Given the March Madness festivities that are currently ongoing, I would be remiss if I didn’t pick up the rhetorical thread started by my colleague Jeremy Klein last month. Eleanor Friedberger’s new album Rebound is (still) scheduled for release May 4 on Frenchkiss Records, and ahead of that fourth album in her Matthew-free solo career, the unabashed “indie” artist is literally (not literally) planning to hold a series of slam dunk contests at various venues in Europe and North America.
It doesn’t qualify as a slam dunk contest if Friedberger alone is the only one doing 360-windmills, however; so serving as the yin to Eleanor’s gravity-defying yang on the road this spring will be none other than “Dr.” Colin Meloy — who’s obviously principally known as the frontman for The Decemberists. But a hidden talent second to Meloy’s endearingly nerdy vocals just happens to be an ability to throw it down. Even Shaq gets weird nightmares about it sometimes. It should be a good tour!
See the expanded list of shows below, and also, if the video hasn’t hit your YouTube suggestions yet, check out the pretty new one for the track “In Between Stars” below. The youngest among us are probably wondering what the hell is up with those crazy effects, but for those of us who have had intimate experiences with over-the-air, low-def TV; it’s a tiny bit nostalgic. You all still remember nostalgia…don’t you?
Expanded 2018 away game schedule:
03.22.18 - Pomona, CA - The Fox Theater *
03.23.18 - Santa Barbara, CA - Arlington Theatre *
04.04.18 - London, UK - Moth Club
04.06.18 - Lisbon, Portugal - ZBD
04.07.18 - Espinho, Portugal - Auditorio Academia
04.08.18 - Madrid, Spain - Costello Club
04.09.18 - Castellon, Spain - Teatre del Raval (SONS)
04.11.18 - Zaragoza, Spain - La Lata de Bombillas
04.12.18 - Barcelona, Spain - Fabra i Coats
04.28.18 - Kingston, NY - BSP
05.01.18 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
05.03.18 - Toronto, ON - The Drake
05.05.18 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
05.09.18 - Los Angeles, CA - The Moroccan Lounge
05.23.18 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theatre *
05.25.18 - Ann Arbor, MI - Hill Auditorium *
05.26.18 - Buffalo, NY - Art Park *
05.28.18 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis *
05.30.18 - Toronto, ON - Sony Center *
05.31.18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Benedum Centre *
06.02.18 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre *
06.05.18 - Louisville, KY - Iroquois Amp *
* The Decemberists