Broken Rainbows (the album) came together throughout the disquieting (and deadpan, and dubious) latter half of 2020 in Jake's home studio. If crows foreshadow sadness or grief, there was a flock overhead during those days (and, sadly, they continue to circle). We gathered carefully to talk, write music, and talk more. We've been friends and done this for nearly three decades, so it was muscle memory. Broken Rainbows is how we processed and survived, made sense. It's a five-headed declaration.

Broken Rainbows: Deadpan Charms and Dubious Yarns (the show) got rolling when Adam Elliott at the Wexner Center (of the great band Times New Viking) asked us to play a show for the release of our 10th record, Broken Rainbows, coming out in September 2021. After a few zoom calls with "Wex" folks, and some band conversations around the fire pit, pretty soon we all had the idea that a typical "show" wasn't really in the cards. We'd kick ourselves if we didn't take full advantage of the opportunity, big stage, and production values afforded to us, y'know? The date was set for Sept. 24. Over the summer the ideas came, left, turned right, circled for landing and took off again. Taking inspiration from various and sundry places (camping trips in Kentucky, Terry Allen's Juarez, Gempler's catalogs, Young Jean Lee, Spalding Gray, Jewish cemeteries, Bobby Darin, and even Neil's Live at the Ryman), we set out to develop the 11 songs on Broken Rainbows into a full...piece, with narratives, interstitials, video, a coyote, a giant bass drum, and assorted video remnants from our early days. Three of our kids sang back up (Camille and Haley Housh, Toby Hattemer), which proved to be an amazing addition, and deeply joyful for everybody. Scotty practiced all by his lonesome up in Brattleboro like a champ, and even Jake's brother, Josh, joined us for the fun. Watch a song, watch the whole thing. We had a blast doing it in front of so many family and friends. We'd love to actually do it again. If you can help with that, let us know.

As an old friend said to us after the show, it feels like you guys are just starting to hit your peak after 30 years a band. Late bloomers, we are.

Moviola
Columbus, OH

Broken Rainbows:
Deadpan Charms and Dubious Yarns

Deadpan Charms:
Expat
Broken Rainbows
Go With You
Orders of the Day
Nowhere Home

Dubious Yarns:
Two Evils
Which Way Did You Run
Rise
Parched
Stripes and Stars
Lost Today
Expat (Burl Ives Burlesque version)

Band members:

Greg Bonnell - drums
Jerry Dannemiller - guitar, lap steel
Ted Hattemer - bass guitar, harmonica
Jake Housh - guitar, SK-1
Scotty Tabachnick - Fender Rhodes, 12-string guitar

Toby Hattemer - backing vocals, acoustic guitar
Camille Housh - backing vocals
Haley Housh - backing vocals
Josh Housh - backing vocals

Live Performance Video:
Michael Ivey - camera
James Godwin - camera
Jake Housh - editing, interstitial video, sound mixing

Intro and interstitial sounds:
Brian Harnetty, Jerry Dannemiller, Little Brother

Wexner Center team:

Steve Trefnoff - sound
Sonia Baidya - lights
John Smith - production manager
Adam Elliott - performing arts assistant
Lane Czaplinski - performing arts director
Melissa Starker - press

Thank you to our families and friends,
Bela Koe-Krompecher, Paul Nini, Ron Schneiderman,
Kevin Elliott, Andy Downing, Harold LaRue,
Keith Dannemiller, Barry Hensley

All Moviola catalogue available at moviolamusic.bandcamp.com

Performed in front of a live audience September 24, 2021