood put together the smoothest, best sounding, and most fun showcase that I have ever been a part of. And did all of this with class and professionalism. The crew was gracious, constantly helpful, and on top of their game. It's the crew and producers that deserve the credit for tonight, as they are the ones who made this possible.

I hope that this makes up for our lack of thank you speech. In the heat of the moment and with the feeling of being completely overwhelmed with gratitude, I'm not sure that what we had to say would have been coherent. Thank you so much for all of the support and love. It is truly overwhelming , and we are incredibly grateful. We look forward to partying with you all very soon.

Much Love,

The Delta Saints

Sweet Sweet Food Coma

The spirit of the current, or just past holiday season.. And in following the tired generalization that all musicians are late and unreliable, We want to extend to all of you our appreciation. We've been blessed with better friends than we deserve, and each and every one of you should know that we are not only thankful for your support of our music, but also for your support as our friends. The last 2 years have been more fun than should be allowed, and that is all thanks to the people who have come out and sat through the good shows, and more importantly...the questionable performances. Anyways..
It's been a little while since our last update (i'm sure that all 3.5 of you who read this have been worried). But alas, we are alive and kicking. The last month and a half have been great as we've played some great shows in some new cities. Last weekend we had the opportunity to play in Florence, AL and Knoxville, TN. Both were great to us, and we got a chance to see old friends again and meet a lot of new friends as well. The boys at Swamp Works Amps came out and back-lined the Florence show. It's always good to see them, and was an honor to play through their amps. Check them out at (swampworksamps.com), you won't be disappointed.
We have a couple of shows left to finish off the year. On December 5th we will be in Louisville, KY at the BBC Brewery (St. Matthews). They will be having their annual Prohibition Party, which should be a silly good time. If you're in the area, come out dressed in your best flapper dress or swinger suit and party with us. I've heard rumors of nickle beers, a soup line, and some loud music courtesy of us. We will be back in Nashville on December 8th for a dead-day-eve show at the Mercy Lounge. The line up for this show is unreal.. The evening will start off with the world renowned Westbound Rangers at around 9:30. Then come the earth shattering Hollywood Ten at about 10:15. We will be playing at around 11. And the incredibly talented Steve Moakler will take the stage around midnight. Doors are at 9pm, $5 cover, and the show is 18+. We will also have the boys from Swamp Works Amps back-lining this show as well, so if you'd like to hear some killer tone, or want to check out the amps, they will be there to talk shop.
And finally, there is some exciting things on the horizon for next year. We are on the tail end of the writing process for the new record. We are hoping to record sometime in January, and release the album around April or May. We'd like to end our extended college careers with a bang, and party with all of you to celebrate it. Well, that's all from this side of the table. I do hope that everyone is enjoying their food hangovers as much as I am. Just remember, it's not gluttony if it's nationally celebrated.. Much love, peace, and pie

_Ben Ringel

With Regards to Friday Night..

It is generally not the case that all 5 members of the band are simultaneously speechless... I mean, between John's well placed deep south mannerisms, Greg's "Gregisms", and Ben Azzi's squeals of joy, we can generally fill an occurrence with plenty of sound (whether appropriate or not). This past friday night was the absolute exception. We couldn't have asked for a better evening and a better party. A simple thanks comes nowhere near doing justice to everyone who came out. It was one of the best feelings in the world to be able to be on stage in front of so many friends and to be able to share such a great evening with all of you. I said it Friday night, but feel the need to reiterate the point. Friday night was an unmeasurable amount of fun for us as a band, but the really important people that evening were all of the friends that came out to party with us. You all have been some of the best friends (old and new) and greatest supporters that we could have ever hoped for. It was a silly feeling to see so many of you at the venue so early, ready to hear all the great music that the night held, and most importantly ready to party. Thank you, Thank you , Thank you. From the bottom of our hearts thank you. It is still and will remain a humbling feeling to know that there is so much support for what we are doing. And for those who were turned away at the door, we appreciate you all coming out and are sorry that we couldn't accommodate everyone. Honestly, we had no idea that we'd even come close to having so many of you out that evening. We expected about 1/3 of the number that came out, so it was very bittersweet. Now that we know how many of you like to get rowdy, we'll make sure that next time we'll find a place with a bigger capacity. For those who couldn't get in, if you send us an email (thedeltasaints@gmail.com) we'll send you some tracks to help make up for Friday night. I must also convey our appreciation to the gentlemen who we had the privilege of sharing the stage with. Braden Land is an incredible talent, whom I have just been introduced to. He's one hell of a nice guy, an incredible song writer, and a great performer. Check him out at (http://www.myspace.com/bradenland). The Hogslop String Band are some of the most genuinely nice guys that I've met since moving to Nashville. These guys put on a silly good show and I can't think of a better group of fellers to close the night. You can check these guys out every Weds over at the 5 spot in East Nashville. Finally, I can't say enough about them Westbound Rangers. These boys are some of our best friends here in Nashville, and are a group that I'm continually amazed with their talent and kindness. They are among my favorite groups and I'm not just blowing smoke. If you haven't already, please check them out (http://www.myspace.com/thewestboundrangers). Once again, thank you. We are humbled, thankful, and excited to party again soon.

_Ben Ringel

I like them French Fried Potaters

I made it through my 8-hour journey in a flying Pringles can, and have since started our collective last fall semester (knock on wood) as students. Lately I’ve been on a kick of watching the great mid 90’s movies that I hold so dear to my heart. One such heartfelt flick that I’ve been wanting to see is the great Sling Blade. Easily one of Billy Bob’s best performances, mostly because it was so easy to believe he was a redneck psychopath, with a soft spot for children. Don’t get me wrong, I really dig Billy Bob. If for no other reason than his ability to play really skuzzy roles brilliantly. And any guy who can put Brad Pitt in the “sloppy seconds” crowd deserves a certain bit of respect. He was pretty good in Bad Santa, the writing wasn’t top notch, but again believable.. (Billy Bob as a creepy mall Santa with a drinking problem.) But I have strayed from my original point. Sling Blade was a great movie and character. He was just misunderstood. I mean damn, he wasn’t retarded, he just wanted so biscuits and mustard. Is that so wrong? What stems this thought is this.. I’m sitting in my International Music Business class, trying to pay attention and write this, and I am being distracted by the professor who I can’t help but think is Karl Childer’s (Sling Blade’s) brother. He’s tall, bald, has a bit of an under-bite, stands oddly erect, and his vocal inflection is dead on. His sense of humor just about sends me over the edge. Karl’s (Billy Bob’s character) sense of humor was great, awkward and creepy, but great. He laughed at his own jokes, and seemed quite entertained with himself. My professor could sit down at a family reunion with ol’ Karl, throw back a few Dixie cups of O.J. and the morning sedatives, all the while entertaining each other with their whit and intellect. I’m looking quite forward to this semester… I wonder if he knows how to fix lawn mowers like his brother?

For all three of you readers, we are playing 2 shows on Friday (August 28). The first being at Belmont at 9:15pm on Belmont Blvd, and the second being at The Closing Bell on Demonbruen at around 10:15. The Closing Bell is 21+, but should be a lot of fun and will have some sweet drink specials. Come out and drink with us.

_Ben Ringel