On October 23rd following a gig at the Sportsman's Tavern in Buffalo, the Blind Owl Band was robbed. (You can help by donating or buying their albums scroll down) A thief or thieves broke into their trailer and stole a cache of expensive, rare instruments.
The trailer was parked outside a friend's house where the band was staying for the night when it was broken into.
The stolen instruments include a 1942 upright bass, a mandolin, a Martin guitar, a banjo and a fiddle. In all, the stolen gear is worth between $12,000 and $15,000, said band member Eric Munley.
The Adirondack string band was in the midst of 40 shows in 60 days throughout the northeast. The band is a full-time job for all four members. Last night, they had to cancel a gig in Cleveland, Ohio. It was the first time in the band's two-year tenure they've had to cancel a show.
But Munley is concerned about the long-term consequences of the robbery. As of Friday afternoon, the band was still in Buffalo trying to hunt down their stolen gear.
"We're doing detective work," Munley said. "We're visiting pawn shops, music stores and we've received monster amount of support. People are angry about it."
The band filed a police report with the Buffalo Police Department.
Also among the stolen gear were roughly 100 CDs and band T-shirts. While not overly valuable, they represent a source of revenue for the band.
"We don't even have our merch to sell to make our money back," he said.
And the last item on the list is a lighthearted jab and band member James Ford, who carries a suitcase instead of a backpack on tour. The suitcase was stolen along with the gear. The band refers to it as "James's purse."
"It's us trying to make a slight joke of the situation," Munley said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Eric Munley at emunley88@gmail.comor call him at 518-637-1985.
According to the band's Facebook page, the list of stolen items includes:
Weber Mandolin (Gallatin) Light natural finish
1942 Kay Stand up, Double Bass
Fender p-Bass Fretless, Black
Stelling Sunflower Banjo
Martin Guitar
Ashdown Bass Head
Fiddle, Stratavarious Copy
50 or so Blind Owl Band T-Shirts
CDs
Hot Sauce
James's purse
For all who are wondering where donations can be sent, here are instructions:
Go to paypal.com
Go to "Send Money Online"
Send it to emunley88@gmail.com
or Log in to your account,
Select the Send Money Tab
Send to emunley88@gmail.com
Select Send Money to Family or Friends
Send Donation.
You can also mail cash or check to
The Blind Owl Band
P.O. Box 260
Bloomingdale, NY 12913
Make sure to also include your name and address, we don't know how yet but we intend to thank everyone and we want to know how we can get ahold of you and where we can send some stuff.
Before their latest release 'This Train We Ride is Made of Wood and Steel' The Blind Owl Band played Pizza Stone in Chester, VT on May 17th. Dan Russ was there and taped it and put it up on Archive.Org Too make your life easier I downloaded the songs, cleaned up the ID3's and am posting it here for your enjoyment. Grab them all here, or individually below.
Arthur (Guitar, Vocals) , Christian (Bass) , Eric(Mandolin, Vocals) and James (Banjo, Vocals)
If Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters kidnapped the Kingston Trio’s kids and released them upon the world twenty years later you would have The Blind Owl Band! New Album 'This Train We Ride is Made of Wood and Steel' drops July 10th!
Video for the track 'Map With Roads' from the upcoming album.
ALBUM RELEASE TOUR
July 10 - Al's Wine and Whiskey, Syracuse, NY
July 11 - The Monkey House, Winooski, VT with Pappy
Couch By Couchwest '13 alumni The Blind Owl Band reveal cover art for upcoming 2nd album 'This Train We Ride is Made of Wood and Steel' coming down the tracks July 10th
The song 'Highways Long' from upcoming album, debut at CXCW 2013
The band will be playing 9 dates to back the release many of their favorite locations including Saranac Lake, Rochester, Chester, VT, Syracuse, Saratoga Springs, Winooski and Brattleboro, VT, New Paltz and Asbury Park, NJ. Get ready for a exciting run of shows!!!
Rabble Rousing Couch By Couchwest favorites The Blind Owl Band have announced Spring Tour Dates for the Northeast, Hootin’ and Hollerin’ Festival to Festival you can catch the guys at these locations. See below.
Formed in 2011 by Jersey lads Eric Munley (Mandolin, Vocals), Christian Cardiello (Bass) and Arthur Buezo (Guitar, Vocals), James Ford (Banjo, Vocals) from Connecticut. They all met up together in the Adirondacks at Paul Smiths College, jamming on cheap instruments and bangin’ on trash cans the chemistry clicked and they were soon honing their craft playing live at local clubs. The result of that is this fantastic debut album ‘Rabble Rousing’ released January 2012, it is apparent that the stars aligned for these young men and we are fortunate for that.
"Rabble Rousing" is the Blind Owl Band Debut album and was released independently Jan 28, 2012. Rabble Rousing covers the first year of writing of the Blind Owl Band and consists of 13 songs. Available 'name your price'
The Shaskeen, Manchester, NH with Flabberghaster
Our first show in Manchester, NH with friends Flabberghaster.
April 11, 2013 2:00 am
Venue: Shaskeen
Address: Manchester, NH, United States
The Bayou, Albany, NY
April 12, 2013 2:00 am
Venue: The Bayou
The Brickhouse, Housatonic, MA
April 13, 2013 2:00 am
Venue: The Brickhouse
Stella Blues, New Haven, CT with Milksop: Unsung
April 17, 2013 2:00 am
Venue: Stella Blues LLC
Phone:+1 (203) 752-9764
204 Crown St, New Haven, CT, 06510-2700, United States
The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ in Support of Brown Bird
Please contact us for Tickets. We are the first of 2 supporting acts.
April 18, 2013 2:00 am
Venue: THE SAINT
Phone: 732-775-9144
Address: 601 Main Street, Asbury Park, NJ, 07712, United States
St. Lawrence University Folk Festival, Canton, NY
April 19, 2013 2:00 am
Venue: St. Lawrence University
Phone: 315-229-5011
Address: 23 Romoda Dr., Canton, NY, 13617, United States
The Waterhole, with Cabinet, Saranac Lake, NY 4/20
The Blind Owl Band plays in support of Cabinet on 4/20/2013!! Come kick off the changing of seasons at the Waterhole!
April 19, 2013 9:00 pm
Venue: The Waterhole
Phone: (518)891-9502
Address: 48 Main St., Saranac Lake, NY, 12983, United States
SUNY Plattsburgh, Earthday Celebration, Plattsburgh, NY
April 22, 2013 2:00 am
Venue: SUNY Plattsburgh
Address: 101 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, NY, 12901, United States
Taps Tavern, Poultney, VT
April 25, 2013 5:00 pm
Venue: Taps Tavern
Phone: (802) 287-4064
Address: 158 Main Street, Poultney, VT, United States
Belfast Free Range Music Festival, Belfast, ME
April 26, 2013 – April 27, 2013
O’Death (NYC/Maine), Gordon Bok (Camden, ME), Ava Luna (Brooklyn, NY), Anders and Kendall (VT & NY), Samara Lubelski (NYC), Waylon Speed (Burlington, VT), Marissa Nadler (Boston, MA), Olas (Portland, ME), CSC Funk (Brooklyn, NY), Blind Owl Band (Saranac lake, NY), Jack Grelle (St Louis, MO), Alhan Middle Eastern Music Ensemble (Maine), Burst & Bloom Family Revue (Portsmouth, NH), Herbcraft (Maine), Mister Moon (Swanville & Palermo, Maine).
Deep in the forest there are aged trees with roots burrowed
deep in the ground and occasionally there are the creeper roots that spread along
the ground searching for a place to dig deeper, they bask in the bright new sunshine
but draw on the rich nutrients from the roots before them. Sitting on a majestic
branch The Blind Owl Band absorbed this mixing of past and present and luckily
for us have let out a mighty sound.
Formed in 2011 by Jersey lads Eric Munley (Mandolin, Vocals),
Christian Cardiello (Bass) and Arthur Buezo (Guitar, Vocals), James Ford
(Banjo, Vocals) from Connecticut. They
all met up together in the Adirondacks at Paul Smiths College, jamming on cheap
instruments and bangin’ on trash cans the chemistry clicked and they were soon
honing their craft playing live at local clubs. The result of that is this
fantastic debut album ‘Rabble Rousing’ released January 2012, it is apparent
that the stars aligned for these young men and we are fortunate for that.
