The Brothers Comatose have always been known to do things by their own design, and a tour on horseback is certainly an expedition the band had to encounter first-hand. In mid-October 2016, the five members of The Brothers Comatose and a trusted crew of equine experts all saddled up for a three-show tour throughout California's gold country in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. The Brothers Comatose release the second song in their new series, "Cedarwood Pines," with a stunning music video capturing the inimitable tour filled with beautiful California vistas, saloon and events center gigs, and the band of brothers loving life out on the range with their characteristic whimsical charm.
Produced by indie-rock legend John Vanderslice, "Cedarwood Pines" is released on October 6 to coincide with the "Campfire Caravan" national tour featuring The Brothers Comatose, Mipso and The Lil Smokies. Following three critically acclaimed full-length studio albums (Songs From The Stoop, Respect The Van, City Painted Gold), The Brothers Comatose disrupts the traditional album cycle and focuses their 2017/2018 release schedule on a series of strategically released songs. "Cedarwood Pines" follows the release of the debut song in the series, "Don't Make Me Get Up And Go" (Release Date: September 8, 2017).
The Brothers Comatose are anything but a traditional acoustic outfit with their fierce musicianship and rowdy live shows reminiscent of stadium rock concerts. The five-piece string band forges their own path with raucous West Coast renderings of traditional bluegrass, rock 'n' roll and with their latest song "Cedarwood Pines," they churn out an early-'70s-esque alt-country number reminiscent of a George Harrison, post-Beatles sensibility.
With John Vanderslice at the production helm, The Brothers Comatose ventured to new sonic territories in the studio. Distortion went on the acoustic rhythm guitar track, mandolin player Ryan Avellone picked up an electric guitar for slide parts, multi-layered background vocals went through the studio's echo chamber, and Alex Morrison doubled up his lead vocals. The result is a vintage, psychedelic country tune that extolls getting out of the city and into nature for one's own self-preservation.
Vocalist and banjo player Alex Morrison comments, "'Cedarwood Pines' is all about having that special place far away from the confines of city limits that you can always return to to recharge and reflect. Somewhere you can find peace, comfort and clarity staring up at the stars on a crisp night's sky, worlds away from all the hustle and bustle and ensued chaos of modern civilization. The narrative feels evermore relevant as our society becomes more dependent on technology as a crutch for survival, resulting in our waning ability to be in tune with the natural world."
Organized by the band's fiddle player Philip Brezina, the horseback tour kicked off on King Ranch, owned by retired actor Perry King in Cool, CA. Along with land donated by King Ranch for the filming of the music video (and later to be released independent film), Avery Hellman (granddaughter of the late banjo-playing Warren Hellman, founder of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival) helped with offering horses from her Petaluma ranch. Following the kick-off event for fans at King Ranch, The Brothers Comatose rode into town over to Cool Hills Ranch for their show at the Milestone Saloon. Tying up the horses at the back of the bar, the band performed a fiery set before traveling back to the ranch in the moonlight. The following day, they headed off on the world famous Tevis Trail (home to the 100 mile race from Auburn to Tahoe, CA) through the Auburn Canyon for a headlining concert at the Auburn Events Center. An extra mule was part of the crew of course as the horseback tour was Fueled by Lagunitas Brewing Company.
The Brothers Comatose is comprised of brothers Ben Morrison (guitar, vocals) and Alex Morrison (banjo, vocals), Gio Benedetti (bass, vocals), Philip Brezina (violin), and Ryan Avellone (mandolin). When they're not headlining The Fillmore for a sold-out show or appearing at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, the band is out on the road performing across America, Canada, Australia, and hosting their very own music festival, Comatopia. In 2018, The Brothers Comatose will travel to Asia for a month of cultural music exchange and education with American Music Abroad, a program directed by the State Department.
This fall, "Campfire Caravan" featuring The Brothers Comatose, Mipso, and The Lil Smokies hosts three of today's foremost emerging indie Americana bands as they trek across the United States. With each band quickly rising the ranks, "Campfire Caravan" honors the musicians' early days playing music, when they'd perform for friends and family in basements, living rooms, and around campfires. "Campfire Caravan" celebrates the American tradition of gathering communities around music.
For a comprehensive list of "Campfire Caravan" tour dates, please see below and more information is available at campfirecaravan.com and brotherscomatose.com.
"CAMPFIRE CARAVAN" FALL 2017 TOUR DATES
Wednesday, September 13 -- Nashville, TN -- The High Watt
Tuesday, September 26 -- Billings, MT -- Pub Station
Wednesday, September 27 -- Bozeman, MT -- Emerson Center for Arts & Culture
Thursday, September 28 -- Missoula, MT -- Wilma Theater
Friday, September 29 -- Portland, OR -- McMenamin's Crystal Ballroom
Saturday, September 30 -- Seattle, WA -- Neumos
Sunday, October 1 -- Eugene, OR -- Hi-Fi Music Hall
Tuesday, October 3 -- Sacramento, CA -- Harlow's
Wednesday, October 4 -- Paso Robles, CA -- Barrelhouse Brewing Co
Thursday, October 5 -- Los Angeles, CA -- Bootleg Theater
Friday, October 6 -- Great American Music Hall -- San Francisco, CA
Saturday, October 7 -- Great American Music Hall -- San Francisco, CA
Tuesday, October 10 -- Boise, ID -- Neurolux
Wednesday, October 11 -- Salt Lake City, UT -- The Urban Lounge
Thursday, October 12 -- Denver, CO -- Ogden Theatre
Friday, October 13 -- Colorado Springs, CO -- Ivywild School
Saturday, October 14 -- Ft. Collins, CO -- Aggie Theater
Thursday, November 2 -- Minneapolis, MN -- Cedar Cultural Center
Friday, November 3 -- Madison, WI -- High Noon Saloon
Saturday, November 4 -- Chicago, IL -- Lincoln Hall
Sunday, November 5 -- Detroit, MI -- Otus Supply
Tuesday, November 7 -- Pittsburgh, PA -- James Street Ballroom
Thursday, November 9 -- Boston, MA -- The Sinclair
Friday, November 10 -- New York, NY -- Bowery Ballroom
Saturday, November 11 -- Ardmore, PA -- Ardmore Music Hall
Sunday, November 12 -- Washington, DC -- 9:30 Club
Tuesday, November 14 -- Charlotte, NC -- Neighborhood Theatre
Wednesday, November 15 -- Nashville, TN -- The Mercury Lounge
Thursday, November 16 -- Atlanta, GA -- Terminal West
Friday, November 17 -- Raleigh, NC -- Lincoln Theatre
Saturday, November 18 -- Asheville, NC -- The Orange Peel
