As you may know, Future Bible Heroes (Stephin Merrit, Christopher Ewen and Claudia Gonson) are releasing Partygoing, their first album in 11 years, on June 8 via Merge. You may also recall, they'll be playing June 12 at The Bell House as part of the Chickfactor 21 indiestravaganza. Tickets are still available for that.

About a month after the Chickfactor show, Future Bible Heroes will go on an actual tour, their first since 2002. Before you get super excited, we said Stephin Merrit "may or may not appear with them." And while he may still make an appearance for that show, for the actual tour, the FBH line-up is Claudia Gonson, Shirley Simms, Christopher Ewen and Anthony Kaczynski. So no Merrit on those, just so you know. The dates include another NYC show: July 23 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets for the Bowery show are currently on AmEx presale and go on regular sale on Friday (5/10). All tour dates are listed, along with a new video documentary about the band, below.

Continue reading "Future Bible Heroes announce summer tour but without Stephin Merritt (dates)"

Eugene Mirman and Wyatt Cenac are already playing a Hurricane Sandy Relief benefit at The Bell House on November 25 for a special edition of Pretty Good Friends, and Jonathan Ames is doing one on Monday (11/12) at Union Hall, and now the three of them will be teaming up for a different benefit show with Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields), Sarah Vowell, Jonathan Frazen, Gail Collins, John Oliver, and Jon Ronson at Symphony Space's Peter Jay Sharp Theatre on December 7. The show is presented 826NYC and dubbed, "'Rants and Other Suggestions,' a very special evening of readings, performances, and music." Eugene Mirman and Sarah Vowell will be handling hosting duties and the others will be performing. Tickets will be available at the Symphony Space website and all proceeds will benefit 826NYC's writing lab for New York City students.