All About Hem

April 2005 Archive (Older news link at bottom of page)

April 29, 2005 -- Washington Times Article and Mountain Stage Show

Today's Washington Times has an article about Hem including words from Dan Messe and Sally Ellyson. As a reminder to those folks in the area, tonight Hem plays at the Birchmere Music Hall in Arlington, VA.

The Mountain Stage show Hem taped on March 18 will air the week after May 13. You can find radio stations and the dates and times they air the program on this page. If the show isn't broadcast in your area, some radio stations like WXPN have web broadcasts available from their website, so check stations with linked websites.

New tour dates in the Netherlands are tucked between UK dates, so I wanted to mention them here so nobody in the area misses them.

April 25, 2005 -- Concert Video and Meanings Update

Videos of Hem's London performances on February 25, 2005 at Queen Elizabeth Hall and on March 9, 2005 at Bush Hall are now available through the 2005 tour archive page. You can also click on the picture to the left for the Feb. 25 show video or here for the Mar. 9 video. The Feb. 25 video is the first minute of "Strays" (because I love that song) and the Mar. 9 video is the entirety of "Betting on Trains" (because I love this new Appalachian Remix arrangement). Thanks, Sam!

In site news, the meanings page includes new information for the songs Betting On Trains, Lucky, My Father's Waltz, Pacific Street, and Receiver based on stories told by Dan Messe at Hem's April 22, 2005 show in Haddam, CT. Not that I am in favor of Dan getting a microphone because Sally's sick and her voice needs breaks between songs, but I am wholly in favor of Dan talking about his songs!

April 17, 2005 -- Concert Pictures

Pictures from Hem's April 16 hometown show in Brooklyn, NY are available through the tour page or by clicking on the picture to the left. Word is that the show was recorded for a possible DVD, which is great news. Thanks, Keith!

April 14, 2005 -- Radio Show Available Online

Hem's performance and interview today at New York Public Radio WNYC is now available for listening online here. Hem is on the second half of the show, and their appearance includes three interview segments with Sally Ellyson and Dan Messe and live performances of "Hollow" and "Carry Me Home."

April 12, 2005 -- Upcoming Radio Show

Hem will be a guest at New York Public Radio WNYC at 2:00pm EST on Thursday, April 14 during the Soundcheck segment. You can listen to the show in New York on AM 820 or FM 93.9 and online through links on the WNYC homepage. The show should also be at least briefly archived at the WNYC site, and I'll post notice here when that happens.

April 11, 2005 -- Rabbit Songs, Tour News, Official Site Updates, and Meanings Update

Had trouble finding Hem's first album Rabbit Songs? Worry no more! Rounder Records will begin distributing Rabbit Songs starting May 24, 2005. Rounder is the company that distributes Eveningland.

Hem will be a part of a unique forest tour in the UK sponsored by the Forestry Commission. They will play six shows in forest settings with The Beautiful South. Further information is on the tour page (and be prepared to be sad that 4 of the 6 dates are already sold out).

Hem's official site has a new, exclusive mp3 available for download on its music page. Go grab a live version of "Carry Me Home" from January 22, 2005 at Minnesota Public Radio! Also new at the official site are some photographs from Hem's Spring 2005 tour by Bob Hoffnar, the band's pedal steel player. Aw, the band's vehicle has a rabbit on the dashboard! Let the guessing game of where each of the 40+ pictures was taken begin! (And if Bob's reading this, it's okay to send me the answers and totally ruin the game.)

In site news, the meanings page now includes a little tidbit about "My Father's Waltz."

April 7, 2005 -- Site Updates And A Radio Show

The discography page got a face lift and is now divided in what I think (and hope) are more convenient sections: Albums and EPs, Promotional Albums and Singles, and Compilations. There are also numerous new additions to the discography page, including four compilations (the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 7th ones), two promotional CDs (the 3rd and 7th ones), artwork for the "Stupid Mouth Shut" promo, and large cover images for all items. Thanks to Kel for help with some of the pictures!

The 2005 tour archive page now includes links to a Pop Culture Press review of Hem's February 7 show in Austin, TX and to a Soul Shine Magazine review of Hem's March 8 show in Chester, England.

In looking for more information about one of the new compilation albums, I found Hem's April 6, 2003 radio interview and performance at WBJB in Lincroft, NJ archived at their site. In the half hour spot the band talks, among other things, about I'm Talking With My Mouth, the packaging of Rabbit Songs, and how much they would like to record another album. They also perform "Stupid Mouth Shut," "Red Shoes," "Carry Me Home," and "Half Acre." This radio appearance was new to me, so maybe it will be for others too.

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