The Leeds Gig Guide

Band Biography for the smittens:

The Smittens are a hard-working, globe-trotting independent American twee pop band from Burlington, Vermont. The band is friends first and open-hearted indiepop revolutionaries after that. Max Andrucki, Colin Clary, DanaKaplan, Holly Chagnon, and David Zacharis switch up instruments, song-writing, and singing to create catchy, harmony-driven twee ballads, pop anthems, and queer love songs—always brilliantly lyrical, and often brazenly political. Preferring to do it themselves, The Smittens record their own music while David creates the distinctive artwork that graces the band’s fliers and album covers, Dana and Max book the tours, and the whole gang work hard to share their contagious optimism with their fans near and far. Formed on a whim at a party in 2002 the Smittens have emerged as one of the country's best-loved underground indiepop quintets, releasing 3 full-length albums and a handful of singles and compilation appearances. Currently at work on their 4th studio album, the band has a remix ep due out in summer 2010 on London's Odd Box Records and a few new tracks scheduled for release on compilations later in the year. As a fixture on the international indiepop festival circuit, with appearances at the Indietracks festival, Athens Popfest, NYC Popfest, Popfest New England, San Francisco Popfest, London Popfest, and the Cosy Den Festival in Stockholm, the Smittens have been bringing their lively, melodic sound to new fans every chance they get. In summer 2010 the Smittens are heading back to Europe for their most ambitious adventure yet! The Smittens have toured across the eastern US, the UK, and Sweden, and have shared the stage with many bands they admire including Dear Nora, The Mountain Goats, Ballboy, Tullycraft, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Pony Up!, Mates of State, Mirah, The Butchies, Kimya Dawson, Dub Narcotic Sound System, Tender Trap, Bishop Allen, Boyracer, The Essex Green, Comet Gain, Standard Fare, Allo Darlin’, Bunnygrunt, The Manhattan Love Suicides, Northern Portrait, Cats on Fire, James Kochalka Superstar, and even Richie Havens!

The Smitens love shows of all kinds - in bars, clubs, at festivals, art spaces, colleges, squats, youth centers, parties, weddings and barns, and we always dress to impress. Drop us a line (booking@smittens.com) if you're interested in having us play. Also, you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter!