Indie record labels come and go, so when one’s been around for eleven years it’s cause to celebrate, especially when it’s one with as strong a Bay Area history as Asian Man Records. Founded by Mike Park, Asian Man has released albums from a wide variety of indie, punk and ska bands, including The Alkaline Trio, The Queers, and The Lawrence Arms. The label may be equally well-known for its commitment to fighting racism and sexism and its involvement in charitable efforts through the Plea for Peace Foundation.

Eleven years in, Asian Man is still launching new bands, including Oakland’s The Hot Toddies, who celebrate the release of their full-length debut, Smell the Mitten, at the label’s anniversary show at Bottom of the Hill. Head to the Toddies’ MySpace page to hear some samples from the new CD.

To celebrate Asian Man’s eleven years, the label has two anniversary concerts coming up:

Friday, July 20th
Bottom of the Hill
Featuring performances by The Lawrence Arms, Dan Potthast, The Hot Toddies (CD Release), Andrew Jackson Jihad, Shinobu, and Pteradon
7:30pm, $12, All Ages

On Saturday, July 21st, the same bands will be playing a free show and tailgating in the Oakland Coliseum parking lot before the A’s game against the Mariners. The show starts at 4pm in the far north corner of the parking lot, next to the freeway. They’ll have free hot dogs, sodas, and beer too!