I don’t know about you, but in this part of the world when the leaves take the long dive, and the nights grow longer, and a chill comes into the ground beneath our feet, music starts to sound different. And feels really, really good. And if that music is happening on a warmly lit stage in front of a room full of people who came in out of the cold and have braided the songs into the soulful stories they are writing with their lives, it can positively help one breathe a little more deeply. See this imperfect, beautiful world with new eyes.

We’re packing our suitcases and heading out.

Hope to see you and yours.

OVER THE RHINE ON TOUR – Recap

This weekend! Saturday, NOV 5 – Bomhard Theater, LOUISVILLE, KY. One of our favorite venues in one of America’s most musical river cities – a lovely theater with a huge collage of lost and found musical instruments as a backdrop. This one is not to be missed. With very special guest, our friend, Lucy Wainwright Roche.

Friday, NOV 11 – REQUIEM PROJECT: Emery Theatre Benefit Concert, CINCINNATI, OH. (11/11/11) Join us, and a wide array of colorful characters from Cincinnati’s diverse arts community, for an evening of beautiful mayhem as we re-open the doors of this lovely and storied theater in the neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine. (And we will be reuniting with dancers, who will embody songs three-dimensionally in front of your eyes as only they can.) We are thrilled that there is a strong vision coming together to save and restore and revive this historic Cincinnati landmark. Don’t miss a wonderful collaborative night for a great cause. http://www.emerytheatre.com/

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WEST COAST! With very special guests, The Milk Carton Kids

NOV 13 – El Rey, LOS ANGELES, CA. Over the Rhine’s debut at the beautiful El Rey! Our only SoCal appearance in 2011. Looking forward to meeting and hearing live for the first time a wonderful new discovery, The Milk Carton Kids. Look for some collaboration and an additional (surprise/secret) special guest appearance. Please come find us and say hello.)

NOV 15 – Great American Music Hall, SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Beautiful old bordello. Looking forward to returning to San Fran to play a full concert after our debut at the amazing Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Fest.)

NOV 17 – Aladdin Theater, PORTLAND, OR (Lovely old theater in a lovely city. Good coffee, Powell’s bookstore, etc etc.)

NOV 18 – 20, The Triple Door, SEATTLE, WA (THREE SHOWS) (Our favorite place to end our West Coast tours – becoming a tradition. Fabulous listening room with great food and wine. Happy to be returning after our debut at Bumbershoot Festival.)

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EAST COAST AND MIDWESTERN Holiday Tour – An Over the Rhine tradition. Come in out of the cold and join us this year as we try out some brand new Christmas songs on you, and pull favorites out of our catalog like rabbits out of a black fedora.

Also with very special guests, The Milk Carton Kids (And more commentary on these amazing December venues soon:)

DEC 2 – Berklee Performance Center, (at Berklee School of Music), BOSTON, MASS
DEC 3 – Le Poisson Rouge, NYC
DEC 4 – The Birchmere, DC
DEC 5 – World Café Live, PHILLY, PA

DEC 7 – The Lincoln Theater, COLUMBUS, OH
DEC 8 – Kent Stage, KENT, OH
DEC 9 – Calvin College, GRAND RAPIDS, MI
DEC 10 – Old Town School of Folk, CHICAGO (Two shows! Early and late.)

And finally we bring it all back home to end our working year in Ohio:

DEC 17 – The Taft Theatre, CINCINNATI, OH (Our homecoming show at the newly renovated Taft! Can’t wait to see it. With very special guest, our friend, Lucy Wainwright Roche!)
DEC 18 – 3pm, St. Elizabeth’s, Sunday Soiree, CINCINNATI, OH, (We lift a glass with friends in a ragged old cathedral and share some festive food and drink. Also, get this: Q&A with K&L.)

‘But the poet says we must praise the mutilated world, we’re all workin’ the graveyard shift: we might as well sing along. All my favorite people are broken.’

Hope to see you soon.

Peace like a river, love like an ocean,

Over the Rhine

PS Please share the above freely with friends, lovers, spouses, compatriots, former roommates, cousins, schoolmates who moved to a distant city named above, parents who appreciate a good torch song, colleagues looking for a night out after happy hour and of course, that earthy girl you’re thinking about starting a band with.