The People Will Survive

Hey y'all, Nato Coles here checking in with you. Damn, this social separation stuff has put quite a damper on playing live music, huh? Yeah, we've had to postpone literally everything we have scheduled. It's the right move, because the coronavirus is no joke.

But... the people will survive! That's literally the first line of the song "Corona" by The Minutemen.

We're all healthy, all us Blue Diamond Band folks. And we very much look forward to seeing you all again, once it's relatively safe to get together in crowds in dark, music-filled rooms! But until we get past the point where the pandemic would no longer overwhelm our medical infrastructure, we'll be taking a little time off from the live shows, as will pretty much every band. I'm still playing some livestreaming stuff, though - did you catch my set for Don Giovanni's all-day show just yesterday? It was pretty damn fun! (And the bloody mary, while not great, was pretty good - I made it, and I drank it, and it worked out just fine. Still, I miss my professional bartender buddies.)

I'll keep the web-blog-site updated as events warrant. One bit of news: we were booked to play Art-A-Whirl, but as of right now we don't know if that will happen in May, or another weekend this year, or at all in 2020.

So, stay healthy (wash your hands, avoid groups when you can), and I wish all my service industry and musician friends the best during these difficult times. There is help out there, financial and otherwise. And soon, whether May or July or later (hopefully not fuckin' later!), we'll be back onstage and playing our hearts out for you. And baseball will be back! So there.

Be excellent to each other, folks,

-Nato/the BDB

A Revue of Reviews of Flyover

Happy New Year, both Gregorian and Russian/Orthodox! (In my neighborhood, there are still plenty of people who celebrate both.) It's going on two months now since Flyover has been out, and reviews seem to have been very positive! Starting with the amazing longform from Faster and Louder blog, I've collected them here, in link form, and pulled a choice quote or two.

Use these links to impress your friends and family... and to impress UPON your friends and family that picking up a copy of Flyover (LP/download from Don Giovanni, CD from Rum Bar Records) is damn near mandatory if they like rock'n'roll! Cheers!

Faster and Louder - "Flyover demonstrates why I'm such a fan of Nato Coles and the Blue Diamond Band. It's an album full of memorable characters, compelling stories, and eternal truths - all presented in the context of great American rock and roll. This is an album that could be enjoyed equally by a Fest attendee and your (admittedly hip) grandfather. It's full of songs that remind us to savor the remarkable moments in our lives and take the time to get to know the people we encounter in this world."

Also Faster and Louder put Flyover in their Top 25 albums of 2019, and the band in general made their Top 10 bands of the 2010s!

New Noise Magazine - "...there are few modern groups playing today that can nail such a brilliant mix of classic and current guitar rock. The fact that the lyrics are as impressive as the music is a bonus."

Jersey Beat Magazine - "...ageless heartland throwback Nato Coles sings for the heroes, the outlaws, and the working men and women who like their rock loud and proud. A+"

And we made Jim Testa's Top 10 of 2019, woohoo!

Maximum Volume - "To brass tacks. Imagine if the Hold Steady were jamming with Thin Lizzy and Springsteen and The E. St Band. That’d be the best band in the world, right? Brother, put “Under The Flyover” on and tell me I am lying." 

(That would be a pretty damn good band! - ed.)

Voix de Grenoble - (this review is in French, so sorry but no pull quote this time! You'll have to translate it yourself. De rien.)

Stay free, friends,

-Nato/BDB