Pitchfork: Centro-Matic, South San Gabriel, Will Johnson Tour Separately and Together

Centro-Matic, South San Gabriel, Will Johnson Tour Separately and Together
Lieberman endorsed electronically by risk-fearing, apolitical Centro-Matic

[Updated Tuesday, January 27th, 2004 04:00:00 Pitchfork Central Time]

Like some kind of crazy perpetual motion machine, the musical triumvirate of Centro-Matic, South San Gabriel, and Will Johnson (with the bands and as himself), launches into the new year (well, it's still pretty damn new) with new ideas, new recording plans, new albums, and of course, new tour dates. Apparently unaware that being a rock star (even an independent one) is all about slack (and wielding said slack artfully for the ladies), Johnson and his cohorts have a full schedule planned, starting with a set of South San Gabriel dates in Europe. You're there, right? Those dates:

01-27 Brighton, England - Hanbury Ballroom *
01-28 Paris, France - La Guinguette Pirate *
01-29 Haarlem, Netherlands - Patronaat *
01-30 Antwerpen, Belgium - De Nachten Festival

* with Anders Parker

Then once they're back, they'll cocoon up for a few days, and emerge (surprise!) as Centro-Matic, all scrubbed and clean and ready for the next tour. They're missing the western U.S. this time around, but according to Phil Waldorf at Misra Records, the tentative plan is for a full West Coast tour in May. So don't get your American Apparel sweatshop-free man-briefs all in a bunch, eh? The dates for this one:

02-04 Houston, TX - Continental Club *
02-05 Baton Rouge, LA - Red Star *
02-06 Tallahassee, FL - The Beta Bar *
02-07 Tampa, FL - Orpheum (w/ The Unicorns)*
02-08 Orlando, FL - Will's Pub *
02-09 Athens, GA - Tasty World *
02-10 Nashville, TN - 12th and Porter (w/ Glossary) *
02-11 Raleigh, NC - Kings *
02-12 Arlington, VA - Common Grounds (w/ The Mendoza Line)
02-13 Philadelphia, PA - North Star +
02-14 New York, NY - Pianos +
02-15 Brooklyn, NY - Southpaw +
02-16 Cambridge, MA - Middle East +
02-18 Portland, ME - Space Gallery *
02-19 Buffalo, NY - Mohawk PL *
02-20 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom (w/ Summer Hymns) *
02-21 Chicago, IL - Schubas (w/ Summer Hymns) *
02-23 St. Louis, MO - Hi-Pointe (w/ Summer Hymns)
02-24 Kansas City, MO - The Brick (w/ Summer Hymns, String and Return)
02-25 Norman, OK - The Opolis $
02-26 Denton, TX - Dans Silverleaf $
02-27 Austin, TX - Continental Club $

* with The Pale
+ with Glossary and The Mendoza Line
$ with Glossary and Summer Hymns

At this point, most of the band will take a well-deserved rest, leaving Will Johnson to go the troubadour route. He'll hit the road in late March for a tour with John Vanderslice, Sleepy Jackson, and Sufjan Stevens. The stats:

03-22 Tallahassee, FL - The Beta Bar *
03-23 St. Augustine, FL - Cafe Eleven *
03-24 Orlando, FL - The Social *
03-25 Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
03-26 Carrboro, NC - Go! Rehearsal *
03-27 Baltimore, MD - TBA *
03-28 Swarthmore, PA - Swarthmore College *
03-29 Philadelphia, PA - TBA *
03-31 Hamilton, NY - Colgate University *
04-01 Boston, MA - The Plan #
04-02 New York, NY - Knitting Factory #
04-03 Harrisonburg, VA - Court Square Theater #
04-04 Brooklyn, NY - TBA #
04-05 Portland, ME - Space Gallery #
04-07 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom *
04-08 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick +
04-09 Indianapolis, IN - The Patio +
04-10 Lexington, KY - The Dame +
04-13 Chicago, IL - Schubas +
04-14 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave +
04-15 Minneapolis, MN - The Ascot Room +
04-16 Iowa City, IA - Gabe's Oasis +
04-17 Lincoln, NE - TBA +
04-18 Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck +

* with John Vanderslice
# with John Vanderslice and Sufjan Stevens
+ with Sleepy Jackson and On the Speakers

So following the likely Centro-Matic tour in May, the current plan is to hole up and record a new South San Gabriel album this summer. And of course, as previously reported, Johnson will be releasing his second solo album on Misra this summer. Plus Centro-Matic have just released their Flashes and Cables EP, featuring outtakes from the Love You Just the Same sessions. And if I'm tired just reporting all this, how must they feel? Next year, guys, remember-- sloth and ladies!