New York, NY (CITY CANYONS RECORDS) - It's going to be all treat and no trick when City Canyons Records launches a special limited release of The Velmas new album, "Station", on October 31 to select online and brick-and-mortar retailers with full national distribution beginning on January 2, 2007.
"Station" features three remarkable singer/songwriters who are helping to define American rock today. In fact, one might say-and The Velmas' fans often do-that The Velmas is "American for rock". Bassist Todd "Figaro" Minnick, guitarist Mike "Harvey" Grosshandler and drummer Michael "Bruce" Bruce have created powerful alternative rock colored by old-school to modern rock, punk, reggae and even country and classical. The listener will hear subtle echos here and there of a wide array of influences including Jimmy Eat World, Foo Fighters, Third Eye Blind, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins. The album is a follow-up to The Velmas' critically acclaimed debut album "Another Day at School" (2002) and an equally successful EP, "Recess" (2004).
The Velmas, based in Albany, New York have shared the stage with such national artists as Collective Soul, Vertical Horizon, Moe, Winger, Everclear and, most recently, Soul Asylum and have performed at highly-regarded venues and festival throughout the Northeast including, by way of example, the Oswego Harborfest 2004 and Larkfest 2003 and 2006. The band was recently voted as upstate New York's No 1 Best Local Alternative Band by the readers of the hip and popular Albany arts and entertainment publication, Metroland. The hugely popular band has an enthusiastic Street Team of well over 100 active members in 25 states and several different countries.
The release of "Station" by City Canyons Records follows close behind the label's October 3 limited release of 8 DAYS DOWN from popular soulful rocker Jen Elliott and her band Bluestruck and the September 5 limited release of "High School" by acclaimed alternative rockers The Alrights, all in the U.S., and City Canyon's September 18 full release in the UK of "slowburn" by English rocker's Anemo. The Alrights and Jen Elliott have just completed successful tours, scheduled to resume in early 2007, that carried those bands from the Dakotas to Florida to the Northeast while Anemo has garnered glowing British reviews and packed houses across England in support of "slowburn". Along with The Velmas, Jen Elliott, The Alrights and Anemo, the City Canyons roster includes such talents as Valerian, Sara Wendt, David Steele and Peter Ulrich and covers a range of genres from alternative rock, to hard rock to alternative pop to world fusion.
"Station" will be available beginning October 31 on CD Baby and at the City Canyons Online Store and other select online and brick-and-mortar retailers and after January 2 at Amazon.com and at local record stores. For further information on booking The Velmas, please contact Elaine Bower at Bower Booking at 212-938-2321. For review copies of "Station" and to arrange for press kits from, or interviews with, The Velmas, please contact Katherine Brodsky at 646-456-9847. The City Canyons Records website may be visited at https://www.citycanyons.com.
The release of "Station" will be supported by a tour of the east coast and national radio promotion on college and independent radio together with a national press campaign handled by a team of professional publicists. Tour stops scheduled to date, with many more to come, include:
Nov 2 2006, 7:00P
Redman's Hall (CD Release Party!), Johnstown, NY
Nov 3 2006, 9:00P
The Bayou Cafe (CD Release Party with The X's!), Albany, NY
Nov 4 2006, 10:00P
The Caboose, Gloversville, NY
Nov 6 2006, 8:00P
The Fire, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|39
Nov 9 2006, 10:00P
La Cocina, Pittsfield, MA
Nov 10 2006, 10:00P
Club Midway, New York, NY
Nov 17 2006, 8:00P
Milly's Tavern, Manchester, NH
Retailers:
National distribution for "Station" will be handled by Avalon Distribution in Orlando, FL. For further retail information, ask for Alan at Avalon at (407) 886-5697.
