The Surefire Way plays Austin Grill in Rockville, MD
It has been a while since we have played in the DC area, but alas, we are looking forward to some fun when we play at Austin Grill (Rockville, MD) on August 7th. We are used to the NYC club circuit (1 - 45 min set), so this show will be special for us as we will be playing 3 sets of 45 minutes each (9pm-12am). Needless to say, we'll have a good mix of orignials and covers. Hope to see you there!
Kickin' It In 2010!
Happy New Year (a bit late)! And good riddance 2009. Looking forward to the new year there are many cool things for which to be excited. One of the most exciting things is that bass player extraordinaire for the The Surefire Way, Vinnie Fiorillo, is now a daddy! Yeah, we can't believe it either, but we are all very happy for Vinnie and Laura.
And of course, we are looking forward to getting out and playing in 2010. Keep a look out for show dates. We'll be looking to book at our favorite NYC venues, and now that Scott is in the D.C. area, we'll be booking shows to hang out with you folks in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area.
Once again, best wishes in 2010, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
CD Listening and Launch Parties
Surely you have been asking yourself, "Where has The Surefire Way been for the last few months? We have sorely missed them." Well, ask no longer. We are finally emerging from seclusion with our 2nd studio disc entitled, Turn It Loose. We'd like to take this opportunity to ask you to put these two dates on your calendar
Listening Party
Tuesday, April 14
6-9pm
Stone Creek Bar and Lounge
140 East 27th St - NYC
We'd like to invite you to a happy hour where you can hear the CD for the first time in public. We have a private room and drink specials (of course). We'll play the CD a couple times so if you can't make it right at the beginning you will still be able to hear it.
Launch Party
Saturday, April 25, 2009
10:30pm
Arlene's Grocery
95 Stanton - NYC
Come celebrate with us our 2nd CD, Turn It Loose, as we play at one of our favorite clubs. We'll play all the songs from the new disc, and a few from the old one. And, of course, the new CD will be available this night for the first time.
HOPE TO SEE YOU AT BOTH EVENTS!! Kindly forward this invite along to anyone who may be interested.
Yes, Musicians Hibernate
There are many reasons musicians hibernate. For example, one might hibernate well into the afternoon hours after a gig and subsequent celebrations. One might also hibernate for weeks, even months, trying to write that perfect song.
Our excuse for hibernation is definitely more on the noble side. We are prepping our new songs for the recording studio. Although you won't see us on stage for a little while, you can rest assured that we'll be hard at work. If you are subscribed to our newsletter you will receive periodic updates from us as we lay down the new tunes. You can also expect to hear from us as we start to book up shows in 2009.
We wish you a very Happy Holidays!
This Sunday, Mercury Lounge-NYC, 7pm
2008 has been one crazy year so far. Stock market crashes, monumental political races, the Apple iPhone.... so we thought we would follow suit and add to the craziness. We have some brand new songs that we are going to play... on stage... for you. I know. Try not to let it shake you up too much.
With everything that has gone down in 2008 we contemplated the idea of just playing the same songs we have always played. But then we thought, "No. They are strong enough to handle this as well. Whether Republican or Democrat, fat 401K or having to work to 80 years old, 3G network or merely 2.5G. They are all friends and fans of The Surefire Way. United they are strong."
So this Sunday night we will break from the norm. We will begin to shed the remnants of our former selves, and we will play... new songs.
A thumbs up or a thumbs down from you on the new songs we play Sunday could be the deciding factor as to whether a song gets into the studio with us to be recorded or not. The responsibility is large but your shoulders are broad. You can handle it. We have faith in you.
Back In Action
Your favorite Friday night, after-work activity is back (and no, I don't mean watching an all new Ghost Whisperer in your PJ's)! What better way to unwind after a long week than with your friends, The Surefire Way? Even if there was a better way, it'd sure as heck cost you more than $20!
Place: Tin Lizzie (1647 2nd Ave. btwn 85th & 86th St.)
Date: Friday, October 10
Time: 7:30pm start
Cost: $20 gets you all you can drink beer, wine and well drinks from 7:30 - 10:00.
When you get to the door, ask for the Bailout Special and tell 'em Hank Paulson sent you. We may not be able to stimulate the economy, but we guarantee a good time... and you can take that to the bank! So long as it isn't WaMu, IndyMac, Wachovia, Bear Stearns or Lehman Brothers... but otherwise you can totally take it to the bank!
Hope to see you then!
Meet the Band. New Video. Oscar Nominations Expected
We've been looking forward to the July 18th show since it will be our first with lead guitarist, Rob Adelman. Plus we have new songs in the set list. Whooooaaaa!! Come out and give Rob a nice Surefire welcome!
Meet Rob and get to know the rest of us (Scott, Dan, and Vinnie) a little better by watching this video:
Watch the video on YouTube.
Watch the video on Vimeo.
The Surefire Way - Behind the Scenes from The Surefire Way on Vimeo.
We'd like to thank our friend, Mike Barish, for his writing and directorial genius in this blockbuster.
New Party, More Drinks, Summer Fun
Yeah, NYC is hot in the summertime. Yeah, you wish you were frollicking on the beaches in the Hamptons....well, maybe some of you are... but for those who aren't, come quench your summer thirst with The Surefire Way at the "Summer in the City" Party.
2 hours of all-you-can-drink goodness and live music by The Surefire Way is just what the doctor ordered for all confined to the city on a hot July night.
Friday, July 18th
Tin Lizzie (2nd Ave., between 85th and 86th)
7-9pm all-you-can-drink (beer, wine, well drinks)
$20
We will be inviting our new friend, Rob, up on stage to rock out with us on lead guitar. We have been integrating Rob's sound into old tunes and also working up new ones.
As anyone who has ever been to a show knows, there is no way you can't have a good time!!
Cinco de Mayo Menos Cuatro Party
If live music, laughter, and booze are your idea of a good time (and I know it is), then prepare yourself. Sometimes you just need an excuse to let loose, so join us on May 1st at the Cinco de Mayo Menos Cuatro Party. You don't even have to be Mexican, or good at math to come! Expect to be thoroughly entertained and sauced up. As you partake in the 2 hour all-you-can-drink special (draft beer, wine, well drinks), 2 bands, C Phineas and yours truly, will provide the gas to shake your ass. MC/comedian, Mike Barish, will being making sure all is in (dis)order. Oh, and after the 2 hour drink special ends, draft beers are only $4/pint. Here go the essentials:
Date: Thursday, May 1st
Time: Party starts at 7pm
Location: Tin Lizzie - 1647 2nd Ave. (at 85th St.) :: Subway - 4, 5, 6 at 86th St.
Drinks specials: 7:30p - 9:30p, all-you-can-drink draft beer, wine, well drinks; $4 pints after 9:30p
Bands: The Surefire Way, C Phineas
MC/Comedian: Mike Barish
Cover: $25 (only $20 when mentioning "the band sent me" at the door)
To get you in the mood for what's sure to be a great time, check out this video of Mike and the band… uh… rehearsing.
And if you like what you see of Mr. Barish, you can see even more of him at the Laugh Lounge on Saturday, April 26th at 7PM:
Laugh Lounge
151 Essex Street
Call 212-614-2500 for reservations and mention Mike's name.
CD Reviews and Press
You may remember that we took a little road trip to Philly and Harrisburg in February, They seemed to take a liking to us over there. Here is some of what the nice people of PA had to say:
Origivation (Philadelphia, PA)
"I can't front on nice boys from New York trying to have a good time and make people do the same. I found myself grooving to it. That's all you can ask for in this life I suppose. Straight guitar, catchy vocals and comfortable drumbeats pave the whole experience and really bring you to your happy place. If you're feeling down, go catch a show or just give the record a listen."
Mode (Harrisburg, PA)
"The Millenium Music Conference can be a little overwhelming. Where should I go, what music will I hear, which bands are really good? We've researched all 250 performers and listened to every one. Why? So you don't have to! [At The Quarter] Michael suggests the jam band harmonies of The Surefire Way. Some lyrics will have you chuckling; all the melodies will have your feet tapping."
PA Wrap-Up
"Early morning, 3:30am, February 17th, The Surefire Way's van enters the Lincoln Tunnel. They were returning home after a 3 night swing through Philadelphia and Harrisburg. The Keystone State was good to the band. Good music-loving people."That is what the first line of the mini-tour recap probably would have said. It definitely was a good trip. The shows we did play in Philly and Harrisburg were received well. We obviously won some new fans and some people walked away with CDs in hand.
We also got to hang out with some of the bands from the area. Friday night we hung out with a metal band from Scranton, trading off pitchers of beer and stories of favorites gigs. Now that is rock-and-roll. We met lots of cool people in both cities and we look forward to going back soon.
Of course, we had to try to fill the time that we weren't on stage with other activities. In Philly we took in some of the historical sites: Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. However, the highlight of the non-musical part of the trip had to be the cheesesteaks.
Mercury Lounge and PA shows
It will be an exciting February for us! After getting all fat and happy during the holidays we are ready to get back out there and play. We have been working on new songs and we will start adding them to our set lists as they become "show ready". We are loaded up with shows the week of February 11th starting with the high profile NYC venue, Mercury Lounge.
Our friends, C Phineas, are going on before us at 7pm. Two bands for the price of one!! They are an amazing band that blends rap, improvisation, and old-school soul. I hope you can get there early to see them. We definitely will. Anyone who comes out gets a little pre-Valentine's love.
Then we are playing 3 dates in Pennsylvania; two in Philly and one in Harrisburg. The details for the shows are below. We hope to see you at one of them. And if you have friends in Philly or Harrisburg, pass this along and spread the word!
Monday, February 11
8pm :: with C Phineas at 7pm
Mercury Lounge
$8
217 E. Houston
NYC
Thursday, February 14
11:30pm
Tom N Jerrys
1006 MacDade Blvd.
Milmont Park, PA 19033
Friday, February 15
9pm
Dr. Watson's
216 S. 11th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Saturday, February 16
10pm
The Quarter
321 N. 2nd St.
Harrisburg, PA 17101
New T-shirts
We've listened to what you have been telling us through the 2007 year end survey many of you have filled out. We have designed band t-shirts and they will be making their debut appearance at the Mercury Lounge on Feb. 11th. Come out and get one for yourself!
Survey
Anyone who fills out our survey gets credit toward show tickets and merchandise. Those of you who already filled out a survey will be able to cash in on this if you come out to any of our shows. We will be sending you a separate email to explain how to do this. If you haven't yet filled out the survey, do so and cash in by clicking here...
Happy New Year to all! We trust that everyone rang in 2008 in glorious fashion. If you passed out before midnight because you hit the sauce a little too hard... don't worry. You are still a hero in our book.
"Good Stuff" is champion of the world... for a day
This year of 2008 has already started out on the right foot for the band. The music review web site, Garage Band, has decided to feature our song, "Good Stuff", as their Track of the Day. Here is an excerpt of the announcement they sent:
Congratulations! As a result of some very enthusiastic reviews from GarageBand.com members, "Good Stuff" will be Track of the Day at GarageBand.com. For 24 hours on Saturday, the 12th of January, 2008 (PST) "Good Stuff" will be featured on GarageBand.com's Pop Rock front page.
Not a bad way to start out the year.
Togetherness, Love, surveys
You know how important communication is in a relationship, don't you?? Come on now. If this thing is going to work between us you are going to have to communicate! Just open up and tell me how you feel!! Taking this 10 question survey is a good start. [I struggle in deciding whether to say that there is money involved for you if you complete the survey... (there is). That could be misconstrued as a form of prostitution. Which it's not. Honest.]
Thanks to you who have already taken the survey. We will present the results in an upcoming newsletter.
What do you want in 2008?
We need your input! Please take our short 10 question survey and receive $$$$ to spend on great music, shows, and merchandise.
2007 Yearbook
We have just uploaded a bunch of pictures from shows and after-parties of 2007. Click on "Photos/Videos" above and re-live some of the crazy good times at Knitting Factory, Arlene's Grocery, Grog and Tankard, etc.
We can put your pictures on the site! Send them to info@thesurefireway.com.
2007 in Review
Hey all -- Scott here. The year of 2007 was a lot of things: fun, challenging, and rewarding. It began with the band in the midst of producing its first album, "Ask Me For More." The recording process was a whirlwind. The production process was almost more grueling! I never imagined that I would listen to the songs so many times, again and again, trying to get them to sound just right. It is amazing the little things you hear when you listen to it that many times. And when I thought I had listened to them more than anyone could have, our producer Jason told me, "Dude, I listened to those things so many times they are burned in my brain." Sweet.
Once the CD was done we threw a party at Pianos to celebrate. What a show! Packed room. Great party.
Later in the year our bass player, Jimbo, told us that he had to make a choice between law school and the band. To our disbelief he chose law school!! He did assure us that he would help us with legal advice as long as we agreed never to sue him for malpractice.
We hit the radio waves this year! Over 150 college radio stations added our CD to their rotation. We charted in the top 10 at 16 stations. It is a great thing for any band when thousands of people get to listen to your music.
Bass player extrodinaire, Vinnie Fiorillo, joined the band toward the end of 2007, bringing his years of experience and high energy to the stage. Now that Vinnie has settled in nicely, we are collectively ready to do bigger and better things in 2008.
Knitting Factory 12/14
Don't miss the band's last performance of the year. We've got some cool things up our sleeves to shake up the party. New venue, new songs... maybe we'll buy new shirts for the show. You know, your standard craziness.
And so it is, people... the details...
The Surefire Way - last performance of 2007
Friday, December 14th, 8pm
Knitting Factory - 74 Leonard - Tribeca - NYC
The D.C. Report
Thank you to everyone who rocked out with us at the Grog and Tankard in Washington DC last weekend. We had a great time and we hope you'll have us back soon.
Dan chronicled the road trip in a post that can be read in full on the band's blog: www.thesurefireway.blogspot.com. Here is a taste:
This past weekend, The Surefire Way invaded our nation's capitol and after a bloodless coup, are now officially America's favorite rock band. It's true - we held a vote, which was inconclusive, but the other bands conceded, and the Supreme Court declared us as the winners.
Vin, and his wife Laura, picked me up in the Surefire minivan on Saturday afternoon and we began our odyssey down I-95. Being the generous drummer that I am, I picked up lunch for the Fiorillo's at Ess-a-Bagel; lox spread on an onion bagel for Laura and tuna salad on a pumpernickel bagel for Vin. Here's a recommendation for all of you out there... tuna salad is not the easiest food to eat while driving. So Vin, who is not the neatest fellow to begin with, dropped tuna salad all over himself, had it all over his face and hands while driving....
Several hours later, we made it to Scott and Natalie, and had about an hour to hang out and eat cookies before the show. That's right, chocolate chip cookies - this is some serious rock n' roll stuff here....
We were psyched to have two hours to play, so we decided to kinda wing an acoustic set in the middle of our original tunes. Thankfully, Scott knows lots o'tunes, and the rest of us can fake it. About half way through, I broke out the cajon to accompany him for the stripped down set. We also reached into the way-back machine and pulled out an old TSW favorite - There She Was, which sounded great at a slower tempo with the cajon. We just might have to try that one again...
All in all, we had a great time - Scott's new tune, "What The Hell" was solid, the sound at Grog and Tankard was excellent, we had a fantastic crowd, and a great time in our inaugural DC performance. Afterwards, we hung out with listeners who had stuck around - because if there's one thing TSW does well, it's bring the party to you. If there's another thing we do well, it's play music, but the first thing is party. We had a rockin' time, and Vin even lost a dance off with a guy who had some Michael Jackson-esque moves. There's no shame in that loss, buddy, that guy was like Kevin Bacon in Footloose.
D.C. Show Added!
The band has two shows left in 2007! Make sure you get out to catch one.
::: WASHINGTON D.C. DEBUT :::
Saturday, December 8th
7:30pm
Grog & Tankard
2408 Wisconsin Ave. NW
The band is excited to be playing D.C. for the first time. Even if you can't make it to this show, let your friends in D.C. / Maryland / N. Virginia know about it.
::: FINAL SHOW OF THE YEAR :::
Friday, December 14th8pm
Knitting Factory
74 Leonard - NYC
The band's first ever show at the Knitting Factory will be the last of 2007. Forget the holiday parties where you have to see the unfortunate sloppy, drunk side of your boss... OR bring the holiday party to the Knitting Factory!
::: Radio Update :::
In the last 8 weeks the band's 1st CD, "Ask Me For More", was added at over 150 stations across the country and charted in the top 10 at 16 stations. We'd like to thank everyone who has helped in supporting the radio campaign including Joe Fletcher, Natalie Barakat, Rob Leuchs, Amy Kirschner, Renata Mazoco, and Gail Majcher.
Show Updates
Come see the band play live at Arlene's Grocery and the Knitting Factory!!
Friday, November 9
8pm
Arlene's Grocery
95 Stanton - Lower East Side - NYC
Friday, December 14
8pm
Knitting Factory
74 Leonard - Tribeca - NYC
Radio Success!
Well, things are starting to heat up on the air waves. Two weeks ago we sent 350 CDs to college radio stations all across the country. So far 60 stations have added our CD to their rotation!!
A quick educational piece... college radio runs on an album format where DJs usually play multiple tracks from one CD. This is different from commercial (Top 40) radio where their format is based on singles (i.e. you hear the same song over and over and over).
Based on that newfound knowledge, it will make more sense to you when we say that songs from our album, "Ask Me For More", have been played so many times at some stations that it has (as they say in the industry) charted as one of the CDs receiving the most airplay. Here are some of those stations:
#8 on the charts!! - WSOE, 89.3 FM in Elon, NC (Elon University). Call them in the studio to request our music: 336-278-9763.
#12 - WVCW, 640 AM - Richmond, VA (Virginia Commonwealth U.) :: 804-828-1058#15 - WVYC, 99.7 FM - York, PA (York College) :: 717-815-1311
#23 - WUMM - Machias, ME (U of Maine-Machias) :: 207-255-1371
#24 - WCWP, 88.1 FM - Long Island, NY (Long Island U.) :: 516-299-2626
#24 - WSIN, 1590 AM - New Haven, CT (Southern Conn. State U.) :: 203-392-6930
We Can Use Your Help!!
1) Call 1, 2, 3!!!... radio stations and tell them that you want to hear music by The Surefire Way. Request your favorite song if you wish. It doesn't matter if you live in the city of the radio station or not. Every call will help push us up the charts and receive more exposure. So pick a few stations to call and help us move up the charts! Email us to let us know how many radio stations you have contacted, info@thesurefireway.com. We will praise you in our next newsletter or podcast!
2) Forward this email (link at the bottom) on to people who may not receive this newsletter and ask them if they would be so kind as to contact a couple of radio stations.
Here are a few more stations playing our CD. Thanks a million if you can call a few to request that they play our music.
WTBU, 89.3 FM - Boston, MA (Boston University) :: 617-353-6400
WPUB, http://www.wpub.org/ - New York, NY (Pace University) :: 212-346-1073
WUIC, http://uicradio.pages.uic.edu/listen.php, Chicago, IL (U of Illinos-Chicago) :: 312-413-2191
WXVU, 89.1 FM - Villanova, PA :: 610-519-7201
WERW, 1570 AM - Syracuse, NY :: 315-443-2021
WHFR, 89.3 FM - Dearborn, MI :: 313-845-9676
WRTC, 89.3, FM - Hartford, CT :: 860-297-2450
WXBC, 540 AM - Annondale-on-Hudson, NY :: 845-752-5300
WDWN, 89.1 FM - Auburn, NY :: 315-253-0449
WSCS, 90.9 FM - New London, NH :: 603-526-3494
KMSC, 88.3 FM - Sioux City, IA :: 712-274-5665
WTSC, 91.1 FM - Potsdam, NY :: 315-268-7657
Introducing Bass Player, Vincent Fiorillo
Replacing Jim Kelly as bass player for the band is Vincent Fiorillo, aka Vinnie. Vinnie hails from Long Island. We recently did an interview with internet radio station, NextBigHit.com, where the host who was from the mountain region of the U.S. told our new bass player, "You know, you are the first true Vinnie that I ever met in New York." To which Vinnie replied, "Yeah, well your the first guy I ever met from Montana in my life!"
Vinnie’s approach to playing bass is rooted in jazz, Motown, and blues, learning to play from the great jazz bassist Milt “The Judge” Hinton. He holds a Bachelor of Music in cello performance from the University of Miami, and a Master of Music from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. We are currently in the process of updating our web site with Vinnie's full bio and pictures of his pretty face.
Playing Arlene's Grocery - Thursday, August 30, 9pm -- This gig is our first in a couple of months. We are excited to be back on stage. This will be bass player, Jim Kelly's, last gig with the band. Looking forward to seeing everyone. Let's start Labor Day weekend a little early!!
The Surefire Way on the Radio -- We have decided to launch a national radio campaign with the support of the radio promotions firm, Planetary Group. Starting in late September program directors from around the country will be receiving our CD. We may be asking for your support to call into specific radio stations to support the band. You would be up for that, wouldn't you? Stayed tuned for updates on this exciting time for the band.
Thank You -- Thanks to everyone who has supported the band thus far, whether it was by buying our music, helping sell CDs, coming to our live shows, or just giving words of encouragement. You have made this journey all the more exciting.
Dear peeps... I'm sure you have been wondering what has been going on with the band since our big start to the year. As you know, in March 2007 we had a big party in NYC to commemorate our first, self-released, recording project. Since then we have been regrouping for another run.... writing new music.... working with publicists.... trying to break into the media. All of it high level, top notch activity.... of course.
Podcasting -- One place where we have had some success is with podcasters. Podcasting is one of those new media forms that has become extremely hot as a result of mobile digital music and the iPod. Basically, those with the proper equipment can record, well, whatever they want; content about anything. They can publish it on the internet and you can download them to your iPod. iTunes has recently developed a section specifically for podcasts.
Podcasters around the globe who produce radio-style programs have started to pick up The Surefire Way's music and include it in their podcast. We have been by played by people located in U.S. locations like Utah, Houston, Wisconsin, and Jersey, as well as international locales such as Germany, the UK, and Canada.
Luckily for all of us, the band produces a podcast from time-to-time as well. Go to www.thesurefireway.com and check out our latest podcast (#2) and hear clips of other podcasters around the world playing The Surefire Way.
The Surefire Way Live -- We are starting to book up gigs as the summer ends and autumn begins. The next NYC gig will be at our old favorite, Arlene's Grocery. We look forward to seeing you! Thursday, August 30th. 9pm. Arlene's Grocery. 95 Stanton - NYC.
Jim's last gig -- Our beloved bass player, Jim Kelly, is entering his 3rd year of law school in the fall. In order to prepare for his successful career in the legal field Jim has decided to focus his efforts on making sure he knows the law like the back of his hand. The August 30th gig at Arlene's will double as a "farewell" party and a "you-mean-you-chose-law-school-over-rock-star?" party. We are extremely sad to see him go. Please come out and see Jim rock out one more time.
CD Release party tonight! We are so super excited to be launching our new CD, "Ask Me For More." And to top it off we have this brand new spankin' web site. See our show ticker to the right for details on the CD Release party. See the "Purchase the Album" section up above to buy the CD. Bum around on our web site. Check out the "Fan Forum" in the Fan Space. We will have real podcasts up soon as well. OK... off to the party!
We are done in the studio! These sessions were grueling, some of them lasting 12, 13, and 14 hours long. We got to know the “L” train very well. we got to know the Thai and Mexican restaurants that deliver in Williamsburg very well. We are leaving the studios excited to go into the next phase of mixing down the tracks and, of course, planning for the CD release party!
After having packed joints like Arlene’s Grocery and CBGB this summer we are getting ready to go into the studio to record our first CD. The sessions start November 5th. We hope to have the CD done in January and the CD release party in early march.
Make sure we have your email address if you want to come to the CD release party. We promise it will be rockin'!