Bio

The East River Bandits are one hell of a band. Their fiery brand of alt-country is full of New York City swagger with roots born deep in the heart of Texas. The Bandits are fronted by Rob Lilly, a Stephenville Texas transplant nearly on the verge of giving up on music. Then through the East Village bar scene he met Dan Sweeney, a rock guitarist with a new curiosity about the mandolin and the Telecaster twang. Before long, chords were charted, lyrics were penned, and songs were born. With Tim Besa anchoring the rhythm section on bass a band had been formed. After a year of shows which quickly grew in size, the band funded their debut record "Down the Road" with the help of a generous Kickstarter campaign and a loyal following.

The band supported that record with two years of gigs throughout New York City area including two sold out Mercury Lounge shows and a slot opening for Shooter Jennings at the Bowery Ballroom. Soon after, The Bandits recruited drummer/producer Alam Camlet to man the kit. With Camlet working from his own Hoboken Recorders studio, the East River Bandits began work on their next project.

Taking a bare bones approach during these sessions, the Bandits tried to capture the live sound they had been honing over the last two years. The result is "Whiskey and the Women", a five song EP that showcases the swagger of a band that loves to do two things: play music and bring everyone along on their journey.

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