Pitchfork: Pedro, Vanderslice Team Up for Tour

Pedro, Vanderslice Team Up for Tour
Brad Pitt to portray Achilles from third row on cell phone

In what is sure to be the most bone-crushing and extensive team-up of John Vanderslice and Pedro the Lion since, well, ever, John Vanderslice and Pedro the Lion are teaming up for a bone-crushing and extensive summer tour. Pedro (David Bazan on his bank statements) will be supporting his fourth full-length, Achilles Heel, which, as you may recall, was released yesterday via Jade Tree. Vanderslice, meanwhile, will be supporting his own recent release, Cellar Door, which dropped back in January on Barsuk.

Vanderslice, doing justice to his People magazine-appointed title of "nicest guy in the world that hangs out with John Darnielle all the time, takes beautiful photographs, and writes enrapturing narratives to emotionally anchor his singular brand of independent pop," had plenty to say about his upcoming itinerary in an email interview with Pitchfork:

"The new record is in full swing..." Wait a second-- new record?! Yes. Although Cellar Door has only been out a scant five months, V-Slice is wasting no time recording its follow-up. "We have six songs tracked and tons of days booked in Tiny Telephone with [engineer] Scott Solter after the Pedro tour. There will be lots of musicians coming by in August and September (in addition to the usual group of friends, we'll have lots of string players. I lucked into a connection with the office of admission at the SF Conservatory of Music). We are aiming for a longer, more varied record. If it approaches double album minutes, I will not, under any circumstance, use my illusion." The record is presently slated for an early 2005 release.

In addition to info on the upcoming record, Vanderslice expressed his enthusiasm for the summer engagement: "I am really looking forward to the Pedro tour. It will be a more unified, simpler setup. They are only two-band bills, and we'll both take turns DJing from the stage before and after the sets. (Hope they like Xiu Xiu!) On tour, we'll have with us the Cellar Door remix record (MGM Endings), the 180-gram vinyl pressing of Cellar Door, and a new shirt design that features a rifle scope. Good times." Vanderslice also noted that he plans to headline a six-week tour this fall, which, between the recording and touring, should leave him precious little time for anything else. Dates:

05-28 New Orleans, LA - Howlin' Wolf (Pedro only, w/Vic Chesnutt, Jenny Toomey)
06-02 San Francisco, CA - Bottom Of The Hill
06-03 San Francisco, CA - Bottom Of The Hill
06-04 Pomona, CA - Glass House
06-05 San Diego, CA - The Casbah
06-06 West Hollywood, CA - The Troubadour
06-07 West Hollywood, CA - The Troubadour
06-08 Phoenix, AZ - Old Brickhouse Grill
06-10 Austin, TX - Emo's
06-11 Dallas, TX - Trees
06-12 Little Rock, AR - Vino's
06-13 Nashville, TN - Exit / In
06-14 Atlanta, GA - Echo Lounge
06-15 Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern
06-16 Charlottesville, VA - Star Hill Music Hall
06-17 Washington, DC - Black Cat
06-18 Lancaster, PA - The Chameleon
06-19 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
06-20 Brooklyn, NY - North Six
06-21 New York, NY - Knitting Factory
06-22 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Club
06-23 Northampton, MA - Iron Horse (Vanderslice only)
06-24 Toronto, Ontario - Horseshoe Tavern
06-25 Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place
06-26 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
06-27 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
06-28 Chicago, IL - Abbey Pub
06-29 Chicago, IL - Abbey Pub
06-30 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
07-01 Milwaukee, WI - Wehr Hall
07-02 Iowa City, IA - Gabe's Oasis
07-03 TBA, IA - TBA (John Vanderslice only)
07-03 Bushnell, IL - Cornerstone Festival (Pedro only)
07-05 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground
07-06 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
07-07 Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue
07-08 Boise, ID - Big Easy
07-09 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
07-10 Seattle, WA - Showbox