Over the past five years, you have given us so much to be thankful for. And now, as the holiday season approaches, we’re asking you to give just a little bit more to benefit those in need. In conjunction with the Boston Medical Center’s Preventive Food Pantry and Demonstration Kitchen, we will be collecting canned food and other items at our final show on Dec. 18 at the Middle East Upstairs with The Luxury, Autumn Hollow Band, and Barn. It’s a great initiative, and will be spearheaded by Tara Doran.

“Hunger and malnutrition remain serious conditions for many people in Greater Boston. For young children, pregnant or nursing mothers, and the babies of malnourished women, the consequences can be particularly profound. To address the burden of hunger and malnutrition in our patient population, BMC established a new Preventive Food Pantry and Demonstration Kitchen in 2002.

The new pantry and demonstration kitchen provide culturally appropriate foods for normal and therapeutic diets and address a wide range of disorders often associated with malnutrition and hunger.

By providing food, education in nutrition, and cooking demonstrations to nearly 5,000 patients per month, BMC is able to effectively fight against the ravages of malnutrition and hunger with both preventive and therapeutic measures. Staff also enrolls eligible patients in the Food Stamps program.”

In exchange for your kindness, we will be giving away merchandise — T-shirts, CDs, you name it. You bring a food item, you’ll have your choice of stylish Cassavettes merch — it’ll be open season. Pretty cool, right?

Important to note: please do not bring sweets or sugared cereals, as these are intended to be nutritional foods to benefit those in need. So what should you bring?

Grains: (Breads, Rice, Cereal, Pasta)
* Any cold and hot non-sugared cereals
* Vanilla wafers
* All low-fat, low-sodium crackers
* Graham crackers
* Any dried pasta (spaghetti and elbows preferred) and canned pasta
* Rice (1-2 lb. bag preferred)
* Any dried beans, canned beans, baked beans
* Infant rice cereal

Fruits and Vegetables
* All canned fruits packed in juice or water
* All canned vegetables
* Dried fruits (raisins preferred)
* Tomato sauce
* Pasta sauce
* All infant strained fruits and vegetables

Meats/Meat Substitutes
* Premium chunk white canned chicken
* Canned tuna packed in water
* Canned sardines packed in water
* Peanut butter (regular and reduced-fat)
* Infant strained meat (chicken, beef, etc.)

Dairy
* Dry milk
* Parmalat milk
* Evaporated skim milk
* Evaporated regular milk
* Baby formula (Enfamil with Iron preferred)

Fats/Oils/Condiments
* Vegetable oil
* Jelly (regular and reduced-sugar)
* Spices (all varieties)

Mixed Foods
* Macaroni and cheese
* Soups (all varieties)
* Beef Stew

So, please open your hearts and your kitchen cabinets, and bring us some food for the Boston Medical Center’s patients. And, of course when it comes to canned goods, the more, the merrier. Thanks for giving back this holiday season and helping us reach out to the community. And don’t forget your free Cassavettes gear for your efforts! See you on Dec. 18 for the grand finale!

As we announced in the last post, Cassavettes will be no more after our show at the Middle East Upstairs on December 18. So, before all is said and done, tell us: what do you want to hear one last time? Vote for up to five songs below from the choices — every song on our three studio albums, other B-sides and songs from our live record, and even a few covers that we have played over the years. We will try to play as many as possible, though some may require A LOT of dusting off. We can definitely commit to play at least the top three choices of you the voters, and we’ll try to do a lot more! So vote below and don’t forget to buy your tickets for Dec. 18!

When I was in high school, my first weekend left home alone I awoke to find my family’s Bichon Frise, Chienna (who everyone called Noonan for an unknown reason), motionless on the floor. She was hardly breathing, but she was warm and though her eyes were glassy, she was weakly blinking — a sign of life. Being that it was the weekend, I didn’t know of any open clinics, or the extent of her illness. I called my mother and agreed to drive the dog to the emergency veterinary clinic off George W. Bush Turnpike, where she and my father would meet me. Just as my parents arrived, the vet issued a fairly harsh diagnosis: Noonan had precious little time left. They’d be surprised if she lasted more than a day or two and recommended putting her down. Important to note: My mother is very strong-willed. And being a medical woman herself (and married to a doctor) and thus skeptical of anyone else’s diagnosis (especially when so definite), she did not accept the vet’s “expertise” nor the recommendation. Instead, she declared that she would take the dog home and nurse her back to health.

I kid you not: it worked. After receiving a lot of fluids and care, Noonan miraculously recovered. She wasn’t exactly perky but she was a dog again. A geriatric dog who required geriatric care, but far from a dead dog. Still, over the next couple years (yes, the dog lived multiple years after this incident, with recurring resuscitations), Noonan’s condition grew worse. She started going deaf. Her eyesight faded. As we approached “the end,” Noonan was no longer just a geriatric dog. She was a zombie, kept alive well past her expiration date. My mother and sister LOVED that dog, and it was excrutiatingly painful to even consider losing her. But in the end, it was my sister (who had received the dog as a gift when she was a little girl) who made the call and Noonan was put down.

All of which I tell you because…I don’t want Cassavettes to become a zombie dog. Yes, this is notice that we are breaking up.

This band has had five years of unbelievably good fortune and we’ve accomplished more than we probably should have. But it paid off because we worked hard, we loved each other, and we loved this band. During our growth period, Cassavettes felt limitless. It was special. It meant something unexplainable to us, and because we were very, very lucky, it seemed to mean something to a lot of other people. That deep connection with the audience was genuine, and it was an extension of our friendships with each other — the very core of the band. It was the hook upon which we hung our hat.

Cassavettes was not necessarily a band of musicians, it was a group of best friends playing music together. If we could go back in time and assess by musical fit and style, we probably wouldn’t have ended up together (and we probably would have lasted only half as long). But what made it special was the unspoken connection, the brotherhood. We were lucky to be able to go through these experiences with people who meant so much to us. We shared every success, every failure, in the exact same way. To use my standard NBA reference, imagine when a basketball player hits a game-winning shot and his teammates mob him, hug him, knock him to the floor with laughter and tears. When this band scored, it felt like that. That sensation of pride that with teamwork and patience WE accomplished something together, something that means everything to US — well, it’s just very, very special. And I’ll tell you right now that no matter what I do going forward, no matter what successes I have in music or life, it’ll feel different. I don’t think I’ll ever feel such a deep connection personally to any future teammates and the “team” that we comprise. And that’s OK. I was fortunate to experience it once because it’s something I’ll never forget. I come from a family with two sisters. Mike, Scott, and Matt are my brothers. Cheesy, yes, but also true.

What made this decision so difficult was the nostalgia for all that. Mike, Scott, and I have known each other since we lived in Texas together — the roots are fairly deep now. And when Matt joined the band, he became an “honorary Texan.” He fit so seamlessly into conversations, into our friendships, into our lives. But after going through five years of growth (together and separate from one another), that “limitless” feeling started to fade at some point. We all knew deep down that the band was wrapping up some time ago, but each time we thought that way, we were hit by a pang of guilt. Cassavettes has been the heart of our existence for five years now. It’s been our main thing. It’s been the justification for us living our lives the way we do. Scott wouldn’t have ever lived in Boston if it hadn’t been for Cassavettes. I probably would have moved away after college, or I’d have pursued some other goal. Mike, in a roundabout way, met his wife through a few shows and some shared band connections. So, to question Cassavettes, we were questioning the very foundation of our lives, and to make that kind of a radical decision, it takes time.

But at some point, after floating in what we’ll call a “musical purgatory,” you just look at each other and admit that it’s time. That dog we loved so dearly is dying and we have to let it go, lest it become a zombie dog. That moment finally came last night with feelings of relief and regret. I’ve invested what many people consider the “best years of their life” into building this band, as have the other guys. It’s not something you want to let go of easily. But this decision feels, for lack of a better word, right.

We are all planning other things, and excited to start a new chapter. Matt will be moving to Nashville to play the dirty blues with Scissormen. Scott and Mike will continue to play spooky surf rock in Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion! And I will continue the “solo” route I started paving with my CD a year or two back, taking along Scott and Josh as part of my band. As former Cassavettes, we’ll all be rooting for each other.

So, here’s what’s going to happen. We will play our final show on December 18 at the Middle East Upstairs with our friends The Luxury, Autumn Hollow Band, and Barn (make sure you get your tickets EARLY!). Matt Snow, our longtime drummer who left the band a couple months ago to prep for his move to Nashville, will return to play the finale. Again, it just feels right to have all of us up there. In fact, Josh Kiggans, who manned the drums for us over the past month, insisted that Matt return to the kit. After five-plus years, it’s his rightful throne.

We will play a longer-than-usual set, and hopefully be able to play everything you want to hear and everything we want to play. Furthermore, we will have open season on our merch box (“everything must go!!!”), so come ready to take home some swag.

We want this to be more party than funeral — a nice summary of the band’s existence. Because as I wrote years ago, on the first incarnation of the band’s website, “fun is priority number one.” That’s been our rule of thumb. December 18 is going to be fun. Just like the past five years have been fun. Please be a part of it, because since the beginning, this has been a shared experience for all of us. Let’s share one more.

A trip down memory lane…

An early shot (2005?) of the band in which Matt had to be pasted in (poorly) by Tim Coughlin

Our first birthday show (notice the number 1 candle), July 2006

Hanging in Austin, our first SXSW. 2007

At Rubber Gloves with the Sterns, 2007

Photo by Gene McCullagh, Texas 2008

Our 3rd birthday show at the Paradise. July 2008. Photo by Sooz

Nashville, 2009. Ironically, we were playing a backyard show at the very house at which Matt will soon reside.

A classic. 2005 by Este Aladro

This Saturday, we return to our old stomping grounds, Federal Jack’s in Kennebunk, Maine, to play a 2-1/2 hour free show. The music starts at 10, and most importantly, it will be the Cassavettes debut of Josh Kiggans. Allow me to briefly tell you a bit “Kigor” (I am hoping that nickname takes).

1) First of all, he is a fashionable dresser. His “look” is always so effortless. Trust me on this. I notice these things.
2) He has personally met Vic Firth…since Vic is his boss. You’re probably fairly impressed with that if you are a drummer, know a drummer, or own “Ultimate Realistic Rock” by Carmine Appice.
3) He plays music so frequently that you wonder how he has time for other things in life (his wonderful girlfriend, Vic, etc). His projects include The Doctors Fox, Abbie Barrett, Left Hand Does, and yes, world famous Glenn Yoder & His Merry Band. I first saw him play as a sub for Girls Guns & Glory and was later connected to him via The Shills and GGG’s ex-bass player. Which is to say, he is a man about town.
4) He owns his own house. AND it’s a nice house. This factoid is meant to convey the responsible nature of Kigor, but also, come on, how many young dudes do you know who own their own house? Really.

So, now you know a bit about our new little drummer boy. He will be manning the kit and filling the large void left by Matthew James Snow, our drummer of the past 5+ years. Josh has also had to learn about 25 songs in two practices, so this Saturday will be a fun experiment. Drop the Kigor in, make the Kigor swim his way out.

Come on down to Federal Jack’s and take in the tunes. It’s FREE! In fact, we’ll be there three times in the next four weeks, so come and get it! If you come to all the shows, you can watch what we will call “The Evolution of Kigor.” Should be fun!

Cassavettes at Federal Jack’s
8 Western Ave. (Just before the bridge into Kennebunkport)
Kennebunk, Maine
DATES: Oct. 16, Oct. 30, Nov. 5
TIME AND COST: 10 p.m. shows, free
PHONE: 207.967.4322

Or I’d have to assume, since I’ve never been married. More specifically, it’s like being married to three other people. It’s some bizarre rock and roll version of “Big Love.” Anyhow, you love these people and you have this abnormally strong bond that you think will last forever. In the case of a band, you always have it in the back of your mind that you know it can’t last forever, but you also can’t envision the end.

Today we are losing a member of our Cassafamily. Matt Snow, who has been our one and only drummer, is leaving the only state he’s ever called home for the friendly warmth of Nashville, Tennessee. We are celebrating this decision because Matt has a huge opportunity: he is going to play drums for our good friend Ted Drozdowski in Scissormen and various other projects and have that elusive opportunity to be a full-time musician. He already has touring plans set for Europe and across America. Trust that this was a very, very difficult decision for Matt and for the rest of us, and that these things are never clear. You expect a moment of clarity where you think, now THIS is the right decision. That just isn’t the case sometimes. But after months of discussion, we agreed that although Matt doesn’t move until February 2011, it is best for Cassavettes to move on and get a “new guy” acclimated, rather than have Matt learning new songs as a lame duck drummer. Thus, tonight, we are playing Tommy Doyle’s in Harvard Square for their annual Mulefest, and it will be Matt’s last time tending the drums for Cassavettes.

Matt is one of my favorite people in the world. What he has meant to this band is immeasurable just by listening to our CDs or seeing him make crazy faces from behind his kit during a live show. In many ways, Matt has been the heart of Cassavettes. He is the even-tempered, playful center of the band. The unquestioned life of the party. When I’ve said that a goal of the band is to make it feel like a family that anyone can be a part of, Matt’s affability is a huge draw to that approach. He is immediately lovable. He never stays mad. He keeps everyone from taking themselves too seriously or getting too pissed at anyone else, and he rarely gets pissed off back (to wit: he once said that if, on tour, someone successfully defecated on his face while he was sleeping, he would be more impressed than angry). If Matt does get mad, it’s over within a matter of minutes — like a mini eruption followed by complete calm (once, years ago, Matt got so angry at me on the phone that he couldn’t express himself with words anymore and just made a weird squeal/screech — GEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHRRRR!!! Following this nonhuman sound, there was dead air for five seconds, and then Matt began quietly laughing, before building up into hysterics. The fight was officially over). I don’t think Matt has ever gone to sleep angry, and if he has, he hasn’t been angry upon waking up. For this reason, he makes touring fun and easy.

He is also unbelievably adaptable, which makes me confident he’s going to succeed in Nashville immediately. Matt, as many of you know, is the ONLY non-Texan in the group, the only one who didn’t seemingly grow up in a tight-knit group before coming to Boston. And yet, you could hardly tell from the moment we met him. When Mike and I auditioned Matt in May 2005, it was immediately like reconnecting with an old friend (he addressed us as “bitches” during the initial meet-and-greet, which normally would put me off but for some reason, I found this refreshingly easing). After his audition, he asked us to drop him off a liquor store around the corner from his house — easily walking distance — to “meet some chick.” We complied, he got out, and despite Matt being the exact opposite of anyone we’d encountered before (our first Masshole?), Mike and I were immediately sold.

We have had five years together, and there have been ebbs and flows, like any relationship. It’s hard work and you want to stick it out together, but sometimes you have to do what’s best for yourself. That’s what Matt is doing and I am extremely glad he is taking that opportunity to pursue what he loves full-time. We wish him all the best, and this surely isn’t the last we have seen of him. And Ted, take it from me, you’re a lucky man.

With that being said, the band will play out its remaining Maine dates (Oct. 16, Oct. 30 and Nov. 5 in Kennebunk) with the aforementioned “new guy”: Josh Kiggans, an unbelievably talented and fun individual who you may have seen behind the drums with Glenn Yoder & His Merry Band. We are then planning to enter into a brief late-fall/early-winter hibernation to acclimate Josh, cook up new songs, and see what develops in the laboratory. More on Josh to come once we officially announce him, but today, we celebrate Matthew James Snow!

Tuesday night was simply incredible. We got to play at the new-and-improved Paradise Rock Club (the stage floor was so shiny and polished, I was worried my cowboy boots would scuff it up if I “rocked” too much) with one of our favorite bands of all-time, the Toadies, and some new friends with a great name, Gringo Star. I’ll tell you, it felt great to be back on the Paradise’s stage. And it felt even better to get a nice little shout-out onstage from the Toadies, although unfortunately they didn’t invite us for “I Come From the Water.” That would have been the tops. I think all four of our heads would have exploded in unison. Click here for a few photos from the Paradise by Paris Visone. More to come real soon from photog-extraordinaire/web-queen Sooz!

Anyhow, we’ve been riding these good vibes all week, and we’re taking it down to Brooklyn this Sunday to play our last New York City set before we go into a brief fall/winter hibernation to cook up some new tunes. So come one, come all to Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St., in Brooklyn, this Sunday at 9 p.m. Complete details are available here.

We’ll give NYC a kiss goodnight, and avoid all the bedbugs’ bites (is that still going on? Or did they find some magic way to eradicate all the bedbugs from Times Square and local movie theaters?). Hope to see you there!

As  you may know, in November 2008, we had the honor of opening for the Toadies at the Paradise Rock Club. What this meant to us is hard to put into words, though I will try. You see, in 1994, the Toadies (of Fort Worth, Texas) released an album called “Rubberneck,” which was as close to required listening as it comes for 9-year-old boys growing in Dallas-Fort Worth in the mid-90s.  In fact, since Cassavettes started in 2005, we have routinely cover a song called “I Come From the Water” off that album. So, what a true delight it was to get to play with a band so revered in our hometown, a band that meant so much to our musical education. And just how lucky are we? Well, we’re getting to play with them again.

On Sept. 14, we are headed back to the new-and-improved Paradise Rock Club to once again play with the Toadies. We are thankful for the opportunity because 1) due to the over-before-you-know-it nature of shows like this, we didn’t get to see as much of their set last time as we had hoped, and 2) we are getting that giddy feeling of playing with the Toadies all over again. So, that’s the pitch:  a special night with a band who is quite special to us at a place that is quite special to us.

Tickets to this one are hot, so be sure to buy yours soon — we’d love to share the party atmosphere with all of you!

For full details, including directions, visit the Paradise’s website.

Hello friends,

This Saturday, we will be returning to our favorite bar in Kennebunk, Maine: Federal Jack’s. We will be playing a long, rowdy set, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Best of all, it’s FREE!

The following day, Sunday, we will be back in Boston and joining our good friends Bearfight to raise money for Spaulding Rehab. The charity show will take place at the Lansdowne Pub, 9 Lansdowne St., near Fenway Park. Bearfight plays at 8 p.m., Cassavettes takes the stage at 9 p.m.

Discount tickets available here (use promo code’ BAND’) for $10. Tickets will also be available at the door. All ticket proceeds benefit Spaulding Rehab in Boston!

It’s a good way to wrap up August in style!

Love, Cassavettes

As the summer winds down, we’re keeping the feelings fancy free. That’s how we like to do it. And with those good vibes, we return to the stage of Tommy Doyles in Harvard Square (96 Winthrop St., Cambridge — formerly the House of Blues) this Friday, Aug. 20 for a fun night o’ tunes. We take the stage at 10 p.m. for the 21+ show and the cover is $5.  For more details, including directions, click here.

Also, this Saturday, our own Glenn Yoder will represent Casssavettes in the second annual One Night Band, presented by Boston Band Crush, at the Middle East Downstairs. This unique, innovative musical experiment brings together 40 random musicians, places them into temporary bands, and lets them loose onstage. This year’s installment will be filmed for a documentary and has already received plenty of hype, press, good vibes, and what not. Read Glenn’s advanced interview, in which he talks about a dream supergroup, Bocephus, and his creepy infatuation with Nick Balkin’s bass.  The show starts at 8 p.m., tickets are $10 in advance, $12 day of, with all proceeds benefitting Zumix. Don’t miss it!

Ahoy there Cassafamily,

After a fun string of shows, including an acoustic set in NYC last week followed by two-fer weekend (a festival in N.H. and a wild show in Kennebunk, Maine), we are back in greater Boston this week with a free show at Toad on Saturday. Head over to Cambridge early for our set, which starts at about 7:30 p.m., because Toad fills up quick! The show is 21+, and as always, very free. Come have a drink and catch two hours of Cassavettes action!

Want more details? Click here.