The Hold Steadyis gonna build something this summer and/or autumn, and that something is a children's book. The band has just announced Stay Positive, a new book based on the title track off of their 2008 album of the same name, featuring lyrics from the song alongside illustrations by cartoonist and comic book author David "El Dee" Espinosa.
'''Stay Positive' has a line that says, 'The kids at the shows will have kids of their own,' and it's true: each year more Hold Steady fans become parents or grandparents," the Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn explained in a statement. "So, I'm thrilled that we're offering the children's book version of 'Stay Positive,' which brings THS joy to the whole family."
According to a press release, "The new 32-page book for readers of all ages follows the path of a humble armadillo who discovers along the way how music can pull together a disparate cast of characters. A lesson in tenacity and maintaining a positive attitude when encountering adverse situations, Stay Positive ends up in a unified celebration that mirrors the triumphant joy of a Hold Steady performance."
Stay Positive is out October 1 via Akashic Books. You can pre-order it here. A limited edition package including a copy of book signed by the band, a sticker sheet, and a custom Stay Positive-themed water bottle is also available for pre-order here.
Last year, the Hold Steady released the album The Price of Progress and teamed up with journalist Michael Hann to publish The Gospel of The Hold Steady: How a Resurrection Really Feels, an oral history of the band.
This summer, the Hold Steady will head out on their Constructive Summer 2024 tour, a series of mini-residencies in Toronto, Seattle, Washington, DC, Denver, and Atlanta. They'll also perform a stripped-down storytellers set in Evanston, Illinois, make appearances at Milwaukee's Summerfest and St. Paul's Minnesota Yacht Club Festival, and play shows in Melbourne for the Boys and Girls Down Under weekend.
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CONSTRUCTIVE SUMMER 2024 – TORONTO
May 2 – The Great Hall
May 3 – The Great Hall
May 4 – The Concert Hall
BOYS AND GIRLS DOWN UNDER
20TH (+1) ANNIVERSARY AUSTRALIAN WEEKENDER – MELBOURNE
May 24 – The Croxton Bandroom
May 25 – The Croxton Bandroom
May 26 – Stay Gold
CONSTRUCTIVE SUMMER 2024 – SEATTLE
May 30 – Madame Lou’s
May 31 - The Crocodile (All Ages)
June 1 – The Crocodile
CONSTRUCTIVE SUMMER 2024 – WASHINGTON, DC
June 20 – The Atlantis
June 21 – 9:30 Club
June 22 – 9:30 Club
June 28 — Evanston, IL — The Space (storytellers set)
June 29 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest *
July 20 – St. Paul, MN – Minnesota Yacht Club Festival *
CONSTRUCTIVE SUMMER 2024 – DENVER
August 22 – The Bluebird Theater
August 23 – The Bluebird Theater
August 24 – The Bluebird Theater
CONSTRUCTIVE SUMMER 2024 – ATLANTA
October 3 – TBA
October 4 – TBA
October 5 – TBA
* Festival Appearance
