Whirlpool
The Silent Comedy The spot has played on television and radio, as well as online and in movie theaters. When Hatfields & McCoys star Kevin Costner appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last week, the house band played the song’s main riff.
Silent Comedy bassist-vocalist Joshua Zimmerman says the gospel-tinged anthem—from the band’s 2010 album Common Faults—first caught the attention of the music-licensing advisor for Hatfields & McCoys last year, when “Bartholomew” appeared in ads for the video game Dark Souls.
Though he declined to say what they’ve been paid, he says it helped finance the new van they’re using on their current tour with South African pop-rockers The Parlotones.
“Advertising is what’s saving the lives of most bands in the world today,” he says. “We love it.”
Keep an eye out for Cholo Punks, a collective featuring the bands Shiva Trash, Northern Tigers, The Last Years, The Natives and Tijuana’s Electric Healing Sound. They’ve been playing lots of shows together lately, and now they’re turning into a record label. “It’s kind of like a gang mentality—we’re all looking out for each other,” says Northern Tigers guitarist-vocalist Aldo Bustos. Cholo Punks will celebrate its first release, a 7-inch by Shiva Trash, at Til- Two Club on Saturday, June 16.
Feline-themed duo Lion Cut will celebrate the release of a new music video and single, “Tiger Bomb,” at Tin Can Ale House on Friday, June 1. Proceeds from the door and merchandise sales will go to the World Wildlife Fund’s Save Tigers Now campaign. DJ unit Relax Baby Be Cool (Rafter Santos-Roberts and his wife Lizeth) will open.
Singer-songwriter Steve Poltz will play in honor of the release of his new album, Noineen Noiny Noin, at Anthology on Saturday, June 2.
Pirate band The Dread Crew of Oddwood will celebrate the release of a new album, Heavy Mahogany, at The Ruby Room on Saturday, June 2. Calefaction, Los SeaFinks and Toothless George will also play.
Email peterh@sdcitybeat.com or follow him on Twitter at @peterholslin.
