Welcome to the land of TAO.

We will be playing Washington D.C.'s esteemed Fort Reno festival for the first time ever! Our date is Thursday, July 19. Apparently I wasn't supposed to announce that almost a month ago when I found out. Whoops! I know nussink...

Check out fortreno.com for more details about this can't-miss festival. We'd just, you know, prefer it if the date you end up choosing not to miss is July 19.

You can look at dirty pictures of The Alphabetical Order here.

They're dirty 'cause the lens was dusty. Nyuk nyuk nyuk.

gavin d'order
(shouldn't update the website at 12:30 am)

... visited
http://www.myspace.com/thealphabeticalorder and listened to the
recently added tracks "Adderall" and "Shot From Cannons"?

It so happens, most likely against their better judgment, that the
organizers of the Six Points Music Festival, which celebrates the
local sounds of DC and Arlington for 10 days, have invited The
Alphabetical Order to play its obstreperous "music" for the
unsuspecting patrons of the RNR Bar and Lounge by Gallery Place. In
short:

On Saturday, April 14, THE ALPHABETICAL ORDER

lends its deplorable self to the Six Points Music Festival -
http://www.sixpointsmusicfestival.com

and performs at the RNR Bar and Lounge - http://www.rnrdc.com

717 6th St. NWDC (Gallery Place/Chinatown metro stop)

along with LEMONFACE - http://www.lemonface.net

and GIST - http://www.myspace.com/gist

18+/$8/Music at 9:30 pm, TAO @ 11 pm

RNR Bar and Lounge (not to be confused with the Rock and Roll Hotel)
is a new institution promoting public intoxication and aural abuse
located a block east of the Phone Booth (also know as the Verizon
Center) and a quick jaunt from the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro stop
(and only a few more blocks from Metro Center, for those cursed to
using the Orange or Blue lines).

And yes, we know that the bar used to be Coyote Ugly, but no
middle-aged women will be dancing on the bar--unless you bring your
mom. That lush.

Lemonface are a bunch of fresh-faced youth (like, they're in high
school) who had the joy of opening up for Flogging Molly at the 9:30
not too long ago--visit the band's website and you'll see why they
were deserving.

And we are most pleased to be sharing the stage with friends and
fickle lovers Gist, who join this lineup after leaving the Northeast
coast in shambles on a brief tour. I think it would be most
inappropriate not to welcome them back with ear-piercing shrieks and
displays of nudity and self-flagellation.

AND... Knocking on wood as I type... We SHOULD have our long-awaited
t-shirts in for the show...

WHAT? Is my good word not enough to lure you to what could be the
most magical and masochistic night of your life? Perhaps you'll trust
the following sources, renown for their fine taste in... Well,
everything:

Washington Post's Going Out Gurus

On Tap Online

The Washingtonian

DCist

SEE! We are teh aw-sum!

But, in all seriousness, one of the best things about Six Points is
that it encourages a spotlight to be thrown on the many wonderful DC
acts--this year, a few non-DC bands have been invited, and because
some are familiar faces, lthey are deserving. Here are some of my
must-sees for Six Points (chances are, you'll catch up with me at any
of these events):

Friday, April 13--the RNR BAR AND LOUNGE will feature THE BEANSTALK
LIBRARY, which in turn features our very own Gabriel Fry on multiple
instruments. Also playing are DEATH BY SEXY and THE HALL MONITORS,
both of which are two of the most rocking, rollicking bands in the
area.

Thursday, April 19--the VELVET LOUNGE hosts LEJEUNE, an old sparring
partner of TAO's who are releasing a record I am quite excited about
later this year--the "sneak prevue" has been on regular rotation in my
office. Also, LIFE IN A HOSPITAL, who we "competed against" at the GW
Rock the Bottom, will be showing off their gloom rock before joining
us at Iota on May 10. I've also heard great things about the JAGUAR
CLUB.

Friday, April 20--this is tough... So at IOTA, THESE UNITED STATES,
which features our good friend Tom Hnatow and for whom Kate has filled
in, joins MIDDLE DISTANCE RUNNER (like you haven't heard of them)....
But at ROCK AND ROLL HOTEL, our friends THE DANCE PARTY, THE
SENTIMENT, and THE VITA RUINS are all playing.... Haven't made up my
mind on this one--I am open to bribes.

Saturday, April 21--another close call... At DC9, BRIDGES AND
POWERLINES, who impressed us in January when we played together, are
opening for TWO IF BY SEA, who we are playing with at Iota on May
10.... While at VELVET LOUNGE, HELLO TOKYO, who we shared the stage
with a while back, joins forces with RED RACER, a charming pop band
fronted by another friend of mine named Tom.

I strongly suggest you visit the Six Points website and check out
some of the shows I missed--there are good acts all around. Look
forward to seeing you at all of the above!

gavin d'order

We are pleased to announce that we have been selected out of 150 potential acts to play the George Washington University Radio's Rock the Bottom Battle of the Bands on Thursday, March 29 at 8 pm.

The event is being held at the Mitchell Theater at 519 19th St. NWDC (between E & F) streets and costs... Hold your breath... Merely a dollar. That's right: a $1 entry fee to see TAO and three other fantastic bands: Life in a Hospital (who we will be sharing the stage with again in May), Hotspur (who we have played with a few times in the past), and Roma Condor.

The winner of this contest will play GWU's Fountain Day in April--oh, and there's studio time for the runner-up.

For more details, visit http://www.gwradio.com/rockthebottom . Otherwise, we'll see you there.

Oh my, we have so many shows coming up... Locally we are opening for a slew of fantastic touring bands, and playing alongside old favorites. Check it out at http://www.thealphabeticalorder.org/shows .

Also, with a quick tutorial in html, I've made the myspace page look a lot prettier. Don't know if there is any new information, but it sure looks swell! http://www.myspace.com/thealphabeticalorder

And, yes, the duplicated copies of the "I Am Magically Happening" sampler are in and look pretty freakin' sweet, if I may say myself. Look out for copies at the Black Cat, DC9, and the Velvet Lounge, and possibly other places we venture to. Expect to see Order members handing them out after the hippest shows at the 9:30 and the Rock 'n' Roll Hotel. I have even taken to carrying a man-purse just to make sure I always have some on me. The purse is very frilly and has rhinestones, as any respectable man-purse should.

More info on the burgoening Headless Horseman Records and Gabe's recent encounter with monkey pox (from all his prairie dog love) soon...

gavin d'order

From the Washington Post's Sunday Source write-ups of "can't miss" upcoming events for the week of 1/14/07 (happy birthday, Mister Grohl):

THE ALPHABETICAL ORDER-- Friday at 9:30 p.m. The local indie-rock quartet can fill a dance floor with its hook-filled power-pop. With Bridges and Powerlines, Langley Holland and Nakatomi Plaza. The Red and the Black, 1212 H St. NE. $8. 202-399-3201.

Come out and show us if our music can actually be danced to. No, really. We're a little curious...

-kate.

I am beyond pleased to report that the Order has been nominated for a 2006 Washington Area Music Association award for "Best Duo/Group" in the "Modern Rock" category.

How this happened, we have no idea. The important thing is, if you're a WAMA member and you like us, vote here. If you're not a WAMA member and you like us, give us your vote for the Fan Favorite award.

Sorry I'm so deadly serious about this, it's just super awesome. No better way to describe it.

-kate.

Who's the boss? TAO is the boss. Okay, not really. Bruce Springsteen is the Boss. Of course, it has to be capitalized. Maybe TAO can be the lowercase boss.

Happy new year, and don't forget, come get an awesome new sampler at an upcoming TAO show near you. They are free and delicious, much like all the candy that's been piling up in my office for the past month. And what better way to help you work off that extra holiday poundage than slipping some new rock tunes by the Order onto your iPod or in your Discman, or, if you're like me, just humming them in your head? Actually, I *write* songs while I'm working out. Crap, that's a trade secret! Forget I ever said anything.

Love, kateR.

Yes, for the second time ever, two Decembers in a row, TAO will be playing in Philadelphia with North Star Infinite, officially designating December as the rockin'est month of all. Yes, I just put an apostrophe in "rockin'est." Yes, I am aware that it is not a real word and therefore does not need to ascribe to rigid grammatical guidelines. Why don't you come to Philly and tell me in person? Are you afraid of fisticuffs? -kate.