Indie-folk cellist Ben Sollee will release Live at the Grocery on Home (sonaBLAST! Records) on May 1, 2012. Joined by fiddle player Casey Driessen and percussionist Jordon Ellis, the album was recorded over a four-night residency at the Grocery on Home in Atlanta, GA and features live interpretations of songs from Sollee’s studio releases. A limited edition pressing of the physical album will be independently released with a focus on local connections. A summer tour kicks off with a record release party in Louisville, KY and includes a five-day bicycle ride for climate awareness.
The intimate setting of Grocery on Home provided the ideal atmosphere for capturing the vibe of Sollee’s live performances. “There’s no way to truly convey what happens between the audience and performer in a live show. Each night has its own personality,” says Sollee. “A live record can help share the experience with others, but certainly cannot replace it.”
Sollee’s continuous effort to make “merch that matters” contributed to the making of Live at the Grocery on Home. Louisville’s Hound Dog Press crafted a limited quantity of artisan letterpress album covers for the release which will be available for sale exclusively through the regional Heine Brothers Coffee chain, on Sollee’s live tour route, and online at www.bensollee.com. The album will also be available for purchase digitally through iTunes and various online retailers.
Sollee’s summer tour kicks off on May 1st with a record release party for Live at the Grocery on Home at Kentucky’s Heine Brothers Coffee. Located at 1449 Bardstown Road in Louisville, the free event begins at 7 pm. Continuing with a string of Southeast dates, Sollee will then embark on a five-day/ 300-mile bike ride from New York, NY to Washington, DC to raise awareness and support for sustainable energy solutions, bike advocacy, and environmental causes. The ride concludes with a performance by Sollee at the U Street Music Hall in DC. More information about the Climate Ride can be found at http://www.climateride.org
Ben Sollee Current Summer Tour Dates
May 1 – Heine Brothers Coffee/ Live album release – Louisville, KY (Bardstown Rd./ 7 pm)
May 2 – Loveless Cafe Barn – Nashville TN (Music City Roots)
May 4 – Park Tavern – Atlanta GA (Upper Chattahoochee River Keeper Awards)
May 5 – The Square Room – Knoxville, TN
May 10 – Kings – Raleigh, NC
May 11 – Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC
May 19 – 23rd – Climate Ride – New York, NY to Washington, DC
May 23 – U Street Music Hall – Washington, DC
May 24 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
May 25 – The Majestic – Madison, WI
May 26 – Radio Radio – Indianapolis, IN
June 16 – Red Clay Theatre – Duluth, GA
June 20 – World Cafe Live – Wilmington, DE
June 21 – Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY
June 23 – Ingraham House – Bristol, CT
