Bombadil Announces More U.S. Tour Dates
L-R: Stuart Robinson, Daniel Machalak, James Philips / Photo credit: Harry Taylor
Band Scheduled as the Music Guest on NPR’s Weekend Edition on Saturday, July 20
Armed with terrific media support in outlets like New York Times, NPR’s Weekend Edition, and No Depression, Bombadil has added more stops to its 2013 tour. The dates are in support of the band’s new album, Metrics of Affection, already getting some pretty stellar reviews, and set for release on Tuesday, July 23.
If you’re not familiar with Bombadil, Paste premiered the music video for Metrics of Affection‘s first radio track, “Escalators” ~ that will get you started, so check it out.
In addition, Bombadil is currently scheduled to be the music interview guest on NPR’s Weekend Edition this Saturday, July 20. Weekend Edition Saturday airs early Saturday morning, 8-10am ET ~ go to NPR’s Broadcast Schedule to find your station and airtime.
Bombadil is a North Carolina-based band whose music is a quirky, sophisticated twist on vintage pop, indie rock and alt/country, and are managed by the same team who manage the Avett Brothers. “…an indie record done right,” “…a combination of open-minded chamber folk and the bright and sunny pop music of the 1960s,” “…sounds like the folk/rock ‘Sgt. Pepper’s,'” and “…everything an indie record should be…” are just some of the comments from writers about Metrics of Affection.
“The Kinks and the Beatles would be a good touchstone for us,” the band’s James Philips told one journalist about the band’s influences. “But when people ask us about what our band sounds like, you’re not really allowed to say ‘the Beatles.'”
Bombadil ~ James Philips (drums), Stuart Robinson (piano, ukulele) and Daniel Michalak (bass, piano, harmonica) ~ have been sidelined for much of the past three years due to a debilitating nerve injury sustained by Michalak that affected the use of his hands. In 2009, Bombadil was gaining quite a bit of traction with the scheduled release of Tarpits and Canyonlands (“…the album that should have made them famous,” said one journalist), a quirky and dynamic live show, and slots on Bonnaroo, FloydFest, Shakori Hills, Pickathon and other festivals. But all that dissipated when Michalak’s condition deteriorated to the point where he was unable to feed himself, much less play 200 shows a year. By the time Tarpits and Canyonlands was released, Bombadil was already off the road and unable to tour.
Michalak spent the last couple of years searching for a cure, trying everything from acupuncture to orthopedists to neurologists to Rolfing, and his hands have improved to the point where he’s able to tour again. Bombadil, the band named after an obscure character in the Tolkien universe, whose music tells tales of loneliness, heartache, awkwardness, puppy love, suicide and murder-by-drowning, is back.
With more dates being added daily, the confirmed Bombadil itinerary is as follows:
JULY
19 The Fire, Philadelphia, PA (with Samantha Crain)
20 Iron Horse, Northampton, MA (with Samantha Crain)
21 T.T. The Bear’s Place, Cambridge, MA (with Samantha Crain)
23 Mercury Lounge, New York, NY (with Samantha Crain)
24 Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD (with Samantha Crain)
25 Sixth & I, Washington, D.C. (with Samantha Crain)
26 The Camel, Richmond, VA
27 Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh, NC (with Plume Giant)
AUGUST
15 Conundrum Music Hall, West Columbia, SC (with South Carolina Broadcasters)
16 The Radio Room, Greenville, SC (with Friendship & Those Lavendar Whales
17 Green Room, Athens, GA (with New Wives)
30 Krankies Coffee, Winston-Salem, NC (with River Whyless)
31 Satellite Bar and Lounge, Wilmington, NC (with River Whyless)
SEPTEMBER
2 The Pour House, Charleston, SC (with River Whyless)
14 Carolina Cultural Exchange Music Festival, Asheville, NC
17 Eddie’s Attic, Decatur, GA (with Black Prairie)
21 The Demo, St. Louis, MO (with David Wax Museum)
22 The Frequency, Madison, WI (with David Wax Museum)
25 Shank Hall, Milwaukee, WI (with David Wax Museum)
26 Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL (with David Wax Museum)
29 Canal Street Tavern, Dayton, OH (with David Wax Museum)
OCTOBER
1 Stuart’s Opera House, Nelsonville, OH (with David Wax Museum)
2 Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH (with David Wax Museum)
3 Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA (with David Wax Museum)