Pitchfork

Interpol's touring schedule for 2003 looks to be their most rigorous yet. They've already committed to three months on the road, in an attempt to meet their goal of being 2003's "hardest working, farthest traveling rock band," which naturally includes yet another coast-to-coast sweep of the United States in February and early March. But first, they've agreed to headline the New Musical Express Brats Awards Tour 2003, for which they'll share the stage with such criminally inferior bands as The Datsuns and The Thrills, as well as the very respectable Polyphonic Spree. Then they'll break for a couple of weeks after the U.S. jaunt before taking off across the Atlantic once again to zig-zag through the European mainland. Dates:

n 01-26 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowlands +
01-27 Newcastle, England - Northumbria University +
01-28 Birmingham, England - Birmingham Academy +
01-30 Sheffield, England - Sheffield University +
01-31 Liverpool, England - Liverpool University +
02-01 Manchester, England - Manchester Academy +
02-03 Leeds, England - Metropolitan University +
02-04 Nottingham, England - Nottingham Rock City +
02-05 Norwich, England - Norwich UEA +
02-07 Portsmouth, England - Pyramid +
02-08 Cardiff, England - Cardiff University +
02-09 London, England - Astoria +

02-13 Seattle, WA - Showbox
02-14 Portland, OR - Berbati's Pan
02-15 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
02-18 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater
02-19 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater
02-20 San Diego, CA - Cane's Ballroom
02-21 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress
02-23 Dallas, TX - Trees
02-24 Austin, TX - Emo's
02-26 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
02-27 Orlando, FL - The Club at Firestone
02-28 Tampa, FL - State Theater
03-01 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
03-04 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero *
03-06 Boston, MA - Avalon *

03-20 Nantes, France - Olympic
03-21 Paris, France - Elysée Montmartre
03- 22 London, England - Astoria
03-24 Tourcouing, France - Le Grand Mix
03-25 Krefeld, Germany - Kulturfabrik
03-26 Copenhagen, Denmark - Loppen
03-27 Oslo, Norway - So What
03- 28 Stockholm, Sweden - Club Accelerator at Debaser
03-29 Umea, Sweden - Open Festival
03-31 Berlin, Germany - Knaack
04- 01 Hannover, Germany - Faust
04-03 Heidelberg, Germany - Schwimmbad
04-04 Dortmund, Germany - Visions Party
04-05 Munster, Germany - Gleis 22
04-06 Würzburg, Germany - AKW
04-08 Brussels, Belgium - Domino Festival
04-09 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
04-10 Den Bosch, Netherlands - W2
04-11 Wiesbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
04-12 Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie
04-14 Milan, Italy - Transilvania
04-15 Florence, Italy - Flog
04-16 Bologna, Italy - Estragon
04-17 Treviso, Italy - New Age
04-19 Zürich, Switzerland - Rote Fabrik Clubraum
04-20 Geneva, Switzerland - L'Usine
04-21 Marseille, France - Espace Julien
04-23 Barcelona, Spain - Apolo
04-24 Bilbao, Spain - Azkena
04-25 Angoul\xEAme, France - La Nef
04-26 Bourges, France - Le Printemps de Bourges Festival $

n + New Musical Express Brats Awards Tour 2003
* with The Raveonettes (dear Christ, why?)
$ with White Stripes and Dionysus

n And if you're wondering what, exactly, Interpol have in common with Peggy Lee, Blue Oyster Cult, Bob Mould, and Beethoven, it's this: their music will be prominently featured in an episode of Six Feet Under, yet another critically acclaimed HBO drama about a family. (This one runs a mortuary.) This influential vehicle for commercial success will incorporate not one, but two of the songs off Turn On the Bright Lights: "Obstacle 2" and "Roland". Fortunately for all of us, our new favorite New York City darlings have apparently not been returning phone calls from Dawson's Creek, though their frequent use on Fox's NFL Pregame Shows have probably sold an album or ten to confused guys looking for that Coors commercial song. New Musical Express reports that the Interpol songs will serve as background music for, appropriately enough, "hip record shop scenes" in episodes from the upcoming third season, which is set to begin on March 9th.

n Members of Interpol, for whom it can be argued that their simple, elegant, yet stoic music and, of course, fashion sensibilities are befitting the general atmosphere of the Six Feet Under show, reportedly watched the prime-time drama "compulsively" while recording their debut album. And while it has garnered favorable reviews for its stellar cast of upcoming young actors, offbeat humor, and a knack for gritty, realistic drama, some also favor the show for its impeccable taste in music. Other artists to have their work featured on the series include The Flaming Lips, Air, Grant Lee Phillips, Boards of Canada, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Laura Nyro. In fact, there is a Six Feet Under soundtrack available that, while omitting the Interpol tracks, does offer up a generous helping of cuts from the likes of The Beta Band, PJ Harvey, Stereo MCs, Lamb, and the Dandy Warhols. Alright, so their hipness is off a few time zones, but what the fuck ever.

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