Backyard Tire Fire is always on the road, but this fall they are extra busy with tour dates with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals as well as, the Clarks, Reverend Horton Heat and Rusted Root. BTF is out in support of The Places We Lived, which is their debut release for Hyena Records.

November 5 / Blueberry Hill / St. Louis, MO
(w/ Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)
November 6 / Redstone Room / Davenport, IA
(w/ Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)
November 7 / Crosstown Station / Kansas City, MO
(w/ Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)
November 13 / Newport Music Hall / Columbus, OH (w/ The Clarks)
November 14 / Club Cafe / Pittsburgh, PA
November 15 / Grog Shop / Cleveland, OH (w/ The Clarks)
December 3 / Mercy Lounge / Nashville, TN (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 4 / Vogue / Indianapolis, IN (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 5 / Southgate House / Newport, KY (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 6 / Majestic Theatre / Detroit, MI (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 7 / The Intersection / Grand Rapids, MI (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 10 / Otto's / Dekalb, IL (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 11 / People's / Des Moines, IA (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 12 / Cain's Ballroom / Tulsa, OK (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 13 / The Village / Little Rock, AR (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)
December 27 / House of Blues / Chicago, IL (w/ Rusted Root)
December 28 / House of Blues / Chicago, IL (w/ Rusted Root)
December 29 / Eagles Ballroom / Milwaukee, WI (w/ Rusted Root)
December 30 / St. Andrews Hall / Detroit, MI (w/ Rusted Root)
December 31 / House of Blues / Cleveland, OH (w/ Rusted Root)



We've been following this band for over two years now, and it's great to see them progress so much and we're looking forward to watching them go further. They're a great bunch of guys who know how to rock and roll with the best of them, check them out when they come to a town near you!

Labels: Backyard Tire Fire, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Tour Dates

By: David Schultz

Fronted by Ed Anderson, one of the hardest working songwriters in the game, Backyard Tire Fire have developed one the broadest repertoires, surpassing by leaps and bounds what you would expect of a young band from Illinois. Anderson, who writes new songs at an inhuman pace, draws inspiration from a vast spectrum of road house styles: outlaw country, blues and classic rock. Depending on where they play, Backyard Tire Fire – rounded out by Tim Kramp (drums) and Ed’s brother Matt Anderson (bass) – can easily transform themselves into any region’s greatest bar band.

Their latest album, The Places We Lived, finds the Tire Fire in a reflective period, pausing to take a look around and noting what’s changed. It’s a modest shift from the raucous Vagabonds and Hooligans and adds depth to an already deep catalog. Without becoming a list of grievances, The Places We Lived consists of Anderson’s sense of frustration with the people around him (“Everybody’s Down”); the consequences of speaking his mind (“Shoulda Shut It”); the concept of marriage (“Legal Crime”) and of people who just won’t leave (“How In The Hell Did You Get Back Here?”).

BTF approaches this album with an ear towards the studio setting, focusing on delivering the song as opposed to a visceral impact. “Welcome To The Factory” clanks along in a slight homage to “Welcome To The Machine” and “Rainy Day (Don’t Go Away)” nicely uses tape hiss to replicate the melancholy effect of a downpour. Places puts an emphasis on Anderson’s vocals, which are more suited towards Johnny Cash style dissertations than some of the album’s more personalized offerings. On the stripped down songs, Anderson’s voice draws attention away from the nicely plotted melodies; however, in pushing his vocal limitations to convey the proper emotion, he adds a strained quality that perfectly suits the thoughtful vibe and somewhat troubled sentiment of the album. Those who like their Tire Fire raw and pissed off will not be disappointed; The Places We Lived is far from ten songs of mediation. “How In The Hell Did You Get Back Here?” zips along with angry guitars and a properly righteous growl, “Time With You” motors along on Tim Kramp’s driving drums and on “One Wrong Turn,” Anderson belts out a prisoner’s song of regret over a wonderfully boozy saloon hall piano.

The Places We Lived is being released by HYENA Records, a label with a fine knack for finding young artists with unlimited potential. In teaming up with Backyard Tire Fire, HYENA does nothing to jeopardize that sterling reputation.

Labels: Backyard Tire Fire

By: David Schultz

One of the more versatile bands around, Backyard Tire Fire has the ability to turn out sets focused exclusively on gritty traditional blues, homespun country or flat-out classic rock. Whatever mood may strike them, they can follow that muse. It doesn’t hurt that the band’s lead singer and guitarist Ed Anderson is turning into a prodigious and prolific songwriter. His brother, bassist Matt Anderson and drummer Tim Kramp may be having trouble keeping up with the sheer abundance of quality songs springing from his fertile mind.

Last week, Backyard Tire Fire returned to New York City to put on a scorching set before The Beautiful Girls took the stage at Sullivan Hall. Normally a trio, the Tire Fire have recently brought in guitarist Scott Tipping to round out their live sound. An eminently talented axeman, Tipping not only does pushes Ed Anderson to up his game, he makes it possible to keep the band’s signature guitar in the mix when Anderson moves to the keyboards.

BTF kept their one hour set focused on their upcoming album, The Places We Lived. In contrast to his brother who was nattily dressed, Matt Anderson opted for a simpler dress, proudly donning a Sun Studio shirt. In line with the band’s recent Session at the legendary studio, the new songs have a distinctly blues rock feel to them and they let a small hint of country slip in when it suits the song’s purpose. At the close of the set, they offered a stellar version of “Downtime,” one of Vagabonds and Hooligans’ best tracks.

The Tire Fire will be making their way around the Midwest with the Reverend Horton Heat and Nashville Pussy over the next couple months. Their road show is definitely worth the price of admission alone. Ed Anderson is truly an emerging songwriter whose immense talent won’t remain hidden for long. Catch them now before Backyard Tire Fire becomes absolutely white hot.

Labels: Backyard Tire Fire

Nashville's Be Your Own Pet is going to hit the road this spring with the Arctic Monkeys. Last year the teen sensations were arguably the most coveted unsigned band not named Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and will likely be the Cold War Kids of 2007. BYOP's debut for XL Records is due out in the summer.

Modest Mouse may not be so modest after their latest disc has debuted at #1 on Billboard. We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank sold 128,565 copies in its first week of release. The chart toppers will hit the road for a tour that kicks off April 15th in Seattle. Brooklyn's Love as Laughter will open.

Video Links:
Elvis Perkins: All The Night Without Love
Arctic Monkeys: Brianstorm
Klaxons: Golden Skans
U2: I Will Follow (Live on SNL 2006)
Backyard Tire Fire: Crack Alley (Live @ Schubas)
Robert Randloph: Thrill of It
Earl Greyhound: S.O.S

Missy Higgins, who Earvolution first featured and interviewed in the summer of 2005 has a new EP coming out. Steer hits Australian music stores on April 14th. There is no info on a US release date at this time. But, Steer is just a preview of a full length album On A Clear Night that will follow later in the year.

The "Rock the Bells" New York show with Rage Against the Machine quickly sold out the presale this morning. Meanwhile, Tom Morello keeps popping up in different places. MTV reports that The Nightwatchman took over the drumkit for a performance of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" with members of Distrurbed and Scott Ian of Anthrax the other night at the Keyclub in LA.

Labels: Arctic Monkeys, Backyard Tire Fire, Be Your Own Pet, Rage Against The Machine, Tom Morello

By: David Schultz

Following the creative vision of former Brother Jed guitarist Ed Anderson, Backyard Tire Fire's third studio album, Vagabonds and Hooligans, nimbly avoids genre classification. While the alt-country application wouldn't be unfair, especially given the Drive-By Truckers feel of certain tracks, by successfully working the borders and diving into country, blues, Southern rock and indie-rock and finding their commonality, Backyard Tire Fire has found something fresh and new within each one.

Skillful in apologetic oops-I-got-drunk country, Vagabonds and Hooligans moves beyond simple expressions and honky-tonk country, falling more within the mold of their recent EP, Skin and Bones. The well produced album contains intriguing depth: nothing seems as simple as it appears. On the opening title track, Anderson sings of the troublesome visions in his head over a lovely acoustic guitar melody, leaving the backing violin to move between complementary accompaniment and subtle John Cale style trepidation. Similarly, on "Apparitions," BTF introduces a slight sense of unease in such a manner that it gives the song a pleasing edge rather than an unnecessary distraction.

The rhythm section of co-founder Tim Kramp on drums and Matt Anderson, Ed's brother, on bass make Backyard Tire Fire's mélange work. On "Black Dog," they provide the framework for Ed's blistering road-house style guitar work and create the perfect sense of camaraderie on the gloriously ragged "Get Wise." On the tender songs, BTF channels the endearing scruffiness of The Band and on "Wrong Hand," they create a southern-blues epic that could be mistaken for a Black Crowes track circa Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Able to work outside the alt-country confines, "Undecided" comes from the laissez-faire disinterest of Pavement era indie-rock and "Corrine," with its well-placed organ, dates back to the post-grunge 90s when Stone Temple Pilots and Live ruled the world.

To say that Vagabonds and Hooligans is a hard album to pin down should be taken as a compliment. Much like their recent set at B.B. King's, Backyard Tire Fire can comfortably work within many different genres without seeming scattershot or unfocused. Rather than finding a genre to confine themselves within, on their latest, they seem to be finding a recipe which should allow them to grow.

Labels: Backyard Tire Fire

By: David Schultz

After the dissolution of the Illinois based jamband Brother Jed, guitarist and songwriter Ed Anderson formed Backyard Tire Fire with drummer Tim Kramp, ultimately bringing his brother Matt Anderson into the fold. Going back to the drawing board with a new band may not have been the planned step on Anderson's itinerary, but it has yielded an alt-country power trio that's starting to grow beyond their Midwestern roots.

This past Friday, Backyard Tire Fire hit New York City, opening for The Radiators at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill. Located in Times Square, the upscale, corporate-slick venue didn't provide the ideal setting for the roadhouse-style trio as the venue's core demographic doesn't exactly match the Tire Fire's intended audience. With many early arrivers finishing up their meals, Kramp and the Andersons had the unenviable task of winning over a crowd primarily flocking to Midtown to see the New Orleans based rockers.

At the outset, it seemed a task the trio wouldn't accomplish. With Ed Anderson seated near the stage front with an acoustic guitar, the Tire Fire began their set with a series of country songs. Not only did the straightforward acoustic country fail to initially captivate the crowd, given Backyard Tire Fire's alt-country leanings, it also came off as disappointing. Segueing out of the acoustic section with a brisk romp through "Tom Petty," a Johnny Cash inspired tune professing the desire to accomplish the same level of stardom as the sandy-haired Floridian, Anderson moved to the electric guitar and the set found its heart.

It was during the second half of the set that Backyard Tire Fire dove into their Drive-By Truckers blend of blues and country. They touched on Skin & Bones, their latest EP, tearing through a cover of Barry Cowsill's "Crack Alley" and their own "Downtime" as well as previewed their upcoming Vagabonds & Hooligans, highlighted by "The Wrong Hand," which is Chris Robinson's voice short of being a lost track from an early-era Black Crowes album.

Paying homage to the venue's lofty pedigree, Anderson led the band through a deliciously funky romp through Luther Allison's "Ragged And Dirty," ripping his finger open in the process. Relishing his battle wound, Anderson proudly displayed his bloodstained guitar during an inspired "Blood On The Strings," giving an added level of meaning to the "Turn The Page" weary-from-the-road song.

Vagabonds & Hooligans will come out in the first week of February with the band celebrating the release with a Midwestern run of shows. They will also be on the bill for the Allman Brothers led Wanee Festival on April 13 in Live Oak, FL.

Labels: Backyard Tire Fire

It's no secret that we like old fashioned rock and roll around here, particularly the roots and Americana styles. Don't get me wrong but, we love our indie hipster friends too. But, when a band can be described as a group that "explores the harder side of life with a simple man's brilliance that never takes itself too seriously" as Harp Magazine said about Backyard Tire Fire, then I need to take a listen. After doing so, I'm now happy to say so should you.

You can stream their new EP here and tour dates are on their Myspace page. Check 'em out!

Labels: Backyard Tire Fire