RE: Bittersweets Record Release Show on 9/4/08

Dear Nashville Publicity Group - 

I hear you will be handling the press release for the Bittersweets' Sept. 4th record release show at the Rutledge. Congratulations in advance for getting involved in what will likely be the biggest thing to come out of the Music City since Elvis! I normally do all the band's publicity but they felt we should hire a professional this time because "it's a really big show!". (Apparently penning a Novella isn't enough to be this band's official pub guy.) Though I'm not a "pro" writer (whatever) I have very strong feelings about this project and intend to give you lots of great input. (No charge for my guidance and spice.)

As I said, the release party is September 4th, 8:00p.m. at the Rutledge - with Sarah Siskind and Mando Saenz. I would suggest using lots of exclamation points in the headline so it looks exciting!!! Then I would say this:

"The Bittersweets 'Goodnight, San Francisco' is coming out in September on Compass Records. It is produced by Lex Price and features many of Nashville's best musicians." Here you might hint at some names like Steve Earle, Emmy Lou Harris, Darius Rucker, etc. Don't say it directly because they weren't involved! Just a little whiff. You know the drill.  

Then talk about the band. Although I am an accomplished writer I have a hard time describing things on paper. I can never seem to get my... thinking thoughts... to convey... you know... Blah blah blah! So we'll need you to handle the band intros. Here are the deets on the peeps:

Hannah Prater:  

"That girl doesn't just SELL a tune - she drives it to your house and INSTALLS it for you!"  

Hannah's Uncle Carl (After the Harrisburg show)

Hannah's voice is just like... MAN! The only thing I can say is, like, "Aaaaaaaaaa!  HooooooWOW!" (Maybe you can describe it better.) Hannah also plays a wooden, box style (non-electric) guitar and she plays piano and she plays the guitar with a harmonica strapped around her neck - at the SAME TIME!!! (Please include that cool fact!)

Chris Meyers:  

Chris plays two piano keyboards - stacked right on TOP of each other - and also plays guitar (electric and wooden, box style), AND sings backdrop vocals. Chris is a molti-instrument player and, besides his great musicianing, happens to sing like a young Stevie Winwood! Not kidding! (Fit that in?)

Steve Bowman:  

When it comes to drumming this guy is like the best drum player of drum players. I would say he is as good as Neil Peart.  However, Steve sings backdrops and Mr. Peart does NOT. Hmmmmm. Does that make Steve better than Neil Peart? I don't know... (Fit it!)

Jeff Irwin:  

Have you ever heard of a real smooth guy who "plays his woman like a violin"? Well, Jeff does that on base guitar. He actually plays his base like a violin! Maybe you could make up a name for whatever you might call a lover/base player? Something like... Cassaplunka. Actually that's very good. Please include Cassaplunka. (I'll need to be credited.)   

At the end of the press release say something about giveaways and special event stuff. We're not really doing anything so don't be specific but people like freebies so slip it in there somehow. Also, try to get them to thinking "Merch" at the show. Merch is the band's code word for CD's and T-shirts. Not sure why "merch" but there you go. (Artists!)  

Thanks again for taking on this "gig", and for lowering your rate and for accepting a post-dated third-party check, etc. This is not a "rush job" but if we could have something today or tomorrow that would allow me to clean it up, fix whats broken, and get you crackin' on the next draft. I have my fingers crossed that after a few re-writes we'll know if we're headed in the right direction. 

Yaaaaaaay! 

Artie Fufkin

Director of Creativeness - Bittersweets

info@publiccitypublicity.com

P.S. This is going to be fun for you - AND - you will get great exposure!  :U  

"Bittersweets to Play Special Concert for People Under House Arrest" 

Nashville locals, the Bittersweets, recently got a taste of captivity when the band was trapped in an elevator at the Green Hills mall for a full 20 minutes. "It seemed like a lot longer than that." said Steve Bowman, drummer for the band. "Now I know what 'hard time' would be like."  

"It was tough," explained singer Hannah Prater. "But we never turned on each other."  

Chris Meyers, Bittersweets' keyboardist, explained how this scary encounter ended up becoming a huge benefit show. "The elevator experience was intense and got us thinking about how good we have it and how many people don't enjoy the same freedoms we take for granted every day. People in jail, for example. So we had an idea to do a big prison gig for the inmates, kinda like Johnny Cash."

The Bittersweets ran into a hurdle, though, when they discovered that they weren't the first Nashville band to have the "Prison Gig" idea.  In fact, the prisons were now booking three months in advance.  So the show was put to rest and the idea was forgotton.  That is, until the band's manager came across an article about the large number of people serving home detention in Nashville. 

"We found out there are thousands of people stuck at home every day under house arrest, so we decided to do a show for them instead." said Meyers.  "But we weren't sure how to pull it off because they're scattered all over the city and can't leave their houses."  

Then someone thought of a radio show.  What if The Bittersweets performed a concert on air that the prisoners could simply listen to in their own homes?  The band got in touch with local radio station Lightning 100 and pitched the idea.  

"The timing was really weird," says station event planner Dusty Rhoads.  "Earlier that week I'd had such a tight knot in my shoe I had to crash with the damn thing on.  I'd never done that before and it gave me a terrible night's sleep. When I woke up I started thinking about all the folks who wear electronic ankle monitors to bed every night. Two days later I get a call from this band who wants to put on a show for people under house arrest.  I mean... Pow!"   

The show will be broadcast live from 3rd and Lindsley on Sunday, June 15th at 8 o' clock.  Also on the bill is National touring act, Teddy Thompson.  "I've never been to jail," said Teddy from the road, "but I was trapped in a bad publishing deal once and I feel like I can relate." 

Teddy Thompson and The Bittersweets performing a live concert for people under house arrest at 3rd and Lindsley on June 15th?  That's welcome news to Nick Paulson - who is halfway into a three month home stint for a drunken warrant violation.  

"I'm a big Bittersweets fan," he said from his tiny living room, "they have a song on the first record called Prison that really struck a chord with me.  I guess cuz I was in Prison at the time."  Paulson shifted impatiently on the couch he's practically worn out during his latest incarceration.  "I wish I could BE there.  I love 3rd and Lindsley's ample parking and full dinner menu, but..."  He tapped his bulging ankle.  "I got ol' Beeper here."

If you would like see this historic event in person tickets are still available.

Special Concert for People Under House Arrest

Featuring Teddy Thompson and the Bittersweets

Sunday, June 15th, 8:00 p.m. 

at 3rd and Lindsley!  OR... 

Had a scrape or two? No big deal! Listen to the show on 100.1 FM.

Order tickets now for S.C.P.U.H.A.! at:

http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=277609

Band sites:

http://www.thebittersweets.com

http://www.myspace.com/teddythompsonmusic

We wanted to get to some pro reviews so we left our music on a few answering machines and asked people to call us back...  and they did!

The first message was from John Popper. He didn't speak but played a furious harp solo that told us all we needed to hear. He loves our music! Next was Phil Spector, who said our songs reminded him of "a young Dick and Karen." He went on and on. And then he started crying and it got kinda weird. But his sentiment made it through! Specifically, that Phil Spector thinks we're better than the Carpenters! Lastly we got a strange call back from an overly competitive Mariah Carey, who said "Nice voice but does she got's THESE? (squish!)" and then sent us a picture of a couple of sand dunes. Translation? She loves Hannah's voice! (Thanks MC!)

The pros have spoken and now it's your turn. Come to the show this week. Let us "kill you softly" with our song.  And when it's over, if you can honestly say it wasn't the best show you've ever seen in your life?... we will leave our gear onstage for charity and break up as a band right there on the spot. Come down and decide our future, but first ask yourself these questions: 

Can you handle the white hot intensity of 1000 suns? Can you stand the grip of choking despair? Can you handle these emotions back to back while drinking a long neck Bud? If you are looking for something that will send you staggering blindly into the night, grab your sunglasses and tissue and join us at 3rd and Lindsley this Thursday night! 

That's this Thursday, April 10th!

7:00 - ROMANTICA (Featuring members of U2 and Coldplay)

8:00 - The Bittersweets (Featuring members of the Bittersweets)

Bad news, folks. Due to the plague of illness that has wiped out Nashville we have been forced to cancel our 3rd and Lindsley performance tonight. Thanks to all of you who wrote to say you were coming. Thanks to the Dixie Chicks for their "back ups" offer (we were kidding about making you audition!) and to Marty Scorsese for suggesting we film it and make a movie. (...promise to watch that reel you dropped off, M.)