Attn: Western World

Two tours rolled into one long slithery thing. It's a migratory beast, that, with the shortening of days each autumn, journeys to climes where the days are even shorter and the nights are even colder. It will be easily distinguishable from what you may have seen of it in the past by its prominent upper incisors, mottled snout, golden underbelly, and crispy exoskeleton. This time, it will snake from Philadelphia back west to Los Angeles, leaving its slime trail through the south. Then it will head further east to Europe, where it will speak 8 different languages, sometimes simultaneously, before cooling off in London and neighbouring villages for a spell. Details follow.

Leg 1:
Meeting in the semifinals of the 2009 tour-off will be European bracket winners A Place To Bury Strangers and U.S. victors All the Saints, in keeping with the official band New Year's Resolution to do as many tours as possible with as few bands as possible. For the environment's sake.
(If you don't recall, we've already toured with each of those bands this year, and it was so much fun we're back for more [and sorry for the abrupt switch to first person. That third person thing was getting old.])
This also means there will be even more high-stakes backstage poker, especially given the fiery, tight-fisted presence of Jim Crook of All the Saints and the here-take-my-money-ness of the good-timin' Ollie Ackermann.
A Place To Bury Strangers headlines. Dates here:

10.4. Philadelphia, PA. Johnny Brenda's
10.5. Washington, DC. Rock & Roll Hotel
10.6. Chapel Hill, NC. Local 506
10.7. Atlanta, GA. Drunken Unicorn
10.8. Tallahassee, FL. Club Downunder
10.9. New Orleans, LA. One Eyed Jacks
10.10. Dallas, TX. Club Dada
10.11. Austin, TX. The Mohawk
10.13. Tucson, AZ. Plush
10.15. San Diego. The Casbah
10.16. L.A. The Echo


Leg 2:
After taking a few hours to catch our breaths on the 17th, we'll teleport to Europe, where we're supporting White Lies. This is most exciting because we get to play Luxembourg, and who ever gets to do that? Next time, Liechtenstein and/or Andorra.

10.20. Eindhoven, Holland. Effenaar
10.21. Amsterdam, Holland. Paradiso
10.22. Rotterdam, Holland. Watt
10.28. Paris, France. Elysee Montmartre
10.29. Brussels, Belgium. AB Box Club
10.30. Luxembourg. Den Atelier
11.01. Cologne, Germany. LMH
11.02. Hamburg, Germany. Ueber
11.04. Stockholm, Sweden. Berns
11.05. Oslo, Norway. Sentrum
11.06. Copenhagen, Demark. Vega
11.07. Berlin, Germany. Postbahnhof
11.09. Munich, Germany. Backstage
11.10. Vienna, Austria. Arena
11.12. Rome, Italy. Piper Club
11.13. Milan, Italy. Alcatraz
11.14. Zurich, Switzerland. Kaufleuten

And then keep the 16th thru the 20th open for some UK dates.

Here's a poster Tim made. It's more fun if you print it out.

Tim's Breakthrough

Tim made his live L.A. solo debut last week at the recently renovated lounge at All-Star Lanes in Eagle Rock. Here he is rendering the packed house spellbound with his titillating rendition of The Doors' "Break on Through." He really set the night on fire.

Pablove

Shoot a little (or a lot) of light over this way. Jeff is many things to us - he runs our label, Dangerbird, manages us, and is a great guy with an even greater family, to boot. For those of you unaware, last May, his son Pablo was diagnosed with a form of children’s cancer called Wilm’s tumor. They’ve been on an epic journey since then - in and out of chemo, in and out of the proverbial woods, but punctuated throughout with a whole lotta living. Jeff and his family chronicled every step of the way on the Pablog (really, click on it, read it), and in the process, Pablo reached and inspired countless people far beyond the confines of L.A. in a very real way, us included. Sadly, Pablo moved on to a higher place on Saturday, six days after his sixth birthday. They could use your brightest thoughts right now.

Along the way, Jeff and Jo Ann started the Pablove Foundation, and have raised a lot of awareness and money for children’s cancer. If you’re so inclined, please consider a donation. And if not - and even if so - then hey, get out there and donate some love to the greater good. Thank you.