Mountain Goats to Tour With Barbara Morgenstern

The German electronics goddess will accompany the Mountain Goats on a short string of West Coast dates this June. The trek will be followed by the Mountain Goats' performance at our own Pitchfork Music Festival, which they claim to be "totally stoked" about as well. Can ya blame 'em?

Darnielle added, "full-on crazy-people-style touring will recommence in the fall when the new album comes out." New Mountain Goats album! Yay!

All hail West, um, North America:

06-08 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards
06-09 Seattle, WA - Neumos *
06-10 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge *
06-12 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill *
06-13 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill *
06-14 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour *
06-15 San Diego, CA - Casbah *
07-29 Chicago, IL - Union Park (Pitchfork Music Festival) #

* with Barbara Morgenstern
# with Silver Jews, the Futureheads, Ted Leo / Pharmacists, Art Brut, Destroyer, Band of Horses, Man Man, Hot Machines, Matmos, Dominik Eulberg, Ada, Ghislain Poirier, 8 Bold Souls, and more

Morgenstern, who recently dropped her latest record, The Grass Is Always Greener on Monika, has a jaunt of her own lined up for May. Before heading to the U.S. to meet the Mountain Goats, she'll journey across Europe, focusing heavily on Germany. Upon returning home from North America, Morgenstern can be caught performing at several festivals in her country and Spain.

Greener grass:

05-05 Berlin, Germany - Maria am Ostbahnhof *
05-06 Leipzig, Germany - Ilses Erika
05-07 Oldenburg, Germany - Amadeus
05-09 Hamburg, Germany - Tanzhalle
05-10 Koln, Germany - Gebaude 9
05-11 Bielefeld, Germany - Forum #
05-12 Duisburg, Germany - Hundertmeister
05-13 Antwerp, Belgium - Petrol
05-15 Frankfurt, Germany - Mousonturm Studio
05-16 Munich, Germany - Orange House
05-17 Hall In Tirol, Austria - Stromboli
05-18 Wels, Austria - Alter Schlachtof ^
05-19 Weinheim, Germany - Café Central
05-20 Luzern, Switzerland - BOA
07-14 Grafenhainichen, Germany - Ferropolis (MELT! Festival) %
07-29 Ribnitz-Damgarten, Germany - Rock Die Disko Festival &
10-13 Barcelona, Spain - LEM Festival

* with Mico, Gudrun Gut
# with Jason Collett
^ with Gustav
% with Art Brut, Dominik Eulberg, Jamie Lidell, the Gossip, Editors, Erlend Øye, Herbert & Dani Siciliano, Aphex Twin, Battles, Hot Chip, Isolée, the Streets, We Are Scientists, and more
& with Chloé, Cio Dor, Das Bierbeben, Gesine Pertenbreiter, Laya Lopass, MaikEm, Martin Menzel, Richard Bartz, Savas Pascalidis

The Mountain Goats: http://www.themountaingoats.net/
Barbara Morgenstern: http://www.barbaramorgenstern.de/

Liars Kick off World Tour

"happy easter
liars >drums not dead
berlin must be a good place to work
<>
Thom"

So sayeth Thom Yorke, granting the Radiohead seal of approval to the new Liars album in an April 16 blog post. What more of an endorsement do you need?

Liars begin a two-month world tour tonight in Poland. It takes them through Europe, Australia, and North America. The latter portion of the trek features support from Apes, Rabbits, and Deerhunter...perhaps Animal Collective will show up as surprise guests?

This, I swear:

04-25 Poznan, Poland - Piwnica 21 *
04-26 Warsaw, Poland - Punkt *
04-27 Trieste, Italy - Teatro Miela
04-28 Milan, Italy - Jail Legnano
04-29 Bologna, Italy - Link Bologna
04-30 Rome, Italy - Circolo Artisti Roma
05-04 Melbourne, Australia - Corner
05-05 Melbourne, Australia - Prince of Wales
05-06 Sydney, Australia - Home
05-13 Camber Sands, England - Camber Sands Holiday Centre (All Tomorrow's Parties) $^
05-17 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts &
05-18 Washington, DC - Black Cat &
05-20 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle &#
05-21 Knoxville, TN - The Pilot Light &#
05-22 Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn &#
05-24 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon &#
05-25 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington &#
05-26 Austin, TX - Emo's &#
05-27 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room &#
05-28 Norman, OK - The Opolis &#
05-30 Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad &
05-31 Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse &
06-02 San Diego, CA - Casbah &%
06-03 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour &%
06-04 Pomona, CA - Glass House &%
06-05 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill &%
06-07 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall &%
06-08 Portland, OR - Dante's &%
06-09 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards &%
06-10 Seattle, WA - El Corazón &%
06-12 Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue &
06-13 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive &
06-17 Barcelona, Spain - Sonar Festival
06-18 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium &
06-19 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick &
06-21 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace &
06-22 Montreal Quebec - Cabaret Music Hall &
06-23 Boston MA - Paradise &
06-24 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw &
06-25 Baltimore, MD - Sonar &^
06-26 New York, NY - Avalon &

* with This Car Is on Fire
$ with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, Oneida, Blood Brothers, Ex Models, Imaginary Folk, Hundred Eyes, Magik Markers, Services
& with Apes
# with Deerhunter
% with Rabbits
^ with Celebration

* Pitchfork Review: Liars: Drum's Not Dead
href="http://pitchforkmedia.com/news/06-01/30.shtml#liars">Liars Announce North American Tour

Liars: http://www.liarsliarsliars.com/
Mute: http://www.mute.com/

Clipse Touring With Ice Cube

The tour, combined with the release of the single "Mr. Me Too" and word of a reconciliation with Jive Records, hopefully means that the long-delayed Hell Hath No Fury album is imminent. But really, who knows with these sorts of things?

They got it 4 cheap:

04-25 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore *
04-26 Chico, CA - Senator Theatre *
04-28 Portland, Oregon - Roseland Theatre *
04-29 Seattle, WA - Showbox *
04-30 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom *
05-01 Jacksonville, FL - TBA (promo)
05-01 Tallahassee, FL - TBA (promo)
05-02 Orlando, FL - TBA (promo)
05-03 Tampa, FL - TBA (promo)
05-04 West Palm Beach, FL - TBA (promo)
05-05 Miami, FL - TBA (promo)
05-06 Chicago, IL - House of Blues *
05-07 Cleveland, OH - House of Blues *
05-08 New York, NY - TBA (promo)
05-09 New York, NY - TBA (promo)
05-10 New York, NY - TBA (promo)
05-11 New York, NY - TBA (promo)
05-12 New York, NY - BB King's *
05-13 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts *
05-14 Washington, DC - 930 Club *
05-15 Washington, DC - TBA (promo) 05-15 Baltimore, MD - TBA (promo)
05-16 Fayetteville, NC - TBA (promo)
05-16 Raleigh, NC - TBA (promo)
05-17 Greensboro, NC - TBA (promo)
05-17 Charlotte, NC - TBA (promo)
05-18 Atlanta, GA - Earthlink Live *
05-19 Atlanta, GA - TBA (promo)
05-20 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live *
05-21 Texas - TBA (promo)
05-22 Texas - TBA (promo)
05-23 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Ballroom *
05-24 Texas - TBA (promo)
05-27 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues *
05-28 Miami, FL - TBA (promo)
05-29 Miami, FL - TBA (promo)
06-03 Hollywood, CA - House of Blues Sunset Strip *

* with Ice Cube

Clipse: http://www.clipsemusic.com

Atmosphere Tour America

Tonight, MC Slug and producer/DJ Ant launch their hefty jaunt at Pomona, California's Glasshouse. The duo will forge across the United States over the next two months, touring band in tow. In addition to dropping by the standard venues, Atmosphere are scheduled to hit Coachella, HFStival, Bonnaroo, and even Niigata, Japan's Fuji Rock Festival. Brother Ali and Los Nativos support on all non-festival dates.

Seven's travels:

04-25 Pomona, CA - Glasshouse *
04-27 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues *
04-30 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella) #
05-01 Santa Cruz, CA - Catalyst *
05-02 Sacramento, CA - Empire *
05-03 Sparks, NV - New Oasis *
05-05 Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue *
05-06 Flagstaff, AZ - Orpheum Theatre *
05-07 Santa Fe, NM - Paolo Soleri Outdoor Ampitheater *
05-08 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater *
05-10 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground *
05-11 Kansas City, MO - Beaumont Club *
05-12 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre *
05-13 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater *
05-27 Columbia, MD - Merriweater Post Pavilion (HFStival) ^
06-16 Madison, WI - Barrymore Theatre *
06-17 Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall *
06-18 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival %
06-19 Atlanta, GA - The Loft *
06-21 Norfolk, VA - Norva *
06-22 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero Theater *
06-24 Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony *
06-25 Farmingdale, NY - Crazy Donkey *
06-26 New York, NY - Irving Plaza *
07-29 Niigata, Japan - Naeba Ski Resort (Fuji Rock Festival) @

* with Brother Ali, Los Nativos
# with Depeche Mode, Daft Punk, Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Rós, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, Common, Carl Cox, My Morning Jacket, TV on the Radio, Ladytron, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cat Power, Animal Collective, Devendra Banhart, the Walkmen, the Juan Maclean, Imogen Heap, Lady Sovereign, Deerhoof, the Duke Spirit, Eagles of Death Metal, the Zutons, Wolfmother, more
^ with Kanye West, Cypress Hill, Matisyahu, Rise Against, Panic! at the Disco, the Misfits, OK Go, Anti-Flag, Rise Against, more
% with Radiohead, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Sonic Youth, Beck, Elvis Costello & the Imposters, Bonnie Raitt, Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, Andrew Bird, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Damien "Jr. Gong" Marley, Ben Folds, Common, Matisyahu, G. Love & Special Sauce, My Morning Jacket, Cat Power, the Dresden Dolls, Son Volt, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Devendra Banhart Band, Mike Doughty, Blackalicious, the Magic Numbers, the Streets, Seu Jorge, Dungen, more
@ with Sonic Youth, Franz Ferdinand, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Broken Social Scene, Mogwai, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jet, Scissor Sisters, Super Furry Animals, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the Hives, Mystery Jets, Snow Patrol, the Cribs, Wolfmother, the Zutons, more

Those too cheap to pick up a ticket can catch Atmosphere on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" tomorrow night at 11:05 Central. Viewers interested in watching the pair on television without risking a Kimmel-induced drop in IQ can scope out Atmosphere's new video for "Say Hey There", currently in post-production and expected to hit the air in the near future.

* Pitchfork Review: Atmosphere: You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having

Atmosphere (MySpace): http://www.myspace.com/atmosphere
Rhymesayers Entertainment: http://www.rhymesayers.com/

Three Mile Pilot Recording New Album

It looks like San Diego's Three Mile Pilot plan to go their fans one better. The prog-ish indie band never officially broke up, of course, but their progeny-- noir-meisters Black Heart Procession and the more angular, pop-oriented Pinback-- proved successful enough that Three Mile's hiatus after 1997's Another Desert, Another Sea appeared terminal.

But Black Heart's Pall Jenkins and Pinback's Armistead Burwell Smith IV (aka Zach) both recently confirmed that new Three Mile Pilot material has been recorded in earnest over the last month. Touch & Go Records, home to both Pinback and Black Heart, also confirmed plans for a 2007 release.

"We wanted to have the label situated so we could light a fire under our asses and get it done," says Jenkins, ignoring a suggestion that the reformed unit should go by the name Black Arse Procession.

"We'd talked about it for years," Smith says, "but it's a lot easier to let things slip by when you don't have a label asking you 'hey, when's that coming out?'"

Another inducement was the new studio both bands now share at Smith's home in San Diego's Little Italy district, where proximity is apparently breeding productivity. That's where Black Heart's latest album, The Spell (due out May 9) was recorded, and where Smith and Pinback co-writer Rob Crow will adjourn after their current tour to begin work on their next record.

Jenkins and Smith say they're just as curious as their fans as to what the new Three Mile Pilot will wind up sounding like.

"We keep experimenting with different things, we don't want it to be Black Heart, we don't want it to be Pinback, we want it to be Three Mile Pilot, but we want it to be a more current thing because we've all changed," Jenkins says.

"A lot of the songs from back then I hear now and go, 'why did I do that?'" Smith says. "But at the same time I love what they are and what we were doing back then, just exploring, and we don't want to lose that feeling."

Black Heart co-leader/pianist Tobias Nathaniel, who joined Three Mile Pilot mid-tenure, won't be in the band's new-but-familiar incarnation because he now lives in Portland, Oregon. That leaves Three Mile with its original lineup: Jenkins on guitar, Smith on bass and drummer Tom Zinser.

Pinback dates:

04-25 Moscow, ID - SUB Ballroom *
04-27 Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot *
04-28 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre *
04-29 Lawrence, KS - Granada Theatre *
04-30 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium
05-02 Newport, KY - Southgate House
05-03 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
05-04 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
05-05 Montreal, Quebec - Plaza St. Hubert
05-06 Boston, MA - Paradise
05-07 South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
05-08 Portland, ME - Space
05-09 Brooklyn, NY - North Six
05-10 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
05-11 Philadelphia, PA - North Star
05-12 Washington, DC - Black Cat
05-13 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
05-14 Orlando, FL - The Social #
05-16 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room #
05-17 Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits #
05-18 Atlanta, GA - Roxy Theatre #
05-19 Birmingham, AL - High Note Lounge #
05-20 Nashville, TN - The Mercy Lounge #
05-21 Columbia, MO - Blue Note #
05-23 Fayetteville, AR - Dickson Theatre #
05-24 Memphis, TN - Hi Tone Cafe #
05-25 Baton Rouge, LA - Chelsea's Cafe #
05-26 Austin, TX - Emo's #
05-27 Denton, TX - Hailey's Club
05-29 Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse *
05-30 Los Angeles, CA - Avalon *
05-31 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's 365 Club

* with the Jade Shader
# with Mary Timony

Black Heart Procession dates:

05-09 Bologna, Italy - Estragon
05-10 Rome, Italy - TBA
05-11 Milan, Itlay - TBA
05-12 Torino, Italy - Hiroshima
05-13 Firenze, Italy - Auditorium Flog
05-14 Mestre, Italy - Rivolta
05-15 Luzern, Switzerland - BOA Bar
05-16 Zurich, Switzerland - Rote Fabrik
05-18 Frankfurt, Germany - Brotfabrik
05-19 Cologne, Germany - Gebaude
05-20 Camber Sands, England - Camber Sands Holiday Centre (All Tomorrow's Parties) *
05-22 Hamburg, Germany - Knust
05-23 Amsterdam, Holland - Paradiso
05-24 Eindhoven, Netherlands - Effenaar
05-25 Groningen, Netherlands - Vera
05-26 Brussels, Belgium - Botanique
05-27 Diksmuide, Belgium - 4AD
05-29 Paris, France - La Maroquinerie
05-31 Lyon, France - Le Epecerie Moderne
06-01 Angouleme, France - La Nef
06-02 St. Brieuc, France - Art Rock Festival #
06-03 Tourcoing, France - Le Grand Mix
06-06 London, England - Koko
06-07 London, England - Koko

* with Sleater-Kinney, David Cross, the Gossip, Spoon, Lightning Bolt, Joanna Newsom, Boredoms, Dungen, Radar Bros., 1990's, Edith Frost, Fiery Furnaces
# with Seun Kuti et Egypt 80, Fishbone, Fun Lovin' Criminals, Goran Bregovic, Cirkus (featuring Neneh Cherry), DJ Le Clown, John Lord Fonda, Why?, Sofiane Saidi, My Lullaby, DJ Koulechov

* Black Heart Procession: <a

Three Mile Pilot: http://www.threemilepilot.com/
Pinback: http://www.pinback.com/
Touch and Go: http://www.tgrec.com/

Róisín Murphy's Ruby Blue Comes to U.S.

Such long-winded formalism may be easy to sneer at (I'm kinda doing it right now, actually), but his production can't be argued with. Herbert's last collaboration yielded a Pitchfork 8.4 review and landed on Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2005 list: Róisín Murphy's Ruby Blue. The jazz-inflected dance record features the dusky sighs of Murphy, vocalist for trip-hop casualties Moloko, and now has a U.S. distributor. drops today, April 25, courtesy of the Echo label.

Hello, Ruby Tuesday:

01 Leaving the City
02 Sinking Feeling
03 Night of the Dancing Flame
04 Through Time
05 Sow Into You
06 Dear Diary
07 If We're in Love
08 Ramalama (Bang Bang)
09 Ruby Blue
10 Off on It
11 Prelude to Love in the Making
12 The Closing of the Door

* Róisín Murphy: <a

Juana Molina Tours With José González, Psapp

Molina is ready to impress us once again, with her fourth album, Son. It comes out May 23 on Domino Records (May 29 in the UK). Of course, we have a tracklist to satiate your hunger. It's in Spanish, so all I can tell you is that one song title means "You Are Not Pleasant" according to Babelfish:***

01 Rio Seco
02 Yo No
03 La Verdá <br> 04 Un Beso LLega
05 No Seas Antipática
06 Micael
07 Son
08 Las Culpas
09 Malherido
10 Desordenado
11 Elena
12 Hay Que Ver Si Voy

***UPDATE*** Reader Andrés Stubelt has given us the tracklist translation. And it is:

01 Río Seco / Dry River
02 Yo No / Not Me
03 La Verdá / The Truth
04 Un Beso Llega / A Kiss Comes
05 No Seas Antipática / Don't Be Unpleasant
06 Micael / (Name)
07 Son / (Has many meanings, can be the english word too)
08 Las Culpas / The Guilts
09 Malherido / Badly Injured
10 Desordenado / Disordered
11 Elena / (Name)
12 Hay Que Ver Si Voy / Let's See If I Go

Unfortunately, all that singin' and songwritin' seems to have taken its toll on Molina, as she had to cancel her spring UK mini-tour due to tendonitis. But she's got a nice big summer North American trek scheduled, so hopefully she'll be all healed by then.

Joining her are José González and Psapp, making this a multi-continental, multi-cultural extravaganza.

Dates:

06-16 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre *#
06-17 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's 365 Club *#
06-18 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge *#
06-19 Seattle, WA - Neumos *#
06-20 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards *#
06-23 Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center *#
06-24 Chicago, IL - Hothouse #
06-26 Toronto, Ontario - Trinity St. Paul *#
06-27 Montreal, Quebec - Theatre National *#
06-28 Boston, MA - Museum of Fine Arts *#
06-29 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *#
06-30 Washington, DC - Black Cat *#
07-01 Philadelphia, PA - World Café Live *#
07-03 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *#

* with José González
# with Psapp

Juana Molina: http://www.juanamolina.com/
Domino: http://www.dominorecordco.us/

Daniel Johnston Gets His Own Rock Opera

So what's next? A rock opera, of course.

Unrequited love is a bitch, but as many a musician/patron of the arts/human being knows, it also serves as a muse. Recently, the Houston, Texas-based Infernal Bridegroom Productions have taken hold of this lack of reciprocation, utilizing it as the theme to a rock opera based on Daniel Johnston's life and music.

The production, titled Speeding Motorcycle after the tune on Johnston's 1983 album Yip/Jump Music, is arranged and directed by IBP founder Jason Nodler, and has been in the works for over a year now. Artistic director Anthony Barilla used input from Johnston to develop the opera's score (performed by the IBP orchestra), and Tamarie Cooper handled the choreography.

Infernal Bridegroom Productions was behind the stage adaptation of Actual Air, the poetry book by the Silver Jews' David Berman, and put on a production of the Kinks' A Soap Opera. In a press release, Johnston said the following about Speeding Motorcycle: "I thought it sounded like a cool idea, and then I saw some videos of IBP shows, and my heart jumped for joy, because the shows were really entertaining and really put together well."

In addition to Speeding Motorcycle's title track, the rock opera also features the Johnston songs "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Grievances", "Rock 'n' Roll/EGA", "Mind Contorted", "True Love Will Find You in the End", and the previously unrecorded/unreleased "Loving Feelings".

Speeding Motorcycle opens May 25 at the Axiom in Houston, Texas, with a special preview party and show on May 24. The slightly redundant performance schedule looks like this:

05-24 Houston, TX - The Axiom (Preview Party)
05-25 Houston, TX - The Axiom
05-26 Houston, TX - The Axiom
05-27 Houston, TX - The Axiom
06-02 Houston, TX - The Axiom
06-03 Houston, TX - The Axiom
06-09 Houston, TX - The Axiom
06-10 Houston, TX - The Axiom
06-16 Houston, TX - The Axiom
06-17 Houston, TX - The Axiom
06-23 Houston, TX - The Axiom
06-24 Houston, TX - The Axiom

In other Johnston news, a tribute concert in his honor took place earlier this month in London, and saw participation from Teenage Fanclub, Vic Chesnutt, Jason Pierce (Spacemen 3, Spiritualized), James Yorkston, Howe Gelb (Giant Sand), and Johnston himself. On May 4, Johnston will perform at Los Angeles' Spaceland; it will be his first L.A. show in five years. While in town, he'll tape a performance for "The Henry Rollins Show", which airs on IFC.

As previously reported, the Johnston family's Eternal Yip Eye Music label recently released Welcome to My World, Daniel's first-ever greatest hits record. The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Jeff Feuerzeig's Sundance award-winning documentary on the musician, opened May 31 to critical acclaim, including a big "Two Thumbs Up" from Ebert and Roeper. If the Internet had opposable thumbs, Pitchfork would shoot them upwards in the direction of this film, but as is, we'll stick with a "go check it out."

Daniel Johnston: http://www.hihowareyou.com/
Official Daniel Johnston Fansite: http://www.rejectedunknown.com/
Infernal Bridegroom Productions: http://www.infernalbridegroom.com/

Low Schedule More Shows

Maximum trekking:

04-26 Brighton, England - Old Market
04-27 Leeds, England - Irish Centre
04-28 Manchester, England - MDH
04-29 Birmingham, England - Academy 2
05-01 Dublin, Ireland - Ambassador Theatre
05-02 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC
05-13 Saint Peter, MN - Gustavus Adolphus College
05-31 Brisbane, Australia - The Zoo
06-01 Sydney, Australia - Annandale Hotel
06-02 Sydney, Australia - Newtown
06-03 Melbourne, Australia - Corner Hotel
06-04 Perth, Australia - The Rosemount Hotel
06-06 Adelaide, Australia - Fowlers Live
06-17 Stillwater, MN - Square Lake (Solstice Film & Music Festival) *
07-07 Winnipeg, Manitoba - Birds Hill Provincial Park (Winnipeg Folk Festival) #
07-14 Minneapolis, MN - Orchestra Hall (Sommerfest: Macy's Day of Music)
08-21 Minneapolis, MN - Loring Park (Summer Music & Movies)

* with the Deaths, Wild Indigo Reed Trio, the Field, more
# with Neko Case, Jay Farrar, Son Volt, Chad VanGaalen, more

Low: http://www.chairkickers.com/
Sub Pop Records: http://www.subpop.com/

Okkervil River Sign to Virgin/EMI in Europe

Okkervil River’s Black Sheep Boy hasn’t had quite the Neutral Milk Hotel-sized impact some of us hoped for, but Virgin/EMI is going to do its best to change that. The folks over at the mega-label liked the Austin sons’ Tim Hardin-obsessed story-saga so much that they are re-releasing it in Europe. The April 28 release will take the form of a double-disc set featuring Black Sheep Boy and the accompanying Black Sheep Boy Appendix EP and will include “The Next Four Months” (originally from the “For Real” CD single) as well as the videos for “For Real” and “It Ends With a Fall” as bonus materials. It will be distributed everywhere throughout the UK and Europe, with the exception of Italy. Che cazzo, Virgin/EMI?

For Real:

04-29 Brussels, Belgium - Les Nuits De Botanique Festival
05-01 Paris, France - TBA
05-03 Leeds, England - The Cockpit
05-04 Nottingham, England - The Social
05-05 Glasgow, Scotland - King Tut's
05-06 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival
05-07 Dublin, Ireland - Whelan's
05-08 London, England - Cargo
05-10 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
05-11 Groningen, Netherlands - Vera
05-13 Rotterdam, Netherlands - Rotown
05-14 Munster, Germany - Gleis 22
05-15 Cologne, Germany - Gebaude 9
05-16 Hamburg, Germany - Knust
05-17 Copenhagen, Denmark - Musikcafeen
05-18 Gothenburg, Sweden - Pusterviksbaren
05-19 Oslo, Norway - Garage
05-20 Stockholm, Sweden - Debaser
05-23 Munich, Germany - Atomic Cafe
05-24 Vienna, Austria - Chelsea
05-25 Frankfurt, Germany - Brotfabrik
05-26 Hannover, Germany - Cafe Glocksee
05-27 Neustrelitz, Germany - Immergut Festival
05-28 Beverungen, Germany - Orange Blossom Festival
07-13 New York, NY - Castle Clinton

The band has also been busy writing a ton of new material for their next album. Songwriter Will Sheff is finishing up a three-month long writing road-trip, but according to the Jagjaguwar website, before he left, the band held "a barn-storming... loose, rollicking and - dare we say - booze-soaked session," where they recorded 22 new songs that call to mind "the carefree spirit of Dylan & the Band's Basement Tapes and the Stones' Exile on Main Street, complete with ridiculous lyric matter, genre hopping country and R&B numbers, inspired covers and easily a half dozen moments of pure genius, all tied together with a bouquet of good times and late nights." The band claims it was only for fun and won't be released, but if Levon Helm guests on the next album, you'll hear no complaining from us. Hey, if Neko Case can get Garth Hudson to play on her record, we can dream.

Jagjaguwar Records: http://www.jagjaguwar.com/

Nautical Almanac/Tarantula Hill Benefits Planned

Several noteworthy benefit concerts and events are planned for the next few weeks. Carlos Giffoni's No Fun Productions organized an event in Brooklyn in May, and shows in Chicago and Washington, D.C. are upcoming as well. Here are the details:

04-29 Washington, DC - 611 Florida Ave
Artists: Jesux, Ultimate Vag, The Plums Spanorb Orchestra, Big Cats: the Real Dope Shit, The Rebecca Mills & Hugh McElroy Duo, DJ Dogdick, Insect Factory, the Cutest Puppy in the World, Scott Allison & Andy Hayleck

04-29 Chicago, IL - Enemy
Artists: Bloodyminded, Is, Church of Light and Sound, Adam Strohm, Vadim Spirkut, Insect Deli, I Love Presets, Vertonen, Spunky Toofers

05-07 Brooklyn, NY - The Hook
Artists: Lightning Bolt, Nautical Almanac, Double Leopards, Kites, No Fun DJs

05-20 Chicago, IL - Elastic Arts Foundation
Artists: Is, Church of Light and Sound, Spunky Toofers, Vertonen, Kevin Drumm, TV Pow

In addition, Thurston Moore and his Ecstatic Peace label plan to have the tracklist for a Tarantula Hill benefit compilation finalized by mid-May. Several Washington, DC artists are also planning a benefit compilation which will be for sale at this weekend's show and through SocketsCDR.

Pictures of the incinerated Tarantula Hill can be seen here, and donations can still be sent directly to Twig and Carly via PayPal to the group's email address, hello@heresee.com.

Heresee: http://www.heresee.com/
Ecstatic Peace: http://www.ecstaticpeace.com
Sockets CDR: http://www.socketscdr.com/
No Fun Fest: http://www.nofunfest.com

Film School Bounce Back, Hit the Road

As previously reported, this is what happened to the San Francisco-based dream pop band Film School at a stop in Philadelphia during their last tour (which, btw, they valiantly finished). Since then, the band's van has been recovered by the Philadelphia police department, but it was found empty and in not-so-good shape.

Fortunately, Film School have some solid friends who happen to be in bands, and two benefit shows have been organized. Both will take place at San Francisco's Bottom of the Hill this week. In fact, the first gig, featuring Nuke Infusion, Cheetah Speed, and Henry Miller Sixtet, happens tonight at 8:30. The second, scheduled for April 28 (Friday), will see the Lovemakers, Oranger, and Boyskout jamming out of generosity. Charity rocks.

With the terrible trek in the past and benefit shows in the present, the ghost of Film School future depicts the band remounting the touring horse for a two-month North American jaunt, including a stop in the cursed city of Philadelphia. Look for a van wrapped in barbed wire and surrounded by an electric dog fence at all times.

Dates:

05-09 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge *
05-10 Seattle, WA - Crocodile Café #
05-12 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court ^
05-13 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
05-15 Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar @
05-16 Chicago, IL - Schubas @
05-17 Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop $
05-18 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick +
05-19 Toronto, Ontario - Horseshoe Tavern
05-20 Montreal, Quebec - El Salon &
05-21 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's !
05-22 Boston, MA - Great Scott !
05-23 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge !
05-24 Philadelphia, PA - Khyber !
05-25 Baltimore, MD - Fletcher's !
05-26 Cincinnati, OH - Alchemize !
05-27 Columbus, OH - Little Brother's !
05-29 Nashville, TN - The Basement !
05-30 Atlanta, GA - The Earl !
05-21 Baton Rouge, LA - Red Star !
06-01 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room !
06-02 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington !
06-03 Austin, TX - Emo's !
06-06 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress !
06-09 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo #
06-10 San Francisco, CA - Slim's #

* with the Colour
# with Swords
^ with Knife Show, Brilliant Stereo Mob
@ with Cowboy Curtis
$ with Islands
+ with Paik, Mason Proper
& with Frog Eyes, Sunset Rubdown
! with Margot & the Nuclear So and So's

Film School: http://www.filmschoolmusic.com/
Beggars: http://www.beggars.com/

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