New Pornographers and Okkervil River team up for tour

Political candidates may talk a big game about working with other countries to improve our world together, but this spring, two bands from opposite sides of the border—Vancouver, Canada's New Pornographers and the Austin, Texas-based Okkervil River—will unite, spreading harmony (three-part and otherwise) across the U.S. of A.

Both bands released acclaimed albums last year, with the NP's Challengers and Okkervil's The Stage Names landing on Best of '07 lists the world over, not to mention in their home countries.

Canada's wordy power-pop heroes saw singer Neko Case morph into a bloodlusty (emphasis on "lusty") siren named Chrysanthemum for a recent episode of Adult Swim mainstay Aqua Teen Hunger Force, while Pornographer Dan Bejar recently collaborated with ladyfriend Sydney Vermont for the Hello, Blue Roses debut album and will drop the latest Destroyer LP, Trouble in Dreams, on March 18 (followed by a tour that will keep him from joining the NPs on this outing).

The just-as-wordy punk-folkies in Okkervil River put out a free online-only EP (Golden Opportunities) stocked with heartbreaking, carefully-chosen covers, many of which were recorded on the road. The Austin Chronicle recently announced that Okkervil River will team up with 13th Floor Elevators frontman Roky Erickson for this year's Austin Music Awards, to be held on March 12 (SXSW eve!).

Check out half of Okkervil River's regular line-up performing "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene" (off The Stage Names) and "A King and a Queen" (off of 2005's stellar Black Sheep Boy) in a locker room in Belgium for Ukulélé Sessions:

Ukulélé Session Okkervil River
Uploaded by cplesoir

The large bands (6+ members apiece) will happily engage in musical debates throughout April. Cast your vote via "WOO!" in a city near you:

April
9 - Toronto, Ont. @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
10 - Pontiac, Mich. @ The Crofoot Ballroom

11 - Columbus, Ohio @ Newport Music Hall
12 - Munhall, Pa. @ Carnegie Music Hall in Homestead
13 - Ithaca, N.Y. @ The State Theater of Ithaca
14 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
16 - Richmond, Va. @ Toad’s Place
17 - Athens, Ga. @ Georgia Theatre

18 - Nashville, Tenn. @ The Cannery
19 - St. Louis, Mo. @ The Pageant
20 - Chicago, Ill. @ Riviera
21 - Madison, Wis. @ Orpheum
22 - Cleveland, Ohio @ Beachland Ballroom

Okkervil River:
February
5 - London, England @ Scala
7 - Leuven, Belgium @ Stuk
8 - Paris, France @ La Maronquinerie
9 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
10 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
23 - Adelaide, Australia @ Laneway Festival
24 - Melbourne, Australia @ Laneway Festival
26 - Melbourne, Australia @ Corner
27 - Sydney, Australia @ Manning Bar
29 - Perth, Australia @ Perth International Arts Festival

March
1 - Brisbane, Australia @ Laneway Festival
2 - Sydney, Australia @ Laneway Festival
4 - Auckland, New Zealand @ Kings Arms
5 - Wellington, New Zealand @ San Francisco Bath House
12 - Austin, Texas @ Austin Music Hall (w/Roky Erickson)

April
5 - Dallas, Texas @ Granada
6 - Memphis, Tenn. @ Hi-Tone (w/Howlin' Rain)
7 - Bloomington, Ind. @ Buskirk-Chumley Theater (w/Howlin' Rain)

Related links:
TheNewPornographers.com
OkkervilRiver.com
Adult Swim video: Neko Case on Aqua Teen Hunger Force

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