We’re not so far removed from last week’s live review of their Philly show with Lo-Pan, but Backwoods Payback have announced a run of new dates with Admiral Browning next month already in advance of their forthcoming Small Stone Records debut. Good times, good band. Hope you get to check them out if they’re coming near you.

This from the PR wire:

Pennsylvania stoner/doom rockers Backwoods Payback, who were forced to cut their tour with Lo-Pan short this past March due to a medical emergency, will return to the road triumphantly this June. Fittingly titled the “June 2011 Back on the Horse Tour,” the trek will run from June 9-25 beginning at the Crayola House in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and include a June 17 stop in Kenosha, Wisconsin as a part of the Days of the Doomed Fest. The band will be joined by Maryland psych-masters, Admiral Browning.

Said guitarist/vocalist Mike Cummings of the impending journey: “The 18-date run serves as a prelude to our much-anticipated Small Stone Records debut, to be released late Summer/early Fall. Joining us for the long haul will be Admiral Browning, making this one of the ‘not to be missed’ tours of the year.”

Backwoods Payback – June 2011 Back On The Horse Tour:
06/09 Crayola House Harrisonburg, VA
06/10 The Triple Richmond, VA
06/11 The Milestone Charlotte, NC
06/12 The Nick Birmingham, AL
06/13 Little Hamilton Nashville, TN
06/14 The Hi-Tone Memphis, TN
06/16 The Mill Iowa City, IA
06/17 The P.L.A.V. Kenosha, WI
06/18 Cobra Lounge Chicago, IL
06/19 The Summit Columbus, OH
06/20 Mac’s Bar Lansing, MI
06/21 31st St. Tavern Pittsburgh, PA
06/22 123 Pleasant St. Morgantown, WV
06/23 Millcreek Tavern Philadelphia, PA
06/24 The Note West Chester, PA
06/25 Krug’s Frederick, MD

I fucking love Philadelphia. Of the pitifully few major urban centers I’ve seen in this world, Philly is the one where I’ve always wanted to stay. Nonetheless, as Delaware trio ChromeLord took the stage last night at The M-Room and I flipped my camera’s “on” switch and realized the memory card was missing, I really could have used one of NYC‘s ubiquitous Duane Reades. I jumped into my car around the corner and phone navigated to a Drug Fair and bought not one, but two memory cards, I guess under the theory that I might want a second… in case… the first… didn’t work? I don’t really know. I was panicking by then.

But I got back to The M-Room, which is the kind of bar I dream of owning — townie joint on one side with good-looking food, small rock venue on the other side of a decently thick wall — in time to catch ChromeLord‘s last couple songs. They were stoner in the truest sense of the word, and by that I mean I think they were stoned. Some kinks to work out there, but the riffs were cool and dreamy in a half-speed Nebula or Dead Meadow kind of way, and the band had handmade stickers to give out, so they earned no shortage of points on charm. I wished I’d been able to see more, but as they’re friends with Clamfight (Andy and Sean came down for their set), I’m relatively sure our paths will cross again.

The reason I drove the two-plus hours to Philadelphia last night (and the two hours home) was to see Lo-Pan and Backwoods Payback play together. Somehow I’d got it into my head that the days of these two acts doing shows like this are numbered. Lo-Pan‘s album (Salvador) is incredible, and the rough versions I’ve heard of Backwoods Payback‘s forthcoming Small Stone debut kick considerable ass, and I’m not sure if it was thinking they’d be playing bigger places, or not touring together anymore or what, but when these shows were announced, it occurred to me that whatever happens with these two bands from here on out, it’ll never quite be like this again, and that years from now, I wanted the memory of seeing them at this time, together, enough to justify the trip.

They were clearly comfortable sharing the bill with each other. They’ve done tours and shows together before, and have the kind of camaraderie one might expect from two bands parking their vans outside the same places so often. Lo-Pan went on second. It was easily the tightest I’ve ever seen them play, and at this point I’ve seen them a few times (at least once with Backwoods Payback, come to think of it), but the chance to catch new material from Salvador wasn’t something I was about to miss. It was a short set, but “Chichen Itza” and “Bird of Prey” were highlights, along with “Kurtz” and “Dragline” from the Sasquanaut record, but even more, it was just refreshing to see a band so clearly firing on all the proverbial cylinders.

Lo-Pan‘s extensive touring has started to pay off. With bassist Skot Thompson, guitarist Brian Fristoe and drummer J.Bartz out front and singer Jeff Martin behind, it’s easy to think of them as two separate entities — the music and the vocals — but even in the small M-Room, everything meshed together excellently, and I was that much gladder for having driven to see it. I could have dealt with a few more songs, but I guess the porn on which the set list was scribbled could only hold so many titles. Maybe next time.

Time was getting on as Backwoods Payback started setting up their gear. I bought a book from frontman Mike Cummings before they started, and told myself I’d just stay for a couple songs, snap some pictures, then split, but I wound up there for the whole set and regretted not a minute of it. Like Lo-Pan, they’re really just getting to where they want to be in terms of their sound, but the interplay between bassist Jessica Baker and drummer Steve Curtiss was right on, and the guitars of Cummings and Rylan Caspar set a burly tone of riffs and grooves for the former to lay his soulful vocals on. True to every time I’ve seen them, they closed with “Mickey Morandini,” in which Cummings reminded the crowd once again — who didn’t seem to have forgotten, since they were singing along — that he’s a motherfucker. Good times were had.

I split out almost immediately after Backwoods Payback‘s set to begin the ride back north, which put me back in my river valley just a couple minutes before 2AM. Lo-Pan and Backwoods Payback are in Long Island tonight with John Wilkes Booth and Borgo Pass, which makes me more than a little jealous of all parties involved, but the tour rolls on. If they’re coming through your neck of the woods, either together on this run or separately, go, because what you’ll find at the show is some of the strongest American stoner rock being made right now. It’s exciting. Seriously.

Extra pictures after the jump.

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Sad news from Westchester, Pennsylvania, merchants Backwoods Payback, who’ve been forced by a medical emergency to drop off their tour with Small Stone labelmates Lo-Pan, which starts tonight (March 9). To the credit of Backwoods Payback, even in the face of this trying fucking time, they’re still playing the first four gigs, but it’s a definite downer that they’re going to miss on the joy that is Small Stone‘s SXSW showcase. Get ’em next year. All the best for a speedy recovery.

The PR wire has it as such:

Pennsylvania stoner/doom rockers Backwoods Payback, who are slated to kick off their tour with labelmates Lo-Pan tonight, have been forced to pull out of much of the trek due to a medical emergency. The band will play the first four shows of the tour but will be unable to continue past March 12.

Said guitarist/vocalist Mike Cummings in an official statement: “It is with heavy hearts that we are forced to drop off our tour to and from SXSW with our brothers Lo-Pan, but due to a serious medical emergency we will be unable to continue past March 12. We are deeply sorry to be missing these shows and the hang seshs that always follow. Seems like the motto has never rang more true than now……we drop out to live.”

Backwoods Payback tour 2011
w/ Lo-Pan
03/09 Golden West Café Baltimore, MD
03/10 Krug’s Place Frederick, MD
03/11 Slim’s Raleigh, NC
03/12 Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge Atlanta, GA
Lo-Pan continues w/o Backwoods Payback
03/13 The Nick Birmingham, AL
03/14 Siberia New Orleans, LA
03/15 The Ten Eleven San Antonio, TX
03/17 The Conservatory Oklahoma City, OK w/ Tombs, Castevet
03/18 Headhunter’s (back patio) Austin, TX [SXSW date]
03/20 Headhunter’s Austin, TX [SXSW date]
03/20 Rudyard’s Houston, TX
03/21 The Hi Tone Memphis, TN
03/22 Fubar St. Louis, MO
03/23 The Melody Inn Indianapolis, IN
03/24 Reggie’s Chicago, IL
03/25 Corktown Tavern Detroit, MI
03/26 South Park Tavern Dayton, OH
03/27 Smiling Moose Pittsburgh, PA

Recent kickass additions to the Small Stone roster, Backwoods Payback and Lo-Pan — no strangers to playing shows together — have announced a tour that will take both bands down to SXSW in Austin, Texas, next month. If you’ve yet to catch either band live, do so. End of argument.

The PR wire has dates:

Pennsylvania stoner/doom rockers Backwoods Payback are pleased to announced a 17-date US tour next month with labelmates Lo-Pan. The loudness will begin March 9 in Baltimore, Maryland, and will include two appearances as part of this year’s SXSW music conference in Austin, Texas. The band will be touring in support of their Small Stone Recordings debut, set for release later this spring

Comments guitarist/vocalist Mike Cummings of the new record and upcoming dates: “The new, as yet untitled, record is dark and ugly, but smooth in all the right places. I think live is where these songs are going to hit the hardest. We’ve been doing this for long enough that each stop on a tour isn’t just a show anymore. It’s a full-blown party; a gathering of friends old and new. This tour should be no different, save for the fact that now we are flying the Small Stone flag, and are stoked to be doing so!”

Backwoods Payback Tour 2011
w/ Lo-Pan
03/09 Golden West Café Baltimore, MD
03/10 Krug’s Place Frederick, MD
03/11 Slim’s Raleigh, NC
03/12 Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge Atlanta, GA
03/13 The Nick Birmingham, AL
03/14 Siberia New Orleans, LA
03/15 The Ten Eleven San Antonio, TX
03/17 The Conservatory Oklahoma City, OK w/ Tombs, Castevet
03/18 Headhunter’s (back patio) Austin, TX [SXSW date]
03/20 Headhunter’s Austin, TX [SXSW date]
03/20 Rudyard’s Houston, TX
03/21 The Hi Tone Memphis, TN
03/22 Fubar St. Louis, MO
03/23 The Melody Inn Indianapolis, IN
03/24 Reggie’s Chicago, IL
03/25 Corktown Tavern Detroit, MI
03/26 South Park Tavern Dayton, OH
03/27 Smiling Moose Pittsburgh, PA