My father had a way with words, and when one is known for having “a way with words,” it could be a very good thing, or it could be “something completely different.”

My father would say, “Measure twice, cut once.”  He would say, “Don’t let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya.”  And, when I’d speak with him about Joy on Fire, he’d say, “Well, it sounds like you and your friends have been as busy as a one-armed paper-hanger.”

Indeed, we have.

Joy on Fire has been “Gittin’ it Done,” so to speak.  We’ve played a ton of shows in support of our Procrastination Records release Fire with Fire and, in doing so, we’ve returned to many of our favorite places: Metropolitan Kitchen in Annapolis, The Crown in Baltimore, The Pour House in Raleigh, Galaxy Hut in Arlington, Cloud Club in Boston, Radio Bean in Burlington, and Shrine in Harlem just to name a few.

We’ve also played some great new places that we love, like the Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield MA, The Terrace in Princeton NJ, The Footlight in Bushwick Bklyn, and Gasa Gasa in New Orleans.

Add to this our blazing performance at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, which was just … Wow! And we were lucky to have the amazing band photographer Brian Jenkins shoot the show (see photos in post, more to come soon!).

In addition to promoting Fire with Fire, which is Joy on Fire record #2, we’ve been in various studios working hard on Joy on Fire #3 and Joy on Fire #4 (titles and more info to come).  Also, there are two amazing new Joy on Fire videos – and another fantastic video coming soon.

“Night of the Night Sticks”

“Punk Jazz”

So, yeah, you’ll see us slow things down for a minute in September, but before then, we’ll finish out summer 2018 with another string of “Heavy Duty” shows (Dad liked all things Heavy Duty.  Heavy Duty is good. In fact, we secretly nicknamed him Heavy Duty when I was young.).

Friday August 17 – Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center, Greenfield MA

Saturday August 18 – Radio Bean, Burlington VT

Monday August 20 – The Middle East, Cambridge MA

Friday August 24 – Cafe Nola, Frederick MD

Sunday August 26 – Galaxy Hut, Arlington VA

Hope to see you out there!!

-Chris

Yes, Yes, YES!!!  Sometimes the universe throws you a bone, and we have that bone, and we’re taking it with us to Vermont this Saturday to play in the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival.  YES!!!  

We love Burlington.  A LOT. Over the past year, we’ve found a home away from home at a place called Radio Bean.  It’s a super funky, eclectic, let-it-all-hang-out “bohemian utopia” where cool, friendly people thrive on live music and always make us feel welcomed and appreciated.  The VT bands we’ve played with are way cool, too. We always look forward to playing The Bean and we always have a great time.

Now, we hear a lot of things when we play – people enjoy our music and get excited, often they want us to come play at some event or with their band or what have you.  Many times, by Monday, when the hangovers are gone and folks get back to their daily grind, these offers have faded into foggy half-memories.

Radio Bean’s owner enjoys our music and has long been involved in the jazz fest, now in its 35th year.  Late one Saturday night, after our set and as folks were closing the place, he offered to get us into the festival, and we were hopeful but also understood that we may be chasing the fog come Monday.  Sure enough, as we were pondering how much and how soon to pester him about it, the phone rang and he had it all set up.

So, this Saturday, June 9, at 11:30 pm, we’ll play a sweet, long, riotous set at Radio Bean as part of the 35th Annual Burlington Discover Jazz Fest.  We are thrilled and honored. If you’re in the area, please come by and enjoy the music/food/drinks/energy of The Bean. If you know folks around Burlington, please send them our way.  Either way, send us some love this weekend and we’ll turn it into music.

BTW, here’s our latest video, in case you haven’t seen it.

See you soon!

-Chris

Joy on Fire will return to Division Street Guitars in Peekskill, NY, on Friday, January 8, 2016. This will be the band’s third visit to the unassuming axe shop that’s creating a red-hot scene for new music and raging all-ages shows. And Peekskill is ready – JoF’s shows are becoming the stuff of legend in town.

It all started one wintry night in early 2015. The snow was insane, an all-out blizzard, the driving was treacherous, the band navigated Rte. 202 up past the Bear Mtn. Bridge and narrowly avoided the thousand-foot-death-plunge into the Hudson. Most everyone in town figured the show would be rescheduled, but JoF showed up, and a crowd of intrepid partiers brought in some hooch & mixers and danced the night away as Joy on Fire blazed. It was Division Street’s inaugural show of their now-established concert series, and Joy on Fire set the tone mightily.

June brought much better weather. The restaurants & cafes were packed and the bar crowds spilled out onto the sidewalks. It seemed like everyone in town was out for a good time. And when Joy on Fire launched into their set, those crowds streamed into the guitar shop, packing the house with an energy that people heard and felt and followed from blocks away. Folks who were introduced to JoF that night have followed the band to every show they’ve done in the area since.

Tomorrow, Friday, January 8, Joy on Fire will help Peekskill set the tone for a whole new year of raucous good times. The holidays are over and now the serious fun begins. Doors open at 7:30 – $5 admission – all ages. Joy on Fire will be joined by The Tall Whites and NCM.

Division Street Guitars, 36 N. Division Street, Peekskill, NY 10566