Los Campesinos! Announce U.K. Tour, Minus One Campesino

The irreverent, zealous troupe known as Los Campesinos!, one of our 2008 picks for Best of What's Next, have announced an October tour of the U.K., just over a month after the departure of keyboardist Alek.
 

The ten-gig tour will present a number of firsts for the Welsh indie rockers, according to the band's website. "We will play our first UK shows in a year, which also be our first gigs post-Aleks’ departure, first with the new Campesinos! and our first time playing material from our forthcoming album, in the UK," blogs one Campesino!. That album is the one the band recently wrapped up, guided by the steady hands of some Long Winters, Telekinesis! and BOAT members. The Campesinos! have hinted that the album will feature guest vocals and instrumentalist cameos, as well as some of Gareth Campesino! shredding on the glockenspiel. (Meanwhile, the erstwhile Alek is now wandering around Europe with a seemingly inexplicable surname.)