Auctioned Deer Tick Bus to Help Houston Bands Tour

A few weeks ago, Deer Tick auctioned off its tour bus to benefit Oxfam’s Pakistani flood relief efforts. Now, auction winner (and frequent Paste photographer) Mark C. Austin is using his newly-acquired vehicle to benefit up-and-coming bands.

“My plan for this bus is to put it into service helping Houston-based musicians get out on the road in a cost effective way,” Austin tells Paste. “Cities like New Orleans, San Antonio, Austin, Shreveport and Dallas are all within a few hours’ drive, so those would be attainable to help these bands grow their fan bases, but the hope is that we can put together longer tours.”

Austin said that Tyagaraja, The Tontons and Peekaboo Theory are all on board for a tour, but that no specific dates are available yet. He plans on traveling to Providence, R.I. to pick up the bus, and he’s bringing some artists with him for a stop in Nashville on the way home. “Our date is tentatively Nov. 13, and I’ve already gotten popular Nashville musician Stephan Sebastian (formerly of Samantha Crain and The Midnight Shivers) and local Houston award-winning musician Benjamin Wesley confirmed for the date,” Austin says.