After taking a long winter's nap (one that lasted for eight years), Five Iron Frenzy is back! The popular band will release a new album on November 26 called Engine of a Million Plots that was funded through a record-breaking Kickstarter project. Fans raised seven times the asking goal in less than an hour and then continued to pledge, raising more than $207k by the time the campaign ended.
The whole reuniting process actually took two years. On November 22, 2011, Five Iron Frenzy released a single called "It Was A Dark & Stormy Night." They gave it to fans as a free download as a taste of what was to come. On April 28, 2012, the band performed in Denver in front of a packed house. Fans had literally come from all over the globe to hear the first live performance in eight years. The November 26th release will be the final step in being officially "back."
In a press release, Five Iron Frenzy saxophonist Leanor Ortega-Till talked about the reunion, saying, "Making this record was more about making good art, it was about becoming a family again. I listen and I think 'Wow! We did it! We finally made THE album we've always wanted to listen to.'"
The band has a long history. Five Iron Frenzy first formed in 1995 with vocalist/lyricist Reese Roper, former bassist Keith Hoerig, guitarist Micah Ortega, and lead songwriter Scott Kerr. They soon added Dennis Culp on trombone, Andrew Verdecchio on drums, Leanor Ortega-Till on saxophone, Nathanael Dunham on trumpet, and Sonnie Johnson on guitar. They gained national exposure with the songs, "Oh, Canada" (from Our Newest Album Ever!, 1997) and "Where the Zero Meets the Fifteen" (from Upbeats and Downbeats, 1996). Up until they broke up in 2003, the band entertained audiences with lively, interactive shows, sometimes dressed in full costume.
Fans can catch them in concert through November 23, 2013 and then they'll be back in 2014.
Five Iron Frenzy Concert Dates:
- 11/13 Toronto, ON
- 11/14 Poughkeepsie, NY
- 11/15 Philadelphia, PA
- 11/16 Buffalo, NY
- 11/17 Pittsburgh, PA
- 11/18 State College, PA
- 11/20 Norfolk, VA
- 11/21 Akron, OH
- 11/22 Joliet, IL
- 11/23 Nashville, TN
Engine of a Million Plots Track Listing:
- Against A Sea of Troubles
- So Far
- Zen & The Art of Xenophobia
- We Own The Skies
- Someone Else's Problem
- I Am Jack's Smirking Revenge
- To Start A Fire
- Battle Dancing Unicorns With Glitter
- Into Your Veins
- It Was A Dark & Stormy Night
- I've Seen The Sun
- Blizzards & Bygones
