Anticon Records’ Why? Announces Tour Dates

My first introduction to Anticon Records was from someone who absolutely HATED what they were putting out. This, sadly, colored my opinion for some time; that is until my cousin (currently studying international law at Harvard…so I’ll have someone to represent me once I finally get caught for my various illicit activities I enjoy so liberally) burned me a mix CD of some of their artists. It was then that I figured out that Anticon isn’t quite the self-important backpack hip-hop label my friend made them out to be — Its stable of artists is more composed of experimental rock, sample/electronica artists. There’s a love and appreciation of hip-hop within most of these artists, but it’s not straight up beats and verses, far from it. As for my Anticon hating friend, sometimes it pays to take opinions with a grain of salt (or in this case, an entire shaker).

For me, Anticon artist Why? leads the label roster with inventive, glitchy indie-rock with an almost They Might be Giants vocal delivery and dark, contemplation-worthy poetic lyrics. It’s on some real shit, real sink-your-teeth-into sounds. Worth your attention, for sure. Love their cover of “Close To Me,” by The Cure, too. Why? is heading out on tour, and their publicist was kind enough to alert us.

From Force Field PR:

It’s been a busy and interesting year for WHY?, since the release of their acclaimed album Alopecia in March, the band has been touring the world almost non-stop, with a U.S. tour in the Spring and a lengthy European tour that immediately followed. Only one slight hiccup – while in Europe, two of the band members (brothers Yoni and Josiah Wolf) got the mumps, and on top of that, Yoni broke his hand. The band has soldiered on despite these minor setbacks and has scheduled another full North American tour for the fall, with pals Mount Eerie, Tussle and Tobacco (of Black Moth Super Rainbow) opening along the way.

Check out their video for “Song of the Sad Assassin” right here:

Tour dates (courtesy of Force Field PR) after the jump

WHY?

August 29th – San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall%
September 4th- Los Angeles, CA Echoplex
September 5th- Tempe, AZ The Clubhouse
September 6th- Tucson, AZ Solar Culture
September 8th- Austin, TX Mohawk*
September 9th- Dallas, TX Granada Theater*
September 11th- Pensacola, FL Sluggo’s*
September 12th- Gainseville, FL Common Grounds*
September 13th- Miami, FL White Room*
September 14th- Orlando, FL The Social*
September 16th- Asheville, NC Grey Eagle*
September 17th- Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church*
September 18th- New York, NY Bowery Ballroom*
September 19th- Boston, MA Museum of Fine Arts
September 20th- Portland, ME Space Gallery
September 21st- Providence, RI Club Hell
September 22nd- Montreal, QC La Sala Rossa
September 25th- Cincinnati, OH Midpoint Music Festival
Septeber 26th- Chicago, IL Bottom Lounge#
September 27th- Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock#
September 29th- Denver, CO Hi- Dive
September 30th- Salt Lake City UT Kilby Court
October 2nd- Vancouver, BC Richard’s On Richard
October 3rd- Seattle, WA Vera Project
October 4th- Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom

% = w/ Tussle
* = w/ Mount Eerie
# = w/ Tobacco

Tags: Alopecia, anticon records, Ballroom, band members, black moth, contemplation, experimental rock, friend, grain of salt, hiccup, illicit activities, indie rock, josiah, minor setbacks, mix cd, mumps, publicist, they might be giants, time, Tour, tussle, vocal delivery, yoni