face to face strip down for next album, tour

Fat Wreck Chords and veteran SoCal punk band face to face have announced forthcoming album, Hold Fast (Acoustic Sessions). Out on July 27 (pre-order), it is a career-spanning collection of some of the group’s signature songs, jumping from 1992’s Don’t Turn Away to most recent effort, 2016’s Protection, reimagined as their first-ever acoustic album.

Additionally, face to face recently announced a full acoustic tour in support of the album. Spanning this summer and fall, the jaunt will take in evenings in more intimate venues across the U.S. with special guests Cory Branan and Austin Lucas appearing in select markets. face to face will also be performing with Frank Turner and Lucero at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Friday,August 3 and will be making an appearance at this year’s Riot Fest in Chicago, IL from Sept. 14-16. A full listing of dates can be found below and more information on tickets can be found on the band’s official website HERE.

Formed by frontman Trever Keith 27 years ago, the band has weathered trends that have come and gone.

“During last year’s Econo-Live tour, we included a VIP package for the first time ever,” Keith says. “I wanted to do something more than just signing autographs or taking pictures, so we added an acoustic set every night before the show. What came out of that experience was this realization that our songs, when stripped down, had a really cool identity that didn’t exist the way that we play them as a full band, punk-rock style. We started to notice this connection with the people who were watching, and we started thinking, ‘Maybe we should record this.’”

So Keith and his band—longtime bassist Scott Shiflett, drummer Danny Thompson and guitarist Dennis Hill—did just that, booking a studio during an off-day on tour to capture this raw, stripped-down snapshot of their catalog. From there, the band approached their label about releasing the album. Even though the label was supportive of the project, Keith himself wasn’t happy with the result. He decided to scrap the original sessions and have the band hit the studio once more, this time with more songs and refined arrangements that include guest musicians (including accomplished pedal-steel player Gary Brandin and Dirty Heads percussionist Jon Olazabal) and unique instrumentation such as mandolin, piano and harmonium.

“We’re a band that isn’t afraid to try new things and stretch out beyond what people define as punk rock – it’s part of our career ethic and something we will never change,” Keith continues. “An acoustic record is something we never would have done in 1994 because it wasn’t ‘punk rock’ then, but the world has changed, our supporters have changed, we’ve changed, and the timing just feels right.”

STREAM: “DISCONNECTED”

STREAM: “KEEP YOUR CHIN UP”
FROM HOLD FAST (ACOUSTIC SESSIONS)

Check out “Disconnected” and “Keep Your Chin Up”
from Hold Fast (Acoustic Sessions) on YouTube

Tour dates:

07/25/18 - Los Angeles, CA at Hotel Cafe *
07/26/18 - Santa Ana, CA at The Observatory *
07/27/18 - San Francisco, CA at Slim's *
07/28/18 - Sacramento, CA at Holy Diver *
07/29/18 - Riverside, CA at Concert Lounge @ Romans *
08/03/18 - Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (w/ Frank Turner, Lucero)
09/14/18 - Chicago, IL at Cobra Lounge #
09/14/18 - Chicago, IL at RIOT FEST
09/16/18 - Pittsburgh, PA at Club Cafe #
09/17/18 - Buffalo, NY at Knitting Factory #
09/18/18 - Brooklyn, NY at Knitting Factory #
09/19/18 - New York, NY at City Winery #
09/20/18 - Asbury Park, NJ at Crossroads #
09/21/18 - Croydon, PA at Neshaminy Creek Brewing #
09/22/18 - Ithaca, NY at The Haunt #
09/23/18 - Boston, MA at City Winery #
09/25/18 - Virginia Beach, VA at Shakas #
09/26/18 - Washington, DC at City Winery #
09/27/18 - Richmond, VA at Broadberry #
09/28/18 - Atlanta, GA at City Winery #
09/29/18 - Cincinnati, OH at Northside Yacht Club #
09/30/18 - Nashville, TN at City Winery #

* - Acoustic only performance w/ Cory Branan

# - Acoustic only performance w/ Austin Lucas

Track listing:

Hold Fast (Acoustic Sessions) track listing:
All For Nothing
Disconnected (stream)
Shame On Me
Keep Your Chin Up (stream)
Velocity
AOK
Don’t Turn Away
Blind
Ordinary
Bill Of Goods