It’s festival season! MBOP will be busy, busy birds through the month of May, as we glide into a full weekend of rock and roll, as part of the 3rd Annual Elephants for Autism festival (5/16-5/18).

(Click flyer or here for RSVP and lineup information.)

Magnificent Birds of Prey are playing two dates Saturday 5/17 at Le Grande Fromage (7PM, upstairs, 25 Gordon’s Alley), and Sunday 5/18 at the Boneyard’s Alley stage (4:30PM, 20 S Virginia Ave). We were lucky enough to be part of the Elephant’s lineup last year, and this year figures to be even bigger, with more amazing bands and stages. It’s a great cause, with all door money benefitting the music program at the Archway School in Atco, NJ. Thanks to the hard work of event organizer, Jerry Ryan, we will be playing along side bands such as Baby Diaz, Stellarscope, The Terribles, Ego Alien, John Cook, Linus in the Sapphire, Hiding Scarlet, The Defused, Rodger Delany, Amber Ladd, Amelia Scalies, Layers and Frames, and the Lost Will Follow, to name a few. For the full lineup, as well as all event details, please RSVP above. There are plenty of reasonably priced motels and hotels nearby. We highly suggest booking one right now, so that you can roost with us for the weekend! If you can’t make it, please note Rocker’s Dive Radio will be broadcasting the full upstairs lineup on 5/18 between 5pm and 11pm.

MBOP will rest up, following our weekend in Atlantic City, prior to taking the stage on Saturday 5/31 as part of the lineup for the 2nd Annual “Rock 4 Paws Fest” (Medford, NJ), presented by the Paw It 4Ward Foundation (12PM to 6PM, free admission).

(Click flyer or here for RSVP and lineup information.)

Proceeds benefit medical expenses associated with local animal rescues. This a great cause, benefitting many of our furrier friends. We’re happy to be playing with so many talented artists, such as Rodger Delany, Road Dogs, John Cook, Amber Ladd, and featured act: The Defused.

Speaking of The Defused, we’re anxious to share more details about the impending MBOP/The Defused split release, which we officially announced late last month. The release party is slated for 7/17 at Philly’s Hard Rock Cafe (1131 Market Street), $6.00, 18+, Doors: 8:30 PM / Show: 9:00 PM, where both bands will play full, electric sets, and limited CD copies will be made available. CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW!

The idea was to take a band with a like-minded approach to music production and promotion, and craft a four-song offering, with two new songs per band. To this end, we employed the in-house recording and production stylings of The Spartan Tone (MBOP’s own Lyle and Carl–producers!), along with professional, high-quality finishing work, courtesy of Azimuth Mastering, to create an almost completely DIY, in-house offering. Recording with friends, such as The Defused, made the entire process fun, as we got to see them in their sillier moments, and help coach them through some of the frustrations inherent with the recording process. An added benefit, which more local/regional bands should take advantage of, is combining the reach of two audiences–the goal, after all, is to be heard!

In addition to contributing rockin new tunes “The Killer” and “From the Other Side” to the split, The Defused’s own Kelly Messina-LaFrancis has created an original painting, which will be used as the cover art, and the band is also working on a short rockumentary documenting the making of the split, which will focus on all the fun we had during the creative process, giving a sneak peek into the inner workings of The Spartan Tone studios, as well as the bands in their more candid moments.

For our part, Magnificent Birds of Prey have tracked “Copilot”–a mid-tempo, rocker, which is sure to become a sing-a-long, and “Statue”, –a fan-favorite since we started playing out last year, which shows off MBOP’s chiller, more sensitive side. In the wake of JM Hash’s departure from the band, MBOP solicited furiously talented four-stringer, Scott Bluth, of Baby Diaz, to handle the low end for the recording.

The initial run will be released as CD and digital download, with the intent to press vinyl, if a short run can be done cost effectively.

Buy tickets for the record release event at Hard Rock Cafe, right here!
TICKETS HERE.