Exclusive: The Promise Ring announce Milwaukee and Chicago shows, plan rarities album

With rumors swirling late last week regarding the band's newfound social media presence on twitter, Altpress.com has exclusively learned that seminal emo-rock outfit The Promise Ring, who broke up in 2002 following the release of their final album Wood/Water and last reunited for live shows in 2005, will be reuniting once again for a pair of shows in Milwaukee and Chicago this February. To boot, the band will be releasing a rarities collection in summer 2012 via Dangerbird Records, home of vocalist Davey von Bohlen and drummer Dan Didier's post-Promise Ring project, Maritime.

The group will be performing live on February 24 at Turner Hall in their hometown of Milwaukee, with a Chicago date at the Metro to follow it on February 25. Tickets for both shows will go on sale this Friday, November 25. Opening acts have yet to be announced. For these shows, the Promise Ring will be performing with what's being called their “formative lineup”—von Bohlen, Didier, guitarist Jason Gnewikow, and bassist Scott Schoenbeck. 

The rarities collection, according to Didier, will feature “one song from the Wood/Water session that didn't make the record [“All Good Souls”] (as it was, ironically, was a rocker) that was only on the 2×10″ version of W/W. Also, we have three songs that we demoed before W/W that again, were rockers, that we never recorded for the record. There are a few different odds and ends as well throughout, but that will be the meat of it.”

Regarding the band's future, Didier acknowledged that at least more live performances are likely. “From there [after the release of the rarities album] we will look into potentially doing more shows throughout 2012,” he said.