Pitchfork

Photo by Daniel Arnold

Me, I wouldn't take those Black Lips anywhere with a "you break it, you buy it" policy; whatever it is, it seems like they'd break it, and I'd wind up with the check.

So the shopkeeps who have invited this wily bunch into their emporiums of commerce better be aware of the risks they're taking, lining up a mess of Black Lips in-store appearances during the band's forthcoming tour (which kicks off tonight in the ATL, their hometown). But, oh, the rewards: those roughshod Black Lips, tearing it up live and in person amongst the record racks like bulls in a china shop. Remember, lads: look, don't touch.

And if we can trust the Black Lips with our precious vinyl and CDs, perhaps we can trust them with our children as well? On March 1, between an in-store and their proper gig at Logan Square Auditorium, Black Lips will invite youngsters to witness their soundcheck as part of a Camelot for Kids program. Camelot for Kids, as you may recall, seeks "to help children with extraordinary needs" and has previously enlisted Busdriver and Fujiya & Miyagi to this end.

Finally, these pages have been abuzz with Lips of Black of late, so let's run it down: the band has a little new live thing for your downloading pleasure, a few noteworthy tourmates, a penchant for team sports and, of course, big plans for the second weekend in May.

Lips:

02-01 Atlanta, GA - Opera Event Center
02-04 Seattle, WA - Neumos *
02-05 Portland, OR - Jackpot Records (in-store)
02-05 Portland, OR - Dante's *
02-06 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall *
02-08 Berkeley, CA - Amoeba Records (in-store)
02-08 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall *
02-09 Pomona, CA - Glasshouse *
02-10 Costa Mesa, CA - Detroit Bar *
02-13 San Diego, CA - Casbah *
02-14 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey *
02-16 Denver, CO - Bluebird
02-17 Denver, CO - Twist & Shout Records (in-store)
02-22 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
02-23 Austin, TX - Emo's Outside
02-24 Dallas, TX - Good Records (in-store)
02-24 Dallas, TX - The Loft #
02-25 Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck #
02-26 Lawrence, KS - Love Garden Records (in-store)
02-26 Omaha, NE - Waiting Room #
02-28 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St Entry #
02-29 Madison, WI - Mad City Music (in-store)
02-29 Madison, WI - Memorial Union (University of Wisconsin) #
03-01 Chicago, IL - Reckless Records (in-store)
03-01 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Audioritum (afternoon Camelot for Kids benefit)
03-01 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium #
03-02 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall #
03-04 Columbus, OH - The Basement #
03-05 Oberlin, OH - Club Dionysus #
03-06 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick #
03-07 Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Small's #
03-08 Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place #
03-10 New York, NY - Other Music (in-store)
03-10 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
03-11 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg #
03-13 Cambridge, MA - Middle East #
03-14 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's #
03-15 Washington, DC - Black Cat #
03-16 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 #
03-20 Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge #
03-21 Memphis, TN - Shangri-La Records (in-store)
03-21 Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone #
03-22 Atlanta, GA - The Earl #
05-01 Cardiff, Wales - The Point
05-02 Swansea, Wales - Club NME @ Club Sin
05-03 Dublin, Ireland - Crawdaddy
05-04 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowlands 2
05-06 Sheffield, England - The Plug
05-07 Leeds, England - Brudenell Social Club
05-08 Birmingham, England - Club NME @ The Place I Love
05-10 Rye, England - Camber Sands Holiday Centre (ATP vs. Pitchfork) $
05-11 Cambridge, England - The Junction
05-12 Oxford, England - Zodiac
05-13 Bristol, England - Thekla
05-14 London, England - 100 Club
05-15 London, England - 100 Club
05-16 Brighton, England - Great Escape

% with Gentleman Jesse & His Men, the Baby Shakes, Coffin Bound
* with Pierced Arrows
# with Quintron and Miss Pussycat
$ with the Hold Steady, Jens Lekman, Caribou, Hot Chip, Les Savy Fav, No Age, Of Montreal, Man Man, Los Campesinos!, Glass Candy, Dirty Projectors, Meat Puppets, the Black Angels, Marissa Nadler, Wooden Shjips, Deerhunter, Shit and Shine, Sebadoh, Ween, Redd Kross, Pissed Jeans, Yeasayer, Fuck Buttons, Apse, A Place to Bury Strangers, the Clientele, Black Mountain, Harmonia, Born Ruffians, Howlin Rain, Car Sick Cars, Even