Category: Uncategorized

Categories
Ass-kicking Gigs Awesome-sauce HB! EP Recording Todd Chappelle Uncategorized cool projects

GIG: Hot Breakfast! and Friends Present: A Very Dorky Christmas. 12/17/16, 8PM, World Cafe Live at the Queen

A Dorky Christmas

It’s true, and it’s so sad… but Matt and Jill have lost the holiday spirit this year. Will the company and incredible music of their friends John Faye & Sarah Herbert, Todd Chappelle, Dan Kauffman, Boy Wonder, The Honey Badgers, Rachel Schain, Sharon Sable, Brian Turner, and The Lords of Aspirin help them find their Yuletide joy?

Get ready for a fun and funny night as Hot Breakfast!, with the help of host and “narrator” Mark Rogers (Hometown Heroes WSTW), takes good-natured aim at the TV holiday variety shows of their youth in this unique concert event. It’ll be a live show filled with original music, laughter, surprises, and plenty of holiday cheer – the perfect way to celebrate the end of your Christmas shopping.
And as if that’s not enough – this will be your first chance to purchase the brand-new Holiday EP from Hot Breakfast!

So yep, it’s true… we have been recording a Christmas EP, and so far we’ve got four songs done out of the five. The song titles so far are “Everyone’s a Child When it Snows,” which is not particularly “Hot Breakfasty” in that it’s not funny or dorky, but quite sweet and a touch precious even… but we’re OK with it. Next is “Don’t Get Me Anything,” which is an upbeat fun thing which parrots our “anti-noun” “experiences over things” stance on gift giving. Up next is “Christmas is for Believers,” which is also not particularly funny, but has Matt’s clever wordplay and also a very honest, even-handed and kind way of approaching what could be a controversial topic: non-Christians who celebrate Christmas. The song that’s been sticking most in my head is a song called “Clean Blank Slate” which is a New Year song. It starts off saying something like “It’s January 1st and everything magically resets and all the bullshit that was going on last year just disappears,” and then the rest of the song is saying, “Yeah, wouldn’t it be nice if it was like that, but it isn’t.” When we were recording the backing vocals, we got the idea of burying a subliminal message in there… so we added some lyrics waaaay low down in the mix, and I’m really proud of what we did and how it came out.  The final song we recorded is “The Holiday Shift” which has a similar feel to our 2013 hit “An Idiot for Christmas“, and is about a person who has to work on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day for the sales, but our hero actually likes the extra hours and overtime pay, and is happy to have an excuse not to hang with his family.  We’ll also include our 2014 holiday song ” I’ll Be Home on Christmas Eve.”  We weren’t going to include “An Idiot for Christmas” on this CD, but we realized it’s never been available on a CD before other than as a bonus track on 2015-printings of our 2012 self-titled EP.  We know people love that song, so we wanted to make it more readily avilable.

We’re releasing this new Christmas EP at the show! We’re excited.

DEETS:

WHO: Hot Breakfast! Plus Mark Rogers of WSTW serving as the Narrator, along with a zillion other artists, including Rodd Chappelle, John Faye & Sarah Herbert, Dan Kauffman, Boy Wonder, The Honey Badgers, Rachel Schain, Sharon Sable, Brian Turner, and The Lords of Aspirin (Randy America and Dave Janney).

WHERE: World Cafe Live at the Queen, Upstairs. 500 N. Market St., Wilmington DE.

WHEN: Saturday, December 17, 2016, 8pm sharp!

WHY: To take an evening off from the hectic holiday season, and to spend it with friends, laughing and listening to music.

WHAT: A PG-13 family-friendly, non-denominational celebration of dorkitude and music!

TICKETS: Tickets are $16+fees. Buy them at the World Cafe Live website.  NOTE: After purchasing your ticket, you MUST reserve a table at World Cafe Live at the Queen. Call (302) 994-1400.

FOOD: Plenty of food and drinks are available at World Cafe Live. It’s a restaurant as well as a music venue! Eat while you rock out. Don’t forget to make a reservation!

PARKING: There’s a parking lot right next to the venue on 5th St. between King St. and Market St. It’s usually $5.  There will also be free street parking all around the venue. (Street Parking is free in Wilmington  after 6pm.)

See you soon!

Your pals,

Jill and Matt

Categories
Ass-kicking Gigs Awesome-sauce Awesoming Uncategorized World Domination news

Hot Breakfast! at DRAGON CON 2016

Hot Breakfast! at Dragon Con

This. Is. Happening.

Watch out, nerds – these dorks are comin’ to town.

Hot Breakfast! has been selected to be a House Band at Dragon Con 2016 in Atlanta, GA over Labor Day Weekend. And we could not be more psyched to bring our brand of dork-rock to Dragon Con! We’ve got sets on September 2, 3, and 4 – keep readin’ for the when & where!

You probably know all about Dragon Con – it’s one of the hippest Conventions around, a celebration of pop culture, sci-fi & fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music – pretty much all the things that make life fun. For the 30 years they’ve been around they’ve pulled an amazing selection of guests and entertainers. They have incredible panels, fantastic sessions & programs, and, of course, hundreds of people in incredible costumes. You really should check out the Dragon Con link above to get the full experience, but here’s a very small sampling of some of the Special Guests who will be in attendance in 2016:

  • Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson – Flash! and Dale! from the 1980 movie Flash Gordon – one of our absolute favorites!
  • Kari Byron – from Mythbusters!
  • Gillian Anderson – from the freakin’ X Files!
  • Lloyd Kaufman and the Troma Team – from TROMA! We love Troma. Matt’s Troma movie and memorabilia collection is a little concerning.
  • Joey Fatone – Matt’s favorite N’SYNC guy! (Second favorite for Jill. Because Justin. She’s not made of wood, guys.)
  • Derek Yaniger (one of our f’real favorite artists)
  • William Shatner (some show from the 60s about stars or something)
  • Alan Tudyk from Rogue One and Firefly / Serenity!  Gaaaah!!! (BROWNCOATS 4 LYFE!)

And holy crap, just so much more. Some incredible authors, artists, actors, performers, and all-around great people will be there.

 

Star Trunk? Start Rex? We’ll come up with it.

We’ve got three sets scheduled:

  • Friday, September 2 at 2:30pm at AmericasMart Concourse Stage II
  • Saturday, September 3 at 5:30pm at Hyatt Concourse Stage I
  • Sunday, September 4 at 1:00pm at Hyatt Concourse Stage I

You can bet we’ll be hanging around the Con the rest of the time, checking out the crazy scene, taking pics, photobombing, and hopefully meeting some of our pop-culture heroes. (If not, no big whoop. We don’t wanna be pushy. We just wanna ROCK. And, y’know, meet Flash & Dale. How amazing would it be to do our version of “Flash!” FOR FRIGGIN’ FLASH AND DALE?!? EeeeeeeEEEEeeee!!!)

Now, this isn’t one of those gigs where you can just pay to see us. You buy a ticket for the entire Con. We’re only one facet of the entertainment here – besides concerts, there are parades, screenings, lectures, panel discussions, autograph sessions, Q&A sessions, and tons of great activities. It’s like a carnival, down to the thousands of Con-goers in cosplay.

So if you’re one of the thousands of people who go to Dragon Con, please look us up – we’d LOVE to see you there! We are gonna be dork-rockin’ with all the dork – and all the rock – we possess inside. As we do.

We have to give a shout-out to the mighty Megan Jean and the Klay Family Band for steering us toward Dragon Con in the first place. We had the good fortune to open for Megan Jean & KFB a couple of years ago, and they strongly recommended we send Dragon Con an application. We applied this year, and – holy crap! We’re in! (A wacky misunderstanding almost scuttled us, but that’s a story for another time.) So thank you, Megan Jean & the KFB! We cannot wait to hear your new album.

DEETS:

WHO: Hot Breakfast! at Dragon Con 2016!

WHEN: Friday, September 2 at 1:30pm (AmericasMart Concourse, Stage II); Saturday, September 3 at 5:30pm (Hyatt Concourse, Stage I); Sunday, September 4 at 1:00PM (Hyatt Concourse, Stage I)

WHERE: Dragon Con is held in a series of participating hotels in Downtown Atlanta. It’s best to check their website for more detailed information.

TICKETS: As of this writing, memberships – your way in to the Con – are still available! Here’s the application page.

PARKING: The lots get filled up REAL quick. If you’re going, shuttles are recommended.

FOOD: Oh, there’s food. Vendors are everywhere.

FACEBOOK EVENT: Here’s the Dragon Con Facebook Page, if you wanna Follow ’em.

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Hot Breakfast! at Dragon Con. This…this is gonna be fun.

All the love,
Matt (The Suburban Legend) & Ji11 (Jilleven)

 

 

 

Oh, of course. Third Star from the Trek.

Categories
Ass-kicking Gigs Awesome-sauce Uncategorized World Domination

GIG: Saturday, July 30: White Horse Winery, Hammonton, NJ

Teacher

How does an elegantly aging dork-rock duo celebrate its birthday?

Good guess, but no.
Good guess, but no.

By ROCKING THE EFF OUT, that’s how!

Of course, when you’re performing in the White Horse Winery, one of the coolest, most beautiful wine-tasting venues on the east coast, you have to moderate your rocking a little. So don’t expect us to just rock out – we’ll be mixing in some gentler stuff as well. In other words, at times we’ll be…”popping out.” Or maybe “folking out.” Hey, both of those sound a little dirty, amirite?

But they're not! They're not!
But they’re not! They’re not!

Hot Breakfast - Tin Angel for Wesbite - smallThe important thing is this: all the way back in the summer of 2010, we got a very important offer to play a gig in Philadelphia. We had been performing together for a little while, but we were just “Jill Knapp & Matt Casarino.” But now that we had the chance to open for our forever-pals the Joe Trainor Trio at the mighty Tin Angel in Philly, we knew we could no longer just be “Jill…I want to say, Clap?” and “Matt Catta…Carsa…just Matt.” We needed a name. Like…a ROCK n’ ROLL NAME. Something that told the audience they were in for a rare treat. Something that let the crowd know they were about to have their faces melted off – and they were gonna like it. It wasn’t gonna be easy, but it had to be done. Choosing a band name is a lengthy, complex process.
“Can we be called ‘Hot Breakfast?'” Jill asked.
“Yeah, why not,” I replied.

This famous (?) photo of us was taken at that gig, on July 30th, 2010, when we joined the Trio to perform Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” – a song we continue to break out with those fellas every now and then. So there you have it – as of July 30th, 2016, Hot Breakfast! is officially six years old. Not bad, huh?

To put it mildly, a whole lot has changed since then. But we are still here, still dorky, and still ready to drop whatever we’re doing for the chance to melt some faces.

So come on over to the beautiful White Horse Winery! It’s a new tasting venue that’s hosting live music every weekend – you’ll love it! Once you visit, you’ll never wanna leave. The place opens at noon, and we’ll commence the rocking around 3:00 and play until 6:00. And while you’re there, please wish us a happy birthday. (But please, for the love of Nathon Fillion, don’t sing “Happy Birthday” to us. We’ll handle the singing.)

DEETS:

WHO: Hot Breakfast!, that’s who!

WHEN: Saturday, July 30th, 3 to 6 pm. (They open at noon, so get there nice and early. Just…eat first.)

WHERE: The White Horse Winery. 106 Hall Street, Hammonton, NJ 08037. There are good directions and a map on their site.

TICKETS: Free, baby! (I mean…it’s a winery. You’re expected to taste and purchase some wine. But there’s no fee at the door.)

PARKING: Seems to be plentiful.

FOOD: NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL. Eat before you arrive. (Many wineries are fine with your bringing cold food in, but I’m not sure this is the case.) Seriously – you’re gonna want to have a glass or two of wine, so please make sure you’ve got a full belly.

FACEBOOK EVENT: Here’s the Facebook Event Link, if ya need one.

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There you have it. Great wine, great tunes, and a Happy Birthday. Please come on over to New Jersey and toast our six years of Hot Breakfasting!

Ready for First Grade,
Matt (The Suburban Legend)

Categories
Ass-kicking Gigs Rocking Uncategorized

GIG: Friday, July 15, 9:00: BAR XIII (w/Magnetic North, Wild Virtù, Heartside)

Hot Breakfast at Bar XIII

There’s a wonderful joint just this side of the Pennsylvania/Delaware line. It’s had a few names, but those aren’t important right now. What is important is its current name: BAR XIII.

Billed as “Delaware’s Home for Original Music and Strange People,” Bar XIII hosts an incredibly diverse arrangement of performances, from comedy to burlesque to dance to – here’s the important part – live music. The owners have taken a great space (huge bar on one side, stage/floor on the other) that never really saw its full potential and turned it into a wonderful venue. There’s a reason The Dead Milkmen requested it for their birthday celebration earlier this year – it’s their favorite place, that’s why.

There we are, just relaxing outside Bar XIII. Typical night, really.
There we are, just relaxing outside Bar XIII. Typical night, really.

As the kids say – if ya don’t know, now ya know.

So we are very happy to head back to Bar XIII for a fun, diverse night of rockin’ bands – especially considering one of those bands is your very own acoustic dork-rock power duo Hot Breakfast!

We’ll be joined by Heartside, Magnetic North, and Wild Virtù. That’s a lot of great music – a blend of melodic pop, Americana, rock n’ roll, and, of course, dorky covers of Styx songs. (Uh…that last one might just be us.)

But here’s the important part: HOT BREAKFAST! is gonna kick off the night at 9:00 pm. So make sure you’re there by 9:00. (Make it 8:30. Have a beer.)

Remember, this will be COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from our other shows this month. Unlike our Bellefonte Cafe show, we’ll be pulling out all the dork-rock stops for this one.

(Along those lines, here’s a fun story: just after our set opening for the Dead Milkmen at Bar XIII a couple months ago, the bartender stopped as we were heading toward the back. “Hey!” he yelled in mock-fury. “You guys took my bar!” Seems halfway through our brief set, the power of dork-rock was so potent that just about everyone drinking at the bar abandoned ship to check out the old folks singing about “kids today.” Our goal for this show: make that happen again.)

So, to sum up: Friday, July 15th. Great venue. Great beer & liquor selection. Great lineup. Great music. This night is gonna be…uh…what’s the word…really good.

DEETS:

WHO: Hot Breakfast!, Magnetic North, Wild Virtù, Heartside.

WHEN: Friday, July 15th, 9pm – 1am.

WHERE: BAR XIII. 1706 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, DE 19809. Easy to find, but parking can be tricky – try to carpool. (Here’s a map.)

TICKETS: $5 cover at the door. No pre-sales, so make sure you have cash. We’ll be worth it, we promise.

PARKING: Bar XIII has a lot, but it’s not very big. Carpool if you can. If not, you should be okay.

FOOD: Have dinner before you head out; there’s no food menu at Bar XIII. But lots n’ lots of beers & other drinks. Sometimes food trucks come by, typically the Plum Pit Food Truck, which is tasty tasty BBQ. But I don’t know if they’ll be there or not. I’m not psychic. It’s not my job to feed you. 🙂

FACEBOOK EVENT: Here’s the Facebook Event Link, if you’re into that sort of thing. 🙂

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C’mon – head out to Bar XIII. “Delaware’s Home for Original Music and Strange People.” That’s us to a T – and we’re pretty sure it’s you, too.

from the Magnetically Wild Heart of Breakfast,
Matt
(The Suburban Legend)

 

 

Categories
Recording Rocking Uncategorized World Premiere new instrument

GIG: July 9, 8-10pm, Bellefonte Cafe, Wilmington DE. HB plays (and records) the DEEP CUTS!

No, it's not a bong. yet
No, it’s not a bong.
yet
But that is a blue canary in the outlet (sorta) by the lightswitch…

It’s been a while since we’ve played at The Bellefonte Cafe. For a while there, we were trying to play at Bellefonte once a year in the summertime, but we fell off the horse… until NOW.                                  
There’s something extra-amazing about the Bellefonte Cafe in the summertime. When the weather’s right, they open the windows between the performance space and the porch seats, and people can sit outside and chat and enjoy the music while the breeze wafts in the room and carries the smells of coffee and black bean soup around the place. And our pals at the NOAA are saying that this craptastic wet blanket of oppressive heat and humidity will break by Saturday, so hopefully we’ll be able to get those windows OPEN!                    
Anyway, if you haven’t been to the Bellefonte Cafe in a while, they’ve been under new ownership for maybe two years now. The food is still just as delicious, lovingly prepared, and veg*n friendly, but it comes out infinitely faster. Everyone appreciated that upgrade. You’re still encouraged to listen and linger, but it’s no longer forced upon you because your food hadn’t arrived. They also moved some tables around, so now the musicians have a bit more space in the front of the big room there, which is nice for everyone.

This night is going to be special for a few reasons:   Mah nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot?   “How is this night different from all other nights?” Sorry. I had to make a dumb Passover joke. Carry on. 😉

  1. We’re recording the show to see if we can get some live tracks out of it.
  2. We’re playing a bunch of our “deep cuts,” meaning, songs we don’t get to play very often because we don’t often have the good fortune of playing listening rooms… and these are songs that work best when people are listening. Bellefonte Cafe is a great listening room. And you can’t force a listening room… either people listen, or they talk loudly so they can hear themselves over the music. It just depends… but we find that a Songs like “Gravity” are hard to do in a rock club, and “Run” just never seems to make it onto our set lists for no particular reason.
  3. You might think the night sounds boring. I can hear my mother saying, “Who wants to hear songs ya don’t know? And is it gonna be the all ballads channel? Bleaggh!” A reasonable concern, but you don’t have to worry about it. There will be PLENTY of dorkiness on Saturday night. We’re Delaware’s PREMIER acoustic dork-rock power duo for heaven’s sake! Have some faith in our dorkdom! We promise we won’t get all navel-gazey atcha. For example, Matt’s alter ego, The Suburban Legend, will be making an appearance, since we’re playing his song, “Yeah Baby.” See? NOT BORING. PLENTY DORKY.
  4. We’re going to be world-premiering a new song, possibly even two!
  5. Jill will introduce you all to her newest instrument: Her bass recorder. It’s an AuLos A533B, and it’s GORGEOUS. Wait until you hear this thing. Jill plays AuLos recorders.

    6. Anyway, if that isn’t enough to sell you, then we’ll hopefully see you at a different show this summer… there are many to choose from! But for now, I’m just gonna give you the all-important deets for this gig.

    DEETS:

    WHO: Just us. Hot Breakfast!. The Suburban Legend and Ji11.

    WHEN: Saturday, July 9th, 8-10PM. (Bellefonte’s shows used to be 7-9 back in the old days, but now under the new ownership they bumped it later. We dig it.)

    WHERE: Bellefonte Cafe, 804 Brandywine Blvd, Wilmington, DE.

    TICKETS: No tickets! It’s a free event, but it is a restaurant, and you need to justify your arse taking up a seat for two hours. So please order some food and beverages. Also: The band gets paid via tips, so if you feel so moved, please toss a buck or two into the tip jars judiciously placed around the space.

    PARKING: It’s all street parking; it’s a neighborhood. All free. No meters or anything.

    FOOD: They’ve got a full kitchen and bar, and everything is hand-made to order and delicious. They can handle all of your funky dietary needs, so don’t be shy.

    FACEBOOK EVENT: Here’s the Facebook Event Link, if you’re into that sort of thing. 🙂

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    We hope to see you at this show– We promise it’ll be nothing short of wonderful.

    Your pal,

    Ji11

     

     

Categories
Awesome-sauce Uncategorized

GIG: Monday, June 13th, 6:30-8:30PM: FREE outdoor show at Rockford Park in Wilmington, with Rachel Schain!

Is there anything better in the summer than a 79 degree day with no humidity and a gentle breeze? No, there isn’t… unless you add a blanket or lawn chair and free music to the mix!

image

That’s right! On Monday June 13th from 6:30-8:30PM sharp, Rachel Schain and Hot Breakfast! will provide two hours of fun, nerdy, dorky music for your listening pleasure.

We love outdoor shows!

Rachel will play from 6:30 – 7:15 or so, and Hot Breakfast! will take the stage immediately thereafter and play until 8:30PM.

You’ll need to bring a blanket or a lawn chair… and I bet a pic-a-nic snack or meal would be wonderful, too. And maybe some bug spray to be safe.

This all happens at Rockford Park, which is the park with the tower over by the Art Museum. (Don’t get it confused with Rockwood Park!)

We’re very excited to bring you some fun, breezy music, and we’re grateful the weather looks so perfect: nice dry ground, no rain or humidity in the forecast… just mid-70s temps and a delicious breeze, and fabulous music.

Rachel takes the stage at 6:30pm SHARP and will play about 45 minutes or so, and then Hot Breakfast! will take the stage and play until 8:30pm. Family friendly material!

Doesn’t get better than that. Really. (And best of all, the lightning bugs are starting to come out! Eeeeee!)

Did we mention it’s FREE?

See you tomorrow (Monday!) Night!

Your pal,

Jill-o

Categories
Thank you The Dead Milkmen Uncategorized World Domination

GIGS: May 20th & 21st: Hot Breakfast! is opening for The Dead Milkmen’s birthday bash at Bar XIII in Wilmington!

PINCH US! Yes, this is really happening– we are really opening up for The Dead Milkmen at their birthday bash on May 20th and 21st at Bar XIII Delaware! It’s quite possible Rodney and Dean wanted to watch us dorks get beat up for their birthday entertainment (or maybe they just wanted to use our house as a green room), but either way, we’re more than OK with (pretty much) whatever happens that night. (Just not in the face, OK?)
Seriously… thank you so much gentlemen for the opportunity! We’ll try not to embarrass you. 🙂 <3

Posted by Hot Breakfast on Tuesday, March 22, 2016

* * * DEETS:* * *

  • WHO: Your pals Hot Breakfast! are opening for punk legends The Dead Milkmen for their birthday bash! Also on the bill is Philly’s oldest punk band Decontrol!
  • WHAT: The Dead Milkmen celebrate both Rodney and Dean’s birthdays with two blowout shows on May 20th and 21st!
  • WHEN: May 20th and 21st, 2016. Doors open at 8pm. Music starts at 9pm sharp with Hot Breakfast! The event ends at 1am sharp.
  • TICKETS: 21+ with ID. $20. Buy your tickets NOW because they will sell out fast, and they won’t be available at the door. Get them here through Ticketfly. (Sorry, we won’t have comps.)
  • WHERE: Bar XIII (formerly Mojo 13, but you should see what they’ve done with the place!) 1706 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, DE
  • PARKING: Free parking is available at the venue and the adjacent Dog Groomers’ parking lot with additional overflow parking after 10pm at the Mexican restaurant next door. If you live in Philly, they are arranging a shuttle for $10 that leaves from 4th & Bainbridge at 6pm. More info behind the ticket link.
  • FOOD: The Plum Pit Food Truck will be there both nights, so bring yer dollars and an appetite, because they are TASTY! Bar XIII, as you may deduce from the venue name, has lots of drinks. 🙂
    • It's The Dead Milkmen's birthday bash!
    It’s The Dead Milkmen’s birthday bash!
    Categories
    Awesome-sauce Uncategorized theater

    GIG: March 29 & 30, 2016, 7:30pm: Philly’s Primary Stages (Bonus: Jill is acting in one of Matt’s plays!)

    The theme for this batch of 12 plays: "Ch-ch-ch-changes." Appropriately bittersweet, right?
    The theme for this batch of 12 plays: “Ch-ch-ch-changes.” Appropriately bittersweet, right?

    Philadelphia is known for having a great underground theater scene, and one of the driving forces is Philly’s Primary Stages. PPS is a “down and dirty script-in-hand staged reading series of new 10 minute plays” where playwrights get to see their new works up on their feet, and actors and directors get a fun, short project to jump into.  Audience members are bribed with beer, wine, sodee pop, bottled water, assorted chips, dips, vienna sausages and puddin’ packs (of which Jill is a fan).

    Philadelphia Dramatists Center; purveyors of fine Philadelphia theater since... well... a while ago.
    Philadelphia Dramatists Center; purveyors of fine Philadelphia theater since… well… a while ago.
    The format of these events is that the PDC gives area playwrights a theme or topic, and then they write a 10-minute play based on that theme. Then we all get together to watch them! This batch’s theme is “Ch-ch-ch-changes,” and playwrights can interpret and apply that theme to their new play in whatever way they like. If you’re feelin’ theatery, you could come both nights and see a dozen morsels of fresh, original theater. We can’t promise we won’t repeat any songs between the two nights, however… 🙂

    This month’s shows are happening on Tuesday March 29th & Wednesday March 30th. .  We play a 30-35 minute set beginning at 7:30pm, and then a 15-ish minute set at intermission. We also play the outro music for each play– songs that are hand-picked by the directors.  (The directors love to test us, so we’ve been asked to do everything from rap, Led Zep, play Sousa marches on kazoos, and even play TV theme songs. We never know what we’re gonna be asked to do for the out-tro music, but we have a blast retrofitting these songs for our dork-rock-duo instrumentation.) 

    And there’s gonna be a special treat one of the nights: Jill will be acting in one of the plays… and it happens to be a play that Matt wrote, called “Ernie is a Damn Hero.” You’ll get to see another side of Hot Breakfast! HOLY CRAPBALLS.

    DEETS:

    WHERE:  The Meetinghouse Theater inside the Community Education Center: 3500 Lancaster Ave. (sorta by 30th St Station) Philadelphia, PA 19104-4916

    WHEN: Tuesday March 29th & Wednesday March 30th. Doors open at 7:15ish, HB! plays at 7:30 sharp, the plays start at 8pm. Six different plays both nights, for a total of 12 plays over 2 plays.a
    CASH: $5 suggested donation, but nobody would be upset if you tossed in a few extra pennies.
    FACEBOOK EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/1201529906538846″ target=”_blank”

    For a measly five buckeroos ($5!), you get a night of terrific theater, snackies, pudding packs (Jill’s favorite!), beverages, and music.  What better way to spend a mid-week, springish evening, AMIRITE?

    See you then!

    Your pals,

    Suburban Legend and Ji11
    (a.k.a. Matt and Jill)

    Categories
    Uncategorized collaboration cool projects deep thoughts

    SUPPORTING GIGS: March 11th with Noelle Picara, and March 31st with Mark Thousands

    We love being Hot Breakfast!, Delaware’s premier acoustic dork-rock power duo. We love playing our songs, and we love our stage act, and we’re very lucky that we get to do what we do. Lately we’ve been getting to scratch a slightly different itch, by doing “support work” (also known as “utility playing”) where we are hired to bulk up other bands when they want a fuller sound in their live shows.

    You’ve probably seen us do this utility work when we add guitars and backing vocals to the normally guitarless Joe Trainor Trio, or when we play 47 different instruments in various tribute shows (Billy Joel, Queen, Pink Floyd, Genesis, etc.) Just last week, our heroes Glim Dropper asked us to bulk up their numbers at the Homey Awards so they could play some David Bowie tunes to close out the night, and we jumped on that! They told us the songs, and the first time we played through them was on that stage in front of the audience… and it was A RUSH.

    Some people get a rush by skydiving, skiing, or white-water rafting… but my kind of excitement is when professional musicians ask me to learn a song and then we play it live with next to no rehearsal. You rely on your talent (which you’re born with), your skills (which you hone over years of practicing and performing), and by opening a communication channel in your brain/heart which lets other musicians (who also know this unspoken and super-subtle language of musicians) communicate by feeling. Opening this communication channel is a very intimate thing– you’re letting people (people you admire, at that!) see your very core: they can see your skills and abilities, but also your shortcomings… where you were late on an entrance, where you were a touch sharp on a phrase. You’re very vulnerable there… but that’s also part of the rush because you need confidence to let people in. But hoo lordy though… when everyone’s plugged in, you’re part of this Borg-like collective… feeling who is leading a particular section, looking at each other to know who is going to take a solo, intuiting how we’re going to end this song that fades out on the album but we didn’t rehearse it… and sticking the landing.   That is the ultimate rush for me, and it’s also the ultimate honor– because performing that kind of feat (hopefully) looks easy, but it’s like mountainclimbing with a buddy. You have to trust them entirely, because up there you do NOT have time for guessing or missed turns. So when a pro asks me to work with them on that type of project, it’s a HUGE honor, because it means they trust me and they believe in my skills, and they know that I’ll have their back just like they’ll have mine. It’s a beautiful thing.

    In 2016, we have a bunch of supporting/utility shows and we are VERY excited about them! We actually have two in the month of March. The first supporting show is with Noelle Picara on 3/11, and the second is with Mark Thousands on 3/31. These are two musicians I respect very, very deeply. Noelle has a Masters Degree in music, and Mark has millions of worldwide touring miles under his wheels with his various bands.

    Is she flying or floating? YES.
    Is she flying or floating? YES.
    On Friday, March 11th at 7pm, Noelle Picara is having a record release show for her album “My Own Frankenstein” which is coming out on vinyl only. How cool is that? To commemorate it, she’s putting together a really interesting and exciting show (plus it’s also one of her only shows in Wilmington in 2016, so this is the time to see her if you’re in Delaware). If you missed any of Noelle’s shows in the last two years, or if you want a rerun, you can get all of the highlights at this one show: songs from the 2014 performance of Tori Amos’ Little Earthquakes, fun 80s covers from our sweeeet collaboration at the kickass Cooldog House Concert in December 2015, and new songs from Noelle’s original show “Alone With All of You: A Valentine’s Alternative.” In addition to us, Noelle’s band will also be augmented by Rachel Schain singing, Christina von Duyke on violin and voice, Sheila Hershey on cello and voice, Wes Morton on drums, and Sam Nobles on bass.

    DEETS #1:

    WHO: Noelle Picara and a bunch of people augmenting her band!
    WHAT: Noelle’s vinyl release show for her song “My Own Frankenstein.” She will have two opening bands and a rotating door of musicians to support her chameleon-like music!
    WHEN: FRIDAY, March 11th. The show starts at 7:00 with two opening bands, and Noelle is scheduled to start playing at 8:15ish.
    WHERE: World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE.
    TICKETS: Tickets are $10. Buy them online here, or at the door at the Queen.
    PARKING: There’s a parking lot on 5th, between King Street and Market, for $5. Best deal in town. Safe, comfortable, clean, guarded lot. FOOD: They’ve got a full kitchen and bar at The Queen, so come hungry and thirsty!
    FACEBOOK EVENT: Sure, if you’re into that sort of thing. Here it is!
     
     

    Let us pray...
    Let us pray…
    Our second utility show of March will be at The Bellefonte Cafe on Thursday, March 31st at 8PM*, and we’ll be supporting the jaw-droppingly captivating Mark Thousands. If you’ve never experienced Mark Thousands, we’re hoping you’ll come to this show and have your doors blown off. When you first see Mark, you see this very tall, lean man with ridiculously awesome hair and many, many, many intricate tattoos. Sometimes, caehand and finger and neck tattoos can sometimes be nature’s way of saying “Do not touch,” but in Mark’s case, it’s the symbol for “I have beautiful stories and grand secrets to tell you if you’ll kindly listen.” His guitar skills are satiny smooth (I LOVE his alternate tunings!), and his voice is this seamless instrument that likely spans three octaves with no break. His pitch is dead-on. He takes his music so seriously, and every single note and phrase is hand-polished until it glistens and gleams burning a hole in your retina. I don’t normally get super-jazzed about mostly slow, cerebral, confessional singer/songwriter guitar songs… at a Mark Thousands performance, I hang on every. single. word. He’s astoundingly wonderful. And what’s cool? He asked me and Matt to support him as he pays tribute to one of his biggest heroes: David Bowie. We’ll be doing some interesting and unusual arrangements of a few Bowie songs– songs you know, and songs you may not. I promise they will be captivating.

    DEETS #2:

    WHO: Mark Thousands and the spirit of The Thin White Duke.
    WHAT: This is Mark’s show 100%. We’re just adding voices and guitar and keys to a few of the David Bowie songs he’s including in his set.
    *WHEN:     THURSDAY, March 31st. The show starts promptly at 8:00. (Normally shows start at 7pm at Bellefonte, so Mark’s 8pm start time may change. It also may not… it ain’t my show, and it’s not my venue. 🙂 Either way, stay tuned, or just double-check here before you leave the house. I promise to keep this updated.)
    WHERE: Bellefonte Cafe, 804 Brandywine Boulevard, Wilmington, DE. 19809
    TICKETS: This is a free show, but musicians get paid when patrons stuff the tip jars. If you’re attending the show, think about how much you’d spend on a ticket and consider tipping in that ballpark.
    PARKING: There is plenty of free street parking in the neighborhood.
    FOOD: They’ve got a full kitchen and bar at Bellefonte, so come hungry and thirsty! If it’s been a while since you’ve been to Bellefonte, it’s under new owners, and they still have many things off Donna’s old menu, but the food comes out MUCH faster. 🙂
    FACEBOOK EVENT: Allrighty, if you must. 🙂 Here it is!

    We hope to see you at these shows! We promise they’ll be nothing short of wonderful.

    Your pal,

    Ji11

    Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Awesome-sauce Comedy gig SXSW Thank you The Big Reveal The Dead Milkmen Todd Chappelle Uncategorized interview music industry radio

    NPR INTERVIEW: Listen to Hot Breakfast! on WDDE/WMPH – Delaware’s own National Public Radio station!

    Look ma! We're on NPR!
    Look ma! We’re on NPR!

    The fabulous Cathy Carter reached out to us a few weeks ago asking if we could make time for an interview. We said “Of course!”

    We had the honor of visiting their studios on the campus of Delaware State University and not only chatting with Cathy, but also playing two songs live in studio. The purpose of the interview was to hype our upcoming Comedy Music Show this Saturday, 2/6/16 at 7pm (that’s tomorrow night, and it’s early!) at the Smyrna Opera House with Todd Chappelle and the Mean Wendy Band.

    So clicky the image below to be brought to the article written about us, as well as to hear our interview.

    DPMWebLogo

     

     

    Or you can just click this link here.

    Hope to see you tomorrow at our 7pm comedy music show at The Smyrna Opera House!

    Your pal,

    Ji11

    ps: And to the editor who works there: My good sir/madam, we owe you 17 fruit baskets and a TON OF LOVE AND HIGH FIVES for the way you edited our blathering stutteriness into something coherent. THANK YOU! Really. You’re the real MVP. xoxo!

    Categories
    Awesome-sauce Homey Awards Uncategorized

    Brother can you spare a vote?

    Voting is FUN!
    Uh, nice hammer.

    Hot Breakfast! just sent out our Winter News/Snoozeletter! If you wanna be on our email list, either drop us a line at awesomesauce at hot-breakfast.com (you need the dash in the address, but you know that since you managed to get to our website here), or you can click the link right above this post that says “Get on the Mailing List.”  We promise not to be spammy or annoying.

    In the meantime – it’s time to VOTE! And not for something silly, like who gets to be President, but for something that matters: the 2016 WSTW Hometown Heroes Homey Awards! Round One of the voting has begun, and that’s where you come in. You have until February 4th to complete your ballot – this will narrow down the nominees. And PLEASE: ONLY ONE BALLOT PER PERSON. (Really. They delete the duplicate votes; but we’ll look like monumental jerks if anyone tries voting shenanigans on our behalf. Really, please don’t.)

    And please take note: Hot Breakfast! is in the running in many categories. But while we’d love your vote, what we REALLY love is your honesty, so please, vote for your absolute favorites. There was so much great music released in 2015!

    Here’s all you have to do:

    1. Go to http://wstw.com/heroes/homeys-vote.php (or just click that link.)
    2. Enter your email address in the field.  (This is one way they make sure you’re only voting once per person… and PLEASE only vote once. All duplicate votes are deleted anyway, but ballot-box-stuffing also reflects badly.)
    3. Place your vote!
    We want you to be honest in your voting. Follow your heart. With that, we’d love your vote in any of these categories if you feel so inspired:

    Remember: you only have until February 4th to get your vote in. So give it some thought, but not, y’know, TOO MUCH thought. 🙂   You don’t have to vote in every category, but there are so many great musicians and songs in the Delaware Valley, so we definitely recommend tracking down some of these nominations. If you’re curious as to who we like to listen to, hit us up at awesomesauce@hot-breakfast.com! And if you’re a Facebooker, be sure to give the Hometown Heroes page a “Like.”

     
    Patriotically yours,

    Ji11

    Categories
    SXSW Uncategorized World Domination

    We’re heading back to SXSW, kids! (Deets TBA.)

    sxsw-music-logo-2016

    It’s that time of year again, when thousands of innovators descend upon Austin, Texas to share ideas through film, music, panel discussions, hands-on demonstrations, technology, visual art… all in hopes of changing the world and making it a better, safer, smarter, more creative place for everyone. We played here for the past two years were asked back. Yee-haw! We’re famous!

    We’re still waiting on the specifics re: when and where we’re playing, but keep your eyes peeled on this very post (we’ll be updating this entry), and as we learn more, we’ll keep you in the loop.

    So that’s the news for now, which we realize isn’t really news other than “Wheee! We’re going, and we know it’s official because we’ve been given plane tickets.” So we promise to keep you posted… stay tuned! Until then, we really hope to see you at one of these other performances we have dotting our calendar.

    Your pal in dork rock,

    Ji11

    Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Awesome-sauce The Big Reveal Uncategorized collaboration

    Our 2nd CD Release show: 12/5 near Dover/Smyrna, DE: Cooldog Concerts – with NOELLE PICARA!

    Noelle Picara + Hot Breakfast! = HOT PICARA! or Noelle Breakfast? Either way... WAY SEXY.
    Noelle Picara + Hot Breakfast! = HOT PICARA! or Noelle Breakfast? Either way… WAY SEXY.

    If you weren’t able to attend our CD release show at the Blue Ball Barn this past weekend, or maybe you want to hear those songs again with those same people– we have our SECOND and FINAL album release show — and this one is happening on 12/5 in Clayton, DE. Clayton is kinda near Smyrna and Dover. It’s smack in the middle of our small state, and it’s the perfect place for us to have our second record release show for “The Big Reveal.”

    This is in his HOUSE. Seriously. (And you thought you were cool because you had an XBOX 360.)
    This is in his HOUSE. Seriously. (And you thought you were cool because you had an XBOX 360.)

    If you’re from New Castle County, you might think, “Clayton? Why would I drive all the way to Clayton?” Well, because Clayton is home to a unique and exciting concert series that’s been going on for almost 15 years, called Cooldog House Concerts. What is it? I’m really oversimplifying here, but essentially: There’s a professional sound guy named Paul who basically turned his house into a performance venue. Really. We’re not kidding. It’s AMAZING. Like, it has a gorgeous stage (with a curtain!), 12=foot ceilings, venue seating, and a world-class sound system, fancy lighting, and everything! In his HOUSE. (I know! Amazing, right??)

    Cooldog is like an underground phenomenon, and he attracts musicians and bands from all around the WORLD to play at his place– it is famous for being comfortable, intimate, and FUN, and the best way to experience live music. It’s also a great way to meet fellow music fans as well as mingle with the musicians themselves. There’s even a pre-show pot-luck if you wanna eat with us before the music begins.

    We can’t give the exact address since it is some guy’s home, but when you buy your ticket, the precise address will be emailed to you along with your ticket. It adds to the mystery. It’s like a music speakeasy!

    We are sharing the bill with no other than Noelle Picara and her outstanding band, and we’re going to make it an 80s-themed night! So in addition to our bands’ own original music, we’ll each be adding a ton of 80s covers in there. So put on your best parachute pants and we’ll do this together. (Will Jill dress as Annie Lennox or David Bowie? Hmmmmm…)

    It is an HONOR to be asked to play at this venue, and we are thrilled to offer a second opportunity to everyone to dig our CD release show! Because there’s even a possibility Glim Dropper will make an appearance to bulk up our band again, too!

    Will it be a carbon-copy, song-for-song, of our CD release show? Absolutely not, and that’s why if you went to the Blue Ball Barn show you should also come to this one. But if you missed that show, you will still get to hear us in a rare, bulked-up format. We’ll have three backing singers so we’ll be doing “Going Your Way,” and bring a hanky because we’ll also be doing “Ten More Years.”

    Have we mentioned how cool it is to get to play here? This same stage that has been graced by some pretty huge names? WHEEEE! We’re excited! Come share the experience with us!

    DEETS:
    WHO: Hot Breakfast! and Noelle Picara (with her full band), plus added bonuses of Penny Carmack and Rachel Schain adding some rockin’ vocals to both our set and Noelle’s too!
    WHAT: It’s an 80s-themed night! Noelle will play a blistering set with her full band, and so will Hot Breakfast! as they release their new CD “The Big Reveal” to our lower-Delaware pals. When either band does covers, they’ll be 80s covers, babyyyyy!
    WHEN: Saturday, December 5th, 2015. Doors open at 6:30 with a pot-luck dinner. Bring a snack or dessert to share. Really. (If you have special dietary needs, bring what you know you can eat.) You should eat dinner before going to the show, though.
    WHERE: At Paul The Sound Guy’s House, somewhere in Clayton, DE. (Clayton is near Dover/Smyrna.) His exact address will be e-mailed to you once you buy your ticket(s).
    TICKETS: Tickets are $15 ($10 for ages 10-18 and also for active military) and MUST be pre-purchased. If you decide to bring a pal or two at the last minute, that’s cool… but at least one of you needed to RSVP in advance. (Otherwise how would you know where to drive to?) Get your tickets HERE.
    PARKING: There’s plenty of parking at his house.
    FOOD: Pot-luck dinner. Bring what you can eat, and eat what other people bring, too. More details about the food will be emailed to you.
    FACEBOOK EVENT:Tadaa! http://www.facebook.com/events/559771770838647/
    I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THIS IS A SLIGHTLY UNUSUAL KIND OF SHOW: No problem! Here’s the Cooldog Concerts FAQ. They know best.
    We really hope to see you there. This is a pretty big deal, and we’re so excited for the opportunity!

    Your pal,

    Jill

    Categories
    Awesome-sauce Uncategorized

    A billion, trillion thank yous.

    We got home a little after midnight last night, and I couldn't fall asleep and stared at the ceiling until after 6am…

    Posted by Jill Knapp on Sunday, November 15, 2015

    Thank you. Really. Thank you.
    Thank you. Really. Thank you.
    Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Awesome-sauce Awesoming Rocking The Big Reveal Uncategorized World Premiere collaboration news

    CD RELEASE SHOW for our new album: THE BIG REVEAL! Saturday Nov 14, 8PM (doors at 7)

    LADIES AND GERMS, THE TIME HAS COME. You’ve been oh so patient… and now we can REVEAL… this album that was in the works for 18 months, and that we are absolutely head-over-heels in love with: The Big Reveal. It’s time to CELEBRATE as we unleash this new album with a blowout show at The Blue Ball Barn at Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, DE.

    Artwork by Nathan Hardoin and Joe del Tufo. You're seeing it here first, kids.
    Artwork by Nathan Hardoin and Joe del Tufo. You’re seeing the album artwork here first, kids!

    We will be joined by Glim Dropper in this special concert event. After the awesome Glim Dropper opens the show, they’ll back us on several tunes, including brand-new songs from our new full-length album The Big Reveal! Other guests include Joe Trainor and Kevin Niemi (from The Joe Trainor Trio), Joe Testa Noelle Picara (from Noelle Picara’s band), the fabulous Penny Carmack, Rachel Schain, Rodney Anonymous (!!!), Todd Chappelle, and more. (Don’t worry – we’ll be playing lots as an acoustic duo as well. It’s what we do.)

    The doors open at 7pm so you can grab a beverage and some great post-dinner finger food from Bachetti Bros., and then the music starts at 8pm sharp! You’ll also be first in line to purchase The Big Reveal, the new album produced by Ritchie Rubini. The Big Reveal is loaded with original and highly eclectic rock n’ roll, a mix of styles from 70s “Mellow Gold,” analog synths of the 80s, blistering punk rock, and even rockabilly– all infused with that unmistakable Hot Breakfast! dorkiness you know and love. Guests on the album include Jake and the Stiffs, Angela Sheik, Cooke Harvey from The Splashing Pearls, and many more.

    Don’t miss this unique and incredibly fun night of music at one of Wilmington’s true treasures – The Blue Ball Barn, a historic museum at the new Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, Delaware. It’s a really cool space; you’ll dig it.

    DEETS:

      • WHAT: Our long-awaited CD release party for our new album The Big Reveal

     

      • WHEN: Saturday November 14th. Doors open at 7pm, music starts promptly at 8pm

     

      • WHO: Hot Breakfast! Glim Dropper, and pals!

     

      • WHERE: The Blue Ball Barn at Alapocas State Park: 1914 W Park Dr, Wilmington, Delaware 19803. (You’ve seen this place from Concord Pike about 1000 times and always wondered what it was. Now you’ll know!)

     

    CLICK THIS! It will help you find the place.
    CLICK THIS! It will help you find the place.
      • PARKING: Free parking in their lot.

     

      • FOOD/DRINKS: Please eat dinner BEFORE you show up. We won’t have dinner for you, merely snacks, because what’s a party without snacks? These are catered finger-food simple snacks (cheese & crackers, fancy fruit, little delicious desserty things) but this is a gig in a museum, not a wedding in a restaurant. 🙂 There will NOT be any substantial food for sale. Snackages are included in the price of your ticket and will be mostly available pre-show — from 7-8pm or until we run out. 🙂  Simple, non-boozy beverages (Water, iced tea, lemonade) are also included in the cost of your ticket. Beer and wine (only), soda, and bottles of foo-foo water will be available for (cash-only) donation.

     

      • KID FRIENDLY?  This event is not geared for kids, and we won’t be watching our language… but with that said, we don’t really drop many F-bombs anyway. Maybe 4th grade and up? You know your kid best, not us. As long as they won’t be distracting, go for it. 🙂

     

      • TICKETS: http://hotbreakfast.brownpapertickets.com  They are $20 each online, and will be $25 at the door if it’s not sold out. If you’re buying at the door, we will have the ability to take plastic. (The bar will be cash only, however.)

     

      • CDs: All of our recordings will be available at this show. 39 Summers and The Big Reveal are $10 each; our 2012 “HOT BREAKFAST!” EP (which includes “An Idiot for Christmas” will be available for $5. We can take plastic.

     

    That’s all the news!

    We are SO EXCITED to share this music with you. We worked on it for 18 months, and we think it’s worth the wait. We hope you’ll agree. 🙂

    See you soon!

    Your pals,

    Jill & Matt