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Music News: The Secret Handshake Cancel Remainder of Tour

By Michele Stephens, Staff Writer michele@livemusicguide.com michelestephens.com The Secret Handshake is the electronica/soul music project of self-taught musician Luis Dubuc. Luis sings and plays all instruments on the band’s studio albums, including guitar, synthesizer, piano, percussion and various sounds created on his computer. Luis took the name The Secret Handshake for the title of his project because he wanted a non-descriptive band name to allow music to speak for itself.  Before The Secret Handshake, Luis played drums in the hardcore unit Thirty Called Arson before he eventually began writing and recording some songs as a side project in his Dallas-based bedroom with a laptop and a Wurlitzer. In 2004, Luis self-released his first full-length album titled Antarctica. Less than a year later, he followed up the full-length with the EP This Is Bigger Than You and I, released through Doll House Recordings. Soon The Secret Handshake began developing a devoted fanbase, and Luis released another EP entitled Summer of ’98 through Triple Crown Records, which he soon followed with the studio album The Full Year. In 2009, Luis released his third studio album My Name Up In Lights, which went on to hit #19 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and #45 on the Independent Albums chart. The Secret Handshake recently embarked on the road in support of the August release Night and Day. The tour, called "The Luis & The Handshakes Tour," was set to be a U.S. headlining tour featuring A Cursive Memory, The Narrative and Speak. The tour began 11/5 in St Louis, MO at Firebird. Unfortunately, the tour has been canceled after just 16 days on the road. The final show was Monday 11/22 in Austin, TX at Emo’s. The tour was suppose to go on until 12/5.  According to a letter written by Luis, “The reason behind the tour cancelation is simple, poor turnouts. At most of the shows there were never more than 30 people, and though a few did better most were badly attended.” As much as Luis would like to continue the tour, he states, “a lot of the venues began to cancel their shows on us once hearing of these less than stellar turnouts.” Refunds for tickets purchase will be given at point of purchase, so if you had planned on attending this tour please be sure to contact your venue for more information. Luis also makes note that his other band, a metal project called Of Legends, has some pretty cool plans for 2011. 

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