Paul Collins and Gentleman Jesse tour together

A theory to dismiss immediately: power-pop practitioners are the mole people of popular music, forming vibrant communities deep below the more apparent topographical landscapes. They show their faces when they must, or when they have something to show. They become legends without having ever been famous. Their genre is ill-, if ever, defined.

A truth to account for immediately: Paul Collins and Gentleman Jesse Smith, who met in 2008 when playing shows together in Atlanta and Austin, have planned a 10-date tour through the beginning of February. Collins and Smith (whose backing Men will also aid Collins on-stage) kick off Jan. 24 in Atlanta before moving through the Midwest and ending up in New York for a live broadcast on WFMU's Cherry Blossom Clinic.

Fans can look forward to seeing Collins perform songs from The Beat's Ribbon of Gold, as well as from his first band, The Nerves, which recently reissued the famed One Way Ticket. Jesse's fans should keep listening to the stellar Douchemaster-released self-titled album, a Paste favorite from 2008, loaded with (if we may quote ourselves here) "hooks and hooks and hooks and even more unforgettable hooks."

January
24 - Atlanta, Ga. @ The EARL
26 - Memphis, Tenn. @ Hi-Tone
29 - Milwaukee, Minn. @ Club Garibadi
30 - Chicago, Ill. @ The Beat Kitchen
31 - Cleveland, Ohio @ Now That's Class

February
1 - Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Belvedere's
2 - Baltimore, Md. @ The Talking Head
5 - Boston, Mass. @ Middle East
6 - New York, N.Y. @ Maxwell's
7 - WFMU Live Broadcast on Cherry Blossom Clinic

Related links:
Artist of the Week: Gentlemen Jesse
Paul Collins' Beat on MySpace
The Nerves on Alive Records