Ranch Fest next weekend!

Our annual barn-scorcher in an imaginary prairie town in Idaho is next weekend! May 25th and 26th. If you’re not already RSVP’d and in the loop, email Gilbert at helibasebooking@gmail.com for the inside scoop. Directions and all the important details being sent out as we speak. Another incredible line-up this year and with the weather outlook, it’s poised to be the best Ranch Fest ever.

In other news, we’re playing with JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD in Boise next Wednesday — May 23rd — at Neurolux and our local friends ART FAD are opening. If you live nearby, we encourage you not to miss this show. Rocknroll glory awaits you.

And speaking of glory, check out this review of Benchwarmers, one of the most entertaining reviews I’ve ever read — courtesy of Brooklyn-based blog Syffal crazy ass review

Some very exciting summer tour dates to be announced next week!
Stay tuned.

video for “plural” premieres on Consequence of Sound!

Brand new video for “Plural” off of our new BENCHWARMERS EP premiered on Consequence of Sound last Friday. Directed by Zach Voss. Filmed by Glenn Landberg in multiple Idaho locations. Check it out.

We had a great time in the NW last week! Added a couple more May dates including a show with JEFF The Brotherhood at the Neurolux on May 23rd in Boise. Ranch Fest VII lineup will be announced very soon, for now, brace yourself for the epicness that awaits you on May 25th and 26th in Tumbleweeds, ID.

Utah, Colorado and California summer dates to be announced soon! For now, here’s what lies ahead:

May 4th KETCHUM, ID @ Whiskey Jacques w/ Atomic Mama
May 5th POCATELLO, ID @ Flipside Lounge w/ Atomic Mama
May 18th IDAHO FALLS, ID @ D’Railed (benefit concert)
May 23rd BOISE, ID @ Neurolux w/ JEFF The Brotherhood + Art Fad
May 25th + 26th TUMBLEWEEDS, ID @ Ranch Fest VII

Benchwarmers EP + NW Tour // limited edition Record Store Day 10″ vinyl

Been hard at work in the deep caves of Finn Riggins-landia… in the wake of the amazing Treefort Music Fest here in Boise and a great SXSW tour, we’re back in action with a brand new EP being released by Tender Loving Empire that we’re very excited to share with y’all. Its called BENCHWARMERS and features new songs Plural, Big News, Arrow as well as Parkour that you may have heard and the title track, which if you haven’t heard, is available for FREE MP3 download to the right. The EP will be available on CD and as a digital download, but we’re most excited about the limited edition 10″ red vinyl that we pressed it on — they arrived a few days ago and look gorgeous. Officially out this weekend for Record Store Day.

We’re celebrating this Friday here in Boise with a collaborative Record Store Day Kickoff / Finn Riggins EP Release party presented by The Record Exchange and Go Listen Boise. Its an ALL AGES show at The Linen Building and also features the incredible Pontiak (Virginia) fresh off a European tour and the release of their new album “Echo Ono” on Thrill Jockey Records and locals Red Hands Black Feet.

We have a small run of very special shows in the NW that we’re playing in the next couple of weeks. More dates further away from home to be announced very soon. In the meantime, hope to see those of you that live in these areas!

FINN RIGGINS NW BENCHWARMERS TOUR
4/20 BOISE, ID @ Linen Building w/ Pontiak + Red Hands Black Feet
4/25 SEATTLE, WA @ Tractor Tavern w/ Koko & The Sweetmeats + Garage Voice
4/26 PORTLAND, OR @ Holocene w/ And And And + Grandparents
4/27 ASTORIA, OR @ Hazel’s Tavern w/ The Holiday Friends
4/28 BELLINGHAM, WA @ The Old Foundry w/ Seacats + The Royal Sea + Specters
5/4 KETCHUM, ID @ Whiskey Jacques w/ Atomic Mama
5/5 POCATELLO, ID @ Flipside Lounge w/ Atomic Mama

Finn Riggins -- Benchwarmers NW Tour screenprint poster by Credenda Studios

SXSW 2012 Tour Dates \\ Treefort Music Fest \\ Benchwarmers EP

March is upon us, and it’s gonna be a wild wild one. Incredibly excited to hit the road for a couple weeks and then come home to the inaugural Treefort Music Fest right here in Boise March 22nd – 25th. If you’re not privy to this rad new multi-venue emerging artists festival, highly encourage you do some research here.

We leave on Tuesday to return to SXSW in Austin, TX — this time bringing a bunch of other Idaho bands with us! Couldn’t be more excited about the Idaho delegation at SXSW this year. There’s a full on Official SXSW Boise Music Showcase and then our buddies TEENS are also playing the festival on a separate showcase. We have several shows on the way that we’re pumped about as well — including an appearance at another festival in Texas called 35 Denton in Denton, TX and stops in Colorado, Louisiana and Arkansas too. Playing with some really incredible bands along the way and very excited to see a bunch of old friends! We just added a stop in Amarillo, TX on Friday 3/9 and have added some more SXSW day parties during our stay in Austin. Check out the full list of shows below.

April and May dates to be announced very soon! Our new Benchwarmers EP will be released by Tender Loving Empire on April 21st aka Record Store Day — a yearly celebration of independent record stores that our awesome hometown store The Record Exchange here in Boise plays a large role in and throws quite the celebration. Excited to be a part of it for the second year in a row.

Some initial press love for the EP:
Nylon Magazine
My Old Kentucky Blog

Spring 2012 SXSW Tour Dates

3/7 DENVER, CO @ Hi-Dive w/ Reptar
3/8 FORT COLLINS, CO @ The Idaho House w/ Happy Family + Solterra
3/9 AMARILLO, TX @ The 806
3/10 DENTON, TX @ 35 DentonFestival at Mellow Mushroom w/ American Royalty + Night Beats + Comanche
3/11 SHREVEPORT, LA @ Media Star Entertainment Hall w/ Maps & Atlases + Radiation City + Aan + Dead Zebra
3/12 FAYETTEVILLE, AR @ JR’s Lightbulb Club w/ Mercies + Presto Bando
3/13 – 3/17 AUSTIN, TX @ SXSW
3/14 SXSW @ AS Built & Valhalla Showcase at Agave (1:30pm set)
3/14 SXSW @ Official SXSW Boise Music Showcase at IFC Crossroads House at Club Vice (10pm set) w/ Built To Spill + Youth Lagoon + Brett Netson Band + Le Fleur + Hillfolk Noir + DJ Matt Jones
3/15 SXSW @ Native Ent. Food Cart Food Court Showcase at 75 Rainey (2pm set)
3/15 SXSW @ Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Showcase at Molotov Lounge (5:15pm set)
3/22 BOISE, ID @ Neurolux forTreefort Music Fest w/ Delicate Steve + Janka Nabay + Woodsman + Dustin Wong

Official SXSW Boise Music Showcase

Wednesday, March 14th @ IFC Crossroads House at Club Vice (302 E 6th St) at 5pm