Protomartyr announce new album and summer tour, share "Make Way" video
Having teased it last week, Protomartyr have officially announced new album Formal Growth in the Desert which will be out June 2 via Domino. The band made it at Sonic Ranch in Texas and it was co-produced by guitarist Greg Ahee and Jake Aron (Snail Mail, L’Rain). “The desert is more of a metaphor or symbol,” frontman Joe Casey says of the album’s title, “of emotional deserts, or a place or time that seems to lack life.”
The last three years have been difficult for Casey; he lost his mother, who had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for more than a decade. He also moved out of the Detroit home his family had owned since before his birth. “The band still being viable was very important to me,” Casey adds, “and it definitely lifted my spirits.”
The band have shared the album’s opening track, “Make Way,” which is bleak, atmospheric and aggressive, with Casey singing “You can grieve if you wanna, but please don’t ruin the day,” before barking the song’s title. You can watch the video, directed by Trevor Naud, below.
Protomartyr have also announced an extensive summer tour that includes a NYC show at Bowery Ballroom on June 16. Tickets for all dates go on sale Friday, March 10 at 10 AM local time.
The band begin a short tour around SXSW this weekend. If you’ll be in Austin, you can catch him at our free Thursday SXSW day show at Empire (3/16). Stay tuned for full lineup and set times but meanwhile you can RSVP.
All Protomartyr dates are listed below.
Formal Growth in the Desert:
1. Make Way
2. For Tomorrow
3. Elimination Dances
4. Fun In Hi Skool
5. Let’s Tip the Creator
6. Graft Vs. Host
7. 3800 Tigers
8. Polacrilex Kid
9. Fulfillment Center
10. We Know the Rats
11. The Author
12. Rain Garden
PROTOMARTYR – 2023 TOUR DATES
Sat. Mar. 11 – Columbus, OH @ Soupfest
Sun. Mar. 12 – Chattanooga, TN @ JJ’s Bohemia
Mon. Mar. 13 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
Wed. Mar. 15 – Austin, TX @ SXSW- Laneway Official Showcase – Lucille
Thu. Mar. 16 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – Levitation Showcase – Hotel Vegas
Thu. Mar. 16 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – Brooklyn Vegan Showcase – Empire
Fri. Mar. 17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – Third Man Showcase – 13th Floor
Sat. Mar. 18 – Dallas, TX @ Texas Theater
Mon. Mar. 20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel
Tue. Mar. 21 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
Wed. Mar. 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram
Fri. Mar. 24 – Bakersfield, CA @ Temblor Brewing
Sat. Mar. 25 – Reno, NV @ Holland Project
Sun. Mar. 26 – Boise, ID @ Treefort
Tue. Mar. 28 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
Wed. Mar. 29 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
Thu. Mar. 30 – Davenport, IA @ Raccoon Motel
Fri. Mar. 31 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme
Tue. June 13 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Wed. June 14 – Montreal, QC @ Fairmount
Fri. June 16 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Sat. June 17 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Tue. June 20 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
Wed. June 21 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Thu. June 22 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Fri. June 23 – Nashville, TN @ Blue Room
Sat. June 24 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
Mon. June 26 – Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street
Tue. June 28 – Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole
Wed. June 29 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
Sat. July 1 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
Sun. July 2 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Moe’s Alley
Wed. July 5 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Thu. July 6 – Vancouver, BC @ Cobalt
Fri. July 7 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile
Sat. July 8 – Spokane, WA @ Lucky You
Tue. July 11 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
Wed. July 12 – Madison, WI @ High Noon
Thu. July 13 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Sun. Aug. 6 – Frankfurt, DE @ Zoom
Mon. Aug. 7 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
Wed. Aug. 9 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
Thu. Aug. 10 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms
Fri. Aug. 11 – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb lfor Bach
Sat. Aug. 12 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Mon. Aug. 14 – Eindhoven, NL @ Effenaar
Tue. Aug. 15 – Hannover, DE @ Indiego Glocksee
Thu. Aug. 17 – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
Fri. Aug. 18 – Bodo, NO @ Parkenfestivalen
Sat. Aug. 19 – Trondheim, NE @ Pstereo
Thu. Oct. 26 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom
