A decade ago, Evan Weiss released his travelogue LP Twelve Towns through Topshelf Records, which saw the Chicago native overlaying his band Into It. Over It.’s distinctly Midwest emo sound over experiential lyrics rooted in U.S. cities spanning from Portland, Oregon to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Originating as a “harebrained concept” in his Logan Square apartment, the record went on to inform the direction not only of the next four IIOI records, but also his work in other projects including Their / They’re / There and Pet Symmetry.
To celebrate the record turning 10 years old back at the beginning of the month, the band celebrated the release on the Storm Chasers Ltd. Patreon. Today they continue the celebration with a brand new 20-minute video recording of the band playing a handful of the tunes at Shirk Recording Studios in Chicago—including the first live performance of the tracks “Orlando, FL” and “Washington, D.C.,” as well as a new track titled “Miyajima, JP” which will likely be released some time next year.
“It’s crazy to think that that record is now 10 years old,” Weiss shares. “Twelve Towns somehow became a uniquely celebrated collection of material about both silly and serious experiences I had had all throughout the United States. I think there is something personal that resonates with people who either live in or have traveled to these places. A connection with the towns themselves but also those wild experiences people can have while on the road or in a far off place. I think after a year of being at home that feeling is worth celebrating.”
Watch the full vid below.
