Tuesday, August 9, 2011

HFS Semi-finals this weekend

Dear friends,

This Saturday, August 13, is a big day for us. Because of all the voting you did, we will be performing in front of HFS judges for one of 3 coveted spots in the final round of the HFStival contest. The winner of the final round will perform at the legendary HFStival on September 17th at Merriweather Post Pavilion! So many of you have told us how excited you are to see us get this close and how much you'd love to see us up on that stage. Well, we're not there yet.

Our semi-final performance will take place on Saturday at Wild Willy's in Annapolis, MD (2072 Somerville Rd). In fact, the venue is not even quite as far as Annapolis proper; it is located just off of Rt. 50, about 18 miles East of the Capitol Beltway. We hope to see many of you there. While this round is not apparently based on draw, any possible tiebreakers will be decided by audience applause. Plus, we would love love love to see a bunch of you guys there cheering us on as we play. Showtime is 9pm. According to the current information we have, this venue and event are 21+; if that changes we will certainly let you know.

We have already talked to some of our friends and family members about joining us in the area for some activities earlier in the afternoon, including a meal. If you haven't heard from us directly and are interested in making more of a day out of this and hanging out with us for a bit before the show, by all means get in touch and we'll fill you in on details.

Thanks for your enthusiasm and all your help as we finish strong! See you soon!

Love always,
The Beanstalk Library

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Surprise! IOTA this Friday and HFS semi-final. . .

Greetings,

Thanks to everyone who's been encouraging us, coming to see us and letting us know how much our music means to them. It's been incredibly energizing during this busy time.

The Past
Thank you to all who came to the shows in Manassas on Saturday and the Black Cat last night and welcome to those of you who joined this mailing list for the first time at either of those shows. At the Drop In The Ocean show in Manassas we met more than 100 eager young music fans who intently listened to 6 acts including a slightly stripped down Beanstalk with Ryan, Brian, and our new drummer John Werthmann. We met some really kind and talented bands and singer/songwriters and the folks who put on the show were lovely and made us feel really welcome. We hope to do it again soon.

At the Black Cat, we got to let loose with the full band. Crowd and band were as sweaty as expected after spending a hot August evening together. Chris Mills was stellar and invited Ryan onstage for a couple of songs. Lots of cameras were spotted in the audience and photos and video will be posted as they surface. Please feel free to send stuff in; you'll be appropriately credited.

The Future
For any of you who haven't yet gotten to see the latest incarnation, or who haven't had nearly enough, opportunities will not be scarce.

THIS FRIDAY, August 5--IOTA Surprise!
This very Friday, August 5th, we will be performing a full headlining set at our home base IOTA Club and Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201), with Wurlitzer-fueled soul/funk-ers The Blue Transfer Band opening. We know you don't need much of an excuse at all to spend your Friday night within earshot of a variety of great music. If you didn't make it to the Black Cat: second chances don't come often--don't pass this up! 9pm, 21+

HFStival Semi-Final--Saturday, August 13
We will take the stage at Wild Willy's in Annapolis (2072 Somerville Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401) on Saturday, August 13 to perform for the HFS judges in the semi-final round of the HFStival competition. The venue is only 20 miles east of the Capitol Beltway, so we'd love to have as many of you as possible come out to cheer us on. So much so, we've decided to make something of a day out of it, including some sightseeing and dinner. If you're interested in joining the band for the day and being part of our HFS "entourage," please get in touch or stay tuned for more details. Beanstalk will be one of three bands taking the stage starting at 9pm.

We appreciate so much your kindness and enthusiasm. See you soon!

Love always,
The Beanstalk Library