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RIO DE ORO NEGRO ~ a surprising new album from San Francisco's folk-rock adventurers.
SOUNDS LIKE: Rio de Oro Negro is a jukebox of American styles reminiscent of Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, Johnny Cash, Bardo Pond, and Bonnie Prince Billy and Matthew Sweeney's "Superwolf".
Featuring beautifully plait male and female vocals, Sweet Crude Bill evokes the softer side of Exene Cervenka and John Doe. With a penchant for gorgeous string textures and a love of honky tonk, the Sweet Crude family adds rambunctious fiddle, banjo, organ, and trumpets to conjure up a big, Jurassic sound.
In these songs you'll catch glimpses of oil, damnation, striking it rich, funerals, hymns, brotherhood, inspiration, and death - each fable a sunbeam cutting through the darkness of a cave.
ABOUT THE ALBUM: Sweet Crude Bill came together as a collaboration among musicians in San Francisco's Eastern warehouses. They created an act that supported singer/songwriter Octavian Drulea's swaggering storytelling, improvisational theatrics, and quasi-religious frenzy.
For two years, the band developed their live show locally, and then took it out for a spin across the U.S. They played through LA, Albuquerque, Austin, New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis, Charlottesville, Boston, Providence, New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, across the border to Canada, and back down the West Coast. The band successfully booked their own tours, and financed them entirely with their gigs and memorabilia sales.
In the summer of 2008, after months on the road, they took a year off to produce and record a finely crafted selection of their best songs, entitled "Rio de Oro Negro". These songs will take you along on the chase for the elusive revelations of sweet crude oil energy. This is a musical mystery eulogy for the desperate, passionate American scene at the turn of the century.
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PRESS CLIPS:
"Ever wonder what the Cramps might've sounded like had they
hailed from Bakersfield in the '60s? How about '68 Comeback–era
Elvis greased up and groaning over a JB's wah-wah guitar funk
groove — ever pondered that one? …These seafaring folk throw
one hell of a clambake." - -San Francisco Bay Guardian
Reminding us that hoe-downs, horas, and hootenannies are the way to go if you're looking for a serious party, rowdy San Francisco five-piece Sweet Crude Bill & the Lighthouse Nautical Society kick off an evening of finger-picking with bar-fight bravado. Following in the grand avant-folk traditions of Man Man and Gogol Bordello, the bellowing Sweet Crude Bill and his minions channel Walt Whitman through the mouths of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, swapping stories with the audience and instruments — including violin, banjo, and lap steel...
- Flavorpill LA
"Five practitioners of gonzo Americana who draw equally from Johnny Cash, Jerry Garcia, the Beat Farmers, Phish ... fill in your favorite rootsy band, and Sweet Crude undoubtedly will be happy to defile it. Not taking itself too seriously is part of the band members' charm, but you'll have to, because they know how to play." -SF Chronicle
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Past Shows
Thursday, March 27th ~ at Silverlake Lounge
2906 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
with Free Moral Agents
and French Miami
and Andy Friedman & Other Failures
Show at 8pm
Saturday, March 29th ~ at Hotel Utah
San Francisco, CA
with Kemo Sabe
and Andy Friedman & Other Failures
Show at 9pm ~ $6
Wednesday, February 20th ~ at El Rio
San Francisco, CA
with Carne Cruda
at Blue Bone Express
Show at 9pm ~ $6
First Show of the Year
Tuesday, January 6th ~ at Hotel Utah
San Francisco, CA
with The Winsome Griffles
at Lariats of Fire
Show at 9pm ~ $6
show listing in the San Francisco Chronicle...
10/31 Wednesday - Halloween Special!
Beckett's of Berkeley
2271 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA
www.beckettsirishpub.com
10pm, no cover!
9/15 Saturday San Francisco, CA
With The Jank
El Rio
3158 Mission St.
www.elriosf.com
4pm, $5 cover
Sweet Crude Bill & The Lighthouse Nautical Society - United States Tour - Summer 2007
7/1 Sunday Los Angeles, CA
With Merle Jagger, Bucksworth, & Well Diggers Banquet
Spaceland
1717 Silverlake Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
www.clubspaceland.com
9pm, $6 cover
7/3 Tuesday Albuquerque, NM
With Ya Ya Boom Project, The Dirty Novels
Burt's Tiki Lounge
313 Gold Ave. S.W.
Albuquerque, NM
www.burtstikilounge.com
10:30pm, no cover
7/5 Thursday Marfa, TX
With Hotel Brotherhood
Ray's Bar
Hwy 90 E
9pm, $5 cover
7/7 Saturday Austin, TX
With Frank Smith & the Come Latelys
Headhunters (on the patio)
720 Red River St.
Austin, TX 78701
www.headhuntersclub.com
9pm
7/9 Monday New Orleans, LA
With Afuche
Dragon's Den
435 Esplanade
New Orleans, LA 70116
10pm, no cover
7/11 Wednesday Memphis, TN
With Bluff City Backsliders & Jump Back Jake
The Hi-Tone Cafe
1913 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
www.hitonememphis.com
9pm, $5 cover
7/12 Tuesday Nashville, TN
With Les Honky More Tonkies
The Basement
1604 8th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
www.thebasementnashville.com
9pm, $5 cover
7/13 Friday Hickory, NC
With The Hellblinki Sextet
Funky Night Owls
256 1st Ave NW, Hickory, NC
www.funkynightowls.com
10pm, $5 suggested donation
7/16 Monday Roseburg, VA
Monkeyclaus
Recording Session
www.monkeyclaus.com
7/18 Wednesday Washington, DC
The Velvet Lounge
915 U Street,
Washington, DC
www.velvetloungedc.com
9 pm, $6 cover
7/19 Thursday Charlottesville, VA
With Jule Brown
The Outback Lodge
917 Preston Ave.
Charlottesville, VA 22903
www.outbacklodge.com
10pm
7/22 Sunday Providence, RI
With The 'Mericans & John Kenny
AS220
115 Empire St,
Providence, RI 02903
www.as220.org
9pm, $6 cover
7/23 Monday Portsmouth, NH
The Red Door
107 State St
Portsmouth, NH 03801
www.reddoorportsmouth.com
7/24 Tuesday Portland, ME
With Jake Roche, Daisy's Little Secret
Geno's Rock Club
625 Congress St.
Portland, ME 04101
www.myspace.com/genosrockclub
9pm
7/25 Wednesday Boston, MA
With Totaro, The Wrong Reasons
Abbey Lounge
3 Beacon St
Somerville MA 02143
www.abbeylounge.com
9pm, $8 cover
7/26 Thursday New York, NY
With Butane Variations, Casa de Chihuahua
Knitting Factory NY
74 Leonard Street
New York, NY 10013
www.knittingfactory.com
8:30pm
7/30 Monday Brooklyn, NY
With Andy Friedman & Other Failures
Magnetic Field
97 Atlantic Ave
Brooklyn, New York 11201
www.magneticbrooklyn.com
8/1 Wednesday Pittsburgh, PA
With Ye Olde Royal Shithouse Players
Howler's Coyote Café
4509 Liberty Avenue,
Bloomfield PA 15224
www.myspace.com/the_coyote
8/3 Friday Chicago, IL
With Lost Armada, The Webstirs, The Valley Downs
Elbo Room
2871 N Lincoln
Chicago, IL 60657
www.elboroomchicago.com
9 pm, $7 cover
8/5 Sunday Minneapolis, MN
The Seventh St. Entry
www.first-avenue.com
701 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55403
8pm
8/10 Friday Seattle, WA
With Pufferfish, The Moondoggies
Conor Byrne Pub
5140 Ballard Ave NW.
Seattle WA, 98107
www.conorbyrnepub.com
9:30pm, $5 cover
8/11 Saturday Portland, OR
With The Imprints
Ash St. Saloon
225 SW Ash St
Portland OR, 97204
www.AshStreetSaloon.com
8/14 Tuesday Arcata, CA
With Henpecker, Ian Thomas
Jambalaya
915 H St
Arcata, CA 95521
www.myspace.com/jambalaya915
8/15 Wednesday McKinleyville, CA
With Moses Lincoln Johnson
Six Rivers Brewery
1300 Central Ave.
McKinleyville, CA 95519
www.sixriversbrewery.com
8pm
8/17 Friday Chico, CA
With Three Fingers Whiskey & Mr. Clifford Greenwood
La Salle's
229 Broadway
Chico CA 95928
www.lasalleschico.com
10pm, $5
Past Shows
USA Tour Kickoff!
Wednesday, June 20th ~ at 12 Galaxies
San Francisco, CA
with The Pine Box Boys
at Tippy Canoe & The Paddlemen
Doors at 8pm ~ Show at 9pm
Wednesday, June 6th ~ at The Uptown
Oakland, CA
with Doctors in Love and The Same Shape
Friday, June 1st ~ at Beckett's
Berkeley, CA
Show at 10pm ~ no cover
Memorial Day Weekend: Victory At Sea!
Sunday, May 27th ~ at Thee Parkside
San Francisco, CA
with Kemo Sabe
Friday, May 18th ~ at Smiley's Schooner Saloon
Bolinas, CA
Show at 9pm
Red Hot and Blue Revue
Wednesday, May 9th ~ at The Rickshaw Stop
San Francisco, CA
with Tango La Melodia and Blue Bone Express
and the lovely ladies of Hot Pink Feathers
April 8th, 2007
Easter Sunday Rock Omelette Special
Sunday 9:00 pm
The Make Out Room
San Francisco, CA
with Doctors in Love
and Pelusa
April 4th, 2007
Wednesday 9:00 pm
El Rio
San Francisco, CA
Benefit for Dolores Park Movie Nights
with Sid Luscious and the Pants
and Valerie Orth
March 17th, 2007
Saturday 9:00 pm
Beckett's
Berkeley, CA
St. Patrick's Day Shakedown
February 15th, 2007
Thursday 9:00 pm
The Make Out Room
San Francisco, CA
with Tango La Melodia
and Valerie Orth
February 3rd, 2007
Saturday 9:00 pm
Willemina's
Old Sacramento, CA
with The Jim Rowdy Show
and the Fizz Lizards
February 2nd, 2007
Friday 9:00 pm
El Rio
San Francisco, CA
Groundhog Day Full Moon CD Release Party
with The Hot Toddies
and Lord Loves A Working Man
January 12th, 2007
Friday 9:00 pm
Beckett's
Berkeley, CA
January 6th, 2007
Saturday 9:00 pm
Hotel Utah
San Francisco, CA
with The Devil's Own
and Mojo Apostles
and The Near and the Far
December 9th, 2006
Saturday 9:00 pm
Thee Parkside
1600 17th St.
San Francisco, CA
$5
November 29th, 2006
Wednesday 9:00 pm
Elbo Room
with SWIMS
The Silent Years (from Detroit)
One Man Banjo
647 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA
November 3rd, 2006
Friday 9:00 pm
Thee Parkside
1700 Wisconsin @ 17th
San Francisco, CA
with The Fucking Buckaroos
and Doctors in Love
October 28th, 2006
Saturday 10:00 pm
Beckett's Irish Pub
2271 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA
No Cover Charge
SPECIAL HALLOWEEN SHOW!
September 23rd, 2006
Saturday 10:00 pm
Beckett's Irish Pub
2271 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA
No Cover Charge
September 10th, 2006
Sunday 9:00 pm
Stern Grove
San Francisco, CA
Nora & Scott's Wedding!
August 2nd, 2006
Wednesday 10:00 pm
Beckett's Irish Pub
2271 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA
No Cover Charge
July 19th, 2006
Performing with
The Jank
Tiny Power
at the Elbo Room
647 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA
July 9th, 2006
Sunday 8:30 pm
free show
Green Tortoise Hostel
494 Broadway in beautiful North Beach
San Francisco, CA
Sorry, ladies and gents, this show is not open to the general public, as we're playing just for the guests staying at the hostel. Another time, perhaps...
June 28st, 2006
Wednesday 9:00 pm - 5 bucks
Studio Z
314 11th St.
San Francisco, CA
with: In Rare Form, Shim Sham Rebellion
June 21st, 2006
Wednesday 10:00 pm
Beckett's Irish Pub
2271 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA
No Cover Charge
June 1st, 2006
Thursday 9:00 pm
Ireland's 32
3920 Geary Blvd. @ 3rd
San Francisco, CA
with musical guests:
Jen Folden
Ethos
No Cover Charge
April 23rd, 2006
Sunday 8:30 pm
free show
Green Tortoise Hostel
494 Broadway in beautiful North Beach
San Francisco, CA
Sorry, ladies and gents, this show is not open to the general public, as we're playing just for the guests staying at the hostel. Another time, perhaps...
April 13th, 2006
Thursday night 7 - 9pm
free show
San Francisco Art Institute
Third Street Graduate Center
2565 Third Street
San Francisco, CA
On Thursday, April 13th, Bill & The L.N.S. will shake, rattle, and roll your eyeballs, feetballs, and tetherballs (that's yer brain) at The San Francisco Art Institute. Come on out to see (and be) some fine art.
Directions: entrance on 22nd street, around the corner. Go to the lecture hall - it's just a big room - adjacent to swell gallery on the second floor
April 5th, 2006
Wednesday night @ 9pm
$5 - all ages show
Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell St.
@ Van Ness
San Francisco, CA
March 24th, 2006
9:30 pm
Ireland's 32
Geary @ 3rd
San Francisco, CA
Come on an drink a Guiness and a Powers - make a night of it!
January 28th, 2006
10:00 pm
The Legendary Studios H & G Present
"Juego Royale / Fuego Fatale"
290 Napoleon St.
Studio G & H
San Francisco, CA
The warehouse party of the year - get undergound and rock your socks off in a sweltering double event. One studio brings the bass, breaks and electronica on the wheels of steel, and the other studio wields the mighty rock forces of Clide vs. Crocodiles, Low Red Land, and Sweet Crude Bill! Unfast the ropes and abandon shame!
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