Avett Brothers drop I and Love and You in August, follow with tour and tour and tour

Photo by Crackerfarm

Amidst a year seemingly packed end-to-end with cross-country touring, The Avett Brothers have somehow found time to record their Rick Rubin-helmed American Records debut, titled I and Love and You, and now set for an Aug. 11 release. We are dubious as to whether or not this involved time-travel technology and/or the employment of similarly-hirsute doppelgangers, but either way, it's quite exciting. In typical Avett fashion, of course, the band has announced three months' worth of tour dates, which will have them tearing up festivals and music halls all around the U.S. all Summer long.

If the band's Saturday night performance at the Tivoli Theatre in Chattanooga, Tenn., is any indication, the upcoming dates will include the Avetts' trademark wild harmonies, sweaty banjo solos, lots of shredded strings and totally gutting songs about life and love and family. All this without mentioning the relatively new additions of looming, beautiful stage backdrops of giant apostrophes and bird-swarmed sailing ships, and the band's use of (brace yourself, folkies) drums and electric instruments. 

Dates:

April
22 - Raleigh, N.C. @ TWC Music Pavilion *
24 - Charlotte, N.C. @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre *
25 - Birmingham, Ala. @ Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
26 - New Orleans, La. @ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
28 & 29 - Alpharetta, Ga. @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre *

May
1 - The Woodlands, Texas @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion *
2 - Dallas, Texas @ Superpages.com Center *
5 - Albuquerque, N.M. @ Journal Pavilion *
6 - Phoenix, Ariz. @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion *
7 - Tucson, Ariz. @ Rialto Theatre
9 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Henry Fonda Theatre
10 - Solana Beach, Calif. @ Belly Up Tavern
12 - Hanford, Calif. @ Hanford Fox Theatre
14 - Santa Cruz, Calif. @ Rio Theatre
15 & 16 - San Francisco, Calif. @ The Fillmore
20 - Eugene, Ore. @ McDonald Theatre
22 & 23 - Portland, Ore. @ Crystal Ballroom
24 - George, Wash. @ Sasquatch! Music Festival
30 - Philadelphia, Penn. @ Trocadero Theatre

June
11 - Washington, D.C. @ Lisner Auditorium
12 & 13 - New York, N.Y. @ Fillmore @ Irving Plaza
14 - Rochester, N.Y. @ Water Street Music Hall
16 - Pittsburgh, Penn. @ Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
19 - Akron, Ohio @ Akron Civic Theatre
20 - Columbus, Ohio @ Newport Music Hall
21 - Covington, Ky. @ The Madison Theater
23 - Lexington, Ky. @ Kentucky Theatre
25 - St. Louis, Mo. @ The Pageant
26 - Des Moines, Iowa @ Hoyt Sherman Theatre
27 - Minneapolis, Minn. @ Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater
28 - Chicago, Ill. @ House of Blues

July
9 - Norfolk, Va. @ Harrison Opera House
10 - Richmond, Va. @ The National
11 - Roanoke, Va. @ Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre
12 - Louisville, Ky. @ Forecastle Festival
16 - St. Augustine, Fla. @ St. Augustine Amphitheater
17 - Lake Buena Vista, Fla. @ House of Blues
18 - Tampa, Fla. @ The Cuban Club
19 - Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. @ The Parker Playhouse
24 & 25 - Myrtle Beach, S.C. @ House of Blues

* = opening for Dave Matthews Band

Related links:
A/V: The Avett Brothers Live at Jackson Hole - "St Joseph's"
News: Dave Matthews Band announces new LP, takes Avetts, others on the road
News: Avett Brothers sign to Columbia record with Rubin