Smitty's Front Entrance, Lockhart, Tex.

From ABBQ09.

Thanks again!

You may have heard the tall tales by now, but INFRASTRUCTURE's New York debut was a success on more levels than we could have imagined. We owe many people thanks for making it so.

Saturday night, it was a few degrees above freezing, with driving rain and thunder. Based on our most recent Boston show experience, we feared that only ten or so people would show up. We set up our equipment in the basement of the National Underground and got excited as friends and family we hadn't seen in months or years showed up. Almost as soon as we started our set in the crowded basement, the management informed us that we had too many people to fit in the basement. They threw the cover band off the upstairs stage and moved us there!

All told, well over 70 people turned out to see us play our first New York show. The set was a ton of fun to play, and the highlights reel is coming together quickly.

Thanks to everyone who came out!

We will play in New York again on 2/27 at R Bar.

Humans in the Trees (ABBQ09)

Merry Christmas from the Manic Americans.

Come see Infrastructure in Manhattan tomorrow!

The Joke that is the Acela

America's only high-speed train is routinely passed by 18-wheelers, runs at half-speed along commuter rail platforms because it doesn't have dedicated tracks, uses catenary infrastructure that is almost a century old, and still doesn't offer wifi. And, as I posted on Facebook, all food served onboard smells like feet.

Please come see INFRASTRUCTURE in New York this weekend!

It's a rather important show for us, and we want to play for our NY friends.

Saturday night, 10pm set at National Underground, 159 E. Houston St.

SANTA CHOP!

Of the tens of thousands of digital photos I've taken, this is my favorite. It says: you have a family of amazing friends who will meet you in Texas and drive out into farm towns to eat the best brisket on earth. And in the city of Burnet (BUR-nit), they will stand before your tripod and mimic the action of the giant electric Santa. And then they will vanish inside the fuselages of airplanes and return to the cities whence they came.

Describing Infrastructure as "the opposite of Vampire Weekend"

is probably the nicest thing you could say to us.

Austin: This is the plan...

...unless someone tells me otherwise.



Yes, it is Sunday at 4:50-something a.m. Disastrous chest cold continues.

Twelve Shots from Day Two of Deep South 09

When it comes to photography, the B-roll is more important than you might think. They might not be the best shots, but B-roll photos are the journal--my journal--of my endless travels throughout North America. Here are some shots from Deep South 09, Day 2 of 12, that are important to me. Seeing these images jogs my memories of rolling through north Georgia and southern South Carolina; once jogged, my mind will deliver the minutest memories.

Full set on Flickr.














Next, I think I will post the photos (some A-list) from the Brothers' trip to Austin in May 08, in preparation for ABBQII next weekend.

ABBQII (Austin BBQ 09) is less than a week away.

Here's what I have so far:

View A.B.B.Q. II in a larger map

Here's my suggested itin:

FRI AFTN: Record-setting crew of 6 arrives, lunch in town (Iron Works?)
FRI EVE: off to the Hill Country town of BRADY, which has 3 BBQ joints and is known for cabrito (goat). Possible stops at either Cooper's location, as well as the Burnet holiday display.
FRI NIGHT: Music! TBA!

SAT MORNING: Out to Lexington to hit Snow's before the brisket runs out.
SAT DAY: Cruise anywhere east of Austin. Plenty of choices on the map.
SAT NIGHT: Dale Watson @ The Broken Spoke
SAT LATE NIGHT: Sam's BBQ? Open til 2.

SUN MORNING: Sleep
SUN AFTN: Breakfast at Opie's or The Salt Lick
SUN EVE: Comatose state
SUN NIGHT: Heybale w/Redd Volkaert @ The Continental Club.

MONDAY: Chill until flights out.

Jetblue had AUS on sale for $99 each way from NY and BOS this week. Let me know if this sounds like fun, and we'll get a bigger van.

I went to central Illinois, and this is all I saw.

In a hallway at the U of I physics department, where I stopped in to use the restroom.

RANDOM FRIVOLOUS GUITAR PURCHASE

I now own this:

Handmade in Quebec, being shipped in from rural Ohio. It will be onstage at Church 12/18.

INFRADELPHIA HIGHLIGHT REEL

Created last night. Filmed by Dan, edited by Rob.