Yes, you read right. Not only is your illustrious Canadian indie label throwing a kick-ass pinata party, but it's free to the public! Bring your sombreros and implements of destruction (or at least your ears) to Broken City at noon on July 1st. We're supplying the nachos, papier-mache effigies stuffed with goodies & prizes, and some of the freshest Mint bands today.

The super cute Pocky has agreed to sponsor the day, so there will be chocolate (and maybe strawberry) covered cookie sticks for everyone!

The day is looking like this:

1:00 pm - Hot Panda will be playing songs from their upcoming sophomore album, How Come I'm Dead? (out October 12).
2:00 pm - The Pack a.d. After playing over 150 shows in the last year, this gritty garage rock duo is not to be missed.
3:00pm - The Ramblin' Ambassadors. This band is made up of guitarist Brent Cooper (Huevos Rancheros) and some of the finest instrumental surf-rock the landlocked Calgary has ever known.

For more information please contact shena@mintrecs.com.

Once again, we're packing our sunglasses, dusting off the sunscreen and heading to Austin for SXSW. We're planning a party too. And you should probably be there. This is the plan:

Mint Records, Olio Festival and Light Organ Records present:
A FREE SXSW DAY PARTY!!!
Thursday, March 15th at Headhunters (720 Red River St)

FEATURING:

2:00 - DJ MY!GAY!HUSBAND
2:15 - SUN WIZARD (Light Organ)
2:50 - KELLARISSA (Mint)
3:25 - MODE MODERNE (Light Organ)
4:00 - NARDWUAR & THE EVAPORATORS with ANDREW W.K. (Mint)
5:00 - SHOUT OUT OUT OUT OUT

ALSO FEATURING:

FREE TACOS (come early!)

Photos by THE COBRASNAKE and A GYPSY MARKET SIDEWALK SALE (that's right, there will be vintage clothing galore!).

THANK YOU: Exclaim! Magazine, CBC Radio 3, The Georgia Straight, Color Magazine, The Cobrasnake
 
Need more up to the minute party news? There's a Facebook event here. You can also follow us on Twitter

We're feeling good about our annual migration south of the Canadian border to SXSW. In March, we will be ditching the woolly mittens, packing our sunglasses, slathering on the sunscreen and getting in some quality time with new (and old) friends.

We've got two parties planned this year. The Evaporators, Hot Panda, Immaculate Machine, The Pack A.D., the Handsome Family and our friend Jill Barber will be playing our evening showcase on Saturday, March 21st at Habanna Calle 6.

And, for our annual afternoon Hootenanny on Thursday, March 19th at Headhunters, come build your own tacos, bask in the sunshine and enjoy some music courtesy of  Hot Panda, Immaculate Machine, The Pack AD, Thee Goblins (aka: Nardwuar), Gentleman Reg, The Phenomenal Handclap Band, The Handsome Family and win great prizes courtesy of Mint, Daisy Rock Guitars and Six Cent Press.

Now, here are the dirty details:

Mint Records Label Showcase
Saturday, March 21st
Habana Calle 6
(709 E 6th St)

Sponsored by: CBC Radio 3, This Great White North, Beatroute, Six Cent Press featuring:
Jill Barber (Outside Music) (8pm)
Hot Panda (9pm)
Immaculate Machine (10pm)
The Pack A.D. (11pm)
The Handsome Family (12am)
The Evaporators (1am)
 

Mint Records Afternoon Hootenanny (FREE!!)
Thursday, March 19th (2-6 pm)
Headhunter's back patio

(720 Red River, side door)

Sponsored by: Venus Zine, CBC Radio 3, This Great White North, Beatroute, Six Cent Press featuring:
Gentleman Reg (2pm)
Immaculate Machine (2:30pm)
Thee Goblins (3pm)
The Pack A.D. (3:30pm)
The Handsome Family (4pm)
Hot Panda (4:30pm)
The Phenomenal Handclap Band (5pm)'

Plus Also Too...

Hot Panda
Wed March 18 @ 3pm: Breakthru Radio Party at the Beauty Bar (617 E 7th St)
Thu March 19 @ 1:30pm: Pirate Promotions Party at Room 710 (710 Red River)
Thu March 19 @ 4:30pm: Mint Hootenanny at Headhunters back patio (720 Red River, side door)
Fri March 20 @ 5pm: Party at 604 E 6th St.
Sat March 21 @ 9pm: Mint Label Showcase, Habana Calle 6 (709 E 6th St)

Immaculate Machine
Wed March 18 @ 1:20pm: XM The Verge session (*private - but you can listen online)
Thu March 19 @ 2:30pm: Mint Hootenanny at Headhunters back patio (720 Red River, side door)
Fri March 20 @ 8:15pm: NXNE Party at Caswell House (1404 West Avenue)
Sat March 21@ 3:40pm: Bump into Canada party at El Sol (Canada House) (600 E 6th St)
Sat March 21 @ 10pm: Mint Label Showcase, Habana Calle 6 (709 E 6th St)

Nardwuar / The Evaporators / Thee Goblins
Thu March 19 @ 3pm: Mint Hootenanny at Headhunters back patio (720 Red River, side door) - Thee Goblins only!
Fri March 20 @ 3;30pm: Nardwuar's Video Vault, Austin Convention Center, room 16B
Fri March 20 @ 6pm: HMS Hazard House Party (West Campus). Email lewskerdu [at] gmail.com for directions
Sat March 21 @ 3pm: Todd P Party, Ms Beas (1104 E 6th St)
Sat March 21 @ 1am: Mint Label Showcase, Habana Calle 6 (709 E 6th St)

The Pack A.D.
Thu March 19 @ 3:30pm: Mint Hootenanny at Headhunters back patio (720 Red River, side door)
Thu March 19 @ 6pm: Roadhouse Rags (1600 Fortview Rd)
Fri March 20 @ 6pm: HMS Hazard House Party (West Campus). Email lewskerdu [at] gmail.com for directions
Sat March 21 @ 11pm: Mint Label Showcase, Habana Calle 6 (709 E 6th St)

We're just a few short days from the release of Hot Panda's sophomore album, How Come I'm Dead?. To celebrate, the band is inviting fans, friends, and other bands to try their hand at remixing the album's first single, "Mindlessnesslessness". To sweeten the deal, we're offering to show off the best remix creation on our next Mint sampler compilation and a Mint prize pack. We'll post the runners up on mintrecs.com too.

Now, what are you waiting for? Grab the song stems for the remix here and start working on your masterpiece. Send completed remixes to info@mintrecs by November 12th.  Oh boy!

Continuing their legacy of eclectic lo-fi indie pop albums for Mint, Hot Panda's Go Outside will be out on July 17th. Once again recorded by the famed JC/DC team of David Carswell and John Collins (The New Pornographers, Tegan and Sara), the album is just as vibrant as their first two albums, yet significantly more developed.

You can listen to "Future Markets" here. 

"This song has that sort of restrained, through the teeth aggression that is felt mere moments before the brick goes through the window or the bowl of noodles hits the wall behind your girlfriend's head." - Vice

Track Listing:

1. One In The Head, One In The Chest

2. Language

3. Future Markets

4. Littered Coins

5. Maybe Now?

6. Holidays

7. Winter Song

8. Go Outside

9. See You All Around

10. Boats

Tour Dates: 

April 13 - Seattle - Comet Tavern

April 19 - Portland - Doug Fir

April 30 - Swamp - Freiburg, Germany

May 1 - Viadukt, Zürich, Switzerland

May 2 - Viadukt, Zürich, Switzerland

May 4 - La Parenthese, Nylon, Switzerland

May 5 - Kranhalle, Munchen, Germany

May 7 - Cafe Video, Gent, Belgium

May 8 - L'International, Paris, France

May 10 - The Great Escape, Brighton, UK

 

NEWSFLASH!

Some exciting news for Hot Panda! After a brief encounter at SXSW and a frenzy of emails, our Hot Panda are joining the Von Bondies on their upcoming European tour. And they leave soon – on April 16th.

The band is thrilled about the adventure. However, to go, they had to postpone the last part of their North American tour. So, if you are in New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Halifax, Fredericton, Quebec City, Montreal, or Ottawa, the Pandas will be rescheduling those dates soon. We promise!

Sun April 19, Hamburg, Molotow w/ Von Bondies

Mon April 20, Berlin, Magnet w/ Von Bondies

Thu April 23, London, Kings College w/ Von Bondies

Fri April 24, London, The Windmill Brixton

Sat April 25, Birmingham, Bar Academy w/ Von Bondies

Sun April 26, Glasgow, King Tuts  w/ Von Bondies

Mon April 27, Manchester, Ruby Lounge  w/ Von Bondies

Wed April 29, Koln, Gebaude w/ Von Bondies

Thu April 30, Vienna, Flex w/ Von Bondies

Mon May 4, Amsterdam, Melkweg Old Room w/ Von Bondies

Tue May 5, Paris, Nouveau Casino w/ Von Bondies

END OF NEWSFLASH!

In less than a week, we'll be pacing up and down the streets of New York City for CMJ. If you care to join us, we'll be lurking in the background of these dramatically lit establishments. Hope to see you there!

Hot Panda

2:45pm, Oct 20th @ Fontana's (the Pirate Promotions day party)

11:00pm, Oct 20th @ Trash Bar

Carolyn Mark

1:00am, Oct 21st @ Kenny's Cataways

The Pack a.d. 

12:00am, Oct 21st @ Arlene's Grocery (M For Montreal party)

 

 

Road trip season is here. That means it is almost time for Calgary's finest music festival, Sled Island! We're loading up the van and arriving with fresh trucker's tans, hand-held fans and a handful of our favourite bands. 

This year, the Mint Records day party will take place at The Ship and Anchor. It's on Friday, so you should take the afternoon off, order an icy beverage and enjoy the cool summer sounds of: 

The Ramblin' Ambassadors 
Nardwuar and The Evaporators with special guest ANDREW WK

 
and friends: 

White Poppy 
Watermelon 

 
Friday, June 22nd @ The Ship and Anchor (534 17th Ave SW)
2-7pm

FREE FREE FREE. 
  
Feel free to RSVP here.
And see you there!

Gang, if you haven't been flattened by Hurricane Pack it's only a matter of time, so batten down the hatches and board up the windows, 'cause there's an ill wind blowing your way. Maya and Becky have been ripping it up stateside since MARCH 6 people, and they won't be finished until LATE MAY. You try it. I bet you don't have what it takes.

Anyway, the list is too long to post here, so linkup to our tour dates page here to see if your in the storm's path. Here are some extra special landfall warnings to watch out for:

Thursday April 23: Santos Party House, Manhattan, NYC

Friday April 24: Capital Music Hall, Ottawa with Black Mountain and Ladyhawk

Saturday April 25: Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto with Hanson Brothers

OK this concludes your weather warning for today, now go stock up on supplies and like the BSA says, BE PREPARED.

We at Mint are pleased to introduce a new sound and a new signing, Vancouver's Geoff Berner, whose Mint debut, Victory Party, will emerge on March 8th, 2011. His openness to experimentation, spirited Eastern European klezmer influences, punk rock attitude and work with producer/mastermind Josh Dolgin (Socalled) resulted in an innovative, engaging and lively album full of surprises that we are proud to be part of.

An evening spent with Geoff Berner’s music is, in the words of the good Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, “a wild combination of menace, madness, and genius… fragmented coherence that wreaks havoc on the mind of any listener.” – Vue Weekly, Edmonton

View Geoff's tour dates here.