Pitchfork: Engine Down Plan Final Tour

After nearly 10 years together, the Richmond, Virginia-based Engine Down have decided to call it quits. The band formed in 1996 from displaced fragments of Bughummer, the Weak Link Breaks, and the Sleepytime Trio; they would eventually release four albums total, the first three on Arlington indie Lovitt and the final, self-titled effort on Lookout Records. According to singer Keeley Davis, speaking through the band's website, "After a long and prosperous run as a band the four friends have decided to leave Engine Down for the history books. With a good taste in the mouth we decide to enjoy our last tour with friends and family. Come and celebrate with us as we say our final goodbyes to all that have supported us through the years."

Engine Down made waves expanding on their post-hardcore urgency, coloring their later efforts with instruments as seemingly out of place as cello and piano. Despite these embellishments, they always focused on thumping, off-time rhythmic discharges and overwrought vocals-- both best displayed live, where Engine Down amassed numerous fans through ball-busting tour schedules. So, appropriately enough, the band will play a couple of gigs next week with the Get Up Kids and French Kicks then sign off with a torrid headlining tour across the U.S. in August and September. Dates:

06-22 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club (w/ Get Up Kids & French Kicks)
06-23 Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory (w/ Get Up Kids & French Kicks)

08-03 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle (w/ Ben Davis) *
08-04 Mt. Pleasant, SC - Village Tavern *
08-05 Orlando, FL - Will's Pub *
08-06 Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds *
08-07 Pensacola, FL - TBA *
08-08 Baton Rouge, LA - Chelsea's Caf� *
08-09 Houston, TX - The Proletariat *
08-10 Austin, TX - Emo's Jr. *
08-12 Tucson, AZ - Solar Cultural Gallery *
08-13 La Jolla, CA - Che Caf� *#
08-14 Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction *#
08-15 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour *#
08-16 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill *#
08-17 Petaluma, CA - Phoenix Theatre (w/ The New Trust) *
08-19 Portland, OR - Loveland *
08-20 Seattle, WA - The Vera Project *
08-22 Salt Lake City, UT - Lo-Fi Caf� *
08-23 Denver, CO - Rock Island *
08-24 lawrence, KS - Jackpot Salon *
08-25 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground *
08-26 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club *
08-27 Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge *
08-28 Cleveland, OH - TBA *
08-29 Buffalo, NY - Buffalo Icon *
08-30 Boston, MA - The Middle East *
08-31 Wallingford, CT - Wallingford American Legion *
09-01 Brooklyn, NY - North Six *
09-02 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church *
09-03 Washington, DC - Black Cat (Lovitt Records 10th Anniversary show) *
09-04 Richmond, VA - Nanci Raygun