FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

God Street Wine to Perform April 22

LEWISTON, Maine -- The fast-rising New York band God Street Wine, recently signed by Mercury Records, will perform songs from its most recent album, "Red," in a concert at Bates College on Monday, April 22.

The show, which also features Boston-based Guster and the hip-hop band Fun Lovin' Criminals, begins at 7:30 p.m. in Clifton Daggett Gray Athletic Building. Ticket information is available through the Bates student activities office, 207-786-6305.

In "Red," God Street Wine shows its ability to move among musical styles. Its songs display influences including reggae, Bob Dylan and classic pop, and reviews have been encouraging, according to guitarist and lead singer Lo Faber, who said emotion played a big role in the album's creation.

"('Red') was the first time in our whole career that the band had a collective sense of anger and frustration that we needed to vent," Faber said of the group's response to what members felt was mishandling by a previous label.

"We were forced to question everything -- our talent, our career, our existence as a band," Faber said. "It didn't matter who heard it, if it became a hit, if we got another record deal or if we ever toured again. We just wanted to make a good album."

God Street Wine has long had a loyal following. Its fans call themselves "Winos" and swap bootleg tapes of the hundreds of concerts the band has played over the years.

The group's previous releases include "Bag," "Who's Driving?" and "$1.99 Romances." Until its recent deals with Geffen and Mercury, it had been called "the best unsigned band in the country." The band records at its own 32-track studio at its home in upstate New York.

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