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39 Summers Awards Rocking Uncategorized World Domination videos

HOLY CRAP: A zillion thank yous! (Homey Awards nominations are in!)

I have no witty caption. It's almost 5:30am.
I have no witty caption. It’s almost 5:30am.
Folks, we owe you BIG. We asked you to send an email nominating us for some Homey Awards, and you all stepped up! Your efforts got us on the ballot, and thanks to you, judges are currently voting on who will win the 2014 Homey Awards… and we are on the list.

We are just flabbergasted and overwhelmed and overjoyed, all thanks to you!

OUR NOMINATIONS:

  1. Our May 2013 release “39 Summers“ is up for Album of The Year. We are so proud of our little album; we think it represents where we are as a band and what we’re about. The nominees in this category are out of this world though, and we don’t blame anyone for voting for John & Brittany or Angela Sheik. Their albums are absolutely fantastic.
  2. We’re also up for Best Band — how is this possible for a teeny duo? (Thank you!)
  3. Jill is up again for Best Lead Singer— HOLY CRAP! (Wow, I would absolutely love to win this again, but everyone else on the list is just fantastic. There’s no need to win it twice in a row. Gotta spread the love around!)
  4. Matt is up for Best Songwriter— I’ve always loved Matt’s songwriting, waaay before we were ever Hot Breakfast!. Perhaps it’s the fact that he’s a playwright; but he just understands lyrics like nobody else (and how I loooove a good internal rhyme!). His jazz and classic rock influences really shine through his sense of melody, harmony, and mood. It’s such an honor to sing his songs; I mean it. His song “You Were a Spider” is about redemption, but with the twist at the end, it just KILLS me, and I can’t get through it half the time without crying… but then we’ve got the funny stuff like “It Only Takes Two to Rock” and “The Garden of Bad Metaphors,” and that song that will haunt us for all eternity, “Hole in Your Pants.” Sometimes I worry that people just write us off as a novelty act, but hey… at least that meant they listened. 🙂
  5. Not helping our “silly band” case, our techno parody “This is Our Hit Song“ is up for not only Best Pop Song (how is that possible?!) but it’s…
  6. … also up for Best Collaboration thanks to our brother-from-another-mother Todd Chappelle giving us some, er, hip-hop cred. 🙂
  7. We’re also up for Best Live Act (This nomination makes makes us the most excited, we’ve gotta say)
  8. And our video, “An Idiot for Christmas“ is up for Best Video thanks to mastermind Kevin Regan.

Wanna see all of the nominations? Here’s a link to the complete list of nominees.

Music competitions are very strange to me; I don’t know how to quantify how music is “better” than something else. I really don’t care if we win anything… I’m just so genuinely honored to have even crossed anyone’s mind long enough to be nominated. 2013 was a very good year for us; it feels really nice that people noticed. 🙂

Thank you so much. Really. Thank you. We’re just floored. <3 <3 The 8th Annual Homey Awards Ceremony and Concert is being held on Friday, March 7th at World Cafe Live at the Queen. We will be in attendance, and we might even be presenting an award, who knows? Here's a link to the Facebook Invite — keep checking there to see who will be performing that night at the ceremony!
And here’s the tickets link. Only ten bucks!

See you there?

See you there!

Your pal,
Ji11

ps: Here’s what some of the music community was saying when I said something similar on Facebook… and even if you don’t have a Facebook account, you can still (likely) read the comments.

Post by Jill Knapp.

Categories
Uncategorized World Domination deep thoughts music industry

Feb 20-23, 2014: 2 Showcases at the Millennium Music Conference

The Millennium Music Conference is happening for the 18th time this year, but this year’s conference is special: It has 200% more Hot Breakfast! than it has ever had in past years.

Full disclosure: We tend to approach music conferences with a bit of skepticism. Questions like: “Why is a giant music conference in Harrisburg PA?” and “Why are we going to Harrisburg in the middle of winter?” and “Let’s face it: Music industry people are not going to be interested in two 40-year-olds with an acoustic guitar and a megaphone. Why are we going to this?” and “The two performance slots they gave us are both at Stupid O’Clock in the Acoustic Loser Lounge. If nobody is going to come see us, why are we doing this?” and “We’re not getting paid for these performances… in fact, we’re paying to play there. If our goal in 2014 was to try to make our living off of being musicians, isn’t paying to play counter-intuitive?” and “All of the correspondence we’ve received from the Millennium people have been misspelled, difficult to decipher, and not exactly confidence-instilling. If they can’t pay for a proofreader, how seriously are they taking this?” and “If you google the conference, the only articles written about it are for local community newspapers. If no big newspapers or music industry or pop culture magazines seem to cover it, it’s clear we’re not going to get any press… so why are we going?” and “In addition to the showcases we’ll be playing (to nobody) in the evenings, we can attend conferences during the day to learn things we kinda already know.”

And to be honest, we don’t have good answers to those questions.

So fuck it. We’re not going.

Continue reading “Feb 20-23, 2014: 2 Showcases at the Millennium Music Conference”
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Ass-kicking Gigs Uncategorized theater

GIG: Philly’s Primary Stages, Feb 11 & 12, 2014, 7:30pm, Philadelphia

Boy oh boy, winter is in full swing, isn’t it?  And sometimes the only way to prepare for being snowed in for a few days is to get out of the house while you can!   On your way to get yet another round of milk, bread, and eggs, why not swing by the Meetinghouse Theater (it’s over by 30th St. Station) and see five brand-new 10-minute plays? Sure as hell beats watching Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on your couch, which is what you’ll be stuck doing after this storm hits. Get out while you can! And just in time for Valentine’s Day, the theme of this batch of plays is “Heart Attacks, Too” which celebrates the bumpy side of love.

image
Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow... (Don't stop!)

Just as Delaware is known for having a great acoustic dork-rock power duo scene (if you consider Hot Breakfast! a scene) (as we certainly do), 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.

We Hot Breakfastians come from pretty strong theater backgrouns ourselves, so we love getting to split our time between being on stage as pre-show and back-stage as the house-band/soundtrack.

This month’s shows are happening on Tuesday, February 11th and Wednesday, February 12th.  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.) 

We’re trying something a bit new this time around!  For our Wednesday night show, we’ll be completely unplugged… no amplification at all, as we get back to our theatrical roots and fill the room with our voices and a guitar… no mics, old-skool. (If you ever want to hear Jill get on a mighty rant, ask her how she feels about schools giving student actors mics during their musicals. A teaser: “How about maybe you teach students proper singing and voice projection technique instead? ARGH!”)

There are five or six different 10-minute plays each night, so 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, however… 🙂

DEETS:

WHERE:  The Meetinghouse Theater inside the Community Education Center: 3500 Lancaster Ave. (sorta by 30th St Station) Philadelphia, PA 19104-4916
WHEN: Feb 11th & 12th. Doors open at 7:15ish, HB! plays at 7:30 sharp, the plays start at 8pm. Different plays both nights!
CASH: Five bucks donation… feel free to give more if you’re so moved.

For a measly five bucks ($5!), you get a night of terrific theater, snackies, beverages, and music.  What better way to spend a mid-week, mid-winter  night?

See you then!

Your pals,

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

Categories
Ass-kicking Gigs Uncategorized

GIG: Friday, Jan 31, Roxy & Dukes (Dunellen, NJ) with GAS HOUSE GORRILLAS, 8ish

Ladies and gentlemen, if you’re 21 or older, we would like to take you on a wild ride.

A ride to the craziest bar east of the Mississippi. (Um…New Jersey is east of the Mississippi, right? Geography was never our strong suit.)

Yes. Yes, it is.
Yes. Yes, it is.

That’s right…we are headed to Roxy and Dukes in Dunellen, New Jersey on Friday, January 31st. And while there, we are going to open for a bunch of swingin’ hepcats that are guaranteed to get you up on the dancefloor…the GAS HOUSE GORILLAS. That’s right…punk rockabilly is gonna meet acoustic dork-rock for one crazy night.

You might ask what a couple of dorks are doing in such a cool place. Even Roxy and Dukes’ website cover photo looks like it wants to take our lunch money, doesn’t it? Well, you can rest easy, because Roxy and Dukes is as friendly as it gets. They’ve got great beer, wonderful food, and a terrific, inclusive attitude.

Besides, it’s a special night. We’re not only gonna dork-rock out and then dance ourselves silly, we’re gonna celebrate the birthday of a good friend of ours. We’re talking about…CRUSHER!

That's us, on the left.
That’s us, on the left.

NO, NO. Not that guy. THIS GUY:

Now THAT is one cool cat.
Now THAT is one cool cat.

Now THAT is worth celebrating. That there’s Crusher Carmean, the bass player, and we’re celebrating his birthday! So come on out to Dunellen on Friday. It’s gonna be a wonderful night, filled with music, dancing, and laffs, especially considering the other opener is the adult-themed comedy act Otto & George (link NSFW).

Remember: this one’s for the 21 and older crowd. So if that’s you…we’ll see ya in Jersey.

DEETS:
WHO: Hot Breakfast!, Otto & George, and the Gas House Gorillas
WHEN: Friday, January 31. Hot Breakfast! goes on 8-ish, we think.
WHERE: ROXY AND DUKES, 745 Bound Brook Road, Dunellen, NJ Here’s the map.
PARKING: Yep! Good-sized parking lot, and some street parking.
FOOD & DRINK: They’ve got food, and they’ve got drink. Looks tasty, too.
TICKETS: $10 at the door.

It’s wild, daddy-o! Get your boots on and flip the grip – it’s gonna be fat city! (Or…something. Just come.)

Love,
Matt (The Suburban Legend)

Categories
39 Summers Awards Awesome-sauce Uncategorized World Domination music industry radio

We need you! VOTE in the 8th Annual WSTW Homey Awards!

We salute you.
We salute you.

It’s Homey Awards Season ladies and gentlemen, and now is the time when we beg you to nominate us for an award or two. We know it’s gross; we know it’s shameless. But we’ve worked really hard throughout 2013, and we’d love to be recognized for some of it. Can you blame us? Even the most ego-secure people need validation every once in a while.

This time, we’re asking you to vote in the 8th Annual WSTW Homey Awards (the link goes to a Facebook Note that lists the categories and nominees you can choose from, but don’t worry, you don’t need a Facebook account to view it). This is where you get to vote for all your favorite Delaware musicians, bands, songs, albums, and videos from this past year.

And as you most likely know, 2013 was an amazing year for Delaware music.

How do you do it? Simple. Just send an email to Homey (at) wstw.com with your picks between now and February 7nd, 2013. All of the categories, eligible albums, EPs, and songs are listed on that Facebook Note, but you don’t need Facebook to vote – and you can even add your own categories in your email. Because this is the preliminary round, you can pick up to five nominees in any category, but you only get one email entry per person… so make it good!

As hey, as it turns out, your pals Hot Breakfast! are eligible for this round’s voting! We’d love it if you’d consider us for:

  • Album of the Year: “39 Summers,” Hot Breakfast!
  • Song of the Year: “We Are Not Cool” and “Defender,” Hot Breakfast!
  • Band: Hot Breakfast!
  • Lead Singer: Jill Knapp of Hot Breakfast!
  • Live Act: Hot Breakfast!
  • Comedy-Music Artist: Hot Breakfast!
  • Best Songwriter: Matt Casarino, Hot Breakfast!
  • Best Rock Song: “We Are Not Cool” and “Defender,” Hot Breakfast!
  • Best Alternative Song: “Defender,” Hot Breakfast!
  • Best Collaboration: Hot Breakfast! and Todd Chappelle, “This is Our Hit Song”
  • Best Pop Song: “This is Our Hit Song,” Hot Breakfast! and Todd Chappelle
  • Best Video: Hot Breakfast, “An Idiot for Christmas” (Kevin Regan, dir.)
  • Best Producer: Ritchie Rubini (for Hot Breakfast’s “39 Summers”)
  • Best Engineer: Ray Gagliardino< (for Hot Breakfast's "39 Summers")/li>
  • Best Studio: Studio 825 (for Hot Breakfast’s “39 Summers”)

…and any other category where you think we deserve a nod!

If you’re very trusting (or just lazy), scroll down and copy/paste our pre-written nomination note and email it over to homey@wstw.com. See how helpful we are?

But tell you what, friends – even if you DON’T vote for us, we still want you to vote. There are so many wonderful musicians in Delaware – the original music scene here is as active, essential, and vibrant as ever – and this is a great way to show some love to your favorites. We are so indebted to WSTW’s Hometown Heroes for their wonderful focus on, and commitment to, Delaware music, and hosting these awards is a great way to give recognition to the many, many wonderful artists in the area.

So vote, won’t you? Again, in this preliminary round, you can vote for up to five artists/venues in each category. And all of them will love you and find you wildly appealing.

Why? Because VOTING IS SEXY, that’s why.

Your fellow Americans,
Hot Breakfast!

* * * * * * * * *

IF YOU’RE LAZY AND/OR TRUSTING, PLEASE COPY/PASTE THIS TEXT INTO AN EMAIL AND SEND IT TO HOMEY@WSTW.COM

– – – – – – – – – BEGIN COPYING HERE – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Hi! I’d like to nominate the following acts for the Homey Awards. Thank you!

  • Album of the Year: “39 Summers” by Hot Breakfast!, “Start Sinning” by John and Brittany, “One by One” by Angela Sheik, “Morning People” by Todd Chappelle, “Better Late than Never” by The Keefs
  • EP of the year: “Wrong Decision” by Brene Wilson, “Soul” by The Honey Badgers, “Nature Tunes” by Em McKeever, “Dismantled” by RKVC
  • Song of the Year: “We Are Not Cool” by Hot Breakfast!; “Defender” by Hot Breakfast!
  • Band: Hot Breakfast!
  • New Artist: WaveRadio
  • Male solo artist: Dan Orlando; Brene Wilson
  • Female solo artist: Angela Sheik; Noelle Picara; Rachel Schain; Jessica Graae
  • Lead Singer: Jill Knapp of Hot Breakfast!; Dan Kauffman of Glim Dropper
  • Best Producer Ritchie Rubini
  • Best Songwriter: Matt Casarino of Hot Breakfast!
  • Guitarist: Ben Geise (Glim Dropper), Chris Malinowski (The Collingwood), Colin McGetrick (WaveRadio)
  • Bass player: Kevin Niemi (Joe Trainor Trio), Dan Kauffmann (Glim Dropper), Joe Testa (Noelle Picara), Ray Gagliardino
  • Drummer: Jeff Dement (Joe Trainor Trio), Rob Schnell (Glim Dropper), Ritchie Rubini, Jeff Dombchik (Lori Citro), Kenn Koubek (The Keefs)
  • Keyboardist: Joe Trainor (Joe Trainor Trio), James McGlaughlin (WaveRadio)
  • Live Act: Hot Breakfast!
  • Rock song: “We Are Not Cool” by Hot Breakfast!, “Defender” by Hot Breakfast!, “Talkin’ to a Wall” by The Keefs, “Zzzoloft” by John and Brittany
  • Best Alternative Song: “Defender” by Hot Breakfast!
  • Folk/Americana artist: The Honey Badgers; Halley/McKeever/Palko; Jessica Graae
  • Best Collaboration: Hot Breakfast! and Todd Chappelle, “This is Our Hit Song”; and Angela Sheik and Dante Bucci
  • Best Video: Hot Breakfast, “An Idiot for Christmas” (Kevin Regan, dir.); Angela Sheik, “My Turn”; Wave Radio, “Out of Reach”
  • Best live music venue: World Cafe Live at the Queen, Arden Gild Hall, 1984
  • Best original music concert/event of the year: Wilmo Rock Circus
  • Comedy-Music Artist: Hot Breakfast!; Todd Chappelle
  • Best Pop Song:: “This is Our Hit Song,” Hot Breakfast! and Todd Chappelle
  • Best Engineer:: Ray Gagliardino
  • Best Studio:: Studio 825

– – – STOP COPYING HERE. 🙂 PLEASE PASTE IT INTO AN EMAIL TO HOMEY@WSTW.COM. THANK YOU! – – –

And yes, sincerely… thank you. We love you, and are so grateful for your support!

Categories
Ass-kicking Gigs Awesome-sauce Uncategorized radio

GIG: Saturday, January 18, Le Grand Fromage, Atlantic City, NJ, 8:00

Yep…that’s a lot of beer. We can handle it. We’re professionals.

New Jersey…we’re comin’ for ya.

And no amount of politically-motivated lane closures is gonna stop us.

Thanks to the good people at Philadelphia Music Coalition and Little House Booking, your pals Hot Breakfast! are part of this incredible bill of rockin’ bands on Saturday, January 18th. The night includes some of our favorites, including The Magnificent Birds of Prey, The Lost Will Follow, Amber Ladd, Terrible Friends, and more. That’s right…there are ELEVEN BANDS playing on two stages. And every one of them will melt your face off.

Le Grand Fromage is a rockin’ bar on Gordon’s Alley in Atlantic City. They specialize in craft beers and some of the most diverse music acts on the East Coast. And on Saturday the 18th, they’ll be servin’ up some Hot Breakfast!

The night kicks off at 8:00pm with The Last Great Hero on the downstairs stage. We’ll open the upstairs stage at 8:20pm, and play until 9:00. The two stages will be rockin’ out until 1 in the morning – and Rocker’s Dive Radio will be there as well!

Speaking of Rocker’s Dive Radio… if you can’t attend the show, you can listen for free! Just tune in online, and we’ll be the first band you’ll hear. We’re excited, and so grateful for everyone’s effort to pull together such an epic, hard-rockin’ show!

So come on over to AC with us. We’re hungry for some cheese. Some BIG cheese.

DEETS:
WHO: Hot Breakfast! with Magnificent Birds of Prey, The Lost Will Follow, Wave Radio, Amber Ladd, Terrible Friends, The Last Great Hero, For What it’s Worth, Ego Alien, Angry Bears, and Lila
WHEN: Saturday, January 18. Doors open at 7pm; first band starts at 8pm. Hot Breakfast! goes on at 8:20pm.
WHERE: La Grande Fromage Nightclub: 25 Gordon’s Alley, Atlantic City, NJ 08041. Here’s the map.
PARKING: Looks like there’s free street parking.
FOOD & DRINK: Not sure about food, but they’ve got a great bar and some incredible craft beers.
TICKETS: $10 at the door.
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/events/1379939555589655/
LISTEN LIVE FROM HOME: Rocker’s Dive Radio: http://www.rockersdive.com/

Rockin’ with the heat of a thousand suns,
Matt (The Suburban Legend)

Categories
Ass-kicking Gigs Uncategorized World Domination

GIG: Saturday December 21st 8PM at Melodies Cafe with JEWMONGOUS!

Sean Altman is: SHARING A BILL WITH US.
Sean Altman is: SHARING A BILL WITH US.

It was just after the new year in 2013 when we played a snuggly, dork-rockin’ show at Milkboy Coffee. Since then, a lot has changed… we’ve released our CD, Matt went through puberty, and Milkboy Coffee changed their name to Melodies Cafe. It’s still the same wonderful venue with the same terrific staff; they’ve just got a new name.

And… DUN DUN DUN… they’ve asked us to come back.

Turns out JEWMONGOUS is in town, so who better to share a bill with than another all-caps band?

Who is this JEWMONGOUS, you ask? Remember Rockapella, that amazeballs a cappella house band for “Where In The World is Carmen SanDiego?” Their founding member, Sean Altman, has formed a new group called JEWMONGOUS… and on this magical Winter Solstice night, we will share a freakin’ amazing stage. Jews, goyim, non-theists, dorks, rockers… we come together as one in dorkitude. Aaaaaaaa-maaaaaayn.

DEETS:
WHO: Hot Breakfast! and JEWMONGOUS
WHEN: Saturday, December 21st, 2013 at 8pm.
WHERE: Melodies Cafe (formerly known as Milkboy Coffee): 2 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA, 19003. (Transit friendly!)
PARKING: There’s a lot next door.
NOSHES: Of course! And some of the best coffee around, too.
TICKETS: $15-18. Get tickets here: http://www.melodiescafe.com/event/377285-hot-breakfast-sean-altman-ardmore/
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/events/1379939555589655/

See you there? See you there!

Your pal,

Ji11

Categories
Awesome-sauce Uncategorized videos

The Christmas Video is done! WOOT!

I'm totally shopping, I swear.
I’m totally shopping, I swear.

With loads of gratitude to Kevin Regan, Georgie Staley, Julie Snow-Regan, and YOU, our zillions of patient extras… we are thrilled to announce that the video is complete and we’ll be releasing it on Sunday, December 1st! (That’s today! So here it is!)

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO…

We are SO excited about this video! It took us a year to make since it had to span three seasons: Summer, Fall and Winter. (Nuts to you, Spring!)

A brief timeline:

  • December 6 2012: Kevin Regan left us a voicemail pitching the idea of shooting a video for our song “An Idiot for Christmas.” He envisioned it being shot over the course of a year, with the shots corresponding to the seasonal lyrics.
  • December 2012: Brainstorming, planning, storyboarding
  • January 2013: Waiting patiently for snow!
  • Early February 2013: We had a snowstorm finally, so we grabbed the shots about scraping off the windshield and heading to the mall while we had snow on the ground. Snow angels happened, hot cocoa was sipped while staring wistfully out the window, and light-up Santa hats and glittery eyeliner were donned.
  • July 28: We shot our outdoor baseball game scenes at Brandywine High School
  • August 3-4: We headed to Rehoboth Beach, where the wonderful Georgie Staley taught a bunch of wonderfully talented and gung-ho people a 16-bar dance routine. We were SUPER-excited that our filming day just happened to coincide with the annual sandcastle contest at Rehoboth Beach, so Matt was able to steal a shot in front of one of the award-winning sandcastles! We also grabbed shots of skee-ball, bumper cars, ice cream eating, Gravitron barfing, and beaming kids with beach balls.
  • August 21: Uncle Henry’s Creepy BBQ in Media PA. Kevin Niemi played a delightfully creepy Uncle Henry… that shot of Kevin staring into the camera cracks me up.
  • August 24: We shot the swimming pool scenes at Kevin’s folks’ place. (Thanks, Momma Regan!)
  • September 16: We shot some concert footage at 1984 in Wilmington, recruiting Jeff Dement on drums and Randy America on bass. We also begged some friends to come watch us play through the song a few times to make it seem like people like us. 🙂
  • October 12: We grabbed some autumnal shots at Linvilla Orchards, and some Halloween footage (featuring a horrifying Guy Fieri and Phantom of the Opera) in West Chester
  • November 24 2013: We wrapped it all up on November 24th at the Christiana Mall, just as soon as the Christmas decorations went up.

    It was a whirlwind, and also pretty fun trying to play with the continuity between the shots. (What color is Jill’s hair this week?)

    Like the song? download it for free by clicking here.

    Yes yes, we know it’s hella schmaltzy. From the midi drums and gratuitous jingle bells to Jill’s prissy over-pronouncing of words and loungey delivery, it doesn’t get cheezier than this. The irony of all this is that Jill reeeeaally hates shopping (which also makes her a commie terrorist)… but hey, we’re not above stooping this low in hopes of getting on WXPN’s holiday compilation. 🙂

    So… let’s see how many stupid YouTube Comments we can get. Maybe we can turn it into a drinking game. Everytime someone comments using any of these words, take a drink:

    • OLD
    • LAME
    • DUMB
    • STUPID
    • STRONGBAD
    • O_o
    • RON PAUL 2012

    It’ll be a party! 🙂

    No seriously.. we are really proud of the video, and we’re so happy you were all a part of it; whether on camera, in spirit, or even now just by watching it, reading about it, and spreading the word. Many, many, many heartfelt thanks to you all, and especially to Kevin Regan. Now go watch his series of web series: The Clink, The League, OK?

    Your pal,

    Ji11

    • Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Rocking Uncategorized World Domination World Premiere

    GIG: Comedy Music Night with Dave & Brian, Todd Chappelle, and HB!: Sat Nov 16th, 8pm at the Kennett Flash (Kennett Square, PA)

    I have nothing to add.
    I have nothing to add.
    It was a warm summer night in 2012 when two outstanding music comedy bands and one dork-rock duo took the stage at the Kennett Flash and brought the place down with laughs, groans, shouts, and musical silliness aplenty. And thanks to some lovely people persistently nudging the Kennett Flash for another round, we’re doing it again! We’re PUMPED!

    We’re lucky to have the same wonderful lineup as last year: Dave & Brian, Todd Chappelle, and little ol’ us.

    Dave & Brian are not just your typical everyday acoustic guitar/glockenspiel duo. These guys are absolutely BRILLIANT, and when you see their live show you can see why they have a national following. Their music has been featured on NBC’s “The Today Show,” NPR’s “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” show, and even on FunnyorDie.com where their songs “The Dork Anthem” “Red Rover” were both deemed Funny (no easy feat). When we saw them for the first time last year, our jaws were on the floor and our sides were aching from laughing so hard. Not only are these guys funny, but they’re so damn polished. Their material is silly, smart, quick, and edgy, while still being mostly clean (but never prudish).

    Todd Chappelle is our brother from another mother, whose song about “Doritos” literally, no exaggeration here, made Jill cry because she was laughing so hard. Todd is not only a tremendously funny guy, but his voice is just gorgeous and so versatile, too. He’s known for his “how the hell did you write that song so fast” parodies on timely news topics– most notably his Fiscal Cliff song that borrowed the melody from Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian.” That song was played on radio stations all around the country at the end of 2012, and even wound up on Fox News along with an interview from the guy from Night Ranger. Todd is very much in demand, playing up and down the east coast to huge audiences. We love him very much.

    And of course you know who we are… Hot Breakfast is Delawares premier acoustic dork-rock power duo, and also the least funny band on the bill. But what we lack in comic chops we more than make up for in dorkiness. BUT: We have new material for you, exclusively for this show! Hear a newly-updated song called “Facebook Status Update,” and we’ll be world premiering our first foray into EDM (electronic dance music) with a new techno song called “This is Our Hit Song,” featuring Todd Chappelle. It’ll be a night of big laughs, and we hope you’ll come.

    The event is happening at The Kennett Flash, which is a 150-seat intimate venue with great sound, comfy table seating, a light menu… and it’s a BYOB establishment. We love the vibe there, and we’re very happy to be playing there again with these very talented musicians.

    The evening’s festivities start at 8pm. There is no opening band– we’re all opening for each other. (So get there on time, is what we’re saying.)

    DEETS:

    WHO: Todd Chapelle, Dave & Brian, and Hot Breakfast! trade sets for a night of PG-13 comedy music
    WHEN: Saturday, November 16th, 8pm
    WHERE: The Kennett Flash– 102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, PA 19348 484-732-8295.
    TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased online for $15, or for $18 at the door.
    PARKING: You can park in the teeeeeeeny lot behind the venue (it fills up fast), or you can park on the street– there’s plenty of parking.
    FOOD: The Kennett Flash serves light fare– sammiches, snacks, drinks. It’s also a BYOB establishment, so they charge a corkage and a glass fee. There are about a zillion wonderful places to get dinner in Kennett Square, so if you’re looking for a bigger meal, get into town early.
    FACEBOOK EVENT: Click here!

    Hope to see you there– it’s going to be a really fun (and funny!) night!

    Your pal,

    Ji11

    Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Uncategorized World Domination newsletter

    Hot Breakfast Autumnal Update

    What? You don’t receive our Snoozeletter Newsletter? Well then… sign up here! (Or, just click below to read it here on the site.)

    Continue reading “Hot Breakfast Autumnal Update”
    Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Uncategorized free download

    MATT’S SOLO GIG: Friday, October 18, World Cafe Live at the Queen, 7:00

    It’s been over three years since Matt has played a show without Jill. That’s a long time.
     

    Matt had a slightly different look going back then.

     

    So when the fabulous Jeremy Hebbel of Gable Music Ventures asked him if he wanted to play at their monthly Singer/Songwriter Showcase in October, Matt wasn’t sure what to do. On one hand, he’s been a singer/songwriter for many years before Hot Breakfast! formed, and he has three solo albums to his name: 1996’s Local Hero, 2007’s Songs for the Earthbound, and 2010’s All This Life. So it ain’t like he’s never played a solo gig before. But on the other, he loves his current position as “the one who plays guitar” in Delaware’s Premier Acoustic Dork-Rock Power Duo; since Hot Breakfast! formed, Matt hadn’t even considered playing a solo gig. Anyway, after days of teeth-gnashing, hand-wringing introspection, he asked Jill what she thought he should do.

    “Just take the gig,” she said.
     

    "Now go away. Can't you see I'm busy?"
    “Now go away. Can’t you see I’m busy?”

     

    So on Friday, October 18th at World Cafe Live at the Queen, Matt will proudly join Big Tusk, Brooke DiCaro, Canyon, Robin Renee, and The Sun Flights for a night filled with singer/songwriter goodness! The show kicks off at 7:00pm – each artist will take two 15-minute sets. This is an incredibly diverse lineup of artists from Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey – there’s gonna be some wonderful music going down. And it’s at the Queen, which means GREAT DRINKS and DELICIOUS NOMS.

    Now, Matt still isn’t sure what songs he’ll be performing, but none of them will be in the current Hot Breakfast! catalog. And rumor has it, he’ll be performing two songs for the very first time. That’s right – even if you’re deeply familiar with Matt’s music catalog (hi, mom!), he’s going to play two songs you’ve never heard before.

    So come on out to the Singer/Songwriter Showcase at World Cafe Live at the Queen! Remember…the show starts at 7:00, and dinner reservations are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. You can make ’em by calling (302) 994-1400 or by visiting OpenTable.com. Yep – you can make dinner reservations simply by clicking a few buttons, because we live in the future.

    DEETS!

    WHAT: October Singer/Songwriter Showcase at World Cafe Live at the Queen
    WHO: Matt Casarino, The Sun Fighters, Robin Renee, Canyon, Brooke DiCaro, and Big Tusk.
    WHERE: World Café Live at the Queen (upstairs), 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE, 19801.
    WHEN: Friday, October 18th, 7:00. Not sure who is playing when, but each artist will play two 15-minute sets.
    TICKETS: $8. Purchase tickets here or call (302) 994-1400. Dinner reservations are strongly recommended in addition to your ticket purchase. All tickets are General Admission.
    FOOD/DRINK: Full menu (yum!) & bar service, and a super-friendly waitstaff.
    ACCESS: All ages! The Queen is wheelchair accessible. Parking garage next door, but street parking is free after 6:00.
    FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE: Of course we’ve got a Facebook Event Page!

    Since you’ve made it this far, here’s a free download for you! It’s “Gods of Gossip,” a cut from Matt’s album All This Life. Enjoy! (To download, click the “Soundcloud” icon – that’ll take you to the download page. Feel free to share!)
     
    [soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/115397252″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

    Thanks everyone – I’m terribly excited about this show, and I’d love to see you there!

    Love,
    Matt (the Suburban Legend)

    Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Uncategorized World Domination

    GIG: Monday, September 30, World Cafe Live (Philly), 7:00

    "There! A UFO! You guys see it too, right?"
    “There! A UFO! You guys see it too, right?”

    We’re gonna keep this brief.

    All the way back in May, we took our act to World Cafe Live in Philly for their Philly Rising Open Mic Night. The good people of World Cafe Live must have liked us, because we were selected the winners of the evening. They they invited us back for the Philly Rising Showcase in July, in which we performed along with all the other weekly winners in May.

    And guess what? We won that night, too!

    We could get into a whole diatribe about how odd it is to “compete” against other musicians, especially when the Open Stage hosts so many different styles of music. But we’re not gonna do that. Instead, we’re gonna invite you to the Philly Rising Open Stage on Monday, September 30th, where we will be the Featured Artist of the night.

    What’s this mean? It means that after the host (and our pal) Boy Wonder kicks things off and several incredibly talented musicians perform ten-minute sets, we will do our dork-rock thing for a half-hour (starting around 8:15). And then, you’ll get to see even more talented musicians do their thing.

    The best part: it’s all FREE. The Philly Rising Open Stage is a fantastic weekly showcase of musicians, some experienced, some brand-new. Hot Breakfast! is a big fan of open-mic nights; we’ve gotten some gigs through them, but more importantly, we’ve seen some wonderful musicians and met some great people. Sure, come for the Hot Breakfast!, but stay for the rest of the entertainment – it’s sure to be a great night. Plus, the noms are tasty and the drinks are plentiful – what’s not to love?

    – – – – –

    DEETS!
    WHAT: Hot Breakfast! at the Philly Rising Open Stage at World Cafe Live (Philly)
    WHO: Hot Breakfast!, Boy Wonder, and a bunch of fabulous open-mic musicians
    WHERE: World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
    WHEN: The evening starts at 7pm. Be there by 8pm to hear Hot Breakfast!
    COVER: No cover! It’s free!
    FOOD/DRINK: Heck yes! WCL has a great menu and a full bar.
    PARKING: They don’t have a garage, but you should have no problem parking on Walnut Street after 6:00.
    FACEBOOK EVENT: Right here.

    Thanks y’all – this’ll be our last public show for a month or so. We’re taking a little time off to work on DOMINATING THE WORLD er, like, our tans and stuff.

    Love,
    Matt (the Suburban Legend)

    Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Uncategorized

    GIG: Thursday, September 19, World Cafe Live at the Queen with RKVC & Todd Chappelle

    These guys here? These guys are Rod Kim & Vince Cirino. Together, they are RKVC.

     

    Clearly, someone fed them after midnight.*

     

    Earlier this year, they put out an EP called We Got Tonight, and it’s chock-full of chunky pop hooks, big choruses, and synthy goodness. But they weren’t done – a few months later, they recorded and released a nifty acoustic version of the same album, so you can hear the songs in a completely different format.

    RKVC is celebrating their collective birthday (both Rod n’ Vince were born in September), and we’re gonna help them out with a Pandora-sponsored bash at World Cafe Live at the Queen on Thursday, September 19th along with our good friend and brotha from anotha motha, the mighty Todd Chappelle. Todd just happens to have a brand-new live album of his own for sale, and hoo boy, is it wonderful – Todd is a talented songwriter, a wonderful singer, and a hell of a comedian.

     

    And his eyes will melt your heart. Swoon.
    And his hazel eyes will melt your heart. Swoon.

     

    So come see us all at the Queen on Thursday night! The show starts at 7:00 – Todd will kick things off, we’ll take the stage around 7:45, and RKVC will start at 8:45 and pop till they drop (or until they kick us out – it is a school night, after all). It’s kid-friendly, mother-approved, and a part of this complete breakfast. And it’s gonna be a blast!

    DEETS!

    WHAT: RKVC’s Birthday Bash at World Cafe Live at the Queen
    WHO: RKVC, Hot Breakfast!, and Todd Chappelle.
    WHERE: World Café Live at the Queen (upstairs), 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE
    WHEN: Thursday, September 19th. Todd kicks it off at 7:00, we go on around 7:45, and RKVC headlines at 8:45.
    TICKETS: $10 Purchase tickets here or call (302) 994-1400. Dinner reservations are strongly recommended in addition to your ticket purchase. All tickets are General Admission.
    FOOD/DRINK: Full menu (yum!) & bar service, and a super-friendly waitstaff.
    ACCESS: All ages event. Wheelchair accessible. Parking garage next door, but street parking is free after 6:00.
    FACEBOOK EVENT (IF YOU LIKE THAT SORT OF THING): Why, it’s right here.

    You say it’s your birthday,
    Matt (the Suburban Legend)

     

    * Yes, I know those are Yoda ears, not Gremlin ears. Picky, you are.

    Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Uncategorized World Domination

    GIG: Wednesday, September 18, Jolly’s Dueling Piano Bar (Philly) with Joe Trainor Trio

    September has been one crazy month for your pals Jill and Matt. And it’s just gonna get crazier.

     

    Not that crazy.

     

    We kicked things off a day early, August 31st, with a terrific outdoor gig in Middletown, Delaware. A week later, we played another outdoor show, a benefit for MS research, and met some wonderful people while raising money for a great cause. Then, of course, it was time for In the Light Presents “Queen at the Queen,” a massive concert featuring the music of Queen performed with an 8-piece band, a 6-person chorus, and 18 members of the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware.

    Normally, that’d be enough for any month. But September isn’t just any month…it happens to be the birthday month of many of our favorite people, including one Mr. Joe Trainor.

     

    He's on a boat.
    Hi, I’m Joe Trainor. Ask me about boats.

     

    And this calls for a celebration.

    So we’ll be playing with the mighty Joe Trainor Trio on Wednesday, September 18th – Joe’s actual birthday – at Jolly’s Dueling Piano Bar in Philadelphia, PA. For only $5, you get to rock out with two 93.7 WSTW Hometown Heroes Homey-Award winning bands as we celebrate the birthday of the guy who helped give us some of our very first gigs, all the way back in 2009.

     

    Some people still prefer our earlier work.
    Some people still prefer our earlier work.

     

    So please come on out to Jolly’s on the 18th. It’s a Wednesday night, and believe us, nothing makes Thursday and Friday more bearable than a mid-week dose of great beer, great people, and lots and lots of ROCK.

    DEETS

    WHO: Hot Breakfast and the Joe Trainor Trio
    WHAT: Joe Trainor’s Birthday Celebration at Jolly’s Dueling Piano Bar
    WHERE: Jolly’s is at 3801 Chestnust St, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (215) 222-1232. Click on these words for directions.
    WHEN: Wednesday, September 18. We go on at 8:00; the Joe Trainor Trio follows at 9ish.
    WHY: Because ROCK, that’s why. Also, because birthday!
    COST: $5 cover charge.
    FOOD & DRINK: Hell yes, food & drink. They’ve got a full bar, an amazing beer selection, and yummy noms, including 35-cent wings.
    ACCESSIBILITY: Fully accessible. Lots of parking on the street (you should be able to park on the same block), and meters only go until 8:00.
    FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/events/119417978233349//

    With Birthday Love,
    Matt (the Suburban Legend)

    Categories
    Ass-kicking Gigs Benefit Uncategorized

    GIG: 9/7/13 – 12 hours of music to benefit MS Research! Aqua Sol, Bear DE

    LivingWithMSMultiple Sclerosis sucks. My sister has it. You don’t want it. Each year I try to do a little something to raise money for the MS Society in her honor; I’ll either Bike to the Bay, I’ll do the MS Walk, or during lazy years I’ll send ‘em a check. For the last few years we’ve been able to contribute in an even cooler way: by playing music in a sweeeeet all-day music festival at a wonderful spot: Aqua Sol Restaurant.
    If you haven’t been there before, Aqua Sol is pretty neat. It’s got foodie-quality food with a Cuban flair, really good drinks, and a South Beach vibe. It’s right on the water, and their giant deck is on the marina. It’s the perfect place to start the process of saying goodbye to summer. A mojito on the water? Don’t mind if I do!
     
    For the past few years, the wonderful John Smith (of The Acoustic Jam fame) has been putting on this remarkable event, which raises an impressive amount of money (and awareness) for Multiple Sclerosis and the search for new treatments and a cure. John puts his heart into this event, and you’ll never meet a more fun and welcoming atmosphere. $15 gets you 12 hours of music on the deck (or inside the groovy restaurant if it rains)– how can you beat it?
     
    The live music starts at noon and goes all the way until midnight. We take the stage at 6PM, and we’re the last band to play before Barrel House Blues plays a marathon 5-hour set. INSANE! (And insanely good, too.)

    There’ll be a special guest artist this year, Ms. Kristie Salerno Kent, who will be performing and promoting and signing her new book during the event. She’s living with MS and was officially diagnosed in 1999, but when you see her perform you can tell she’s kicking MS’ ass with her ROCK.

    They’re keeping things easy this year and selling tickets at the door only… and they’ve dropped the price, too. This year tickets are only $15, which is pretty incredible.

    Here’s the band lineup as we know it… please note that times are a little loose.

    Kona Shame — 12:00 PM
    The Acoustic Jam — 1:00 PM
    Kristie Salerno Kent — 2:00 PM
    Time Warp — 3:00 PM
    Billy and Friends — 4:00 PM
    Katalyst — 5:00 PM
    Hot Breakfast — 6:00 PM
    Barrel House Blues — 8:00 – Midnight!

    Here’s a link to the Facebook Page for the event– you don’t need a Facebook account to see it, just in case you want to learn more about the other sweeeeeet activities (poker!) happening as part of the event.

    DEETS:
    WHO: A bunch of bands, including Hot Breakfast!
    WHAT: 3Rd Annual Music Extravaganza: Living with MS
    WHERE: Aqua Sol Restaurant; 3600 Summit Harbor Place, Bear, DE 19701 (302)365-6490. Or, if you’re coming by boat, just head to the Summit North Marina.
    WHEN: Saturday, September 7th, 2013. 12pm to midnight! (We play around 6pm.)
    WHY: To raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research and support. It’s important, you guys
    TICKETS: At the door only; $15.
    OTHER STUFF: Yes, they will also be having their poker crawl as well, so if you’re the bettin’ type, bring a few bucks for that.
    CONSIDER: Bringing sunblock for the daytime, and some bug spray for the evening.
    FOOD: There will be food and drink specials all day, with a portion of your tab going to the MS Society.
    FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/events/117344251806136/

    Hope to see you there– it’s a Hot Breakfast! tradition.

    Your pal,

    Ji11

    ps: We have an all-day rehearsal for the Queen show, so we won’t be arriving until right before our set, and we’ll have to duck out right after. Just so ya know.