The Soft Pack to Perform at Fan's House for Record Release Party

Sometime between now and Feb. 2, when it releases its self-titled debut album, the Soft Pack will perform at the home of one lucky fan, the winner of a contest launched earlier this month via the band's website.

Singer and guitarist Matt Lamkin tells Spinner the group is still sorting through entries -- 50-word email essays in which folks make the case for why they should host the San Diego-born, Los Angeles-based garage-pop group's record-release party. "I think we've whittled it down," Lamkin says. "It'll be most likely a backyard show or something."

Given its busy schedule, the Soft Pack restricted the contest to those who live in the greater L.A. area. After leaving later this week for Portland, Seattle and San Francisco, where it will play seven shows -- three opening for Phoenix -- the band heads back to Southern California for a series of dates. On Jan. 30 alone, the hard-working quartet will stage 10 performances at locations across L.A.

Next month, the crew heads east to Philadelphia and New York City and then jets to the UK for HMV's "Next Big Thing" tour.

"We're not out to thrash your place or anything -- we'd come, play, hang out and have a couple of beers," the group, which has shared stages with the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party and the Breeders, posted on its website. "All your friends plus a few of ours = guaranteed good times."

Although most of the entries have come from fans genuinely interested in turning their yards into concert venues, Lamkin has received at least one prank email.

"There's been kind of a funny thing that happened," he says. "A bunch of people wrote, 'Come play at my boss' house.' And we were like, 'Uh ...'"

Lamkin smelled a rat, and he wrote the entrants back, saying he would consider playing the show only if he could email their superior and confirm that he was game for having a rock group pull up in front of his house with a van full of drums and amplifiers.

"So I emailed him, and the boss was like, 'What's the sauce pack?' Lamkin says with a laugh.