The Weakerthans & AA Bondy - 2008 Tour Dates (SXSW/NYC)

DOWNLOAD: A.A. Bondy – American Hearts (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: AA Bondy – There’s a Reason (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Weakerthans – Sun In An Empty Room (MP3)

AA (big A big A)

Last time AA Bondy played NYC was also the first time I ever saw him play live. It was late on a Friday night, the sold out Mercury Lounge was fully packed with drinking patrons, and the Felice Brothers were coming on next – not the best conditions for a solitary man on stage by himself with just a microphone and his acoustic guitar.

As was to be expected, there was lots of talking and it made it hard to pay attention at first. His wife Claire Felice (who also took the above photo of him) joined him on keyboards, and that helped a little, but not enough. Then in walked a drummer, and not just any drummer – it was Russell Simmins of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (and Tiny Masters of Today) fame – and that was just the magic ingredient the music needed to turn things into a proper Friday night rock show. The drums helped bring the beautiful songs off “American Hearts” (which is being re-released by Fat Possum) alive, and kept all eyes focused on the front of the room while simultaneously keeping mouths shut (or at least drowning them out).

AA plays again this Wednesday night (March 12) at the BrooklynVegan official showcase at Club De Ville in Austin. I can’t wait to see him again, and I’m equally stoked that The Weakerthans chose him to accompany them and Christine Fellows on tour this spring. Tickets are still on sale for the April 11th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (the same night AA plays Conan O’Brien). All tour dates below…..

The Weakerthans – Civil Twilight

AA Bondy – 2008 Tour Dates
Mar 12 – Creekside Lounge, Austin, TX (Donewaiting/Midgetmen day party)
Mar 12 – Club de ville, Austin, Texas (Brooklyn Vegan official SXSW showcase) **
Mar 13 – NPR day party @ The Parish, Austin, TX
Mar 14 – Homeslice Piza, Austin, TX 2:15 pm
Mar 14 – Web 2.0 Hoedown, Palm Door, Austin, TX

** w/ Shearwater, Martha Wainwright, Deer Tick, Jeffrey Lewis & The Jitters, & Kaki King

The Weakerthans – 2008 Tour Dates
Mar 13 – Cedar Street Courtyard, Austin, TX (Anti/Epitaph official SXSW showcase) *
Mar 14 – Volume Night Club, Austin, TX (Stereogum/Paste/Dell Lounge day party)

* w/ Islands, Tim Fite, DeVotchka, Billy Bragg, and Man Man

The Weakerthans, Christine Fellows & AA Bondy – 2008 Tour Dates
Mar 26 – the blind pig, ann arbor, Michigan
Mar 27 – high noon, madison, Wisconsin
Mar 28 – mad hatter, covington, Kentucky
Mar 29 – exit inn, nashville, Tennessee
Mar 30 – Bottletree, birmingham, Alabama
Apr 1 – the granada, dallas, Texas
Apr 2 – the parish, austin, Texas
Apr 3 – Chelsea’s, baton rouge, Louisiana
Apr 4 – club down under, tallahasee, Florida
Apr 5 – the social, orlando, Florida
Apr 6 – common grounds, gainesville, Florida
Apr 8 – 40 watt, athens, Georgia
Apr 9 – cat’s cradle, carrborro, North Carolina
Apr 10 – recher, towson, Maryland
Apr 11 – music hall of williamsburg, brooklyn, New York
Apr 12 – pearl st. club room, northampton, Massachusetts
Apr 13 – town ballroom w/the weakerthans buffalo, New York