Pitchfork

Strictly business, the men of Battles campaigned through Chicago's Empty Bottle Friday night, pushing their phalanx of equipment to the fore of the stage and blitzing through several hyper-complex cuts from the forthcoming Mirrored (out May 15 on Warp). And really, who needs between-song banter or ironic covers when your music is as tight, inventive, and technically accomplished as this? Many a jaw dropped at the Bottle, with many to follow as Battles wage war across the Eastern U.S. and Europe in the coming weeks.

Chicagoans left out in the cold this weekend needn't fret-- as announced last Friday, Battles return to the Windy City to rock Union Park as part of the Pitchfork Music Festival's second day (of three). The Warp crew join an eclectic July 14 lineup that includes Cat Power, Clipse, Iron and Wine, Girl Talk, Grizzly Bear, and Professor Murder, with many more to be announced. For details and tickets, click click click.

Battles fields:

04-02 Buffalo, NY - Soundlab *
04-03 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
04-04 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa
04-05 Boston, MA - Great Scott
04-06 Providence, RI - AS220 %
05-09 Hamburg, Germany - Halfenclan Exil
05-10 Berlin, Germany - Maria
05-11 Bielefeld, Germany - JZ Kamp
05-12 Cologne, Germany - Studio 672
05-14 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso (Room 2)
05-15 Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
05-16 London, England - Scala
05-17 Sheffield, England - The Corporation ^
05-18 Bristol, England - The Cooler
05-19 Somerset, England - Butlins Minehead (All Tomorrow's Parties)
05-20 Leeds, England - Stylus Uni ^
05-22 Manchester, England - Academy 2
05-23 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC2
05-24 Birmingham, England - The Barfly
05-25 Dublin, Ireland - Temple Bar Music Centre
05-26 Paris, France - Maroquinerie
05-27 Lille, France - Le Grand Mix
05-30 Oullins, France - MJC Oullins
06-01 Rome, Italy - Dissonanze Festival
07-14 Chicago, IL - Union Park (Pitchfork Music Festival) $

* with Knife Crazy
% with Mahi Mahi, Demon Venom
^ with Clark
$ with Cat Power, Clipse, Iron and Wine, Girl Talk, Grizzly Bear, Professor Murder, more