Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution (commonly abbreviated BOTAR) is an acoustic band started by Tomas Kalnoky. Often viewed as a precursor to Streetlight Manifesto, BOTAR is recognized as something of a side-project.

2001 marked the release of their only recording to date, "A Call To Arms". With 5 songs, including an updated version of Catch 22's "Dear Sergio", and the future Streetlight Manifesto song "Here's To Life", this collection marked something of a transition for Kalnoky.

Since Streetlight's inception, BOTAR has been on hiatus. Kalnoky has promised to release new music for both of his projects in 2006. Streetlight have often played the song "They Provide the Paint for the Picture-Perfect Masterpiece That You Will Paint On The Inside Of Your Eyelids" at their New Jersey shows.

From The Botar Website- "BOTAR is about to start recording its first full length. The plan is to release it around the same time or slightly after Streetlight gets its record done. But we're dealing with you-know-who here so expect it sometime before the end of our current decade"BOTAR's next album came out on 9/9/08 via the Streetlight Manifesto myspace:A few years ago, when BOTAR (Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution) released it's first (and so far only) record, there was a mention in the liner notes of a large project called "99 Songs of Revolution".

This is a collection of 99 cover songs, spanning all kinds of genres, all kinds of artists. Now, a few years later, it's all going down. And here are the details. Some of them, at least.The 99 Songs of Revolution Project will consist of 8 full length records.

Two from SM, two from BOTAR, and two each from two other SM related groups. Yes, this is indeed the record that Victory mistakingly posted as coming out in Oct of 08. Not sure how they got that date, but it was never even a possibility.

The first SM record for 99SOR will be out in early 2009, simultaneously with another of the 8 CDs (no, not the BOTAR one). Victory will be putting out the CDs and mp3s and Pentimento will be releasing and distributing the vinyl.

We are aware of our reputation to take forever to release records and miss our self imposed deadlines, so we are not giving anyone solid dates, not even our labels. Early 09 release, that's it. We are, though, working hard on it.

The demos are all but done and we head into the studio to begin tracking in October. Our upcoming tour schedule, as you know, is borderline impossible/insane, so cut us some slack.This will be a nice way for us to get into the studio and put out some "new" music as well as tide you guys over until our next full length.

It's been a project that's been on the back burner for too long, and it's time to do something about it. Stay tuned to this site as well as the Pentimento site for more info over the coming weeks. Also make sure to keep peeking in on our other sites, as we're in the middle of working on a few projects that have been dormant for way too long.