Whew! It's been a whirlwind of activity these past few weeks....
Recent touring has seen Hot Buttered Rum all over the West and taken us to the great states of Georgia and Florida.
A two-week tour with the Chicago band, Cornmeal, started in Denver. It was the biggest show of the whole tour on night one! We love our
Colorado crew and the evening set the tone for the whole tour. Everywhere we stopped there were people there to welcome us with open arms.
We stopped at Mystic Hot Springs in Southern Utah and played an intimate show after an epic soak on a red rock hillside.
Two nights in Salt Lake City showed us that the live music scene is strong in that community. We were hosted by a kind couple who served an
amazing dinner to some weary musicians and pumped up locals, ready to throw down!
Portland proved once again that Hot Buttered Rum and Cornmeal are bands whose music is appreciated and respected. I love that city and
I had some amazing Lebanese food with my wife and the woman who married us! Love you Annie!!
Bellingham was maybe the sleeper show of the run. A raging Sunday night with a bunch of crazy caped Canadians who made it feel like a
weekend blowout! Our friend runs an ice cream shop called Mallards, truly great ice cream, and she brought 6 pints down to the venue. Nothing like
a post-show ice cream orgy!!
Other tour highlights include free dumplings after the Bend show, another early-week dance party! A sold-out Arcata show that got the California leg of the tour going...
A memorable show at the Great American Music Hall that made me proud to be from the Bay Area. The music fans here are so passionate and help push us to new musical
boundaries. The tour closed in Lake Tahoe and we had our best show there to date! It was a snowy drive home but the Sierras were looking beautiful...
A few days later...
We flew to Atlanta! The Spirit of Suwannee Springfest was the next stop. This is a phenomenal festival and the lineup had some of our best friends! Emmitt-Nershi band, Greensky Bluegrass, Larry Keel, Elephant Revival, and more...We played two sets and the fine folks in the Southeast sopped us up! Really good reception to our vibe and I felt so lucky to be able to play music for so many first-timers. We drove back to Atlanta and played a show at a club called Olde Smith's Bar. It went well and we teamed up with Elephant Revival and The Old Cavalry for a rockin' triple-bill. Hope we can get back to the area soon!
I'm writing you now from my apartment in the East Bay and am getting ready for a couple local events.
This Saturday, Hot Buttered Rum is playing in Felton, near Santa Cruz, at a club called Don Quixote's. Another great band is joining us called The Brothers Comatose. We teamed up with them before and enjoyed their sound immensely! hotbutteredrum.net for info.
Then next Friday, Kinky Buddha will be joined by the Sleeping Giants in San Francisco with special guest Nat Keefe at the Brick and Mortar. This is a benefit for the Belize Barrier Reef. aaronredner.com for more info.
No rest for us though...a two-week run through the Northeast and the Midwest in April is on the horizon....Whew!!

Love to all!
Aaron

 HI Friends!

 It's an exciting month for Hot Buttered Rum as we find ourselves in the studio to record our fourth studio album! I'm loving the songs we've chosen and we are cruising along. We are guided by our producer, Steve Berlin, who is a highly-esteemed musician/producer and who is helping keep everything on track and sounding great! Our engineer is named Eric and therefore, Erik Yates from HBR is now called "Yates" to avoid any confusion! 
Such an interesting process, making a recording like this...Rare in life to analyze yourself so thoroughly and it is a great lesson in humility and acceptance of your own strengths and weaknesses. Everyone is playing and singing their hearts out and I'm sure you'll be satisfied with the result! 
We had an excellent show in Sacramento earlier this month with a fun band called The Brothers Comatose. Check 'em out! It was perfect timing to play a show right before going into the studio as it has given the project more of  a "live sound" than some of our other Cd's. 
We will be playing a private gig for a great organization called Bread and Roses coming up on the 29th at the New Bridge Foundation in Berkeley. Love to play for people needing musical inspiration and joy in their lives! We are also gearing up for a show at an Eco-Farm conference in Carmel as well as a fun-packed weekend in February (10-11) in Guerneville and Grass Valley, two hidden California gems that we hope you can come to! We'll be playing some new material and updated tunes that will be such a blast to perform! 
Love to all of you and here's to a year of health and happiness!
Aaron

Happy New Year everyone! Such an exciting time to be alive! Hot Buttered Rum had a great New Year's Eve show with our brothers in New Monsoon, I just got back from an amazing honeymoon, the band is about to record our best album ever, and the world begins hurtling towards a huge Mayan-fueled exhale this December. It's such an interesting time before you go into the studio to record a significant project. You want to sound spontaneous and fresh when faced with the microphone but you also want to do the prep work to feel like you're going into it with your best stuff! We're going to be produced by the great Steve Berlin who has worked with many of our heroes! The next couple weeks are going to be spent deciding what ends up on the album. We are lucky enough to have a plethora of songs and it's a great process to refine our sound. There's a bunch of touring on the horizon including a show in Sacramento on 1/14 at Harlows, a tour through Idaho and Montana, Wintergrass in Seattle, and a huge tour with Cornmeal all over the West!
If you'd like to hear some brand-new-out-of-the-oven songs, come on down to the Iron Springs Brewery in Fairfax this Saturday! I'll be joined by Erik and Nat for a singer-in-the-round style show. I hope your year is full of inspiration and joy!
Aaron

Thanks a million to all the amazing people who came to the shows these past couple of weeks!! We had the best of times with our dear brothers in Greensky Bluegrass. We've played together here and there through the years so the familiarity helped forge a further bond that I'm sure will bear musical fruit in the near future.....
Every show had it's highlights and I really enjoyed splitting the 2 bands up into 2 new mixed bands. Music is always a place for strangers to become friends and this was no exception. I loved playing at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland and the Showbox in Seattle where we had our biggest shows ever! Such an honor to play in venues where I've seen my heroes hold court.
Now I'm home for the Thanksgiving holiday and intend to rest and write songs. Two of my favorite pasttimes!
Wanted to also let you know about a cool show Kinky Buddha is playing at the Hopmonk Tavern on Saturday, November 26th. We will be opening for
John Kimock's new project that will include Eric Levy and Bobby Vega! Show starts at 9 pm.
Happy Holidays!!

 Hi friends!!
Sorry if I've been a bit out of touch but it's been a busy month...I had the honor of marrying Alexa last Sunday and it was a magical day indeed! Such joy!
I am the luckiest man in the world and together we move forward...
It really is something special to be surrounded by family and friends from each aspect of your life who come together for the sole purpose of union. I love and cherish my new extended family as they have so graciously accepted me into their mix.
After the wedding weekend, we spent a couple days soaking in hot springs which was a nice way to start out. Hot Buttered Rum had a gig outside of Chico in a beautiful setting on Friday. We got to play 2 sets which is always great in a festival setting under the trees and the moonlight and high up in the mountains. The next day, Alexa and I found an amazing farmers market in Chico where we stocked up on veggies and fresh Alaskan salmon before driving up to a friend's cabin in Lake Tahoe. I'll tell ya...Autumn in Lake Tahoe on a gorgeous day is hard to beat! There were very few people as well which made it even more enjoyable! Our place was right across from the Log Cabin breakfast joint in King's Beach; which is one of my favorites! We went for a spectacular hike up through Sugar Bowl and Mt. Judah. The pics were fun from way up there!
We did truly find Autumn; which is what we were looking for....
Here's to love and inspiration!  
Aaron 

 Hi Friends!!
I'm finally home after a short trip to the Midwest. It has been quite a summer of festivals and club dates. This past tour was our only visit to the Midwest this year so it was great to visit some old friends and enjoy some of that Midwest hospitality. 
A couple of real standout moments of the past month....Nedfest! Such a great time in Nederland, CO where they throw quite the yearly party. I remember reading about this festival when I first started playing with Hot Buttered Rum and thinking to myself that someday I hoped to be there. It's a great combination of smalltown community-vibe mixed with a very high level of musicianship. Other bands there included Cornmeal, Leftover Salmon, ALO, a bunch of the String Cheese guys, Jeff Austin, Split Lip Rayfield, and more! We had a great set and Billy Nershi sat in with us on a couple of tunes. I got to sit in with Cornmeal and jam with my soul-sistah, Allie Kral. David Grisman was there as well and it's always an honor to be on the same bill as that legend....
Next highlight...STRAWBERRY! If you have never been to the Strawberry music festival in the Yosemite area, you're missing out! It happens twice a year and we played the Labor Day incarnation. It was wonderful to see some musical friends there such as Nathan Moore and Tim and Nicki Bluhm. The festival has one main stage and we headlined the Thursday night, an honor I will never forget. I remember going to this festival as a fan and thinking how amazing it must be to play a night time set there. We played very well and had the audience on their feet at the end. Really hoping we get asked back to this institution and that we can stay a little longer next time. We went to the Monte Rio Festival on the Russian River where we played a well-received set for the grateful hippies there. I got to talk to another hero on this day, Melvin Seals. He's one of my favorite musicians on the scene and it still trips me out that he recognizes me when we see each other!
In the middle of the set, the band suddenly shifted keys and I had NO idea what was going on! Nat started to talk and let me in on the joke....it was the beginning of my bachelor party! Some of my best friends in the world were secretly called in and after the show we went back to our hotel. The next day we played a round of golf, and floated the Russian River! It was a blast and my manager, Barney Kilpatrick was in town as well which made it extra special as he lives in Atlanta and we rarely see him. 
While we were on the river, he cooked up an authentic New Orleans feast that was totally delicious!! The next day was my only day at home before heading out to the Midwest for tour where we learned the lesson that HBR isn't quite as popular as the Green Bay Packers yet : )  
I'm a huge football fan and it was fun to watch the opening game of the season that had the Pack hanging on to beat the Saints in a game that reminded me why I love the game. 
Now I'm home and spending time preparing for my upcoming wedding....lotsa details but so excited to officially unite with my beloved. Tomorrow I'm going to look for my outfit! Very exciting indeed! Hope the love is flowing for you too wherever you may be......
Peace,
Aaron

p.s. Kinky Buddha will be playing a show at the Ashkenaz in Berkeley on September 29th. We are part of a triple bill with  Tippy Canoe and Audiafauna. Show starts at 8:30 and we go last.  ashkenaz.com

Hello friends!
It's been a great month! I celebrated my 40th birthday with some friends at the SF Giants game and an amazing dinner with my parents and Alexa. I'm a big believer in the "birthday week" mentality and made sure every day had a special activity or conversation.
We also had an amazing time at the All Good Festival in West Virginia! HBR opened the mainstage and were welcomed by a huge crowd of enthusiastic young people! Backstage was a great place to hang out where musician/heroes were walking around everywhere!
I posted some pics for you if you want to check it out....
This past weekend was a California adventure that took us from Oakland to Groveland to Lake Tahoe. Some of my favorite places and each show went great! It's an exciting time in Hot Buttered Rum world! Next weekend it's on to Caspar, just north of Mendocino....yep....summer touring rules!!
Another show I'm looking forward to is at the Starry Plough on August 11th. Kinky Buddha will be joined by Kate Gaffney and Eli Jebediah from Poor Man's Whiskey who has started a new band called Huckle. Show starts at 9 and is 6-10 $ on a sliding scale.
Hope you're taking advantage of the beautiful sunshine!
Aaron

Wow, it's so beautiful outside! I'm someone who can find beauty in the rainiest day but there's something about gliding around in flip flops that
is unrivalled! I spent the July 4th weekend camping on the Sonoma Coast with Alexa, my soon-to-be-wife, and it was delicious being next to
nature's air-conditioner, the Pacific Ocean. I slept so well with the sound of the waves calming my ears and days were spent hiking in forests and
doing yoga amongst rock formations above the ocean. California is truly an amazing place.
Now I'm back home and ready for a week of rehearsals and shows. Tomorrow, July 6th, Kinky Buddha is performing at the Iron Springs Brewery in Fairfax
and I'm unveiling some new songs that I'm excited about! It's been a fertile time for songwriting and some of Hot Buttered Rum's new tunes will get their Bay Area
debut at the Marin JCC this Saturday, July 9th. Great show for the whole family for sure with an early start time!
The following weekend we are travelling to West Virginia for the All Good Festival, a fan-favorite, followed by a festival in Iowa called Camp Euphoria which I'm
sure will be a serious throwdown!
Hope you're all staying cool out there and embracing sun screen! : )
Love,
Aaron

Can I get a Yeeeeeee Haawwwwww??

This past weekend was spent in the great state of Arkansas where Hot Buttered Rum found itself at the Wakarusa festival high up in the Ozarks.
Mulberry Mountain is the name of the location and we've been there a few times now. We flew into Little Rock through Las Vegas and were napping in our hotel
by 4 pm. Our set that night was to begin at 1 am and it was 95 degrees with high humidity when we arrived. It was great, however, when we pulled into the Wakarusa gates around 8, and after obtaining our credentials, we drove our cars through the hippie masses to find a parking spot by our stage.
This was our first REALLY big festival (30,000 people?) of the season and there was serious excitement in the air. Great bands were playing all over the place and I was glad to have only packed my cross-trainers because I walked for miles! In the few hours I was there I enjoyed the backstage hospitality and snagged a few pairs of guitar strings while I was at it : )
I heard some of Sound Tribe Sector Nine's set which drew a huge crowd and My Morning Jacket who threw their hair in the wind and sang their hearts out.
Poor Man's Whiskey played before us so it was nice to rock out to our buddies with some of their girlfriends! Nat sat in with them and when our set came around, we had
a big dance party on stage with a big crew of our homies during LImbs Akimbo. It's always fun to play the festival sets under the lights when you can barely see the audience but can feel the heat! It ended up being a late night and our heads hit the pillow around 4 am!
The next day was spent resting in the sweet air conditioning of the hotel room. The last time I was in Arkansas I made a vow to make a Trader Joe's trip and pack my suitcase with "just add hot water" stuff. Glad I did! Nothing but chain fast food around the interstate and I enjoyed my teriyaki soup and healthy trail mix!
That night we had a set at 9 and it was prime time! The sound man said it was the biggest crowd of the weekend on that stage and we had an hour set that packed a serious punch! One tune that hit hard was the Grateful Dead tune, Bertha. Huge singalong! We were all inspired after hearing artists like Mumford and Sons, Ben Harper, Scythian, and more! Nat and Erik ended up picking tunes with the Mumford guys and had a great connection. It'd be fun to tour with those blokes!
Sunday was a long, multi-legged flight through Dallas and Albuquerque. Poor Man's Whiskey was on our plane and at one of the layovers, instruments came out and a tune was played on the airplane! It was hilarious to watch people get on the plane and react to the sound of a banjo.
After a whirlwind couple of days, it was nice to relax at home and not move! Tomorrow I'm rehearsing for the upcoming Fairfax festival in downtown Fairfax. Kinky Buddha is playing at 2:45 and I'm putting together a fun setlist meant to get the people moving and singing! I'm honored to have the opportunity to sing in one of my favorite towns in the world! After the set's over, we're moving down to the Sleeping Lady which is a block away. We'll play another show starting at 6 pm and it's all free! I'm writing a lot of songs these days and it's great to have such wonderful musicians to play with. I hope to see my Bay Area friends there!
Peace and love to all!!
Aaron

Hi Friends!!

I'm in Moab, Utah and it's a sunny, blustery day where walking down the street can be a challenge. Sunglasses advised cause the particles are swirling!!
Hot Buttered Rum had a festival set last night at a festival called Desert Rocks, which is quickly becoming a fan favorite. You take a dirt road for a few miles off the highway and end up in an area full of rock formations, beautiful desert flowers, and a few thousand people ready to throw down for the Memorial Day weekend. This is our third time playing
here and this has been the best weather by far. Last time we were here there was a flash flood!
We hit the stage about 9:30 and the environment was perfect for a meaningful festival set on a great sound system. We played a few of our newer tunes such as Bells on Waves and Every Side of the Coin and the place was jumping and celebrating the whole time. So much fun. Wonderful volunteers and staff were everywhere and I look forward to playing the September Powellapalooza festival in Arizona, headed up by the same bunch. I headed back to our hotel and got some MUCH needed rest. Especially since our set tonight starts at 2:40 AM!! Sheesh....I'll have to embrace my inner desert warrior and enjoy howling at the stars from a serious power spot with all my freaky friends!
The day before found us in Colorado Springs at a festival called Meadowgrass in Colorado Springs. We met at the airport before the set, all coming from different places. On the way, the back hatch of the car flew open. Lucas expertly guided the car to the side of the highway and our instruments (thank God!) didn't slide out by some miracle.
The festival was very family-oriented and when we were soundchecking there were about 8 little kids (mostly girls) all making fun of us and laughing. Total hoot!
The band before us was a great Cajun band and we recruited their amazing washboard player for a few tunes. He crushed it and the audience really enjoyed his energy with us. We slept in a cool cabin that had bunkbed rooms and we each got our own! I'll tell ya', it's rare to have your own room in this business and it's a true luxury when it happens.

I'm getting excited about my upcoming gig at the Fairfax festival on June 12th in beautiful downtown Fairfax. Kinky Buddha plays at 2:45 PM. We also just got confirmed to play at the Sleeping Lady in town that night from 6-9 PM. I'll be joined by Chris Haugen, Bryan Horne, Ben Jacobs, and Denielle Basom and we're psyched to make music for y'all!

Be sure to check out the photos page for new pics!
Time for a nap,
Aaron