Above: Rose and Jen of The Softies, photog by Heather Johnston courtesy of Chickfactor
This weekend The Softies tour the Northwest corner of the United States, ending in the Southwest corner of Canada with a show Sunday, June 4 at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, B.C. How exciting is that?
The Softies join a gang of West Coast troubadours Friday evening in Portland, Oregon, including Tony Molina, Mo Troper and the All Girl Summer Fun Band. These three acts will have had a chance to get up to speed by playing Eugene, Oregon the previous evening. The Softies will plunge in fresh for their three day sojourn that also includes a stop in Seattle, Washington Saturday, June 3.
It's all too groovy. Add in the fact a special tour cassette tape has been recorded of Tony Molina covering three Softies songs and The Softies recreating Tony Molina's debut album Dissed and Dismissed ("12 songs in 11 minutes!" ~shades of Circle Jerks, Group Sex~14 songs in 15 minutes~) and you have a ver special set of circumstances. This NW Tour cassette tape has been co-reelased by Speakeasy Studios SF and Slumberland in an edition of 200, available only at these shows (read more about the tour cassette in The Softies recent Chickfactor interview).
But wait - - - did you say All Girl Summer Fun Band!?!? Ya. They are punking it hardcore for the first time in many harvest moons. Holy Hannah this is the NW tour of the decade what with Jen Sbragia doing double duty Softies/AGSFB.
There is a rumour, recently confirmed by Rose Melberg, The Softies have been working on new songs for an as yet untitled new album. At least four of these songs will be added to The Softies set this weekend. Now you gotta go to the show. NEW SOFTIES SONGS. Uhhhhhhh.
The most recent album by The Softies is Holiday in Rhode Island [KLP119].