One small step for man…

Note: We sent out an email to everyone on our mailing list yesterday… here’s the email, but in web-page form.

“These are extraordinary times. And we face an extraordinary challenge”

On May 25th, 1961 President John F Kennedy told a nation that by the end of the decade they would have safely landed a man on the moon. They had neither the funds, the capability nor the understanding to achieve such a thing but because of that promise they did, indeed, land on the moon. It’s the same with this new album…it’ll be out in May. IT WILL BE OUT IN MAY. There you go. We have neither the funds, the capability or the understanding but we’ve made the promise now so…fire engine one… we’re off. We’ll work hard in the studio between film soundtracks, Tina Turner musicals and grueling peripatetic schedules and bring you another nugget of melody and compression amidst a cacophony of self-belief and well edited magic. We’re off…we’re on our way.

“No role in history could be more difficult or more important.”

So May it is…and we’ll be announcing a full album tour very soon but for the time being we have a few dates coming up very soon… (Facebook links included…)

Friday 25th March, 8pm – The Basement, City Screen, YORK (with Boss Caine)
Sunday 27th March, 8pm – Blues Bar, HARROGATE (PLEASE NOTE! This is an evening gig, starting at 8pm)
Wednesday 30th March, 8pm – Duck and Drake, LEEDS
Saturday 2nd April, 8pm – The Golden Lion, RIPON

There’s more details on these up at hopeandsocial.com/gigs too.

…and we’re very excited to announce we’ll be doing a load of festivals this year. Some lovely stuff. And maybe Leeds Carling Festival as well. Ed’s going to dust down his slightly fire-damaged festival trousers and Rich will be donning his big whistle one more time…these aren’t online yet but…

Saturday 18th June – Trans.Form festival, West Yorkshire Playhouse, LEEDS
Saturday 9th July – Kirkstall Festival, Kirkstall Abbey, LEEDS
Saturday 16th July – Deighton Festival
Saturday 22nd July – Deershed Festival, Topcliffe, NORTH YORKSHIRE
Saturday 26-28th August – Greenbelt Festival, CHELTENHAM (exact date TBC)
Saturday 1st Oct – Kaleidoscope Festival, ST ANDREWS

“I believe we possess all the resources and talents necessary”

As if that’s not enough we’ve also got another little nugget here for you from the Snowball. “Ripples Rock my Boat” – filmed by the wonderful 3B boys. Enjoy and spread the word…

Ripples Rock My Boat – http://www.vimeo.com/19798444

“…new objectives and new money cannot solve these problems.”

There’ll be more soon, including tour dates for May, a new shop and, dare I mention it, another big band gig! Get your swinging trousers on…