x

the Autumn Electric / Blog

Autumn Electric Illuminates the 502 in San Antonio, TX!

-San Antonio, Texas |Tuesday, March 4th, 2014 | 502 Bar A blind patron of the 502 would have been pleasantly surprised by the colorful sounds that filled the room, Tuesday night. Even a deaf patron would have found themself full of joy as the psychedelic folk band danced, sang, played their instruments and conducted multiple stage appearances (and disappearances) with wardrobe changes to emphasize the overall mood of their songs. Thankfully, I was a patron with both hearing and sight, listening to the touring Seattle band create sounds like none I had ever heard in my local city of, San Antonio, Texas. With crisp drums, poppy bass, peppery keyboards, moon walk worthy guitar, and melt in your mind type vocals flowing from the best stage in the city, I quickly found myself in a bit of a space haze on a mission for happiness. The lyrics were uplifting and presented as full stories, the harmonies were gorgeous, and the overall performance was (to my ears) perfectly flawless; a great accomplishment for a five piece band with rhythms that incorporated sneaky and intelligent tempo changes so energizing, even my friends that don’t dance were grooving. As a first time audience member, I found myself saying, “Very pretty,” throughout the show, but since it ended (all too soon in my opinion) all I can say is, “More please!” Their album, Flowers for Ambrosia, is a beautiful take home gift with stunning artwork and surprises hidden within every track, from fire crackling to grooves so captivating, my recent drive from San Antonio to Austin didn’t even seem like 80 miles (a HUGE deal, trust me)! The best part about Autumn Electric, aside from their fresh and creative music, is the positive energy that each member of the band radiates! I hope this band finds itself in the midst of the most amazing scenes, full of vibrant, smiling, happy go lucky, super awesome fun time seeking, dancing because it feels good type people, since that’s what I’ve found each of them to be! If you haven’t experienced Autumn Electric, take a deep breath, smile and go dance yourself into a good state of mind with them! I promise you’ll be happy you did! -A. C. Prewitt

Flower For Ambrosia Review by Blake Kirkpatrick

Autumn Electric Flowers For Ambrosia Review: by Blake Kirkpatrick When I followed a link to the band's official website (http://autumnelectric.bandcamp.com/), not much was expected. I anticipated yet another small time band simply hoping to have a shot at a world tour. Once 'Motorcycle Hill' began playing, I instantly felt the need to plan a road trip to my personal favorite city: Eugene, Oregon. Autumn Electric is scheduled to play at the local Cozmic Pizza in Eugene on February 16th and from the sound of it, the band has the ability to put on a show that will keep the Oregon University town's lighters swaying in the air. The music on this album in general, seems to have the side-effect of putting the listener into a head-bobbing, foot-tapping, psychedelic trance that can only be broken by stopping whatever song is playing. Lead singer Michael Trew has a voice that will take you back to the good alternative days, along with a resonating resemblance to the voice of the talented Adam Duritz, of the 2005 Oscar nominated band Counting Crows. The bands lyrical depth is enough to sell the album alone, yet the instrumentals and backup singing don't fall short in any way (and we are talking a wide range of talent on multiple instruments). This dance-inducing combination of musicians known as Autumn Electric makes Flowers For Ambrosia a "total package" in terms of a great album to vibe to, when your spirit needs a good musical refreshing. All together, the album seems to be the work of an up-and-coming band that is knocking on the door of folk rock fame. They are sure to captivate a college aged audience if their live performances can pull off the same allure that their recorded tracks accomplished on this album. From a self-proclaimed music critic to anyone looking for a new favorite listen, you have a solid shoe-in with the free download of this album at the website listed above. Also, don't forget to support this local artist with a donation if you can afford it.

Favorite song so far: Joe the Lion, Sleeps Tonight. Happy listening! BK92

Earth Month Concert April 28th and News!

Hello everyone!

There is a lot of exciting news to share. First off, we have the opportunity to perform at an Earth Month Event this coming sunday April 28th. Milagro's in Belltown of Seattle is offering haricuts and things, with all of the proceeds going to Puget Soundkeepers Alliance, who actively monitor and protect Puget Sound. Starting at 12 noon with Johnny Unicorn, and at 1:30 Autumn Electric will follow. The doors will be open with music pumping out into the street, and it's free to hang out, and I hear there might be soft drinks...

Sun. April 28th

12-3pm

Milagro's Salon 2030 1st ave.

Seattle WA

Next month we have a couple of great local gigs coming up too

Thurs May 23rd We are headlining the Columbia City Theater. Our last concert there was the Healing Center Benefit for Make Me a Tree last summer, and it's one of our favorite halls! We will be unvieling our newest material on stage, what has been described as a 21 minute excursion from Neil Diamond to Eygptian Raaga Rock to Yes.

Thurs. May 23rd. Doors open 8pm

$6 adv tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/368475

$8 dos. 21+

with Alice in the River and Kite Repair!

Sat May 25th We have been invited to play at Northwest Folklife Festival on the Vera Project Stage

We go on at 1pm!

NWFF is free to attend, you may make a donation to the festival at the gate (in it's 42nd year!)

We have many more regional concerts coming up, including festivals, so now I can direct you to our very own website made by our newest member, drummer Chris Barrios.

http://www.autumn-electric.com/

that's about all for now. looking forward to seeing some folks out on sunday!

~Michael

Healing Tour begins Feb 2nd!

Hello folks! It has been an (almost too) exciting new year. In just a few days we will be embarking on a very cool tour. We named it "The Healing Tour", and about half of the ten shows will be benefit concerts to raise money for centers that give free grief counseling. Beginning in June with the release of "Make Me a Tree" and continued through the fall with the creation of Robin Hood in Technicolor http://robinhoodintechnicolor.bandcamp.com/, we have been getting bands to donate songs to the first 3 volumes of this charity project.

...now comes the really cool part. we get to travel the west coast, we get to play concerts with lots of these bands! We are hoping to see many of you again. Here's a schedule of shows as well as ... a Facebook Page for the tour. The full schedule is here and below each listing is an individual page for each concert. For those who rally to our cry, you may pass the word along. Even if we met you on 2009 tour, and you wanna tell your uncle herbert in Sacramento CA about the Healing Tour (I thought everyone had an uncle Herbert?). * In other news... We have a new drummer Kenneth Thornton (he's sooo good). Last Oct 26th, our entire show at Nectar was filmed and is currently getting edited, along with footage from some super old films (a sort of artsy take on the concert film). This friday I meet with a fella who wants to make a music video for the song Make Me a Tree.

Sat Feb 2: Anacortes, WA: Brown Lantern Tavern 9pm

Sun Feb 3 : Portland OR, Ash St Saloon w/ Magic Beets, Sewblue, and Those Willows (Bene for the Dougy Center in Portland) http://www.facebook.com/events/411366268940069

Mon Feb 4th: Salem OR. @ Blacklite Lounge w/ tba http://www.facebook.com/events/592204894138437/

Tues Feb 5th: Medford OR, Johnny B's w/ Harlee Case, and TBA http://www.facebook.com/events/152440634906264

Wed Feb 6th: Chico CA, Tackle Box (Bene for Butte Home Health & Hospice) with Ancyra, Jack Knight and tba http://www.facebook.com/events/253106874820470

Thurs Feb 7th Sacramento CA, Fox and Goose Pub w/ Jay Shayner

Fri Feb 8th: possible afternoon show in SF

Sat Feb 9th: Los Angeles, @ Amplify w/ Good Girls and Smokers and tba (Benefit for Hathaway Sycamore's) http://www.facebook.com/events/428187930584526/

Sun Feb 10th: San Diego, The Ruby Room, Benefit for the Center for Grief Care and Education) w/ Podunk Nowhere, The Modern Heist, TBA http://www.facebook.com/events/533422950010761/

Mon Feb 11th: day off in Los Angeles Tues Feb 12th: LA TBA

Wed Feb 13th: Fresno CA, Audie's Olympic w/ Amoret, Bededonia, and (Benefit for Angel Babies Ray of Hope Fund!) http://www.facebook.com/events/361921043905582/

Thurs Feb 14th: Visalia, CA- TBA Fri Feb 15th: day off

Sat Feb 16th: tba Eugene OR, Diablo's, (Benefit for Hospice of Sacred Heart) w/ Family Dynamic and Poor Miner's Union, and The Great Hiatum http://www.facebook.com/events/140369059454477/?fref=ts

On Tour w/ the Faroes pt 3... Can't get there from here

On a whim I decide to recall the strange days of the open road with my companions from across the pond (Haden will be so glad of my phrasiology). We'd been on the road a few days, whereupon I was nearly arrested by small town cops (see pt 2) and slept overnight in possibly the dirtiest, torn up mansion full of hipsters in Portland. I think there were more couch surfers there than tenants that night, and there were a number of tenants. in the morning some angry bike rider jumped over where I was sleeping (on a dank chair pillow) and tore his bike out of this rack that had about a dozen bikes set up verticle. I dared not take a shower. that was the 2nd night of a built in party where we lodged and I wondered if the members of Marius had begun to expect this (bear arrests and budweiser nights...) anyone that knows me might laugh. Neat show in Salem, a stay with my cousin Kelly the artist. We embarked on a long drive east to Bend Or. We were rolling into Bend just in time to hear our names announced on the radio for the show. but don't get your hopes up too high. We performed on camera in a crazy studio on the back streets of Bend. A "Reggae" band showed up hours late to open the show. good thing all those people heard about the show on the radio. every other show was really a brazilian times better. We slept in the back of the studios unfinished rooms, and hit the road into the heat of the northern californian desert. Faroe is even colder than Seattle, and the lads would have no lack of AC. As we approached Redding CA, we kept getting closer to an ominous dark red cloud. "It's like it's right over the venue" I whispered. 10 miles away, and some folks were being evacuated. Venue was safe, and nice and cool inside. That was the first night we tried having the bulk of Marius' band back me up on stage. I think we did Van Morrison and John Denver. That was the first night too that our inside "van jokes" began to creep into our live sets. As the bar crowd cheered for one of Marius' beautiful originals, he replied "Thank you, Boy." in a thick southern accent. sometimes you pick things up on tour that leave you never the same again. That night we stayed with Joshua from Clouds on Strings (they're a prog rock explosion!). in chapter 4, look forward to San Fran, Sacramento and a surprise visit from a Faroese man living stateside.

On Tour w/ the Faroes Pt. 2 (On the Lamb)

A couple days after our release show, I was in the bowels of KEXP studios, where Marius and the fellas were doing a session. everyone was super nice, the dj running down the hall from his usual post to the in studio room, the technician layering the reverb just right. We spend one last restful night, and it was off in Milli Vanilla to Astoria Oregon. We opted to take the coastal hwy, midway throught the day, I was cruising through some one-horse town, when I saw a cop car, lights a blazing coming from behind. What's he after? he's after me?? I had recently renewed my insurance, so I proudly handed over my papers... but when he returns, naturally a fat speeding ticket in hand. but there was more. He asked me if I knew I had a warrant out for my arrest?? (the four members of Marius looking more confused by the minuit!) Of course I didn't know. long story short, I had read an ID wrong when carding someone for beer in early '11. after losing my job, I never got the court summons to appear and explain.. I was apparently on the run from the law. Could Milli Vanilla outrun this small town cop SUV? would our couchsurfing host in Astoria harbour a fugitive. I was thinking about the movie by the same name starring Harrison Ford. "Greys Harbor Jail is too full to take you in", and "I don't feel like arresting you", was the resolution. The show must go on. (I've since gotten the warrant removed). Astoria is always nice to play. we ended up that night at a party, celebrating Canada's independance, or something. turned into a long jam in someone's basement, the cops came but I never saw them, should I be avoiding them? The next day it was on to Portland. A guy there does a podcast about bands from the Faroes, so it was a great chance for Marius to meet him in person. Also we met Jov Novosti, who along with being a great musician, offered to do some video take away shows of Marius. it was the perfect July day, and the roses were out. Next segment will feature their first 4th of July, Wildfires, and a faltering AC.

On Tour w/ the Faroes pt. 1

Thought it would be fun to write some experiences down. Stuff like this doesn't happen much, least of all to me. I got the chance to tour the west coast with 4 guys from Faroe Islands... (where?) yes the Faroes, actually starting to become quite known in a few circles for discover channel whaling shows, and quite a thrinving music scene for only having 48,000 people there. btw it's about an hour plane ride away from Iceland. With the tour booked and ready to go, it was crazy timing as AE was putting out our new record June 28th, the evening that half of the foursome Marius was to arrive. We released Make Me a Tree at Columbia City Theatre in Seattle, along with friends Pocket Panda and James Apollo (a fine folk singer backed by my fiancee Lauren!). It was a benefit concert for The Healing Center in Seattle, who offers free support to those in our community oing hrough the loss of a loved one. It was a reat success and we raised $538 on top of house expenses. Our other commitment has been to share half of the profits of the new album with them. Thanks to the CCT show, Kickstarter and the Marius Tour we have gone through quite a few in our first month of release. Another neat thing, we were asked by Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union to feature the Title Song on their summer roadtrip comilation. I was so pleased about it, I went straight to them after quitting Bank of America (boo hisss). Hedin, and Brandur were the first two from Marius to arrive that night. They were coming straigh off a short tour of Canada with "Yggdrasil" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yggdrasil_(band), a long running eclectic group from Faroe. Out of time at the Library, and only just begun... Pt 2 is where it got very crazy.

June 28 album release and following tour!

Hey friends near and far! So excited because we got our first print run of Make Me a Tree in the mail today!!! Looking forward to seeing many of you at the release party this next thursday ay Columbia City Theatre in Seattle. All proceeds will benefit The Healing Center on Roosevelt in Seattle. They offer free and inexpensive therapy and support for people working through the loss of a loved one. All attendees will get a digital copy of "Make Me a Tree" with ticket (a card with download code, you can load in onto your computer). We just want you to have something to remember this very special night. Also we will have physical copies of the album for the first time ever, available that night. I'm so proud of the amazing art that everyone involved did, and how Johnny Unicorn put it all together.

The album is available for download/physical copies now at: http://autumnelectric.bandcamp.com/album/make-me-a-tree

Here is a link to order tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/256052

And the Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/280522712044334/?ref=ts

Thursday June 28 Doors at 7pm With Pocket Panda and James Apollo 21+/$10 All proceeds go to benefit The Healing Center www.thehealingcenter.com

...also following this show I'll be going on a solo tour with 4 fellas from Denmark called Marius Here's a Facebook site for that: http://www.facebook.com/events/253146901453082/?ref=ts Dates are June 30th -July 17th and we'll going from Seattle to LA (after which they fly home and I'll do a few dates homeward)

Wahoo! -Michael

June News! NW shows and Album Release

Well it's kinda like summer outside :) Lots of exciting things to share with you. first off this weekend we are quite busy, esp this intrepid singer. 3 shows, and some more great news. For those outside Spokane, Yakima and Portland you can skip to the writing below :) Thursday June 7th Michael Trew solo @ Carr's Corner (Spokane WA) 230 South Washington Street Spokane, WA 99201 8pm/21+/$5 and special guests with the very awesome Liz Rognes ... lizrognes.com/ and special guests Friday June 8th Michael Trew solo @ Northtown Coffee (Yakima WA) with longtime buddy/musician Joe Trudaeu 8pm/All Ages/ Free! 28 North 1st Street, Yakima, WA Sunday June 10th Autumn Electric @ Portland Rose Festival! w www.rosefestival.org/ we are playing on the Dex Grand Wheel Stage 7pm/All Ages Costs a few bucks to get in, but you get in all day. This June we are finally releasing our 3rd album "Make Me a Tree"! As you've heard in recent posts, we are going to be sharing half our album profits with The Healing Center (Roosevelt, Seattle) and Grief Place (Wenatchee WA). so we are very exciting to be sharing not only the fruits of our musical labors but sharing what these good folks do in the community and how to aid their cause. The album release concert (june 28) will be a benefit for The Healing Center in Seattle, and all proceeds will go to them. (1) Everyone in attendance will receive a digital copy of Make Me a Tree with ticket purchase. (2) This will be the concert of the year, as we will be playing MMAT from start to finish including a small choir and string section! (3) Physical Copies of MMAT will be available (4) All Ages, so it will be a great early-ish show to bring the family to Columbia City Theatre June 28th Thursday 8pm/All Ages/$10 w/ James Apollo and Pocket Panda 4916 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 http://www.columbiacitytheater.com/ FB event Page http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/280522712044334/ After this concert I'm hitting the west coast again, this time in support of the band Marius from Ten Faroe Islands (Denmark!) check them out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOntXYRTY7s we will be travelling from Seattle to LA June 29th-July 13th you can see all concert dates at www.reverbnation.com/michaeltrew I'll then be touring back up to Seattle July 13th-17th Busy busy busy! Lots of Love ~Michael

Autumn Electric: May Newsletter. MMAT, Tour, CD Release

Everyone likes getting letters. wish that I could send these snail mail, but that'd take forever...

May will be busy in our little folk rock universe...

Our new album " Make Me a Tree" is all done! we are getting it mastered this week by mega pro Jesse Plack, a songwriter I really recommend btw, 1/3 of our tourmates Plack Smith and Unicorn from February. While that happens, I'll be putting together the cover art that my Mom Louise and Brother Kyle painted. The album should be available while we are on tour supporting Ethan Freckleton along the west coast this May 25th-June 3rd (including Seattle Folklife Fest May 25th!!). Then in June, we're having our big record release and benefit concert! AE's next show Tues May 15th @ the Comet, in Seattle 8pm w/ Fox and Woman (SF) The Thoughts Hooves and Beak $7/21+ I really can't recommend this show enough. I've really enjoyed hearing them all online. The singer of the Thoughts helps arrange Seattle Rock Orchestra.

Finally I can announce the official release party for Make Me a Tree. Thursday June 28th at the super cool Columbia City Theatre in Seattle. Local James Apollo is on the bill as well. The show will be a benefit for Seattle's "The Healing Center", who give therapy and support for free or cheap to the community. It's been wonderful partnering up with them for this gig, as well as the new album will continue to help fund their efforts over time.

I'll send out an update in a couple weeks as the tour gets closer and we have all the dates confirmed.

~Michael

May 12th Wallingford Arts Fest w/ Ethan Freckleton (4pm tba) May 15th Comet Show May 25th 11AM Seattle Folklife Festival kickoff! (West Coast Tour supporting Ethan Freckleton begins) May 25th Marino Adriatic Cafe - Portland May 26th Triangle Inn - Salem OR 27-31 TBA California June 1 TBA Los Angeles

June 7-9 Michael Trew solo eastern WA tour (Spokane/Yakima) June 10th Portland Rose Festival June 28th CD Release at CCT in Seattle

July 7-8 Choochokam Arts Fest Whidbey Island

July 26th- Aug 10th Michael Trew solo tour including july 27th TBA Redding CA July 28th (with Autumn Electric in SF TBA) july 29th w. AE at San Francisco marathon benefit Aug 4th Niche Wine- Vancouver WA Aug 10th Robin Hood Tavern - Union WA