The new CD Transmissions: The Echoes Living Room Concerts Volume 19 includes a live version of Hem playing "Departure and Farewell" from when Hem visited Echoes Radio (an NPR program) earlier this year. More information about the CD is here at Echoes and here at All About Hem's discography section, and it's available to buy here and as a download at places like Amazon. Details about Hem's visit to Echoes are at the news archive and interview archive.
Here's video of most of Hem's October 25 performance in Camden, Maine at the PopTech conference. I'm guessing that it's only "most of" the performance because of sound problems during the opening lullaby and start of "Tourniquet" - on the live video stream the sound was barely audible. In any event, most of the performance is here. Watch it, and listen for what is surely a totally uncredited All About Hem inspired "Identical Snowflakes" intro. You can also download audio and HD video at PopTech's website.
November 4, 2013
London September 27, 2002 Show
The complete setlist for Hem's September 27, 2002 show at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London has been added to the tour archive (thanks, Andrew!). Check it out - it's an early headlining show, back when Hem's set was 1/3 cover songs but already had "Half Acre" closing out the set and "Pacific Street" in the encore. This show is also newly added to my trading page. The best part of the show may not be the setlist but the between-song commentary in which Steve says that the 8-piece group at this show is “the most Hem you’ll ever see on one stage,” but then Sally says that they might hire an orchestra one day, to which Steve kind of laughingly says that they’ll be on the payroll one day. Orchestras bigandsmall later did arrive on stage!
November 3, 2013
Bob Harris Show
Hem's interview and performance on BBC Radio 2's Bob Harris Sunday is streaming online here. Listen! It's great! Even the BBC recording engineers were shaking theirs heads in wonder and saying things like "wow" and "fantastic" after every song performance. Hem's segment begins at 1:19:00, or the page has a link to a clip of Hem's segment (with a new photo of Sally in the studio), but why would you want to only hear part of this show?! As promised in the last news update, here is some bonus info I got when I was at the show's taping. Only 3 of Hem's song choices made the broadcast (for the record, they were "Wake Me Up" by Avicii, "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus, and "Thinking About You" by Frank Ocean). Here are the band's other song choices that didn't make it on air: "How Does The Grass Grow" by David Bowie, "Serpents" by Sharon Van Etten, "Hot Knife" by Fiona Apple, and "Naughty" from Matilda The Musical. You can find a permanent link to this radio show at the interview archive.
November 1, 2013
Bob Harris Show
Hem will be a guest on BBC Radio 2's Bob Harris Sunday on Nov. 3. Click here for a photo at the BBC's site (direct photo link here) of Hem at the studio with Bob Harris. You can listen live here at midnight (local London time, which is 7:00pm on Nov. 2 U.S. ET), though the show will be available for streaming on that page shortly thereafter.
Hem's interview and performance is very good, so be sure to listen! I know that it's very good because Hem invited me to the BBC Radio 2 studio with them (look: my special pass!), so I was there when it was recorded. (Thanks again, Hem! And thanks to everyone at the Bob Harris show - they were all so nice to the "band archivist.") I don't want to spoil things Hem discusses in the interview, but Bob asked the band some questions, and not all of their answers will be broadcast. Once the show airs, I'll have the unaired answers here. So check back soon! (And seriously, how great is everyone in Hem for having me at the BBC with them?)
October 27, 2013
Belfast Show Photos
Click here or on the little image to see a bunch of really great pictures from Hem's show on October 19 in Belfast (thanks, Kelly!). The setlist for this show has also been updated to identify the intro lullaby (thanks, Geoff!). You can find these and many other recent setlists and pictures at the 2013 tour archive and tour photos archive.
Meanings Update
The meanings page has been updated to include tidbits from Hem's October 18 interview on BBC Radio Ulster. In particular, additions were made for the band name and for the songs Departure And Farewell, So Long, and Walking Past The Graveyard, Not Breathing. Thank you to Radio Ulster for inviting Dan and Sally to talk at great length about so many issues and songs! Here's hoping that PopTech shares the video of Hem's October 25 performance since Dan gave an interesting intro for "Departure And Farewell" that would fit right in on the meanings page.
New Hem Shirts
At Hem's recent run of shows, there were two new t-shirt designs for sale. They're now at Hem's online store: stamp shirt (like here) and heart map shirt (like here).
October 18 Glasgow Video
Here's a new video of Hem performing "When I Was Drinking" at Stereo in Glasgow, Scotland on October 18 (thanks, Linda and Stuart!). The video starts with the full band returning to the stage for the encore and asking for song requests. I wish I had a picture to share of the lyric book that Sally talks about because it has a funny "this book belongs to Sally" cover. I do have a picture, albeit a not very well lit one, from Hem's June 1, 2013 Boston show.
October 26, 2013
Manchester Show Photo
A new photo has been added to the collection for Hem's October 17 show in Manchester, UK (thanks, Andrew!) You can find this and other recent show pictures at the 2013 tour archive.
Brooklyn Show Photo
Remember when Hem had that awesome rowdy show in Brooklyn back on March 15? New today is a picture from that show (thanks, yooandme!). You can find this and many other concert photos spanning the last 11 (!) years at the tour photos archive.
Hem debuted a new cover song on their recent UK tour, playing the old folk/blues song "St. James Infirmary" at every show. The band has not recorded the song and, as far as I know now, don't intend to record it. Now is your unique chance to hear it, only at All About Hem! Here's Hem performing "St. James Infirmary" on October 13 in Bath, including an introduction about why the band chose this song. The meanings page has been updated based on this intro, which was given in some form at all (or nearly all) these UK shows.
Click here or on the little image to see the setlist and a picture from Hem's show today in Camden, Maine. It was a short set to close out the PopTech conference. You can find this and many other recent setlists and pictures at the 2013 tour archive and tour photos archive. And stay tuned for more photos and audio from Hem's recent UK shows in Belfast, Manchester, and Bath!
October 20, 2013
Manchester Show Photos
Another photo from Hem's Manchester show has been added to the tour page (thanks, Campbell!). Hem may never have played anywhere more colorful. You can find this and many other show pictures at the tour photos archive.
Bath Show Media
Click here or on the little image to the left to see pictures of Hem performing on October 13 at Komedia in Bath, UK. There are also photos of the promotional show poster, the setlist, and Hem at soundcheck. (Thanks again for the soundcheck visit, and for everything else, Hem!) Also, here's Hem performing "Strays" at this show. It's better quality than the London audio shared yesterday, but be assured that the show sounded even better in real life. This lovely show had everyone in tears, if I'm any indication. You can really tell with this song how much the violin adds to Hem's live show.
Hem has played the song "Identical Snowflakes" at most every show they've played this year. Enough people have asked about it that I wanted to mention to everyone that it's available now. Despite the intro the song usually receives at shows about how it hasn't been ready for release at any appropriate holiday, it was first released in December 2011. It was, however, only released as a standalone digital single and may be released as part of a proper Hem EP in the coming months.
Belfast Show Setlist
Click here for the setlist from Hem's show today in Belfast (thanks, Dan!). The band's UK tour comes to an end with some songs not yet played on this tour leg, the oldies "Horsey" and "Cuckoo." The setlist is complete except for the opening tune, so if you know it, let me know!
Glasgow Show Setlist
The Glasgow setlist posted yesterday is now complete (thanks, Dan, Brian, and Jean!). You can find this and many other recent setlists at the 2013 tour archive.
London Show Media
Click here or on the little image to the left to see some pictures from Hem's October 11 show at Union Chapel in London, which didn't seem so dark in real life. There are also some of opener Norma Jean Martine. You can find these and many other pictures at the tour photos archive. Also, here's Hem performing "Half Acre" at this show. It's not the greatest quality, but some audio is better than no audio! London was the only stop on this UK tour with Hem's drummer, who is especially nice to hear on this song.
In advance of their upcoming show in Belfast, Hem visited BBC Radio Ulster today. Listen here (streaming available for 7 days). Hem's segment runs 17:30 to 56:00, though the live interview portion with Dan and Sally doesn't start until 21:30. If you want to hear at length about loss, and of course you do since you love Departure And Farewell, this is your interview! You can find a permanent link to this and many other radio spots at the interview archive.
Glasgow Show Setlist
Click here for a partial list of songs played at Hem's show today in Glasgow, Scotland (thanks, Dan!). Finally, "When I Was Drinking" was requested in the encore. If you can help fill in the song blanks, let me know! You can find this and many other recent setlists at the 2013 tour archive.
September 17 Portland Video
Here's a new video of Hem performing "Walking Past The Graveyard, Not Breathing" at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR on September 17. You can really see the foot stomps the band does live to mimic the ones on the album.
October 17, 2013
Manchester Show Setlist
Click here or on the little image to see the setlist from Hem's show today in Manchester, England (thanks, Dan!). It's the usual song suspects, except "All That I'm Good For" and "Seven Angels" made their debuts for this tour leg, and there was a surprise start to the encore. You can find this and many other recent setlists and pictures at the 2013 tour archive and tour photos archive.
October 16, 2013
October 11 London Video
Watch a video of Hem performing the audience participation section of "Last Call" at Union Chapel in London on October 11. You get some sense of the awesome atmosphere from this video, and you will get more when photos from this show are posted here within a few days (sorry for the delay - blame travel!).
October 14, 2013
Bath Show Setlist
Click here for the setlist from Hem's October 13 show in Bath, UK. The setlist is great, though I am biased since Hem pulled "Receiver" out of years-long retirement and played it for me. Thank you again for everything, Hem! Coming soon are pictures and other goodies from this small but wonderful show.
October 13, 2013
BBC London
Hem was a guest of Robert Elms on BBC London on October 11. Listen here. I haven't been able to stream the show yet, but I understand that it's an interview and a performance. Click here for a photo of the whole Hem gang inside the studio, and click here for a photo of Dan and Sally outside the studio. You can find a permanent link to this radio spot at the interview archive.
Show in Camden, ME
It's been on the tour page for weeks, but now it's official: Hem is playing in Camden, Maine on October 25 at the PopTech Conference. I don't think it will be a set of normal, long length, but it will still be great.
Bob Harris Show
Mark your calendars: Hem will be a guest on the BBC Radio 2 Bob Harris Show on November 3 (though the show is being taped before then, on October 14). A link to the aired show will be here in the news once (and if) it's available.
October 12, 2013
London Show Setlist
Click here for the setlist from Hem's show on October 11 at Union Chapel in London. In the loveliest of settings, Hem played a great show and debuted a never-before-played song ("St. James Infirmiry"). Stay tuned for photos (and maybe audio) from this show. Thank you for everything, Hem!
October 8, 2013
Sheffield Show Canceled
Hem regretfully shares that the October 16 show in Sheffield has been canceled. Hope to see you Sheffield-goers at another UK show.
September 17 Portland Video
Watch a new video of Hem performing "Tourniquet" at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR on September 17:
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here. You can contact me at Christina@AllAboutHem.com
Echoes CD
Meanings Update
October 25 PopTech Video
Bob Harris Show
New Hem Shirts
BBC Radio Ulster
