tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85978323392053452622024-03-14T05:15:07.236-05:00Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond BandCheck out our website: www.natocoles.comNatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-38567900618773284002021-08-14T16:36:00.001-05:002021-08-14T16:36:03.682-05:00Nato Coles Dot Com<p>Check out our new website: <a href="http://www.natocoles.com">www.natocoles.com</a></p><p>Hi everybody, just a short note to let you all know that we're discontinuing this blog/website for Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band news and updates.<br /><br />In the future, all newsworthy Nato Coles stuff will be posted at www.natocoles.com. We're building it up, slowly but steadily. Keep an eye on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/natocolesmusic" target="_blank">Nato Coles artist page</a> as well for new posts.</p><p>Cheers!</p><p>-Nato</p>Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-20555322044601645252021-05-07T22:03:00.003-05:002021-05-07T22:09:29.297-05:00The Return Of Shows!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSm9qf4ayY1O6TSivoq305_tpLfBTfrgy2yWpp94RffP0kgzacxdaLYVpnW91p6OpDvMRZ7VhVfi-if9MesaT69i1wqLlGxj_6MhmRORNvwKEKdUpK9B2fpDNMIz-qQUyc3dkYpQSHlVy/s1008/natotreespeakstoop.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1008" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSm9qf4ayY1O6TSivoq305_tpLfBTfrgy2yWpp94RffP0kgzacxdaLYVpnW91p6OpDvMRZ7VhVfi-if9MesaT69i1wqLlGxj_6MhmRORNvwKEKdUpK9B2fpDNMIz-qQUyc3dkYpQSHlVy/s320/natotreespeakstoop.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Hello, people! The Blue Diamond Band are 100% vaccinated against Covid-19, and we hope you are too. What this means, of course, is that we can all get together again, and we've been booking shows through the summer of 2021 and into the early autumn. Would you like us to play somewhere near you? Drop us a line at natopaisano@gmail.com and we'll see what we can do!<br /><br />And in not-exactly-specific news, I'm typing this from a recording studio just north of Minneapolis (I'm pictured outside it above), where we've been working on our latest thing. What will it be? Or what will THEY be? Soon, we'll know, and soon after that, you will too... if you keep on keeping up with Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band news. Anyway, we hope to see you soon!</p><p>-Nato</p>Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-56886094916145024342021-03-22T14:46:00.017-05:002021-03-22T14:53:40.673-05:00One Year Later<p>Hi, Nato Coles here, and still here. So far.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPxUPY8gxJu9jyxyAv8B05jW9H6OhJZXTss5-_7tG7SShPH20h2Ep0dKTNdJzqCVf0NWawXS6-qdzx4AADNPoi927rNKtbd0lBds2bEZB8rbaDSLy93VAhZYeg6AkIKd_k-wR2iMyyYS4/s2048/lascrucesvaqueros.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPxUPY8gxJu9jyxyAv8B05jW9H6OhJZXTss5-_7tG7SShPH20h2Ep0dKTNdJzqCVf0NWawXS6-qdzx4AADNPoi927rNKtbd0lBds2bEZB8rbaDSLy93VAhZYeg6AkIKd_k-wR2iMyyYS4/s320/lascrucesvaqueros.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />The last time I updated this website, it was late March 2020. Remember back then? Nobody had any idea how the future was going to unfold (not that anyone ever does, really), and nobody knew what form the pandemic would take. How many lives would be lost. How incoherent and incompetent our response to the pandemic would be. Specific to a band website/blog: nobody knew how music would look in 2020 (though we suspected live music was going to be a dicey proposition for at least awhile), nor how bands would survive and carry on. Nobody knew, but now we know, and we did survive.<br /><br />In fact, the Blue Diamond Band played a couple shows outdoors late last year, in a friend's yard adjacent to a mosque parking lot, and the mosque was very happy to let people stand in the lot and see some live music, safely. Thanks, mosque (I won't reveal the name, just because, but trust me, they were very very cool)! And we've recorded some new songs and odds and ends (most notably our cover of Little Richard's "Rip It Up", which we humbly suggest was <a href="https://www.punknews.org/article/73736/media-democratic-for-the-people-release-compilation" target="_blank">the song that got Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff elected</a> in Georgia)(due to an issue with the rights to some of the music, the compilation is not currently available), which will one day see the light of day, I guarantee.<br /><br />It was frustrating and. perhaps moreso, depressing that we had our new album Flyover come out in the late fall, and then begin dreaming of playing across the country and bringing our rock'n'roll action to our fans out there, only to have everything shut down. But perhaps, in 2021, some amount of road tripping might could happen with Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band? I'm betting on it. So, stay tuned, folks. We've got some plans, and we're very excited to tell you about them! I wish I could right now, actually, but with vaccines still going into arms, we're not quite ready to announce anything beyond our upcoming show at Palmer's in Minneapolis, on their patio stage.<br /><br />So, keep yourselves healthy and safe, wear a mask or face covering when you're supposed to, and get those shots, people! For what it's worth, the Blue Diamond Band members are. And as always, be excellent to each other - we hope to see you soon!<br /><br />Love,<p></p><p>-Nato Coles (& the Blue Diamond Band)<br /><br />p.s. GO BREWERS!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9w64-iLu3As7QVNO2dDj1uQzfEAEcj5NP5WkIyT1xoYVK88FMuAE0JYIfvjkFFen9eurljOnrIZABOyLJbgFPssCOorz0lLQfHZh2iBsXlrmwuEfilHRJyOluAsQd_OnlXgwa-GQRcizv/s1456/mauibrewers.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1456" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9w64-iLu3As7QVNO2dDj1uQzfEAEcj5NP5WkIyT1xoYVK88FMuAE0JYIfvjkFFen9eurljOnrIZABOyLJbgFPssCOorz0lLQfHZh2iBsXlrmwuEfilHRJyOluAsQd_OnlXgwa-GQRcizv/w321-h241/mauibrewers.jpeg" width="321" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-18941410333349072092020-03-24T22:05:00.002-05:002020-03-24T22:06:47.085-05:00The People Will SurviveHey 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.<br />
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But... the people will survive! That's literally the first line of the song "Corona" by The Minutemen.<br />
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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.)<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Be excellent to each other, folks,<br />
<br />
-Nato/the BDBNatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-58732556287543437422020-01-08T16:45:00.003-06:002020-01-08T16:47:27.735-06:00A Revue of Reviews of FlyoverHappy 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.<br />
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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 <a href="https://www.dongiovannirecords.com/products/652763-nato-coles-and-the-blue-diamond-band-flyover" target="_blank">Don Giovanni</a>, CD from <a href="https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/flyover" target="_blank">Rum Bar Records</a>) is damn near mandatory if they like rock'n'roll! Cheers!<br />
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<a href="https://fasterandlouderblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/nato-coles-and-blue-diamond-band-flyover.html?m=1" target="_blank">Faster and Louder</a> - "<i style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Flyover</i><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"> 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</span><i style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"> </i><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;">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."</span><br />
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Also Faster and Louder put Flyover in their <a href="https://fasterandlouderblog.blogspot.com/2019/12/f-l-best-of-2019.html?m=1" target="_blank">Top 25 albums of 2019</a>, and the band in general made their <a href="https://fasterandlouderblog.blogspot.com/2019/12/my-ten-favorite-bands-of-2010s.html?m=1" target="_blank">Top 10 bands of the 2010s!</a><br />
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<a href="https://newnoisemagazine.com/album-review-nato-coles-and-the-blue-diamond-band-flyover/?fbclid=IwAR2xVEcD3B99FOWVxHf1dGwWpVAeCwylPt4d1hDhJWhtOT5oRv3FAUUAFiU" target="_blank">New Noise Magazine</a> - "...<span style="background-color: white; color: #616161; font-family: "lato" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">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."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #616161; font-family: "lato" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://offshelf.net/2019/12/18/column-punk-rock-scouting-report-9/?fbclid=IwAR1qRoqbCsfL8WZr_o86aOC_UYL3DphWZcNAOmnm-3aOLEAd78wZp_pZBJg" target="_blank">Jersey Beat Magazine</a> - "...<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lato" , "lato" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">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+"</span><br />
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And we made <a href="http://offshelf.net/2019/12/26/best-of-2019-jim-testa/?fbclid=IwAR3W5s_rknaDdBtaPY1aufAnFUkSAOdU53E1h42gqTlnq9qzzSFfOjg0JGc" target="_blank">Jim Testa's Top 10 of 2019</a>, woohoo!<br />
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<a href="https://www.maximumvolumemusic.com/review-nato-coles-and-the-blue-diamond-band-flyover-2019-2/" target="_blank">Maximum Volume</a> - "<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">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? </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Brother, put “Under The Flyover” on and tell me I am lying.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lato" , "lato" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">" </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lato" , "lato" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lato" , "lato" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">(That would be a pretty damn good band! - ed.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://voixdegaragegrenoble.blogspot.com/2020/01/chronique-jaybirds-nato-coles-toni.html" target="_blank">Voix de Grenoble</a> - (this review is in French, so sorry but no pull quote this time! You'll have to translate it yourself. De rien.)<br />
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Stay free, friends,<br />
<br />
-Nato/BDB<br />
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<span style="background-color: #539bcd; color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-72731187178038349742019-12-02T12:44:00.000-06:002019-12-02T13:43:50.413-06:00Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band on tour!Hey, y'all! We're hitting the road to the Northest US and back to spread the Flyover gospel the only way we know how - check out the list of tour dates, and if you don't see your city zone mentioned, be advised that we will be making every effort to visit you in 2020. Allright!<br />
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Wednesday 12/4 - Chicago, IL - The Owl<br />
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Thursday 12/5 - Pittsburgh, PA - Howler's<br />
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Friday 12/6 - Long Island, NY (Bethpage) - Mr. Beery's<br />
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Saturday 12/7 - Asbury Park, NJ - House of Independents (opening for The Ergs!... this show is sold out, apparently)<br />
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Sunday 12/8 - Queens/NYC, NY - Windjammer<br />
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Monday 12/9 - Boston, MA - O'Briens<br />
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Tuesday 12/10 - Rollinsford, NH (near Dover) - Sue's<br />
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Wednesday 12/11 - Baltimore, MD - The Sidebar<br />
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Thursday 12/12 - Columbus, OH - Cafe Bourbon Street<br />
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Friday 12/13 - Cincinnati, OH - Northside Yacht Club<br />
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Saturday 12/14 - Carbondale, IL - PK's<br />
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Sunday 12/15 - St. Louis, MO - Fubar<br />
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All shows start at rock'n'roll thirty o'clock pm. Any more details you need... use The Google (tm)! Or an alternate search engine of your choice.<br />
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We'll have copies of Flyover on LP and CD for sale, along with a few other merchandise items you'll dig! OK SEE YA LATER,<br />
<br />
-Nato/BDB<br />
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<br />Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-6101212862480100532019-10-01T16:01:00.003-05:002019-10-02T20:06:54.097-05:00Flyover!<b>HUGE NEWS: Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band are happy to announce that our second full-length studio album - Flyover - will be released to the world on Friday November 15th of this year!</b><br />
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That wonderful front cover was painted by the incredible Pierrette Montone, and we are so floored by how it turned out. (That's Cranberry in the fringed jacket!)<br />
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It's a ten song LP, five per side. Right now, we're streaming our first single off it: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXtN5ljvkQQ" target="_blank">L.P.'s Yard</a>, a song concerning the metaphorical afterparty at the end of the universe (or at least Gainesville Fest). You'll wanna check that out TODAY...<br />
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Flyover will be a <a href="http://www.dongiovannirecords.com/" target="_blank">Don Giovanni Records</a> release - DG-181 if you want specifics. You can <a href="https://redeye.ffm.to/natoflyover" target="_blank">preorder it on vinyl or any digital platform here</a>, as well as find it out our own <a href="https://natocoles.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">bandcamp page</a>. I say act fast! Supply is limited! But of course, you'll be able to pick it up from the best record stores (as well as our merch table at shows) after November 15th. A version will be released on compact disc in the near future as well, via Rum Bar Records (the label we've worked with for CDs before).<br />
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Don Giovanni is one of the best indie/punk/whatever labels around, having released amazing records for many years now for artists and bands such as Screaming Females, Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires, Mikey Erg (hi Mikey! We can see you from across the discography!), Sheer Mag, Laura Stevenson and the Cans, Dusk, and more, going all the way back to the early-mid 00's when I happened to meet a bunch of funny, amazing weirdos in a band called The Ergs! from a town called New Brunswick, New Jersey*. Ahh, glory days, well, they'll pass you by... but then you wind up on the same label as the guys who used to be in The Ergs!'s new bands, and hey, what's new?<br />
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(*technically I think we met in Chicago at the Fireside Bowl? And technically I think they were from places like Old Bridge, Sayreville, Perth Amboy, maybe Newbridge NJ... you tell me, Joe, Jeff, and Mike)<br />
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Here's the complete track listing:<br />
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1. Under The Flyover<br />
2. L.P.'s Yard<br />
3. Michelle Of The City<br />
4. Phoenix, Arizona (1989)<br />
5. Milo And The Bars<br />
6. Demolition MAn<br />
7. Standing On The Corner Alone<br />
8. The Roadrunner<br />
9. Disposable Camera<br />
10. The Avenue Of The Saints<br />
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We are SO excited for you all to hear this thing! In the way that happens, we probably took a little too long between the making the first 95% of the record and the final 5%. But I guarantee you, we stuck the landing, and on November 15th you will know what I'm talking about! (There's going to be a second single in a few weeks' time as well. Did I just bury some kind of lede? Eh, who cares.) Note that this record was made by the lineup of the band from 2017, which means our current bassist Matt didn't play on it - Bill Rohla handed bass duties, and we thank him for that. And that's why there's an image of Bill in Pierrette's great painting, not Matt!<br />
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The record release party is Saturday November 16th at the Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis. That'll be followed by regional shows, and then a tour to the northeast and east coast in December, so we'll keep you posted and you stay tuned allright? Allright! Cheers, everybody! See ya soon,<br />
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Nato & the BDBNatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-18888083358497826032019-09-04T12:09:00.002-05:002019-09-04T12:09:34.604-05:00New song - Celina Vacilando!We've got a new song for your listening pleasure courtesy of Motorcycle Pot Luck Records, who previously put out "Dangerous" and "Midnight In Memphis" on a split cassette with State Drugs.<br />
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And so, what are you waiting for? <a href="https://motorcyclepotluckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/because-we-still-can" target="_blank">Check out "Celina Vacilando!"</a><br />
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It's on a comp called Because We Still Can, which is top to bottom real cool, so you'll want to do some digging in to that, too!Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-199000775441271192019-08-22T15:15:00.003-05:002019-08-22T15:15:34.278-05:00People Get Ready...Hi folks, here's a very short update to let y'all know that despite having not posted news since April, there have been BIG THINGS brewing behind the scenes. Stay tuned in early September for a huge announcement regarding Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band!<br />
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Hope you're having a good summer! We have been...<br />
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That is all.Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-23398512607257966362019-04-12T17:06:00.000-05:002019-04-12T17:06:10.830-05:00"Dangerous" and "Midnight In Memphis" - now at the bandcamp page!Good evening from Minneapolis, on a typically snowy April evening! (Well, typical for April of 2018 and 2019, it seems like). This is a short little update letting you know that you can get "Dangerous" and "Midnight In Memphis" now direct from our bandcamp page, <a href="http://natocoles.bandcamp.com/">natocoles.bandcamp.com</a>. Both songs are from the same recording session as our upcoming album Flyover, which is still on track for a summer release. We're working to get it - and us - to you!<br /><br />And stay tuned for a bunch of show announcements. May in Minneapolis is a crazy month (and June, and July, and August... but especially May) and we'll be at Art-a-Whirl in Northeast Minneapolis at Indeed Brewing Co. again, as well as a few other surprises. See ya out there!Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-24771114008895354352019-01-04T12:26:00.001-06:002019-01-04T12:35:43.759-06:00New Music! ...and Important Band News<b>NEW MUSIC</b><br />
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Good afternoon, everybody. It's official: Motorcycle Potluck Records has released our split cassette with State Drugs, also available as a $4 digital download! <a href="https://motorcyclepotluckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/nato-coles-and-the-blue-diamond-band-state-drugs-split" target="_blank">Check it out and get it!</a> We're offering a couple of our tunes to tide you over until the album later this year. Anyway, it's out now, woohoo!<br />
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<b>IMPORTANT BAND NEWS</b><br />
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And now, time for some big news in the Blue Diamond Band department. After more than three years holding down the low end, Bill Rohla will be leaving the Blue Diamond Band at the end of the month to focus on his post-graduate education, a journey which is also taking him out of the Twin Cities and therefore making impossible any attempt to continue as the regular bass player in the band.<br />
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With Bill, we crossed the continent, from Moncton, New Brunswick to Vancouver, British Columbia. From Vero Beach, Florida to San Diego, California. And most importantly, we made our second studio album - Flyover, out on Don Giovanni this spring. With Bill, we accomplished so much, and we are grateful for his service and wish him the best as he works on becoming the next Clarence Darrow! (Or at least the next <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spottswood_William_Robinson_III" target="_blank">Spotswood William Robinson III</a>).<br />
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Thanks for all the good times, Bill!<br />
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Our last show with Bill as a regular member of the band will be Thursday January 24th at Palmer's Bar, in Minneapolis, MN. Come on out and wish him a fond farewell!<br />
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In the near future, we will begin a search for a full-time Blue Diamond Band bassist. Specifically, as we plan to do some touring this late spring and summer once the album is out, we'll be seeking a rock'n'roll individual who emits only good vibes and can be a solid road dawg... and we'll take it from there. I suppose you could email natopaisano@gmail.com if you feel like throwing your hat in the ring! Couldn't hurt, right?<br />
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Anyway, thank you once again to Bill for all the good years, miles, melody, rhythm, complete absence of bass soloing, and the good times in the band. Cheers!<br />
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And to all you BDB fans... be excellent to each other in this new year. See ya soon,<br />
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-Nato & the BDBNatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-52596357178710942002018-12-27T18:24:00.002-06:002018-12-27T18:24:46.914-06:00Dangerous and Midnight In Memphis!<div>
And so, without further ado... get ready for...</div>
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DANGEROUS!</div>
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...and...</div>
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MIDNIGHT IN MEMPHIS!</div>
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Well, it is almost time to release them into the wild - our double shotgun blast of rock'n'roll, straight to you via the internet, and soon available on cassette from Motorcycle Potluck Records! The release date is January 5th. Could a 7" 45rpm with a big hole be in the future for these two massive alternate-reality smash hits? MAYBE.<div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/motorcyclepotluckrecords/videos/331455794359977/UzpfSTkzNjg1OTU2NTU6MTAxNTczNzE4NTYxNDA2NTY/" target="_blank">If you click here</a>, you get a sample of what's going on - a little clip of "Dangerous"!</div>
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The cassette format, as well as the online Motorcycle Potluck Records page, will be accompanied by a couple more songs from The State Budget (Denver, CO), so check those out too when the time comes!</div>
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And in the meantime, please continue to wait with bated breath for our new full-length Flyover, out this spring...</div>
Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-52323911440671656952018-12-19T16:00:00.001-06:002018-12-19T16:07:59.313-06:00Late 2018 Update - Finally!Hello! We the band have been laying a little low in the second half of 2018 as we gear up for an absolutely unstoppable 2019, what with our new album Flyover coming out and all that. It's good to recharge the batteries sometimes, ya know? Anyway, that's why there haven't been more posts here over this past year.<br />
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That said: we are officially announcing the release of TWO NEW SONGS on Motorcycle Potluck Records out of Denver! Their names: "Dangerous" and "Midnight In Memphis". They're available online, as well as on a split cassette with State Drugs (also out of Denver)to be released January 5th 2019. The songs were recorded during our sessions in mid-2017, from which the songs that constitute our forthcoming full-length will also be derived.<br />
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And check out this little Q & A I (Nato) did with Ryan from Motorcycle Potluck! <a href="https://www.motorcyclepotluck.com/blog/2018/12/18/ryan-harasses-nato-coles" target="_blank">Click here to read it!</a><br />
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There are also some major developments just around the corner - stay tuned... and look out for more shows in the New Year!<br />
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Let me say that date again: January 5th, 2019! New material from Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band! Will it have been worth the wait? Well, you're about to find out...<br />
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<br />Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-69853644302046981172018-05-29T15:56:00.000-05:002018-05-29T15:56:02.841-05:00Small Late May BulletinHi everybody! Hope you're beating the heat, keeping hydrated (I prefer to stay "hopdrated" myself, but hydrated works too), and in general having a good entry into summer. We've been laying just a little low lately, but not too low - and we've got a ton of new shows listed as of today, so check those out! Lots of good summer parties in the Upper Midwest.<br />
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In new album news... stay tuned. We've been saying this for months but without warning, at any moment, the album release details will be announced!<br />
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So, keep checking the shows, keep an eye on our social media and all that stuff, and we hope to see you all out there soon. Salud!<br />
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-Nato/BDB<br />
<br />Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-52444444955705003872018-02-05T14:39:00.001-06:002018-02-05T15:02:00.994-06:00February 2018 Update - Nato at Awesome Fest, album news, moreHey there, everyone - I know it's been quite some time since we updated this thing, so I wanted to check in and let you know that we are still out here, keeping jive alive and rock'n'roll's heart is still beating! Hope you've been well.<br />
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We're mixing our 2nd full-length, and figuring out which songs to put on it and which ones to leave off. These are tough decisions! If you've seen us live in the past year, you've probably heard six or seven of the ten or so tunes that will make the album - but I guarantee you that we have some new stuff to drop on even our most devoted showgoing fans! Stay tuned.<br />
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Although we don't have any full band shows coming up soon, I - Nato Coles, at your service - have several solo and/or Coles/Beer (with Sam) shows coming up, including a couple sets at <a href="http://awesomefest11.com/" target="_blank">Awesome Fest in San Diego!</a> I'll update this website as soon as I have the details of when/where I'll be playing. And Mike and Bill's other band - The Chinchees - are playing, too! They play on Sunday. If you don't have your passes yet, you better get 'em! And they've just announced that a limited number (fewer than 30!) one day passes are available too. Get 'em!<br />
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Ok, that's a wrap for now. It's good to shake the cobwebs off of this old website, huh? Cheers!<br />
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-Nato & the Blue Diamond BandNatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-83963005116429320582017-09-05T16:09:00.002-05:002017-09-05T16:15:22.091-05:00News For September Gurls (and everyone else)Hello, folks!<br />
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I know it's been quite awhile since we had some news for you, so I'm happy to say it's finally time to announce a pretty big piece of news:<br />
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<b>WE HAVE FINISHED OUR SECOND ALBUM.</b><br />
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That's right - it's in the can*! So, within the next couple of weeks, we'll follow up with a little bit more information on the whole process, but rest assured, although the wait is not over, the big push is over and all that remains is the process of getting our tunes into your hands, ears, and the music centers of your brains! (And wherever else you choose to experience them! We don't presume to tell you what to do with our stuff, except no white supremacist action, ok?)<br />
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We've also got a few local rock'n'roll parties coming up. In Minneapolis, our only *official* show is our regular appearance at Indeed Brewery's Hullabaloo party on October 14th... however, stay tuned, because very soon we will be announcing a TRUE BANGER of a show for November here in the Twin Cities! Trust me, you'll want to be at this one.<br />
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Now, as it's September, it's also worth noting that Gainesville Fest is coming up, as it always does. Well, sad to say, this year the Blue Diamond Band will not be appearing at that sainted party - we chose to take a break this year. However, do be sure to catch Sam Beer's other band Dingus... and all the usual and unusual suspects! And while you're there, take a moment to raise a lukewarm plastic cup of PBR towards the direction of Minneapolis... and we'll raise one of those ridiculous Mpls-size shots in the direction of Gainesville back atcha!<br />
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Last thing: you may be aware that Mike Cranberry and Bill Rohla play in the excellent punk rock band The Chinchees, based out of Minneapolis (naturally). Recently, they finished a music video for their song "Your Life Is A Waiting Room". Watch it - it's amazing! Space-age post-apocalyptic hi-jinks (and a dog!)... <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-wbUTnT7Yo" target="_blank">CLICK TO WATCH</a>!<br />
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Allright, have fun out there - be excellent to each other!<br />
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Cheers - Nato<br />
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*as in, 'completed', not as in 'the toilet'Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-61177220980651315792017-06-22T16:51:00.000-05:002017-06-22T16:51:55.525-05:00Short Nights, Short UpdateHi everybody - up here in Minnesota, it's not exactly the land of the midnight sun, but the hours just around midnight are pretty much the only fully dark ones... the "last pale light in the west" is still visible after 10pm, and the birds do get going right around the time the bartender's taxi is pulling up to take them home. These shortest nights of the year also, for some reason, tend to be the craziest ones around here...<br />
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So, a quick update! Work on the new album continues, and continues well. Only a couple more times into the studio and we should have it (and more). Once it's finished, we'll have a big announcement regarding its release.<br />
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Check out all those shows we have in July! Of special note, our night at the Viking Bar in Minneapolis on Thursday July 20th. The entire band will be taking turns DJing before and after our set, which will be a lot of fun for us. I promise it won't all be mainstream country from the 80's!<br />
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We'll be announcing more shows soon - a couple weekend runs around the area, something up in Duluth/Superior... we'll keep ya posted. Cheers!<br />
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-Nato<br />
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<br />Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-17439546853896414242017-05-04T14:33:00.000-05:002017-05-15T16:50:09.979-05:00May The Fourth Be With This UpdateHi there, y'all, it's a beautiful Minneapolis-style May afternoon (no, it's not snowing, our last snowfall was three days ago so shut up), and since it's been awhile, here's an update as to what's been going on in Blue Diamond Land!<br />
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First off, we have a TON of shows just announced in the Twin Cities, and all of them are pretty ridiculously awesome. They are, in order:</div>
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1. Friday May 5th - A great little punk rock'n'roll party at the 331 Club with <a href="http://therighthere.com/" target="_blank">The Right Here</a> (Luke's other band, absolutely great country-inflected punk rock'n'roll), Partial Traces (sort of a new-wave Minneapolis supergroup), and Cory Call (from Denver - member of Arliss Nancy, great singer-songwriter).</div>
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2. Saturday May 13th - <a href="http://www.stanleysbarroom.com/stanleysbeerandbaconfest/" target="_blank">Beer & Bacon Fest</a> at Stanley's Bar in Northeast Minneapolis. The name sorta says it all, but <a href="http://www.stanleysbarroom.com/stanleysbeerandbaconfest/" target="_blank">check out the link to learn more</a>, and note that we play between 4pm and 7pm. Beer and bacon - two arguments against the eradication of humanity, should aliens ever arrive and be required to make a decision...</div>
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3. Saturday May 20th - <a href="http://www.indeedbrewing.com/events" target="_blank">Indeed Art-a-Whirl!</a> YES! For what I believe is the third year in a row, Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band grace the stage at our favorite* brewery in town for a good healthy hoppy performance. Come down anytime, the whole day is great... we play at about 6pm.</div>
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4. Sunday May 28th - <a href="http://memorylanesblockparty.com/" target="_blank">Memory Lanes Block Party Afterparty</a>, at which we will be mixing in some live band karaoke and some of our own tunes round about the time Dillinger Four (you've heard of them, yes?) finish playing outside, where they're headlining that portion of things. Email your live band karaoke requests to natopaisano@gmail.com! Please email two or three songs you might like to sing, so that we can pick the one that works for us the best. Deadline for requests is May 20th.</div>
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5. Saturday June 3rd - 7th Annual St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Fundraiser. This, if you don't know, is a fundraiser for one of the best causes around. Ben Nichols (Lucero) and Lydia Loveless are playing! That alone is worth the price of admission (we play right before Lydia, on at 3:45pm) but the fact that it's for St Jude's makes this a must. Also playing: Bill Patten Trio and Alicia Corbett</div>
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How about that, folks? Much, much rocking in the Twin Cities over the next month-plus! And as usual, keep an eye out for us on the road, as we will be showing up in random Midwestern cities all summer long!</div>
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Last... in case you were wondering... we spent five days in the studio, banging out tracks for our new album. A few more dates are scheduled, but the results are pretty damn positive so far, so continue to regard our second studio album as ON TRACK! </div>
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Salud!</div>
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-Nato<br />
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*Well, certainly one of 'em! Hard to play favorites when there are so many good ones. Can we just say that Indeed was the first Minnesota brewery to ask your humble friends the Blue Diamond Band to play one of their events? Ok, we'll just say that. Also: Let It Ride is amazing.</div>
Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com112tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-7888015007654303662017-03-14T18:38:00.001-05:002017-03-14T18:57:05.218-05:00Pi Day UpdateHi, y'all, it's been a couple months since the last update here. So, let me get some news items atcha!<br />
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First off, the band will be laying low for a couple weeks while Mike and Bill's other band - The Chinchees - hit the road for a two-week west coast tour! You really should check them out, <a href="https://thechinchees.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">click here to visit their bandcamp and rock the heck out!</a> They're out from March 17th through April 2nd so keep your eyes and hearts open, Western USA (and Texas, too)... you can see some mostly-correct tour dates (and a cool video! It's really cool!) <a href="http://dyingscene.com/news/the-chinchees-garagepop-punk-stream-self-titled-debut-release-music-video-for-new-song-gorp/" target="_blank">at this link</a>.<br />
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Meanwhile, the Blue Diamond Band itself will be entering the studio in April and recording our second studio album. Very exciting stuff, people! There will be more news as it is warranted, but it's gonna happen, folks. Get ready - there is no release date set, but when the record is recorded we'll have more info for ya!<br />
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Rum Bar Records is having a Storm Sale, out there in Boston (where I think they technically avoided much snow... but hey, they have devotees who live inland too!) - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords/?fref=nf" target="_blank">check out their facebook page</a>, everything is 25% off! And meanwhile, look, our live album made Pop Geek Heaven's Best Of 2016 list! <a href="http://www.popgeekheaven.com/music-discovery/bloody-red-baron-best-of-2016" target="_blank">Check it out</a>!<br />
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And of course, we have shows... currently nothing too far from home, but this spring and summer we will be hitting the road for weekends here and there. I know that's not really "news" considering the fact that announcing that the Blue Diamond Band is careening around the Midwest is about as stunning as announcing that the sky is blue or the grass is green or that beer is good for you, but I'm still saying it!<br />
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Last: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME TO OUR GRUMPY'S RESIDENCY! WE LOVE YOU, YOU BEAUTIFUL SO AND SO'S!<br />
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Cheers,<br />
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-NatoNatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-21236632645578545622017-01-10T19:26:00.000-06:002017-01-10T19:26:05.926-06:00Our Annual Grumpy's Residency Approaches (and Live Band Karaoke too!)<b>HAPPY NEW YEAR</b><br />
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Hello! Happy New Year, friends! We had a great party on New Year's Eve, raised hundreds of dollars for Planned Parenthood and Midwest Animal Rescue Services (M.A.R.S.), and I want to thank ALL OF YOU who participated in any way, shape, or form. So... thank you!<br />
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Our January is going to be kind of quiet, with the notable exception of opening for Har Mar Superstar and P.O.S. at Kathy's Pub in Rochester, Minnesota this Saturday January 14th. That's a crazy bill! We're stoked. Anyway, that show and a Nato Coles solo Saturday afternoon acoustic performance at Trollhaugen Ski Hill on January 28th are the only Blue Diamond Band-related activities in January, but hold on because...<br />
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February is coming - and that means our Grumpy's DT Saturday Night Residency returns! We love these - every Saturday in February starting at 10pm, Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band play a free show, always with great guest bands (names will be announced soon, a few spots are still in play). It's the most fun you can have in Minneapolis on a Saturday night in February, believe you me! And on the third Saturday of the month, we switch over to Live Band Karaoke.<br />
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<b>LIVE BAND KARAOKE</b><br />
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That's right! Saturday February 18th! You guys may already know how this goes, but we do a set of live karaoke covers once or twice a year, every year, and always one during the Grumpy's DT residency. Those who have participated in years' past can attest to how awesome and fun this is!<br />
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Here's how it works: you pick two or three songs that you might like to sing, and email those choices along with your name to <b>natopaisano@gmail.com.</b> The band will pick one of them, learn it, and then on Live Band Karaoke night, Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band will be YOUR band as you perform the most killer version of whatever dang song we end up settling on! So what are you waiting for? Email your song choices today! Or at the very least, get them in as quickly as you can, the deadline is the afternoon of Saturday February 11th unless we fill up - and we usually do fill up.<br />
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Oh, and there is also a master list of the 20-30 songs we know how to stumble through already - those can be requested the night of.<br />
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Allright! See you out there, Twin Cities... take it easy and be excellent to each other,<br />
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-Nato/BDB<br />
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<br />Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-88988145458991686942016-12-21T16:46:00.001-06:002016-12-21T17:25:25.779-06:00New Year's Eve and... Earth Van RIP???We're having a big New Year's Eve benefit show and party, and you should come! It's at the Hexagon Bar in Minneapolis. Many great bands are playing, and all the proceeds will be split between two great causes: Midwest Animal Rescue Society (aka M.A.R.S.), and Planned Parenthood. Take a look at this wonderful poster by CM Dugan:<br />
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It's just a great lineup, for two great causes. We're happy to be your entertainment on Amateur Night - as some call New Year's Eve, with some justification - but make no mistake, there will be only PROFESSIONAL AND CLASSY ROCK'N'ROLL AT THIS EVENT!!!<br />
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So, there's that. Let's see what else is going on in Blue Diamond Land worth reporting. Anything big? Newsworthy?<br />
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On the night of Saturday December 17th, en route to what would have been the Blue Diamond Band's first-ever show in Eau Claire, Wisconsin - a worthy goal! And with Arms Aloft! - our van hit a patch of black ice in Minneapolis, just as we were starting out. We began to swerve, and eventually crashed into a concrete barrier. Nobody was hurt. No gear was damaged. But it may be that our van is no more.<br />
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Let me tell you about it. It was named Earth Van (our first van was known as Space Van because that one had many strange electronic quirks and functions that we didn't really think were necessary and at times proved to be a little annoying. It was actually Sam Beer's van). Earth Van brought rock'n'roll happiness, excitement, and sound to somewhere around 35 states and 4 provinces, and was an excellent home away from home. Mike Cranberry built a cool loft structure in the back which was very good in terms of creating storage space. It never once required a major repair. It was a den of sin and vice, and a bastion of serenity and calm, depending on which aspects the situation required. It was a rolling party in all respects. If Earth Van has rolled its final mile, then our song "Econoline" is just a little more poignant today.<br />
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A reminder that you can now get our album Live At Grumpy's on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, etc., and from ADD Records on LP, and Rum Bar Records on CD too! If you haven't yet, you've got time to sneak one in before Christmas! Or at least Boxing Day.<br />
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Cheers,<br />
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-NatoNatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-2263539784238193892016-11-22T19:18:00.000-06:002016-11-22T20:24:27.531-06:00We Voted For CamachoGood afternoon, Blue Diamond Land! It's been a slow news month for us, as the insanity of Gainesville Fest has now given way to a rather quiet few months ahead of us (that is, until our Grumpy's residency in February... sound familiar?). Still, I thought I should write an update here, just so that the dust on my keyboard doesn't get too comfortable.<br />
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Although available at our merch table now for some time, it's official: Live At Grumpy's will be available on LP and for digital download from <a href="http://www.addrecs.com/" target="_blank">ADD Records</a> on Friday December 2nd. As you are maybe aware, <a href="https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-grumpys" target="_blank">Rum Bar Records</a> has had the album available for mailorder on CD for a little while now. As of December 2nd, Live At Grumpy's will also be available on Spotify, iTunes, and other such places, and for download. Get ready, folks! Hey, pre-order it on LP from ADD if that's your thing. <a href="https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Rum Bar Records</a> has it on CDs. Cheers!</div>
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And check out some new shows listed. If you're in the Twin Cities, let me tell ya: New Year's Eve at the Hexagon is going to be a BLAST!<br />
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Do you have this shirt yet?</div>
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That's the front. Here's the back...</div>
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NATO COLES AND THE BLUE DIAMOND BAND - IT'S WHAT PLANTS CRAVE.<br />
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They're available via primitive mail-order for $15 ppd in the USA, $25 overseas! Email natopaisano@gmail.com with your requested size (all t-shirts are black and white), and if two different sizes both work for you, let us know that too. Supply is limited! We think these are particularly appropriate right now, considering world affairs.</div>
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And as always, keep checking out our upcoming shows. As I mentioned, we're playing a wonderful New Year's Eve party this year at the Hexagon Bar in Minneapolis - it's a benefit for Planned Parenthood, and also Midwest Animal Rescue Services (MARS). There won't be any longer road trips until late winter, but come Spring 2017, look out for the BDB on the road again!</div>
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...and now...</div>
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EDITORIAL TIME with Nato Coles (this is not music related, so I wouldn't call it 'required reading', but forge on if you like...):</div>
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And as for the Presidential Election... Don't blame us - we voted for Camacho.</div>
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Honestly, folks, things look really disturbing right now. The people that President-elect Trump is bringing in to work for him run the gamut from "George W. Bush administration drone-strikes-and-waterboarding-level scary" to "holy hell what is an actual white nationalist who has the vocal support of the American Nazi Party and KKK among others doing advising an American president???" And who will be appointed to the Supreme Court? I think you know the answer. So. Good people need to stand together, and look out for each other. That especially means looking out for people in more precarious positions than, say, a friendly white dude in his 30's who enjoys playing rock'n'roll music while wearing sleeveless button-down shirts (ahem). Perhaps especially at this moment, help keep your immigrant friends safe, and your friends who are under attack because of their faith, or that of their parents. Help defend women's health and reproductive rights. Help fight for criminal justice reform. Black lives matter, as do the lives of those in all communities most likely to suffer unjust violence at the hands of law enforcement. Help keep each other safe. We're all in this together.</div>
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I see water cannons used in sub-zero temperatures against protestors in North Dakota. Anybody who doesn't understand how inhuman that is should seek therapy immediately. Somewhere in hell (which doesn't exist, but makes for a good image), Bull Connor is smiling.</div>
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So we must fight back! Fight back against hate speech and acts. Push back against war. Against divisive identity politics. Get involved in local activism, of any progressive kind. For a higher minimum wage. Against that which would damage the environment. We need good people right now! Are you one? Then get involved! Despite the result, and whatever you thought of her, Hillary Clinton received a ton more votes than Donald Trump. What that says to me is that there are more of us than there are of them. And on the Trump side, while many people who voted for him are not racists, but misguided and fooled by a wealthy con artist, there is a malignancy within that constituency who must be faced down. They may call themselves the "alt-right" but don't be fooled - they are white nationalists, white supremacists, maybe even neo-nazis. I'm not going to be using the term "alt-right" - except to explain how it's a bullshit term that people shouldn't use, because using it normalizes hate and division.</div>
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Sam Beer and I like to talk about how we would hope for something we call "the Star Trek Future". That's a future where all humanity comes together and works toward the common good. There are different cultures, different races (within the larger human race - not talking about Klingons and Vulcans here), but all pull in the same direction and all prosper more as a result. In hindsight, when we were on tour and the so-called Brexit vote went in favor of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, we all should have been much more worried than we were at the time - and we were worried then! Pulling back from the world, with Trump's plans for walls and trade wars - if those plans are anything like what came out of his mouth and from his twitterthumbs while he was campaigning - is the EXACT OPPOSITE of what would build the Star Trek Future that your favorite smokin' hot lead guitar player and yours truly are wishing for. </div>
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There's a reason why I say "be excellent to each other" at the end of every Blue Diamond Band show. It's not just a good line from a classic movie. It's because we mean it, and we believe that people CAN be excellent to each other! So please: be excellent to each other. Stand together. We'll keep playing our rock'n'roll music, trying to make the world sound better and more glorious, three or four minutes at a time, and doing what we can to keep the soundtrack bumpin'. We hope to see you at our benefit show on New Year's Eve in Minneapolis at the Hexagon Bar. Thank you for being fans and friends. We love you all.</div>
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Cheers,</div>
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-Nato Coles</div>
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Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-20088822903090520702016-09-29T12:59:00.003-05:002016-09-29T13:29:12.172-05:00How Ya Doin'?Good afternoon, everyone! It's been wayyy too long since we posted BDB news here at the ol' blogspot, eh? Let's see, what's been going on in Blue Diamond Land...<br />
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We're home from our tour to Awesome Fest (thanks to everyone who came out - and man, Awesome Fest itself was GREAT as always, if you were at our show at Soda Bar, you know what I'm saying when I say that some shows will always be remembered, never be forgotten, and celebrated in band lore until we're all worm food! We love you all!), and after not much of a break, we're back to learning new songs, we have more shows coming up, and then at the end of October: <a href="http://thefestfl.com/" target="_blank">Gainesville Fest!</a></div>
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Get your weekend passes now. Remember, the Mike Cranberry origin story come from Fest 9. Six Fests later, we've seen a lot of ACTION and we're ready to see some more, this time around! And in addition to our set at Rocky's on Saturday night (that lineup is KILLER - Whiskey & Co., Blacklist Royals, Arliss Nancy... yeah, you wanna be there), and our Pre-Fest shows in Tampa/Ybor (Wed. 10/26) and Nobby's in St. Augustine (Thu. 10/27), we're playing a special cover set at the Holiday Inn to close down Fest on Sunday night, to ring in Halloween! Oh, and don't miss Luke's other band, The Right Here, when they play Fest on Sunday at Tall Paul's! They play just before one of our absolute favorite bands, The Rivernecks (St Augustine), so make sure to mark that one in sharpie on your schedule. Even if you're using a smartphone app, USE SHARPIE, DAMMIT!<br />
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So... see you in Florida, most of you!<br />
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But some of you, we'll see in other places. For example: we're playing Indeed Brewing Co. right here in Minneapolis on Saturday October 8th as part of their annual Hullabaloo fall beer festival! It's always a great time - <a href="http://www.indeedbrewing.com/blog/its-time-to-hullabaloo" target="_blank">click here to get more info... HULLABALOO!</a><br />
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Also, we'll be playing Nato's old home town of Milwaukee on Friday October 21st, and Chicago on Saturday October 22nd. Both those shows are absolutely killer, so if you're lookin' to party down in that region, come on out!<br />
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And some album reviews...<br />
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<a href="http://blurtonline.com/review/nato-coles-blue-diamond-band-live-grumpys/" target="_blank">Here's a really nice review of Live At Grumpy's, from Blurt Magazine!</a><br />
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<a href="http://newnoisemagazine.com/review-nato-coles-live-grumpys/" target="_blank">Here's a really nice review of Live At Grumpy's, but this one's from New Noise!</a><br />
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<a href="http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/missoula/shark-attack/Content?oid=3098788" target="_blank">The Missoula Independent also wrote a nice review Live At Grumpy's, right before we played Missoula!</a><br />
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Last thing. We do plan on recording our second studio album this winter. At this time, that is all I have to say about that!<br />
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Be excellent to each other, folks!<br />
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-Nato & the BDB</div>
Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-60966230564991726672016-08-02T15:05:00.002-05:002016-08-02T16:59:18.407-05:00Live At Grumpy's Now Streaming At New Noise Magazine!Hello, friends and fans... we couldn't take the waiting anymore, so it is our pleasure along with ADD and Rum Bar Records and New Noise Magazine to announce that <a href="http://newnoisemagazine.com/nato-coles-band-stream-live-grumpys/" target="_blank">Live At Grumpy's</a> is now STREAMING online for free, for your listening pleasure!<br />
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<a href="http://newnoisemagazine.com/nato-coles-band-stream-live-grumpys/" target="_blank">Click here if you want to live..rock'n'roll! </a><br />
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The album will be available on LP and CD very soon, and for download, too. Keep an eye out for an official release date, and official release party in the Twin Cities - we'll do our best to let you know!<br />
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Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band like to thank everybody who was at any of the shows we recorded to put together to create this album. You guys made the party SO COOL! Andy Mathison at Immortal Audio, our engineer, we gotta thank you too. And last but not least, everybody who was working at Grumpy's and putting up with our antics for the entire month... THANK YOU! And I'll take five beers and five shots, please.<br />
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What a blast! Now it's time to make another studio album, eh?<br />
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Some new shows have been added to the "shows" section of this page, too. We've got some crazy stuff coming up in the Twin Cities in the next month, before we leave town for tour. Want to see us at a gas station? Want to see us at a food truck rally? YOU CAN!<br />
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SAD NEWS THOUGH: Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band apologize profusely but we are no longer able to play <a href="http://dongiovannirecords.com/NAMF/" target="_blank">New Alternative Music Fest</a> this September. But you should all go! The lineup is incredible. Click that link for more info!Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597832339205345262.post-40878239727184539052016-07-05T17:12:00.004-05:002016-07-05T17:14:53.417-05:00Happy Birthday, Spam! (Summer Update)Hello all, it's been about a month since we shared some news with ya, so why not celebrate the 79th birthday of Spam (born July 5th, 1937) with a website update? Yeah!<br />
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First, hang tight for that Live At Grumpy's lp/cd release! It's juuuuust around the corner. What a relief it will be to finally have it out! The record release party/events will be announced soon as well. My magic 8-Ball tells me August is the month...<br />
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Second, hello The West! We're touring all over in those parts in August and September, and of course playing <a href="http://awesomefest10.com/" target="_blank">Awesome Fest 10</a> too, so San Diego will SHAKE! From Omaha to Denver to the Pacific Northwest to San Diego to Arizona to Montana to home again, that's our route. Some of the dates are now up on the right-hand side of this page, so check 'em out! A few more will be announced asap.<br />
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(<i>P.S.I'm just throwing it out there: if you'd like to bring Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band to your town, and you live in the central northern Rockies... get at us. We have a couple spare dates we can work with!</i>)<br />
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<b>New Alternative Music Fest - go to NAMF this September in Asbury Park!</b><br />
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<a href="http://dongiovannirecords.com/NAMF/" target="_blank">New Alternative Music Fest</a> (NAMF) is an INCREDIBLE three-day music festival put on by Don Giovanni Records (but not limited to only DG bands, naturally) in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It's from Friday September 16th thru Sunday September 18th, and Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band is playing Saturday September 17th. You REALLY want to be at this. Screaming Females, P.S. Eliot, Tenement, Downtown Boys, Mikey Erg, Shellshag, and many many more bands and artists are going to make this arguably the most epic, far-reaching and visionary of fests. <a href="http://dongiovannirecords.com/NAMF/" target="_blank">Get your three-day passes now!</a><br />
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That's all for now, folks, but when we have concrete Live At Grumpy's release party plans, you'll know as soon as I do!<br />
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Salud,<br />
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-Nato<br />
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Now enjoy this picture of us playing "Earth Angel" as Marvin Berry's backing band at our friends' Billy and Paige's wedding. I still can't believe it!<br />
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<br />Natohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02895542903988935186noreply@blogger.com6