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Glasvegas - 2008 Tour Dates (Echo & The Bunnymen, Merc)

by Bill Pearis

Glasvegas

In other not-till-October news, Echo & the Bunnymen‘s Ocean Rain show at Radio City Music Hall is coming up sooner than it seems — October 1 — and tickets are still available. As much as I LOVE that album, I must admit I haven’t pulled the trigger on tickets just yet, though I’m sure I will. Just the idea of hearing “The Killing Moon” and “Silver” with a full orchestra is exciting.

Opening for that show are one of the UK’s most-talked (praise and derision) bands of the year, Glasvegas, who former Creation records honcho Alan McGee called “the sound of young Scotland, and the most exciting thing I’ve heard since the Jesus and Mary Chain in the 80s.” Of course he said the same thing about Heavy Stereo and other bands we don’t remember, but the Glasvegas hype train hasn’t derailed yet. McGee’s hyperbolic statement notwithstanding, his comparison to the Mary Chain makes sense. They take a ’50s greaser rock n’ roll (including doo-wop-y ballads) and covering it in a layer of guitar effects and white noise that’s nearly as thick as singer James Allen’s nearly impenetrable Glasgow accent. (They’ve also got a standup drummer, just like Bobby Gilespie, except theirs is a girl.) I have to admit I like them, though the name makes me cringe.

In addition to the Bunnymen show, Glasvegas are doing a short East Coast tour, including a stop at Mercury Lounge on October 4. (Tickets are on sale). All dates and a video below…

Glasvegas on Later with Jools Holland

Glasvegas 2008 US tour dates:
Aug 22 – Leeds Festival – Carling Stage Leeds, Northeast
Aug 24 – Reading Festival – Carling Stage Reading, South
Aug 27 – Barfly Birmingham
Aug 28 – Sugarmill Stoke
Aug 30 – Hydro Connect Festival Scotland
Sep 3 – Fat Sams Dundee
Sep 5 – QMU Glasgow
Sep 7 – Liquid Room Edinburgh
Sep 9 – Barfly Liverpool
Sep 13 – Trinity Bristol
Sep 14 – Plug Sheffield
Sep 15 – Cockpit Leeds
Sep 16 – Fibbers (CHANGE OF VENUE) York, Northeast
Sep 17 – Academy 3 Manchester
Sep 20 – Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth
Sep 21 – Guildhall Gloucester
Sep 22 – Barfly Cardiff
Sep 23 – Scala London
Sep 25 – Rescue Rooms Nottingham
Sep 29 – Great Scott Bar Allston nr Boston, Massachusetts
Sep 30 – North Star Bar Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 1 – Radio City Music Hall (supporting Echo & The Bunnymen) NYC
Oct 2 – Ottobar Baltimore, Maryland
Oct 3 – Rock & Roll Hotel Washington, Washington DC
Oct 4 – Mercury Lounge New York, New York

Nov 27 – Kings Dock (supporting Echo & The Bunnymen) Liverpool