Maplewood & Friends at The Pines on 3.9.19

Maplewood will be performing at The Pines on March 9, 2019.

From the Press Release:

After writing a batch of songs around a bonfire of cannabis in Joshua Tree* and recording them in a shack overlooking the Pacific Ocean*, Maplewood’s self-titled 2004 debut featured members of Nada Surf, Sparklehorse, and The Hold Steady and included the moderate hit “Indian Summer,” covered by 70s heroes America. Spin declared Maplewood pioneers of a 21st-century Laurel Canyon resurgence and Magnet ranked their followup, Yeti Boombox, the #2 Americana album of 2009. Led by Steve Koester (Two Dark Birds) and Mark Rozzo (Champale, Bambi Kino), Maplewood will be joined by friends from upstate and down for a Rolling Thunder-esque night of jasmine jams and gemini dreams.

“Maplewood are one toke away from the cosmos and harbingers of a movement already afoot, prime contenders for the mantle yet to be bestowed by the giants:  Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and the ghosts of Gene Clark and Parsons on high.  Their music evokes a mythic (alternative) American pastoral of pleasant valley Sundays replete with Mayan hammocks swinging 'neath the flowering trees.  Makes you want to hit the highway and fly on the ground past the outer limits….”  

-- Pop Matters

*Brooklyn

Koester "Losers , Weepers" at Long Last

A new album from Koester out today... Say what? 

Somewhere back in the aughts before Two Dark Birds, I made three albums under the name Koester, all recorded at Sound Of Music Recording Studios in Richmond VA with the magnificent Al Weatherhead producing and the very fine fellows in Maki (Tim Buckley, John Daniels & Miguel Rodriguez-Urbiztondo) making the rock. The first two -- OH! TURPENTINE and THE HIGH HIGHS, THE LOW LOWS -- were released by Pitch-A-Tent Records and well received -- lovely reviews, college radio top ten, tours with some fantastic bands, etc.

The third album, LOSER WEEPERS, however, got caught up in the weeds. There were some shenanigans with a distributor, some money issues, and, well, it didn't quite make it out into the world. Mind you, this was 2005, just before proper social media and easy digital distribution. I then got distracted by Maplewood tours, starting a family, moving to the country, a new band, a new life, etc... And, well, now it's 14 years later. Time doth fly, no?

I always loved this album and I'm extremely pleased to finally be able to offer it to your ears. It’s on all the major digital platforms.

xo,
Steve

PS - The first two Koester albums will be re-released soon. Stay tuned.

DVEIGHT Mag on Bow

Singer/songwriter Steve Koester is at the nexus of @twodarkbirds, a band based on Pakatakan Mountain and veers towards guitar-led songs; Koester’s themes are grand. Two Dark Birds’ third album, Bow, is a song cycle “about openings and awakenings, about the spirit of nature and the nature of spirit.” Make of that what you will; it’s poised, structured, self-aware, ambitious. Bow was recorded in Woodstock, and like the previous two albums features drummer Jason Mills and guitarist/singer/engineer Don Piper, plus a shifting cast of other Catskills-based music. — @eddiebrannan 📷 @charliegrosss

Samadhi Benefit in Woodstock 1.27.19

On January 27, Two Dark Birds will be playing a brief set as part of the benefit for Samadhi, a mindfulness-based Recovery Outreach Center offering those impacted by addiction a multitude of free holistic services. We'll be joined by Simi Stone and host of other talented folks focused on bringing this to fruition.

For more info, visit samadhiny.org.

Two Dark Birds Debut - Now Available On All Digi Platforms

Our debut came out ten years ago (seriously) and is finally available on all digi platforms. “Strange and beautiful... it’s a record best heard with a beer in hand beneath a star-punched sky” said Nylon Magazine and, judging by the below vid, I spent a lot of time under star-punched skies at the time.

Many thanks to the fantastic freaks who created & performed the album with me: Don Piper, Craig Schoen, Jason Mills, Matt Trowbridge, Joe Bennett, Dave Baine, Joe Pisapia, Charles Bissel, Len Small, Jude Webre, Ben Wildenhaus and Joel Hamilton. 

LISTEN HERE >

Two Dark Birds + Mark Donato at Old Glenford Church

Join us at one our favorite venues, the Old Glenford Church on September 8. We'll be playing with with Mark Donato and his stellar band. Cupcakes provided by the brilliant Mor Pipman.

Show Details >

Two Dark Birds with Jesse Marchant & Sandy Bell in Kingston - June 22

Two Dark Birds will be playing with Jesse Marchant and Sandy Bell in Kingston NY on Friday June 22. 

Show info & tickets: http://bspkingston.com/event/jesse-marchant-2/