Pitchfork: Beth Orton Charms America

This Sunday marks the beginning of Beth Orton's month-long U.S. tour (east to west and back again) in support of her recently released album Comfort of Strangers. Overrated singer-songwriter wunderkind Willy Mason opens; Jim O'Rourke and M. Ward, both of whom graced Comfort, are staying home. Maybe because the record kinda sucks?

We fell for Orton back when she was cooing folktronic-style with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers, but this whole "adult" acoustic coffeeshop thing she's got going now seems to have everybody fooled. Becoming mature doesn't have to mean becoming boring, people.

Orton will also appear on "Jay Leno" on March 31. All the better for falling asleep with the TV on.

Dates:

03-12 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
03-13 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse *
03-15 Austin, TX - Antone's (Astralwerks SXSW showcase) *#
03-19 Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre *
03-20 Salt Lake City, UT - Club Sound *
03-23 San Diego, CA - House of Blues *
03-24 Los Angeles, CA - Avalon *
03-25 San Francisco, CA - Fillmore *
03-27 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom *
03-28 Seattle, WA - Showbox *
03-29 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom *
04-01 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue *
04-02 Madison, WI - Barrymore Theatre *
04-03 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre *
04-05 Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre *
04-06 Toronto, Ontario - Carlu *
04-07 Montreal, Quebec - Club Soda *
04-08 Boston, MA - Avalon *
04-10 Philadelphia, PA - TLA *
04-11 New York, NY - Webster Hall *
04-19 Brisbane, Australia - The Tivoli
04-20 Sydney, Australia - Enmore Theatre
04-21 Melbourne, Australia - Palais Theatre
04-23 Perth, Australia - His Majesty's Theatre