They are political and confrontational. They face a cast of petty criminals, world-be world-conquering bad guys, and just plain insane characters every day. They battle environmental villains and animal rights violators. They are easily riled and prone to violence when the situation calls for it. They use every trick in the book to see their mission accomplished. They stand apart from society at large and go about their crime fighting business with a strong moral code. They are flamboyant and guzzle pizza like most do oxygen. They inhabit the sewers and slash and beat down evildoers with bô, katanas, nunchaku, and sai. That's right, this month sees the fantastic latest mutation of TMT's third favorite anthropomorphic superheroes (right behind Hieronymous "Hip" Flask and ThunderCats); The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (cue cascading fireworks! wikkid explosions! overly loud generic "action sequence" music! many exclamation marks! etc.!)!
In other news, Antibalas, who carry all the qualities mentioned above and many more, are also back. Although their violent streaks are limited to gleeful auricular punishment and they don't have to live secluded in NYC's notoriously rank sewers, they will be spotlight-contending with those four little green freaks when they play all over most of the continental U.S. during the next month-and-a-half. (Many apologies to the states that they are not playing. It's not because they couldn't schedule more shows to accommodate your state; it is because Antibalas don't like you. They told me so just the other day.) After slaying America, they will venture eastward and fight the good fight overseas. The Brooklyn afrobeat/jazz/latin/kick-ass cosmopolitan collective is touring in support of their John McEntire-produced fourth album Security, which was released at the beginning of March on Anti- (appropriately enough).
All that is needed now is a totally awesome cereal tie-in so you can eat up your favorite antibalastas in marshmallow form:
03.21.07 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03.22.07 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
03.28.07 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
03.29.07 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
03.30.07 - Portland, ME - Space
03.31.07 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East Underground
04.04.07 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
04.05.07 - Charlottesville, VA - Starr Hill
04.06.07 - Virginia Beach, VA - Jewish Mother
04.07.07 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
04.08.07 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
04.10.07 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theatre
04.11.07 - Atlanta, GA - The Variety Arts
04.12.07 - Knoxville, TN - Sundown in the City
04.12.07 - Knoxville, TN - World Grotto
04.13.07 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge
04.14.07 - Louisville, KY - Headliners
04.15.07 - Bloomington, IN - The Blue Bird
04.17.07 - Urbana, IL - Canopy Club
04.18.07 - St. Louis, MO - Blueberry Hill
04.19.07 - Columbia, MO - Blue Note
04.20.07 - Lincoln, NE - Knickerbockers
04.21.07 - Lawrence, KS - Grenada Theatre
04.22.07 - Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
04.23.07 - Iowa City, IA - The Picador
04.24.07 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
04.25.07 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
04.26.07 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
04.27.07 - Chicago, IL - Park West
04.28.07 - Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
04.29.07 - Newport, KY - Southgate House
05.01.07 - Columbus, OH - Wexner Center
05.02.07 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
05.03.07 - Pittsburgh, PA - Andy Warhol Museum
05.04.07 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
05.19.07 - Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
06.01.07 - London, England - Jazz Café
06.02.07 - London, England - Jazz Café
06.05.07 - Gateshead, England - The Sage
06.06.07 - Swansea, England - Sin City
06.07.07 - Manchester, England - The Mint Lounge
06.08.07 - Leeds, England - HiFi Club
06.13.07 - Dublin, Rep. of Ireland - Crawdaddy
06.15.07 - Brighton, England - Komedia
06.16.07 - Exeter, England - Festival