The Toasters in 2013: Touring USA, Europe, Russia; London Intl Ska Festival; New CD and Vinyl Releases

As always, there is lots going in The Toasters' camp. They're just about to launch their 2013 winter tour of the the USA this January and February (see dates below), to be followed by a European tour in April and May, and then Russia in June.

Other big Toasters news is that the band is one of the featured performers on day four of The 2013 London International Ska Festival on March 31 at Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London. Other performers on this bill ("The Great British Ska Explosion") include Maroon Town (featuring their original singer, Stevie Bee, plus specials guests from The Loafers and Hotknives), 100 Men, and a DJ set by members of the great Potato 5.

On the recorded music front, Phoenix City Records recently released two fantastic Toasters CDs: the 20-track career retrospective 30th Anniversary; and Pool Shark, the 1987 Unicorn Records release of the same name (many of these cuts went on to form Skaboom in the USA), plus bonus tracks comprised of two other '87 UK-released Toasters EPs, East Side Beat (Ska/Oi Records) and Recriminations (Unicorn). Jump Up Records will soon be issuing one of my favorite Toasters albums on vinyl, New York Fever (there was never a domestic vinyl release of this record--only a limited pressing by Pork Pie in Germany). I'll be posting a long write-up of this record soon. And lastly, Buck tells me the long, long-awaited "House of Soul" single is being pressed now--I can't wait to get a copy of this one.

The Toasters' 2013 Winter Tour of the USA

Jan 18 The Met Cafe, Pawtucket, RI
Jan 19 Fury's Publick House, Dover, NH
Jan 20 Revolution Bar & Music Hall (Formerly Ollie's Point), Amityville, NY
Jan 21 Dub Land Underground, Rochester, NY
Jan 22 Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA
Jan 23 Mickey Finns, Toledo, OH
Jan 24 The Frequency, Madison, WI
Jan 25 Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis, MN
Jan 26 Knickerbockers, Lincoln, NE
Jan 27 Marquis Theater, Denver, CO
Jan 28 Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO
Jan 29 Atlas Theater, Cheyenne, WY
Jan 30 Bar Deluxe, Salt Lake City, UT
Jan 31 Shredder Boise, ID
Feb 01 El Corazon, Seattle, WA
Feb 02 Ash Street Saloon, Portland, OR
Feb 04 Jambalaya, Arcata, CA
Feb 05 Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
Feb 06 The Parkside, San Francisco, CA
Feb 07 The Alley, Sparks, NV
Feb 08 Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip, Las Vegas, NV
Feb 09 WCLAC, Los Angeles, CA
Feb 10 San Diego/San Francisco, CA: TBA
Feb 11 Slidebar, Fullerton, CA
Feb 12 Strummer's Village Tavern, Yuma, AZ
Feb 13 Crescent Ballroom Phoenix, AZ
Feb 14 The Orpheum Theater, Flagstaff, AZ
Feb 15 The Launchpad, Albuquerque, NM
Feb 16 Gallery 127, El Paso, TX
Feb 17 Antone's, Austin, TX
Feb 18 Fatty Arbuckle's, Shreveport, LA
Feb 19 Maxine's Pub Hot Springs, AR
Feb 20 Grant Street Lafayette, LA
Feb 21 Handle Bar, Pensacola, FL
Feb 22 High Dive, Gainesville, FL
Feb 23 Cocoa Beach Scooter Rally, Cocoa Beach, FL
Feb 24 Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
Feb 25 Soapbox Laundro-Lounge, Wilmington, NC
Feb 26 Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
Feb 27 Jewish Mother Backstage, Norfolk, VA
Feb 28 Stanhope House Stanhope, NJ
Mar 01 T.T. The Bear's, Cambridge, MA