The bigger you are, the less you have to tour with bands that sound anything like your own. Not to say that if you’re a garage band, hanging with like-garage-minded folks — such as Shannon & The Clams opening for Hunx & His Punx (which works well, since Shannon Shaw doesn’t have to leave the stage all night) — isn’t a sign of success. When you blow up like Chicago’s Smith Westerns, however, you can leave behind the thrown-together bills, all-too-familiar audiences, and house parties in Logan Square for bands that once upon a time also unexpectedly blew up.
And so without further ado, we announce the tour pairing Smith Westerns with Yeasayer, the so-called “most-blogged artist” of last year (according to The Hype Machine). After all, there is something to the similarities tying them together: both got big after releasing intensely catchy pop music on sophomore albums — one more garage-inflected, the other a little synth-heavy. The tour began on May 27 in Portland and continues until mid-June. Smith Westerns then ready themselves for the festival circuit and, as they conquer the world, make sure to distinguish themselves from MGMT.
Tourdates:
06.02.11 - Lawrence, KS - The Granada Theatre ^
06.03.11 - Colombia, MO - The Blue Note ^
06.04.11 - Cincinnati, OH - MOTR Pub
06.06.11 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre ^
06.07.11 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre ^
06.08.11 - Montreal, QC - Club Soda ^
06.09.11 - Boston, MA - Royale ^
06.10.11 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
06.12.11 - Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
06.16.11 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club ^
06.18.11 - New York, NY - Terminal 5 ^
07.31.11 - Montreal, QC - Osheaga Festival
08.05-07.11 - Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
09.16.11 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
^ Yeasayer
• Smith Westerns: http://www.myspace.com/smithwesterns
• Yeasayer: http://www.yeasayer.net
