The ROOT! Compendium - Old news - June, 2008

June 17, 2008

At their last gig, after ROOT! played Root66 as their opening track, frontman DC Root stated that it was their opening track, nearly a year earlier, at the very same venue... their first gig ever. He said that it was pointless trivia. Today is exactly one year since that first concert and here, for no educational value is a list of every song ROOT! have ever played live, and exactly how many times its been played.

ROOT! have played eighteen shows. Not only was Root66 the song first played by the band, it is also the song most frequently played first by the band. On eight different occassions, ROOT! have opened their set with the song. They closed with it four times. The song most frequently played last at a ROOT! gig is I Wish I Was Tex Perkins - played an amazing ten times to close the set.

DC Root, KingBean, Skip and Jason/archer11 all submitted setlists to the ROOT! Compendium, and for that, many thanks are in order. So thank you to them, to the people who have sent in concert reviews and, of course, the obligitory (and embarrasing) thanks to YOU for visiting The ROOT! Compendium. Here's to another year.

June 10, 2008

Sydney concert confirmed - single release date confirmed.

ROOT! have just announced the date for their much anticipated Sydney gig. 11pm, August 30 at The Vanguard. At the same time, ROOT! announced their next Melbourne gig, a week prior to the Sydney gig, August 23 at The Evelyn Hotel. This gig will be the launch of their new single Get Up Yourself.

ROOT! IN THE STUDIO...

After a relatively high-exposure couple of months, ROOT! have now retreated to the studio to begin work on their next album. The first fruits of this labour are scheduled for release as a single, which will be available at two shows in Melbourne and Sydney:

August 23rd - Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy

August 30th - The Vanguard, Sydney

More details to follow.

June 9, 2008

Just two days ago on June 7, ROOT! took the stage at The Spanish Club once again, for the first time in almost exactly a year. Powering through a "Bullshit" late start time (scheduled to appear at 11pm, then 11:30pm, then 12pm, then 12:15, they began at 12:30, technically June 8) they opened with Root66, the same song they opened with at The Spanish Club on their first ever live performance (June 17th, 2007).

Half-way through the live set, the music came to a halt and it was announced that, since it was technically June 8, it was now Doug Lee Root's birthday. Clearly looking what he described as "Gobsmacked," Steve Root played "Happy Birthday" on keyboard while Henri and DC presented his present. Opening it on stage, Doug was surprised to receive a shirt. Another rendition of Happy Birthday followed with Barnaby on drums aswell, with the crowd chanting "Put it on, Put it on". The shirt was put down with the promise of "I'll wear it at the next gig".

DC then revealed that the forthcoming single would be the new track "Get Up Yourself". File this under the rumour mill: possible b-sides may be I Wear My Prescription Sunglasses At Night - coincidentally the second song ROOT! ever played live and a new, as-yet unheard spoken piece.

The talk surrounding the new album is growing, the current word being it will contain a lyrical/musical theme across many tracks, akin to a concept album. The newer songs in the ROOT! sets are strong contenders to be on the album. No official release date has been set for either the album or single.