Hotel Lights announces September dates, coming to Raleigh

Hotel Lights, the fantastic band fronted by Ben Folds Five drummer Darren Jessee, is on the road supporting his brand new album Girl Graffiti, released on August 16.

The tour will bring the band to The Pour House in Raleigh on Tuesday, September 6. Electric Owls will open the show. Tickets are $6 in advance and available HERE.

Stream four fantastic songs from Girl Graffiti via the band's SoundCloud page. Jessee is a hell of a singer-songwriter and you really should check his music.

Ben Folds Five to reunite in Chapel Hill

After last week's tease, it's been reported that Ben Folds Five — Ben Folds, Robert Sledge and Darren Jesse — will reunite on Thursday, Sept. 18 for a show at UNC's Memorial Hall for the group's first public appearance in a decade.

As if that weren't enough, benfolds.com is reporting that the trio will play The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner in its entirety.

Darren Jesse's band Hotel Lights will open the show. Hotel Lights new album Firecracker People was just released a few weeks ago.

Tickets for the general public are $40 and will go on sale Monday, Sept. 8 at 10 a.m. via etix. The show will be presented by MySpace Music. UNC student tickets will go on sale at the same time for $22 at the Memorial Hall box office. Tickets will have a policy of one ticket per One Card, two One Cards per student.

As someone who never had the opportunity to see the trio during their heyday, I'd just like to say: HELL YES.

New Hotel Lights, "Firecracker People" mp3

Earlier this month, we brought you the details of Hotel Lights new album, Firecracker People. We now have a the title track from the album available for download below. The song is a beautiful ballad that is a little reminiscent of the Ben Folds Five days.

You can stream 3 other tracks from the album on Hotel Lights MySpace page. The album will be out on August 19 via Bar None Records.

Pre-order the album here.

Hotel Lights - "Firecracker People" (mp3)

Hotels Lights second album due in August

It's been about four years since Hotel Lights (aka Darren Jesse) initially released his self-titled debut. In 2006 Bar None Records re-released or officially released the album depending upon how you see it.

Now, after all these years, the second record is done and it's called Firecracker People. Listen to the first track "Blue Always Finds Me" on Hotel Lights MySpace page. The melody is beautifully somber and the recording is brilliant. It's just great. Have a listen.

Firecracker People will be out on August 19 via Bar None Records. Pre-order the album here.

Here's the track list:
1. Blue Always Finds Me
2. Dream State Flying
3. Down
4. Flicker In My Eye
5. Amelia Bright
6. Firecracker People
7. Norina
8. Wedding Day
9. Chemical Clouds
10. Nobody Let You Down
11. Your Choices
12. Run Away Happy