Although not typically something I’d expect anyone to immediately like, I think one of the best releases of new music over the past few years was the Mirrored album by relative newcomers, Battles. It’s an acquired taste and half the people that I played it for thought it was a joke at first, but the people that really got it seemed to have gotten hooked on the band and we’re all excited to see them return this year with a new album and a tour. They’re set to release their follow-up, Gloss Drop, sans chipmunk vocalist, too. So I really have no idea what to expect out of the band this year and can’t wait to see how it shakes out. I’ll have my chance when they roll through San Francisco in May and they’ll be playing smaller clubs around the country ahead of the release of the album.
Battles 2011 Tour Dates
APRIL
01 OSAKA, JAPAN – ZETTAI-MU
03 TOKYO, JAPAN – SONAR SOUND
08 ROTTERDAM, HOLLAND – MOTEL MOSAIQUE
09 LUXEMBOURG – OUT OF THE CROWD
10 BERLIN, GERMANY – FESTSAAL KREUZBERG
11 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – DOMINO FESTIVAL
12 LILLE, FRANCE – AERONEF
20 LONDON, UK – ICA
26 BOSTON, US – BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL → ON SALE 5PM MAR 2
27 NEW YORK, US – LE POISSON ROUGE → ON SALE 5PM MAR 2
29 TORONTO, CANADA – HORSESHOE → ON SALE MARCH 10
30 CHICAGO, US – LINCOLN HALL → ON SALE 5PM MAR 2
MAY
02 LOS ANGELES, US – ECHO
03 SAN FRANCISCO, US – BOTTOM OF THE HILL → ON SALE 5PM MAR 2
04 PORTLAND, US – DOUG FIR → ON SALE 5PM MAR 2
05 SEATTLE, US – CROCODILE → ON SALE 5PM MAR 2
27 BARCELONA, SPAIN – PRIMAVERA SOUND
28 DUDINGEN, SWITZERLAND – KILBI FESTIVAL
31 MARSEILLE, FRANCE – ESPACE JULIEN
JUNE
02 POITIERS, FRANCE – CONFORT MODERNE
03 BRIGHTON, UK – CONCORDE2
05 DUBLIN, IRELAND – FORBIDDEN FRUIT FESTIVAL
04 MANCHESTER, UK – O2 APOLLO → SPECIAL CO-HEADLINE TBA
06 LEEDS, UK – COCKPIT
07 GLASGOW, UK – THE ARCHES
10 DORTMUND, GERMANY – FZW
11 MUNICH, GERMANY – FEIERWERK
