Tour Tales with Secret Shame

Secret Shame, the gothic post punk pre futurists out of Asheville, NC are about to both start a tour and release a new record.

It seems that we are finally doing one of these goofy arsed columns at precisely the right time.

So, let's find out how they do things on the road, and we'll be talking about their new record in a couple weeks.

But, if you're hungry for some new music, check out their BANDCAMP.

1. What's the right length for a tour? 

Short enough that you wish you were still on it when you get home. Or long enough so that you’re never home again.

2. I've heard some great stories about strange ways of eating on the road. What's your trick to keeping your belly full while out there? 

We have a demerit system, so whoever got the most demerits at the show the night before will offer up a limb to crunch on.

I don’t know if many people know this, but eating a person is still vegan as long as they’re vegan. We also bring snacks.

3. Tell me about the best club you've played? The worst? Names can be left out, or in...whichever.

Worst: Nice venue but the sound tech wouldn't listen to us and boosted the subs. Spent the entirety of every band's set on their phone.

The venue was fairly empty, so everything was lost in a low rumble. They got annoyed with us asking to turn off the subs and ended up cutting the bass out of the monitors entirely.

 Best: The Mothlight in Asheville. We’ve had the best opportunities there with really amazing sound engineers, and the staff has always been great and attentive.

4. Whenever I get behind the wheel of a car for a long drive, I always play a Mitch Hedberg comedy album. What's your routine? 

Lately we’ve been listening to the Meow Mix theme song. We usually get up pretty early and as soon as we get in the van, we practice singing children’s songs over top of actual good songs.

Or the most annoying thing we can think of. To get people really riled up and awake. Sometimes one of us will start making animal sounds and soon the whole van is our little ark. It’s healthy.

5. How do you settle band fights while in the backseat of the van? 

We keep a shared knife stowed under the seat. I think it was in the van when we got it, but we ran a lighter over the blade to be safe.

If something is up for debate, whoever is willing to draw the most blood from themselves wins. It doesn't always escalate to the point of having to follow through though.

6. Tell us about the best response you've gotten outside of your home town. 

In Raleigh at The Wicked Witch, a person had done a drawing of me (Lena). A really good drawing, at that. It made me tear up a little bit but I didn’t actually cry because I had to keep up my cold and distant exterior.

You’re not goth if you show emotion.

7. Have you ever played in St. Louis? 

Not in Secret Shame, but we're looking forward to the opportunity to have our gear stolen.

Also, if you can get us into the City Museum after hours....

Upcoming Secret Shame Tour Dates

2/07 - Winston-Salem, NC - Monstercade

2/08 - Chapel Hill, NC - Nightlight

2/09 - Wilmington, NC - Reggies

2/12 - Asheville, NC - Static Age

2/22 - Asheville, NC - Fleetwoods

3/27 - Charlotte, NC - Tommy’s Pub

3/29 - Raleigh, NC - Slims

3/30 - Richmond, VA - Hypercube

3/31 - Baltimore, MD - Rituals

4/01 - Philadelphia, PA - Pageant : Soloveev

4/02 - Brooklyn, NY - St. Vitus %

4/03 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Skidmore College

4/04 - Boston, MA - One Somerville (Dark Spring Boston Fest)

4/06 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Roboto Project %

4/07 - Columbus, OH - Dirty Dungarees %

4/08 - Louisville, KY - Radio Arcane %

4/09 - Johnson City, TN - The Hideaway

4/29 - Asheville, NC - Static Age