The Hot Cross UK tour was an overwhelming success, other than the awful $3600 merch bill we received. Thankfully, that's being worked out now. The shows were great, particularly London where 200+ kids went mental and made us feel at home. If any of you out there made it to a show, thanks.

I am home for six days and then we leave for our US tour next Sunday. We will be out with Fear Before the March Of Flames, 65Days of Static and This Will Destroy you. Come say hello.

July 8-Mohawk Place @ Buffalo, NY*
July 9-Howard Club H @ Bowling, Green, OH*
July 10-Rahq House-Milwaukee, WI*
July 11-Station 4 @ St. Paul, MN
July 12-Bean Counters @ Highland, IN
July 13-The Magic Stick @ Detroit, MI
July 14-The Grog Shop @ Cleveland, OH
July 15-Mr.Small's Theatre @ Pittsburgh, PA
July 17-First Unitarian Church @ Philadelphia, PA
July 18-ICC Performance Hall @ Allston, MA
July 19-The Rock and Roll Hotel @ Washington, DC
July 20-Europa Club @ Brooklyn, NY
July 21-Alley Katz @ Richmond, VA
July 22-Greene Street @ Greensboro, NC
July 23-The Masquerade @ Atlanta, GA
July 24-The Social @ Orlando, FL
July 25-TBA @ New Orleans or Baton Rouge, LA
July 26-Meridian Red Room @ Houston, TX
July 27-House of Rock @ Corpus Christi, TX
July 28-White Rabbit @ San Antonio, TX
July 29-The Door @ Dallas, TX
July 31-The Clubhouse @ Tempe, AZ
Aug 1-The Troubadour @ West Hollywood, CA
Aug 2-Soma @ San Diego, CA
Aug 3-The Exit @ Fresno, CA
Aug 4-Bottom of the Hill @ San Francisco, CA
Aug 5-Satyricon @ Portland, OR
Aug 6-El Corazon @ Seattle, WA
Aug 7-The Venue @ Boise, ID
Aug 8-Avalon Theater @ Salt Lake City, UT
Aug 10-Marquis Theatre @ Denver, CO
Aug 11-Nutty's @ Sioux Falls, SD*
Aug 12-TBA @ Iowa City, IA*
Aug 13-Butterfield Pavilion @ Valparaiso, IN*
Aug 14-Cafe Metropolis @Wilkes-Barre, PA*

* = just Hot Cross

Hopefully see you on the road,
B

****************

Eviidently, I will no longer be a contributor to the Newswire. Oh well, it was fun for the sixteen months it lasted. If anyone cares to keep in touch, you can do so at billy.werner @ gmail.com. ciao for now.

I officially joined the "blogosphere", making me as undesirable as a new lawyer.

Check me out here:

Deliver Me From Nowhere

Hot Cross is playing two shows this weekend:

5/19 - Washington DC @ Rock n Roll Hotel
5/20 - Baltimore, MD @ Charm City Art Space

Holla if you are around.

B

So I'm working three jobs these days, running 3 miles every morning, lifting weights three times a week, going to band practice twice a week, putting a new mix CD together for DJ gigs and trying to maintain my sanity. I'm very short on time lately.

In an effort to put even more on my plate, here are the forthcoming Hot Cross tour dates.
More will be added, particularly between 7/11 and 7/18.

Please come out and say hello...

5/19 - Washington DC @ Rock N Roll Hotel w/ Coliseum & Young Widows

UK TOUR

June 20 - London @ Barfly
June 21 - Southampton @ Joiners
June 22 - Kingston @ Fighting Cox
June 23 - Nottingham @ Rock City
June 24 - Glasgow @ Nice and Sleazy
June 25 - Newcastle @ Head of Steam
June 26 - Leeds @ The Fenton
June 27 - Coventry @ Taylor John's House
June 28 - Exeter @ Cavern
June 29 - Bristol @ Croft

US TOUR

*all dates with Fear Before the March of Flames, 65Days of Static, This Will Destroy You

July 18-ICC Performance Hall @ Allston, MA
July 19-The Rock and Roll Hotel @ Washington, DC
July 20-Europa Club @ Brooklyn, NY
July 21-Alley Katz @ Richmond, VA
July 22-Greene Street @ Greensboro, NC
July 23-The Masquerade @ Atlanta, GA
July 24-The Social @ Orlando, FL
July 26-Meridian Red Room @ Houston, TX
July 27-House of Rock @ Corpus Christi, TX
July 28-White Rabbit @ San Antonio, TX
July 29-The Door @ Dallas, TX
July 31-The Clubhouse @ Tempe, AZ
Aug 1-The Troubadour @ West Hollywood, CA
Aug 2-Soma @ San Diego, CA65
Aug 4-Bottom of the Hill @ San Francisco, CA
Aug 5-Satyricon @ Portland, OR
Aug 6-El Corazon @ Seattle, WA
Aug 7-The Venue @ Boise, ID

More dates to be added. Hope to meet some of you.

-B

Hello -

Our tour is over and it went very well.. better than we expected. Touring around SXSW is always tricky and is usually a losing proposition; every band from the northeast is playing the same areas around the same times and there are only so many shows locals will attend on a weekly basis. We had a good stroke of luck and most of our shows went well.

SXSW was great. Got a great response at the Alternative Press party, where we had an inexplicably prime slot. After our set, we loaded up and drove across town to Monkey Wrench Books, where we played a raging "unofficial" show with the thunderous Coliseum. Before our show, I randomly caught the Marked Men play next door at Sound on Sound Records and ran into some old friends. There's something to be said for watching one of your favorite bands absolutely kill in a parking lot on a sunny warm day while you are loading up on beer in the middle of the street. Thanks Austin. You rule.

On our drive from Houston to St Louis (13.5 hours.. gotta love trying to tour the US efficiently) I was stopped by a cop in northeast Texas for doing "62 in a 45". The cop saw our NY plates, pulled all of us out of the van, searched each of us, called for backup (an ex-DEA agent and a K9 unit) and searched our van. Under the front passenger seat, the officer found white powder. You could practically see the boner forming in his tight polyester khakis. Sadly for him, we are not the rock n roll party he anticipated and the powder, which was tested three times, turned out to be a crushed multi-vitamin.

After 45 minutes, we were free to go with a warning. All that bullshit and they didn't even give me a ticket. I almost wanted one at that point. The moral of the story is that it still pays to be a white American with a college degree, even if you're traveling with a punk rock band. It's a fine nation we live in and I feel safe knowing that law enforcement officials are protecting us from the evils of things like potential cocaine residue and touring bands.

In other news, look for us in a shitload of music press this month; Alternative Press, Outburn and Decibel are all running features on us in their current issues. My awkward mug is also on the cover of the current issue of Under The Volcano. Look for a lengthy interview inside as well.

Might as well plug some other shit too: the latest issue of Verbicide features a short piece on us as well as a feature I wrote on Bad Brains bassist Daryl Jennifer.

Busy busy.

Be well,
B

I turned 30 today.

The last year was an emotional roller coaster. However, aside from some frustrations, I think I came out on top. I'm engaged, the new Hot Cross record is out, I pay a little rent for a lot of space, I inherited an amazing dog ... I really cannot complain.

Now, down to business. Here are some Hot Cross dates. Please come and say hello; it might be your only chance to lambast me in person for all the stuff I write that you don't like. Don't be shy, I can take it like a man.

3/13 - Columbus, OH @ Carabar
3/14 - Louisville, KY @ Keswick Democratic Center
3/15 - Birmingham, AL @ Cave 9
3/16 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Darkroom (w/ Horse The Band, Heavy Heavy Low Low
3/17 - Austin, TX (DAY) @ Emo's (SXSW AP/Flower Party W/ Circa Survive, The Horrors, 27 others)
3/17 - Austin, TX (EVENING) @ Monkeywrench Books (w/This Will Destroy You)
3/18 - Houston, TX (4PM MATINEE) @ White Swan
3/19 - St. Louis, MO @ Red Sea
3/20 - Chicago, IL @ Ronny's (w/ This Moment in Black History)
3/21 - Indianapolis, IN @ Derek Black's House (w/ Holy Bible)
3/22 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Roboto
3/29 - Washington, DC @ Warehouse Next Door (w/ Ultra Dolphins, Nakatomi Plaza)
3/30 - Smithtown, NY @ Smithtown Masonic Temple (w/ Dear Tonight)
3/31 - Wilkes Barre, PA @ Cafe Metropolis (w/ An Albatross)

UK TOUR:

6/20 - London @ Barfly
6/21 - Southampton @ Joiners
6/22 - Kingston @ Fighting Cox
6/23 - Nottingham @ Rock City
6/24 - Glasgow @ Nice and Sleazy
6/25 - Newcastle @ Head of Steam
6/26 - Leeds @ The Fenton
6/27 - Coventry @ Taylor John's House
6/28 - Exeter @ Cavern
6/29 - Bristol @ Croft

Hi -

Some stuff brewing:

These start tonight. If you're in or around any of these places, please come out.

Come out, say hello and buy the new record!
If you can't make it, you can preorder the album here.
Otherwise, the album comes out this Tuesday. Crazy.

Oh and yeah, you can check us out here.

Thanks.

Hello-

2007 is here and I'm so busy I can't catch a break.

-I interviewed Daryl Jenifer from the Bad Brains. Look for an article in Verbicide 19, along with a bunch of record reviews I need to finish by tomorrow.

-Even though our record leaked (no, I'm not telling you where to get it), you can check out an MP3 for one of the songs from the album. Click here to hear "Fatefully".

Also, if you pre-order our album, you get a T Shirt. The package is a steal at $15. Check that out here. I've been doing a fuckload of press which should start appearing in February and March, so if you want to learn about us and see silly photos of us, you should be able to do so in a bunch of magazines soon.

We also have four big record release shows coming up in February, but more on that in a few weeks. I'm starting to get on my own nerves and feel like a fucking salesman.

-I will be DJing at The Raven Lounge in Philly on Saturday, January 27. We play house, electro, B-more club, et al. in the upstairs lounge. Hip hop downstairs. There will be drink specials. Come hang out.

-I turn 30 in less than two months. It's been a glorious year.

Take care-
B

Good fortune comes to those who wait. My future father-in-law was generous enough to buy me my plane ticket to California for Christmas this year, so I will no longer be on the couch with the dog and The Sopranos. However, if you were going to send me some holiday cheer, please continue to do so. You can never have too much cheer.

Between my day job, the tedious chores associated with getting a final master of an album to a record label, freelance writing and DJ gigs, I've had about .03 seconds to myself lately. I could stand to have an empty apartment and a silent phone for a few days. This Saturday, however, we wlll have a crowded apartment and my phone will be ringing a lot, as we have planned an engagement/holiday party/potluck which should be well-attended and fun. The best part of it is getting to go up to the Yards Brewery to buy many cases of beer. Philly natives can understand why this is exciting.

'Til next time .....

**************

Shameless Plug Dept:

1. The newest issue of Verbicide includes a piece I wrote on Converge. I interviewed Jake Bannon about the new record and so on and so forth. You can check that out at your local Barnes & Noble, or wherever you buy magazines.

2. NYC and Philly: My band, Hot Cross, will be playing a couple of shows to kick off the new year. On January 6 we will be in NYC at ABC NO RIO (156 Rivington St) and on January 7 we will be here in Philly most likely at the First Unitarian Church. Both shows are with Cobra Noir (canada), Affirmative Action Jackson (Philly) and Defeatist (NYC). Come say hello. We will also be featured in some upcoming issues of a certain large magazine, which I will tell you about when they hit newstands.
As I mentioned before, we will also be at SXSW this year. So hopefully I can (drunkenly) meet some of you there.

************

Hi!

Hot Cross' Risk Revival is finally done, mastered and sitting at the label. Thank God. Look for that on February 20, 07 via Hope Division/Equal Vision Records. We are trying to figure out touring plans, but defintiely look for us on the road in late February/early March.

We will also be at South By Southwest this year playing some sort of Equal Vision event. If you have plans to go down this year and drink Pabst and bullshit like the rest of the music world, holla at me.

I will be in Philadelphia with the dog on Christmas. I was supposed to be in California with my fiancee and her family but the cheapest airfare was like $620 r/t. We couldn't use expedia or priceline because we travel with the dog and it's a nightmare trying to make a reservation with him around the holidays. Oh well. She will be in the sun in So Cal. I will be on the couch with Season 6 of the Sopranos. If you want to send me cookies or care packages, ask me for my address! I welcome all free edible things with glee.

Happy Thanksgiving

B

Some news:

-The new Hot Cross album is finally being recorded. I finished the main vocals in three songs on Friday and will do 2-3 more tomorrow night. We get it mastered on November 14 and the record will be out on Equal Vision Records on February 20. This week we leave for a short tour with The Oath and Ampere. The point is to get to and from The Fest V in Gainesville. Come out and say hi if we will be near you. You can bitch and moan about my taste/writing/etc. in person. Here are the dates:

10/25 Harrisonburg, VA; Festival B-room, JMU
10/26 Asheville, NC; Static Age
10/27 Atlanta, GA; Yo Yo Gallery, corner of Carol St and Boulevard 30312
10/28 Gainesville, FL; THE FEST 5!
10/29 Charlotte, NC; Lunchbox Records
10/30 D.C.; Warehouse Next Door

-My weekly DJ night in Philly is still happening! Scott Seeborg and I play house and disco every Friday night in Center City at The Raven Lounge. 1718 Sansom St. / 10-2 / Free. Come hang out. Scotty will be on the decks with a special guest TBA'd soon. I will be back with him the first Friday in November and through til Xmas and beyond.

-After 5+ years of very close friendship, 1 year of an amazing relationship and 8 months of co-habitation, my girlfriend Dani and I are engaged to be married. It's overwhelming and hasn't sunk in yet. If anyone has a spare, uh, $15K laying around, please get in touch.

Be well,

Billy