Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Dance Party in L.A. during September

THE DANCE PARTY--singer Mick Coogan, guitarist Kevin Bayly, bassist Dave Keuhl and drummer Jon Jester--is hitting the road to celebrate the September 28 release of their debut album, TOUCH, on Hell Ya! Records through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group.

They land in SoCal for the following shows:
Sat 9/18 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
Wed 9/22 Los Angeles, CA Crazy Girls (where they held a six-month residency, info below!)
Fri 9/24 Huntington Beach, CA Fitzgeralds

THE DANCE PARTY had the honor and privilege to work with a bevy of acclaimed musicians and producers on TOUCH, including Justin Hawkins (singer/guitarist of The Darkness), David Paich (keyboardist of Toto), Matt Squire (3OH!3), and hit makers Luke Walker (Christian TV), Julian Bunetta (Leona Lewis), and Tim Pagnotta (Neon Trees). As singer Mick Coogan gushes: "Sitting down with a demigod such as Justin Hawkins and hearing him rip solos and trading key licks with David Paich opened our eyes as to where we could take our pop music."

It seems like a common rock and roll cliché for bands to move to Hollywood, party with reckless abandon, and hang out at strip clubs. However, for THE DANCE PARTY, the L.A. party lifestyle seemed like the most obvious next step in their career. While in Hollywood writing and recording TOUCH, the band took over the strip club Crazy Girls, setting up shop with a naughty monthly residency involving energetic performances, excessive partying, and most importantly, onstage strippers.

While the band's over-the-top live show and song writing may have seemed out of place in Washington, D.C., a city best known for power suits and politics, THE DANCE PARTY fit right in with the drugs, sex, and rock and roll of the Sunset Strip.

"In Hollywood, we found a lifestyle that matched the music we wanted to make," says Coogan. "We found muses in the beautiful California girls and inspiration in the excess. Our record is a natural expression of how we live and we're proud of it."

The band's series of sold-out shows at Crazy Girls gained instant notoriety, quickly becoming one of the most insane parties in Hollywood.

Singer Mick Coogan taught English and Advanced Placement Literature for 8 years near DC, the last 4 at Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, MD. He loved it and the students loved him. While he was teaching, he was living a double life. Showcasing THE DANCE PARTY for record labels on the weekend in Los Angeles and then taking a red eye flight back to MD to teach about poetry. The band was a "secret life" for him. Students knew he was in a band, but he kept it to himself because the nature of their music and lifestyle is all about drugs, sex and rock and roll.

For sound clips, videos, and more, please check out
www.myspace.com/thedanceparty

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