Pitchfork

Blackalicious are coming to your town to make you understand just how good they are at what they do. And what they do is brainy, fun hip-hop. Chief Xcel and Gift of Gab, the men behind the modern classics Nia and Blazing Arrow, released their Anti- debut, The Craft, last year, and now they're taking their show on the road.

The education begins at the eMusic SXSW showcase tomorrow night, where they'll share the stage with homies Spoon and Echo and the Bunnymen. From there, the workshop in how hip-hop should be done will be conducted all across the U.S. (except Chicago!??!!) as well as at a few choice stops Canada (because they obviously majored in indie rock, but neglected their coursework in beats and flow).

Joining Blackalicious on most dates will be fellow left-coasters Lifesavas, Fatlip, and Pigeon John.

Craft work:

03-14 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room *
03-16 Austin, TX - Town Lake Stage at Auditorium Shores (eMusic SXSW showcase) #
03-16 Austin, TX - Blue Genie Art Industries * (no Fatlip)
03-17 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues *
03-18 Nashville, TN - City Hall *
03-21 Bloomington, IN - Bluebird Nightclub *
03-22 Lansing, MI - Temple Club *
03-25 Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls Theater *
03-27 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall *
03-28 Toronto, Ontario - Opera House *
03-29 Ottawa, Ontario - Capital Music Hall *
03-31 Buffalo, NY - Icon *
04-01 New York, NY - B.B. King's Blues Club *
04-02 South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom *
04-04 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club *
04-06 New Haven, CT - Toad's Place *
04-09 Philadelphia, PA - TLA *
04-11 Washington DC - 9:30 Club *
04-12 Winston Salem, NC - Ziggy's *
04-13 Columbia, SC - Russell House Ballroom *
04-14 Atlanta, GA - Roxy *
04-15 Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theatre *
04-16 Lawrence, KS - Granada Theatre *
04-20 Seattle, WA - Showbox *
04-21 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom *
04-22 Whistler, British Columbia - Blackcomb Mountain
04-23 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater *
04-24 Berkeley, CA - Pauley Ballroom *
04-29 Medford, MA - President's Lawn @ Tufts University
05-01 Santa Barbara, CA - The Hub at UC Santa Barbara

* with Lifesavas, Pigeon John, Fatlip
# with Mr. Lif, Spoon, Echo and the Bunnymen (wow!)