This is a happy reminder that we are going to be over at the Middle East Upstairs this Saturday 9/19, along with The Zac Mac Band and Ships in the Dark, Max’s new side project.

We are quite excited for this show. We have been itching for a hometown gig and all of a sudden this one is here for us to play… yay! We have some delightful arrangements prepared for this fine engagement. We have been running a bunch of new songs at gigs lately, and feel like they are some of our best so far.

We have already had a great response from friends that are coming out for this gig. It should be a party in Central Square on Saturday. Come on out and get yourself moving to some music. You deserve it!

It’s been a few since we have updated you on what is going on. All the dudes in the band are doing pretty great these days. We have been playing a lot and have a bunch of new folks on our email list this time around (Welcome!). We have dropped a few new songs into the setlists recently, and they are really coming together at our shows. The band has plans to record some of them this winter. We have a nice queue of songs ready to go, and we really feel like this stuff will shine in the studio... more to come on that!

The big thing we’d like to announce is our next upcoming Boston (well, Cambridge) date. Saturday, Sep. 19th at The Middle East Upstairs, in Cambridge, MA, hi8us will put on their big-boy pants and rock this excellent room once again. We are really looking forward to this one. We have Ships in the Dark (Max's side project) and the Zac Mac Band joining us on the bill, so the whole night will shine! Come be shiny with us..

Last but not least, we have joined forces with a number of great bands at the new Village Produce online store to help promote independent music and spread the word. Check out all the excellent stuff at this nifty site and turn yourself on to a new kickass band or two. All of the bands on the site are pre-approved as awesome by us. ;)

We're also playing the Barley Pub in Dover, NH for the first time this Friday 8/28. Come on out and get nutty!

We have been hearing from a bunch of you about our Boston Boat Cruise this Friday night, June 5th. It really sounds like this is going to be a super fun night out on the Harbor. We can't wait! Those of you going who have yet to buy tickets can pick them up online right here.

If you are in on this, make sure you get to Rowes Wharf by 7:30pm, as the boat leaves at 8pm sharp and we want no sailor left behind. Also, the bar on the boat is cash only, so bring a fist full of dollars to ensure you are able to stay well hydrated for the duration of the voyage.

We have some really excellent stuff planned for this show. Get psyched! We will see you there.

Here we are at the front end of the summer. YAY! Our calendar is peppered with sweet dates from right now until the foreseeable future. We are starting things off right with a spot this weekend at the StrangeCreek Campout out in Greenfield, MA. We hit the Vernville Earth Stage tonight, Friday, May 22nd at 5:00pm, to boggle some minds with our unique musical renditions. After the set we will probably swill some pops, chill out by the bonfire, then check out some other bands' sets 'til the wee hours. In the morning, Jim promised to make breakfast on his portable stove as well. Wooord!

Our next big Boston date is also just around the corner and is the one you definitely want to hit up. Friday, June 5th, hi8us will hit the water for a night of music and warm weather enjoyment on our 3rd Annual Rock On! Concert Cruise aboard the "MV New Boston." Once again we are joined by The Effective Dose for what should be a crazy evening of fun in beautiful Boston Harbor. On these early summer nights there is no better way to unwind than out on the water during sunset with good friends, a few cold sodas and some nice tunes. Mark the date and be sure to get to the boat on time. It's also good to get tickets in advance so you can just cruise right on when you get there. They start boarding by Rowes Wharf at 7:15pm, and set sail promptly at 8pm. We will be back in by 11pm and have some close-by post-show plans in the works... should be excellent!

We have some other dates on the calendar that we are looking forward to. Check out the full schedule to see where we'll be. We are up at Gemstones in Lowell during the last weekend of the month, as well as a return to Connecticut to check out O'Neill's in Norwalk. See you out there!

hi8us @ The Spur Park City, UT - 08.12.08

Shooting you a quick line while we have a moment to breathe here. hi8us is coming off a busy month of gigs. We had a great time the other night at the Hard Rock Cafe with Strangefolk. We met many friendly new folks at the gig and unloaded a bunch of copies of our album. Strangefolk and the Wormtown crew have a great music community, and we're always happy when our paths cross.

Actually, they asked us to jump on and be part of the 7th Annual StrangeCreek Campout music festival out in Greenfield, MA on Memorial Day Weekend. We are really excited for this thing and will be hitting the stage on Friday, May 22nd at 5pm sharp! Come on out and join us for one of the best festivals of the summer. More details to come...

So, Jim and Mike have already taken this very brief downtime to hit the space and work out some new material. We have been pumping out some really fun new songs lately that feel quite good when played. They get tighter with each gig, and seem to evolve nicely into their own after a little road time. With a busy spring and summer schedule ahead of us, we are all about infusing this new stuff into the setlists. Our plan is to completely blow your mind.

We are back on the scene in April with some nice gigs in some of our favorite places, as well as some new spots. We are hitting this new room called The Alley in North Adams, MA on April 10th, and then playing the Blue Mermaid in Portsmouth, NH for the first time the next night, April 11th. Our next Boston area show is over at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge on Friday, April 17th. The Lizard Lounge is so cool and fun, it's ridiculous. Those of you who were there with us on New Year's Eve know that this one is not to be missed. Tell your friends and put it on the calendar. Advance tickets are available here. Together we will levitate!

Colin, dropping bombs at The Knit

We hope this update finds you feeling great. We are doing pretty well these days. The band has had a few busy weekends around New England, including a great show last Saturday at Red Square in Burlington, VT. The room filled up and the gloves came off... so to speak. Playing instruments is easier with no gloves, after all.

Anyway, we have been locking in nicely on stage recently, and this cohesion is happening at a good time. Our next big Boston date is just around the corner, and we want to make sure we get our whole local crew together for this one. Next Friday, March 20th, hi8us will join the dudes from Strangefolk for another night of rock 'n' roll mayhem at the Hard Rock Cafe in Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA. Last time we played with these guys the show was a total blast. Both bands played their hearts out and the energy in the room was way up. We are really excited for this show and think it is in your best interest to be in attendance. The room sold out last time, so you might want to procure tickets early. Check out the tour schedule below for complete show details and ticketing info.

Finally, we are debuting at The Rhumb Line up in Gloucester, MA this Saturday night, March 14th. We have found that the whole Cape Ann Region has a surprisingly vibrant music scene, and we always have tons of fun playing up there. If you have nothing going, you should come on out and get on down!

Also, turn a friend on to our debut album, The Superficial Deep. It would make us wicked happy.

“Shot Ski Aftermath” The Spur - Park City, UT - 8/12/08

We've been busy lately... playing lots of shows, having a great time, and feeling pretty groovy. We hope to keep the tradition going this weekend with a nice lil’ Boston-area show in a cool new venue. On Friday night, February 6th, hi8us will be in Union Square in Somerville, whooping it up at Precinct. The Funkadites will get the night going, then pass the torch on to us. We're excited for our first time in this cool room. We have heard good things, so come check it out with us. Then on Saturday night we head back up to the North Shore to annihilate Kitty O’Sheas once again with some serious rock. We always have fun in this most excellent room, and so should all of you. If you're around and have nothing going on, head out and get that serious groove face on like you do.

Oh and another thing. We noticed that our tune “The Crawl” is currently holding steady in the Top 10 Indie Rock songs on OurStage.com, out of nearly 600 entries no less! OurStage is this growing song competition type site for independent artists. Anyone can sign up and vote for the songs they like, although they refer to it as "judging." At the end of the day though, it's the fans that decide who's the best, and winning artists each month receive some most excellent prizes, not to mention gaining a lot of attention from the site's growing community. If there's one easy, surefire way for you hi8us fans out there to have an impact on our success, participating on the OurStage site is certainly it! Either way, we're happy to know people out there are really digging the tunes... so are we. ;)

Creative "juices" flowing... Photo by Rebecca Lathrop

First off, a big thanks to all the folks that made it out in the snow to ring in 2009 with us at the Lizard Lounge. What a time we had this go around! The four of us definitely felt that this show was our best New Year's Eve effort to date. We all felt really locked in, and John Doney & Daddy Long Legs seemed to be playing in top form as well. High fives all around!

So far the band has hit the ground running in 2009. We have a full calendar for the foreseeable future with some nice nuggets in there to keep you satiated. One nugget is quite tasty and will have you dancing with your eyes closed for sure. Friday, March 20th, hi8us will once again team up with the dudes from Strangefolk for an evening of music at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston's Faneuil Hall. The Cavern Club at the Hard Rock is an awesome room... throw a nice bill into that room -- hi8us & Strangefolk -- and you are guaranteed a wicked fun time. The room was packed last time, so get your tickets early.

In the meantime, check us out at www.hi8us.org, Facebook, or MySpace to see where we are playing locally... we've got some trips to some of our regular haunts in the Berkshires, the Cape, and the North Shore, as well as a few first forays into spots like Portsmouth, NH, Stamford, CT, and some new clubs in and around the Boston area.

We have been doling out some killer sets at some of our local spots, and it's been extra fun. You should come out to one. Just don't drink too much, pass out mid-dance and crash into Jim's gear, or twist his nipple while he is playing a guitar solo. Everyone loses when you do that.

Alright, that's it for now. Don't forget to pick up your copy of our new album, The Superficial Deep, at a show, on our site, on iTunes, or pretty much any other online music store. See you out there!

Great news everyone! For the third time, hi8us has called Lizard Lounge home for New Year's Eve, and our advance online tickets have sold out. For those Johnny-come-latelys, do not stress. The venue has been kind enough to set aside 25 additional tickets that will be available at the door. We want to stress that these are the ONLY, ONLY, ONLY tickets left for this epic event.

hi8us knows what you are thinking... how do we get those tickets?! The answer is simple. First come, first served. Get to the Lizard Lounge early and the tickets will start to be released at 8:00pm on December 31, 2008. Luckily for all of you waiting, the venue is directly below one of the finest eateries the "People's Republic" has to offer, Cambridge Common. Belly up and rap with JP at the bar, or get a table and savor delectable dishes while you wait to rock in 2009 with the up-and-coming John Doney and your humble hosts, hi8us.

It's on people. It's supposed to be a cold night, so don't get left out. 25 tickets left. Get there early, eat, buy your tickets, and help us celebrate the past, present and future. Music starts at 9pm. Happy Holidays and we'll see you out there!

Hi boys and girls, and Happy Holidays from us! We are excited that it's December, and hope you are feeling festive. Us dudes here at camp hi8us are feeling like 2008 was a big year for the band... national tour... new album... margarine! We are hoping to cap it with a top notch New Year's Eve party over at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge.

Since our last email, we have already sold a big chunk of tickets to the show. We have been in the rehearsal studio refining our plans for this special evening and are really excited to drop something new on you. The show will be a unique experience and we really want you there with us! Tell your friends and come get it on with us at the best venue in the city on the last night of the year.

It is looking more and more like this show will sell out. We want you to be there more than you know. Having a great crowd for this show makes the room so much fun. Skip the high-priced cover charges at the crowded meat market dude-bars and come keep it real over in Cambo! Sip some suds while we rock for the rest of the year. You will love it.

Tickets are available online at brownpapertickets.com for $20, and include a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. There will be a limited number of walk-up tickets available on the night of the show, but getting them beforehand is easier and cheaper. That's it for now, kids. Enjoy the holidays and we will see you next week!

“Gonna get inspired, and it won't take long...”

First off, a big thanks to everyone that rallied out for the T.T. the Bear's show last week! We had a great time playing to an amazing crowd. Special thanks to the Nate Wilson Group for having us on for their CD Release Party as well. You guys rock!

hi8us has a full schedule for the rest of December. We're playing a bunch of dates throughout the Northeast, as well as practicing our butts off in preparation for New Year's Eve. We will be at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge for the hi8us New Year's Eve 2009 Blowout Rock 'n' Roll Spectacle. Our cohort of musicians for the evening will include our good friend John Doney opening up the night with a full set of superb songs from his catalogue.

The hi8us roadshow descends on this subterranean den of chilled-out perfection to serenade in 2009 with our unique rock renditions. Those of you who have been with us in the past know that the Lizard Lounge is the semi-secret sweet spot for New Year's Eve. Once you make your way downstairs, the vibe of this cozy den completely takes you in. The band drops in and the room starts pulsing. You're surrounded by friends and a bunch new faces all looking to party.

A feverish energy sweeps through the room as the midnight hour slowly creeps up.… the low red lighting and warm vibes set the mood for an evening of fine grooves and celebration. Raise one of the Lounge's many perfectly crafted oat sodas to your lips and feel the music as it hits you right. This special venue has a way of putting you in that perfect mood for having fun and smiling a bunch. Together, we will all start 2009 off on the good foot for SHO.

You can pick up tickets online at www.brownpapertickets.com. The cover is $20 and includes a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. New Year's Eve is our biggest night of the year and this show has sold out quickly the past two years. We really want all of you to get in the door, so please lock up your spot early and avoid having to worry it when the night comes around. There will be a small handful of tickets reserved for walk-ups on the day of the show, but we strongly encourage getting them in advance.

We can't wait for this one. See you there!

Sorry we've been out of touch, but we're finally back with some nice updates.

First things first, we want to drop the “save the date” on you right away... hi8us is thrilled to announce our return to the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA for New Year's Eve. Stay tuned for all the details on this show in the coming weeks.

In the more immediate future, we are quite excited for our next local show. hi8us is teaming up with the Nate Wilson Group as support for their CD Release Party at T.T. the Bear's Place in Central Square, Cambridge, on 12/03/08. Nate has been a cornerstone fixture of the Northeast music scene for over a decade as one of the founding members of Percy Hill, plus as contributing songwriter and keyboardist for the very successful, national toruing act Assembly of Dust. His band's new album, Unbound, is amazing and we expect their live show will follow suit. We're incredibly pumped for our first spot at T.T.'s and hope to enjoy your company at the gig!

We've been receiving an amazing response to our debut album, The Superficial Deep. Thanks to everyone who has bought a copy! They were selling like hotcakes at the release party at the Middle East and on the road as well, and everyone we have heard from is saying they dig it a bunch. We dig it too. ;) Since our national tour in August, we've been hearing from new fans from around the country that are drinking the hi8us Kool-Aid, so to speak. You have no idea what a big deal it is if you turn even one friend on to the album. It's a dream come true for us to hear that someone in some far-off town is playing our record. You can purchase the CD and MP3s on our music page, or at any of our live shows. It is also now available on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Lala, Napster, and elsewhere, so wherever you prefer to get your new music, you should be able to find us... and make our dreams come true!

Finally, we have a few sweet gigs at some of our favorite regular spots between now and New Year's. Check out our tour page for all the details. Thanks for everything, and we'll see you soon.

8/8/08 is here... an auspicious date believed to bring wealth and prosperity, the start of the Olympics... and the perfect date for hi8us to release our album and kick off our tour! Our duffle bags are packed, the tour bus is fully fueled, our roadies are busy doing... well, they're not really doing much right now, actually. They are both totally pumped, though... as are the four of us.

The hi8us 8/08 International Tour kicks of tonight with a blowout event over at the Middle East Upstairs. We have the brand new CDs in hand, and a sweet setlist planned. We can't wait to get everyone in the same room so we can make some noise and party down together.

After the show, we will immediately hit the road and proceed to blaze a trail across the continent, blowing minds and taking names along the way. If ever there is a Boston hi8us show to catch, this would be the one. John Doney is starting the night off at 9pm (doors at 8pm), then hi8us is on for a long set of musical revelry and tasty audio tidbits that will definitely be awesome.

Check into www.hi8us.org over the next two-plus weeks for the latest tour updates... we've just added a new show, revisiting our friends in the whitewater haven of Lotus, CA. We will be posting a tour blog that will include some pics from the road and other fun tour stuff.

See you all tonight. Buy an album from us (we'll sign them too) and make sure to tell your friends around the country that we are coming through town! We love ya!

Alright, the time has come… much to report here! Our newly minted album, The Superficial Deep, will be released officially next week. In preparation for the release, we have just unveiled our new and improved website for your viewing enjoyment. The site will continue to expand over the weeks and months ahead, but we really like how things are looking so far, and hope you do as well! We also have a brand new profile on Facebook, and our MySpace profile will be getting a much-needed facelift very soon as well.

As part of the introduction of the new site, we are offering a limited-time only special on the digital (MP3) version of the album at a huge discount. You can download the entire album, plus a bonus track not on the CD, right here, right now, for just $5. This special offer will be available for just one week, until the Album Release Party on 8/8. We know how everyone likes a deal, so we wanted to do our part and give you things that you like. The album will also be up on iTunes in the coming weeks… so stay tuned!

We hope to see everyone out for the Album Release Party next Friday night, 8/8/08 at The Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA. You can purchase tickets here, and we highly recommend getting tickets in advance. This show is going to be a ton of fun, and will likely sell out. Our good friend John Doney will be opening up. If you have not seen him before, you have no idea what you are missing. Be sure to get there early! Doors open at 8pm.

Also, we have filled in some more tour dates on our calendar as well. We have added shows at the Otter Rock Cafe in Morro Bay, CA on Friday 8/15, as well as the legendary Boom Boom Room in San Francisco on Tuesday 8/19, with still more to come. We are incredibly psyched to have this run of dates planned in a bunch of new cities, so please bug your friends to come out and see us if we are playing nearby. It would be the biggest help ever!

That's the news on our end. See you next Friday night!