HELLO! MEET AND PLS WELCOME THE NEW MEMBERS OF OUR RIOT ACT STAFF.

This is the first of many exciting updates we'll be sending you this summer as Riot Act continues to evolve (Did you know that, although working with bands and labels is our core jam, we now also work with non-profits, on films and books, and with corporate clients? We do--more on that soon). We are lucky, honored and proud to announce that our team is expanding, and as such, it is prudent and rad to now introduce you to the new folks at Riot Act: Nathan Walker, Dave Depper, and superinterns Lacey Whittaker, Lacy Weathersbee and Dale Gellerson. Oh, and Doctor Wu. Commence meeting and greeting!

Nathan Walker: Tour/Viral Publicist, Company Strategist, Bro.

Born in 1976 to one of the Midwest's finest folk musicians, Nathan spent most of his teens failing to piss his father off by playing Body Count, Public Enemy and Run DMC as loudly as possible. Realizing that it was okay to love all different types of music even if you were a 50 year-old folk singer, Nathan began his long career in the music industry starting as a freelance photographer before eventually working as music editor for Seattle's Tablet Magazine (R.I.P., Tablet). A stint as music editor at Resonance Magazine (also R.I.P.!) was followed by working for the esteemed 2:30 Publicity firm for a couple of years before moving to the woods with his lovely wife to open a small, organic cafe.

Even living in a small town of 16,000 couldn't keep Nathan from taking part in the music industry. He booked a weekly Friday night show at his cafe, often hosting touring bands like Ladyhawk, Tiny Vipers and the Immaculate Machine, thus helping to corrupt the musical minds of dozens of teenagers. Two months after opening his cafe in Anacortes, he, along with Beat Happening's Bret Lunsford, resurrected the 20 year-old Knw-Yr-Own record label, releasing six albums in the span of two years. In addition, he helped to book, promote and run sound for the world famous What The Heck festival. After eating a perfect pizza in Portland, Nathan, his wife and their two cats relocated and joined the amazing team at Riot Act Media. To date, Nathan has over a decade of experience in the music industry and has helped with PR campaigns for Mt. Eerie, Electric 6, Grizzly Bear, Women & Children, Karl Blau, D+, El Capitan, the Lights, the Drones, Whalebones, the Gift Machine, Stuart & Caan, Of Montreal, the Hold Steady and many more. E-mail Nathan (at) riot act media dot com. Dave Depper: Business Manager, Junior Publicist, Computer Genius.

Dave became a central figure in the Portland music community almost upon arrival. Through his extensive experience playing in and, often times, guiding the business dealings of his various bands (Dave was a key member of Spin Art artists The Village Green, and currently plays with Loch Lomond, Norfolk & Western and Jolie Holland; he's also appeared on countless records including White Hinterland's "Phylactory Factory", The Minus 5's "Sad Hasselhoff", Laura Gibson's "Beasts of Seasons" and others), he has booked and promoted shows, produced albums, guided marketing campaigns from the artist's position and knows, inside and out, the complexities of bringing a project to fruition. He has also performed consulting work for legendary Portland indie label Hush Records. A former music writer, Dave is also intimately familiar with what a publicist/journalist relationship should be. He currently lives in Portland with his wife, cat and turtle. E-mail Dave (at) riot act media dot com. Matthew Kopel, Webmaster Deluxe.

M. Kopel has been with Riot Act since 2008, and works behind the scenes updating the slammin' website he designed for us, www.riotactmedia.com. He is one half of the design duo Doctor Sandwich; you should hire him should you find yourself in the market for a slammin' website of yr own. Contact M. Kopel through the Doctor Sandwich website. Our SUPERINTERNS: Lacey Whittaker, Lacy Weathersbee, Dale Gellerson and Doctor Wu.

Anyone who has ever told you that they can smoothly run their business without the aid of SUPERINTERNS is lying their face off. We're so thankful to have a crew of interns who are not only smart and funny, but who have extensive experience in the music and media universes. Former Biz 3 intern and current Girls Rock! Chicago maven Lacey Whittaker learned a ton from the firm that handles Daft Punk, Aesop Rock and Jean Grae. Incredible photographer Lacy Weathersbee works in the photo department at Playboy, and has been around for every step of many bands' career development--she's helped put on shows, and knows how things work. Former Riot Act Media superintern Dale Gellerson is now back with us, and we couldn't be happier! He has helped us do the dirty work during many campaigns, and is back for more hands-on experience in the independent music PR world. Doctor Wu (pictured at left) is also a new addition to the Riot Act family, but he mostly sits on my desk and types things on my laptop like /..////////////////////';;;p-=p-ddddddddddd because he is a kitten. Thanks so much for reading---and please check out some of what's on deck (pictured at left and typed below)--do get in touch if there's anything we can get for you, or just to say hello. Please refrain from writing any overly lengthy e-mails to Doctor Wu though, as I have to read them to him, which is time-consuming. Hope yr well, Joan / Riot Act. E-mail me at Joan (at) riot act media dot com. MUSICS TO ASK US ABOUT RIGHT NOW: *ALL SMILES (SELF-RELEASE) * BLACK WHALES (MT. FUJI) * CITY LIGHT (BANTER RECORDS) * GLORYTELLERS (SOUTHERN) * LEONARD MYNX (WALLY UNO MUSIC) * MURDOCKS (LABEL TBD) * LOCH LOMOND (HUSH RECORDS) * POCKET (FRAGA) * PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT (KILL ROCK STARS) * QUIETING SYRUP (LOVITT RECORDS) * SCREAMING FEMALES (DON GIOVANNI RECORDS) * VORTIS (SELF-RELEASE) * WEINLAND (BADMAN RECORDING CO.) * FILMS TO ASK US ABOUT RIGHT NOW: "SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS" MOVIE STARTING JAMES MERCER (THE SHINS) AND CARRIE BROWNSTEIN (SLEATER KINNEY, THUNDERANT), DIRECTED BY MATT MCCORMICK (RODEO FILM CO.), PRODUCED BY NEIL KOPP AND DAVID CRESS (OLD JOY, PARANOID PARK) NON-PROFITS TO ASK US ABOUT RIGHT NOW: NOISE FOR THE NEEDY FESTIVAL 2009 (JUNE 10-14, W/CONSTANTINES, ART BRUT, THROW ME THE STATUE, GRAND ARCHIVES, CRYSTAL ANTLERS AND MORE) * PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK ALL-STARS (WEST COAST ALL-STARS SUMMER TOUR '09) CORPORATE CLIENTS TO ASK US ABOUT RIGHT NOW: * SIGHT WORKS * MR.VOLATILITY *