Some say it was the constant presence of Wheaties next to the cases of Tru Blood on their backstage rider. Others claim bringing in author Craig Silvey, Portishead's Geoff Barrow, and video maverick Chris Cunningham to help produce their second album, Primary Colours, in turn produced an inspired, unexpectedly brilliant recording. Still more state that it is all just a natural part of the group puberty process, creating the perfect storm of nut fuzz and songwriting chops. Whatever the impetus, The Horrors have transformed themselves from an interesting but novel, neo-goth, Cramps-influenced act to something altogether different and better. True, the caretaker chic is still donned with all-too-knowing nonchalance and they still use nicknames stolen from "Munsters" stagehands (Spider Webb? Coffin Joe? Relatively Dour Pete?) but the quality of Primary Colours cannot be refuted.
The dark-hearted quintet get a big chance to convince the great unwashed and made-up of North America of their new-found powers starting September 15 in Boston during a live stretch which will see them travel from coast to coast to coast. Also included below are three NYC dates supporting Nine Inch Nails (at the behest of super-fan Trent Reznor) and a mausolean U.K. and European tour that Maiden would have trouble pulling off. You will notice that The Horrors are playing a gig on Halloween night but there are no shows on Elm Street or at a House on Haunted Hill or on a Friday the 13th or at The Last House on the Left or with Rosemary's Baby as support or Bride of Chucky as caterer? Bah, they have changed!
I wear black on the outside because black is how I feel on the inside of these cities and venues:
08.22.09 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
08.23.09 - New York, NY - Webster Hall #
08.25.09 - New York, NY - Terminal 5 #
08.28.09 - Reading, England - Reading Festival
08.29.09 - Paris, France - Rock en Seine Festival
08.30.09 - Leeds, England - Leeds Festival
09.05.09 - London, England - Offset Festival
09.11.09 - Isle of Wight, England - Bestival
09.12.09 - Dorset, England - End of the Road Festival
09.15.09 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
09.06.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
09.07.09 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
09.18.09 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar, Club Stage
09.19.09 - Washington, DC - Black Cat
09.21.09 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
09.22.09 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
09.24.09 - Houston, TX - Walter’s on Washington
09.25.09 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
09.26.09 - Austin, TX - Emo’s (outside)
09.28.09 - Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse
09.29.09 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah
09.30.09 - Costa Mesa, CA - The Detroit Bar
10.01.09 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater
10.02.09 - Pomona, CA - The Glass House
10.03.09 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
10.05.09 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
10.06.09 - Seattle, WA - Neumo’s
10.07.09 - Vancouver, BC - Venue
10.10.09 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club
10.11.09 - Chicago, IL - Double Door
10.12.09 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
10.14.09 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Place
10.15.09 - Montreal, QC - Petit Campus
10.16.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
10.17.09 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell’s
10.31.09 - Brussels, Belgium - Botanique
11.01.09 - Ghent, Belgium - Minnemeers
11.02.09 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg, old room
11.03.09 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Doornroosje
11.04.09 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli
11.06.09 - Cologne, Germany - Underground
11.07.09 - Hamburg, Germany - Uevel & Gefaehrlich
11.08.09 - Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall
11.09.09 - Copehagen, Denmark - Vega
11.10.09 - Berlin, Germany - Lido
11.12.09 - Munich, Germany - 59 to 1
11.13.09 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
11.15.09 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Le Romandie
11.16.09 - Zurich, Switzerland - Abart
11.18.09 - Rome, Italy - Circolo Degli Artisti
11.19.09 - Florence, Italy - Flog
11.20.09 - Ravenna, Italy - Bronson
11.21.09 - Turin, Italy - Spazio 211
11.23.09 - Toulouse, France - Le Phare
11.24.09 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz
11.25.09 - Madrid, Spain - Joy Eslava
11.27.09 - Bordeaux, France - Theatre Barbey
11.28.09 - Nantes, France - Olympic
11.30.09 - Paris, France - Trabendo
12.05.09 - Minehead, England - All Tomorrow's Parties, Butlin's Holiday Camp
12.08.09 - Birmingham, England - LG Arena
12.09.09 - London, England - O2 Arena
12.11.09 - Bridlington, England - Bridlington Spa
12.12.09 - Manchester, England - Manchester Central
12.14.09 - Glasgow, Scotland - SECC
# Nine Inch Nails
