Benni Hemm Hemm: US tour in July
Benni Hemm Hemm will be leaving their home in Iceland for their first US tour. The band members are, "practicing their American like there's no tomorrow." They plan a concentric trip from New York City's Mercury Lounge to the Crocadile Cafe in Seattle, down the West Coast before heading their way to Philadelphia. All of this will be accomplished From July 5 and 27, thirteen shows filling in the dates.
Benni Hemm Hemm is an eleven piece band that recorded their sophomore disc, Kajak, at Sigur Rós' Sundlaugin studio. To add intrigue, the band was able to record thirteen tracks in just four days; quite the feat for any band, let alone one that involves eleven musicians.
Rolling Stone recently responded to Benni Hemm Hemm's Kajak, "If Sufjan Stevens moved to Iceland and joined Sigur Rós, the resulting supergroup would make orchestral pop as majestic and playful as this. Rock on, Benedikt H. Hermannsson and you eleven other Scandinavians!"
The band began as a solo project by Benedikt H. Hermannsson, also known as Benni, with the release of the self-produced SummerPlate EP in 2003. Benni moved to Italy for a short period of time and wrote the songs for the Benni Hemm Hemm debut full-length, forming the band not long after returning to Iceland.
On May 1, 2004 Benni Hemm Hemm performed for the first time as a band, leading them to begin recording their first album at the Sundlaugin studio. Morr Music picked up the album in August of 2006, distributing it in Europe, though the album had already been out for eleven months in Iceland through 12 Tónar, and seven months in Japan via P-Vine Records.
By June of 2006, Benni Hemm Hemm had already written and recorded Kajak, and the album began circulating Europe in January. Over the three years the band has been together, they have toured Europe, the UK, Japan, and soon the US will be added to their growing list of accomplishments.
Benni Hemm Hemm – Snjórjljóssnjór (Kajak)
Benni Hemm Hemm – Labbi (Benni Hemm Hemm)
Benni Hemm Hemm on:
iTunes | Insound | Amazon | Hype Machine | Elbo.ws | Musicofthe.net | Last.fm | YouTube | Flickr
July 05 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
July 06 Boston, MA Middle East
July 09 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
July 10 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry
July 13 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe
July 16 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
July 17 Los Angeles, CA The Echo
July 18 Phoenix, AZ Paperheart
July 20 Austin, TX Emo’s
July 21 Houston, TX Proletariat
July 25 Wilmington, NC Bella Festa
July 26 Washington, Dc Rock and Roll Hotel
July 27 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s�