Pitchfork

Usually when a band releases a DVD, it's of some live show, or it's a documentary chronicling the history of the band, or maybe it's some kooky music-related movie with interviews and music videos as extras. Not so for Low guitarist/vocalist Alan Sparhawk's Black-Eyed Snakes side project.

The Snakes have released a short film called Cross Country With the Snakes on DVD, featuring the cross-country skiing talents of the band and, in particular, those of drummer and one-time Olympic hopeful Brad Nelson. And sure, the DVD-- shot by skiing fanatic Hansi Johnson-- also has some live footage from the shows the band played on its Colorado/Utah road trip, but the real prize is getting to see the Snakes' impression of Low's "Belarus" video.

As part of the Banff Mountain Film Festival tour, Cross Country With the Snakes will screen at Minneapolis' Midwest Mountaineering on November 16 and 17 and at the Duluth Cross Country Ski Club on November 18 and 19. The DVD is available from Low's chairkickers.com now.

For their part, Low still have those Down Under dates scheduled in January, starting January 9 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Low:

01-09 Auckland, New Zealand - King's Arms
01-11 Melbourne, Australia - East Brunswick Club (Things We Lost in the Fire Don't Look Back)
01-12 Melbourne, Australia - East Brunswick Club
01-13 Melbourne, Australia - East Brunswick Club
01-14 Fremantle, Australia - Fly by Night
01-16 Brisbane, Australia - The Troubadour
01-17 Sydney, Australia - Sydney Festival
01-18 Sydney, Australia - Sydney Festival
01-19 Sydney, Australia - Sydney Festival (Things We Lost in the Fire Don't Look Back)