Daniel and the Lion

hey everyone!  lot’s of stuff in the works.  we’ve got two new players, cody and hilary, filling out the sound with organ, vocals and drums.  the website will have a new look soon, focusing more on our tour blog, which will be updated much more with cool pics and vids.  we’re embarking on our “heartland” tour in mid september and playing all over the midwest, so be sure to click the tour button to see when we’re playing near you.  we have a new online store, with new merch that will be updated very soon, so be sure to check that out as well.  we also have a few new tracks, as well as some videos from the live DVD we released this year!  whew…so much stuff.  anyway, stay tuned and come out to a show!

Hey all, Jimmie here. As some of you know, big things are cooking up for me and Daniel here in Madison, and I want to tell you all about them, but first, I want to tell you about the biggest thing we’re doing this year; I want to tell you about “These Wisconsin Songs.”

Daniel and I (along with Davey, our drummer) will be playing in Madison at 7:00pm on Tuesday, November 24th, at the High Noon Saloon. We will also be filming our first ever live DVD that night, and it will be called “These Wisconsin Songs.” John Christian Adams (find some of his work at www.goforjohn.com) will be directing the whole amazing process, and we couldn’t feel more blessed. You may know him for his work on Cory Chisel and The Wandering Son’s “Cabin Ghosts” live videos. He is an amazing talent and now that he is in charge of this project, we’re sure it will be unbelievable.

This show is very important to us. Ever since we started this band, the driving force has been these Wisconsin songs, the honest and intimate ones (you know them), and our desire to share them with you; However, until this show we haven’t been able to play them the way we want. Finally, the wonderful folks at the High Noon Saloon have given us the creative license we wanted, so we’ll be bringing you the best songs, the ones you keep requesting, carpets and candles in tow. Maybe we’ll even brew some coffee for the folks up front, if you’re feeling it.

Still, there’s one piece to this puzzle that I haven’t mentioned yet, and it’s the most important. You. Why, you ask? Well, because what would we be without you? A few guys on stage at an empty club, crying because we don’t have any friends or fans. Also, I’ve never seen a live DVD of a show without any people at it. Although, that could be pretty funny…ahh, let’s not find out.

As with shows in the past, we’ll be pre-selling tickets for $10. Because the capacity of this venue is way less than the shows we’ve sold out before, I suggest shooting me a message (jimmielinville@datlband.com) as soon as you know you want tickets so I can set them aside for you. Daniel, Davey, and I will get you however many tickets you need, up until they sell out. Again, this show WILL SELL OUT, as we will be working to fill the room for the DVD’s sake, so please remember to contact me about setting tickets aside for you! I will do everything I can to make sure you can go if you’re interested.

Lastly, I want to tell you something kind of bittersweet. This is the last show we’re going to be playing in Madison for a while, because we’re moving to Chicago until the world thaws out next year. This is sad because we will miss you, our city, our home very much. We have been a band for less than a year, and because of the support and encouragement of all of you…some amazing things have happened for us. We have a lot of things on the table in terms of management, labels, and record deals, and although it’s still a bit too early to talk about it all, I can assure you it’s because we’ve made such an impact in Madison, which is all because of you. So thank you, really. We will be going on tour in the spring, but until then, come see this one last show, and be a part of this huge milestone for us, with us. I love you more than I love flannel, which is a HELL OF A LOT. See you at the show,

LOVE,
jimmie

Show Details
Where: The High Noon Saloon, Madison WI
When: Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 7:00PM
Ages: 18+
Cost: $10 presale
Why: Because we’re gonna shoot a live DVD! haven’t you been reading? heh heh.

i’ve been down to silvertown
i need you now or never
will you come?

so i’ve got this new tune that’s really got me confused. it’s a lot to chew on musically, and lyrically it’s dense and over-complicated. i’d love for all the songs to come out shiny and ready to record, but sadly it’s often more of a toil, and this song is no exception. luckily, i up for the challenge.

lately, i’ve been into counting crows, specifically their first and third records, and even more specifically a song called “omaha.” he kind of writes about life, being a pattern in repeat, so to speak, turning over and over again on itself, a series of the same disappointments, and i find it bleak but hopeful. the chorus is hopeful, and really one of the better choruses i’ve ever heard. download the song, and think about it when you’re listening. it’s good stuff.

we’re in and in between, as a band. daniel and i are currently stationed in madison, but very soon we might be moving to chicago. or milwaukee. or the van. we’re not really sure, but either way, we hope to continue playing in madison as frequently as we can. if you’re not already, feel free to follow this blog, or our show list here on the site, or on twitter, if you’re into tweeting and the like. i’m @andthelion, and daniel’s @giantxylophone (it’s a marimba). also, feel free to let us know if you want us to visit and play in your city, because we will.

i’ll leave you with this. i hope if you read this you are in love with what you do. not at every moment, no, that would be a difficult thing to say, but when you really stop to think, or when it sometimes creeps up on you in the middle of the night, i hope you know you love it. i hope you feel like you’re right on the edge of your life, the edge of massive failure or brilliant success. how else could you know that you’re doing something important?

<3jimmie

hey guys. so we just got back from a short midwest tour, and it seemed that every time we drive, the weather was epic. made me wish i had a camera, but it’s probably better i didn’t.

so i suppose you’re wondering what the future holds for us, and to the best of my ability, i can say: music. i know, it’s vague, but it’s true in all forms. we will be arranging a lot of the new songs we’ve written, and recording demos to shop around, and we will be playing live near you. if we haven’t planned a show near you, you should contact us, because we will.

the next blog post will be so much more interesting, i PROMISE.

love, jimmie

my name is jimmie linville.  i write songs for daniel and the lion, a folk-and-roll band out of central wisconsin.  i’ll be keeping you up to date on many things (as will daniel, when he’s not driving) from this blog, including new records, shows, and interesting fluctuations in the price of chocolate milk.  stay tuned.