Smog's Bill Callahan will hit the road this summer, beginning with a lengthy tour of Europe that begins June 9 in London before heading back to North America. The artist will be supporting his new album, "A River Ain't Too Much To Love," released Tuesday via Drag City.
"People who come to a show like [mine] probably listen to a lot of music," Callahan tells Billboard.com of playing for European audiences. "It helped when I put a lyric sheet with [1997's] 'The Doctor Came at Dawn.' When I went to Europe people were so happy; it helps them so much to be able to read it."
He is also excited to bring the new material to life in a live setting. "People might have an idea about what Smog is but I think this record is completely different," he says. "I think it needs to be heard. I hate to use autobiographical as a word, but this one feels like its coming more from me."
Usually, Smog songs are recorded first and then debuted live, allowing them to "end up in a different place" two months down the road. But this time around, Callahan played 10 West Coast shows before going into the studio, backed by bassist Connie Lovatt and drummer Jim White.
"Usually when I record, everything is uncertain because no one has heard anything but me," Callahan says. "Then, we go into then studio and just work it out, which brings a certain energy. But this is the first record when I actually listen to and say 'that's me.'"
Callahan's backing band on the upcoming dates will include White, Colleen Burke of We Ragazzi on bass and Jason Dezember on guitar. White Magic, Espers and Feathers will support on various North American bills.
Here are Smog's tour dates:
June 6: Austin, Texas (Waterloo Records)
June 9: London (Islington Academy)
June 10: Manchester, England (Roadhouse)
June 11: Dublin (Whelan's)
June 12: Belfast (The Limelight)
June 13: Galway, Ireland (Roisin Dubh)
June 15: Leicester, England (Music Cafe)
June 16: Glasgow (Mono)
June 17: Edinburgh (Cabaret Voltaire)
June 18: Leeds, England (Faversham)
June 19: Bristol, England (Trinity Arts Theatre)
June 22: Utrecht, Holland (Tivoli de Helling)
June 23: Cologne, Germany (Gebaude 9)
June 24: Paris (Le Maroquinerie)
June 29: Fribourg, Switzerland (Fri-son)
June 30: Schorndorf, Germany (Manufaktur)
July 1: Prague (Palac Akropolis)
July 2: Berlin (Postbahnhof)
July 3: Hamburg (Westwerk)
July 5: Malmo, Sweden (Accelerator Festival)
July 6: Gothenburg, Sweden (Accelerator Festival)
July 7: Stockholm (Accelerator Festival)
July 8: Oslo (John Dee)
July 10: Aarhus, Denmark (Voxhall)
July 11: Copenhagen (Lopp)
July 20: Brighton, England (Sallis Benney Theatre)
Aug. 1: Kansas City, Mo. (Grand Emporium)
Aug. 4: Chicago (Empty Bottle)
Aug. 5: Kalamazoo, Mich. (Kraftbrau)
Aug. 8: Toronto (Lee's Palace)
Aug. 10: Northampton, Mass. (Iron Horse Music Hall)
Aug. 11: Cambridge, Mass. (Middle East)
Aug. 13: Philadelphia (North Star Bar)
Aug. 14: Baltimore (Ottobar)
Aug. 17: Wilmington, N.C. (Soapbox Laundro-Lounge)
Aug. 18: Atlanta (the Earl)
Aug. 20: Louisville (Uncle Pleasant's)
Sept. 2: Austin, Texas (The Parish)
"People who come to a show like [mine] probably listen to a lot of music," Callahan tells Billboard.com of playing for European audiences. "It helped when I put a lyric sheet with [1997's] 'The Doctor Came at Dawn.' When I went to Europe people were so happy; it helps them so much to be able to read it."
He is also excited to bring the new material to life in a live setting. "People might have an idea about what Smog is but I think this record is completely different," he says. "I think it needs to be heard. I hate to use autobiographical as a word, but this one feels like its coming more from me."
Usually, Smog songs are recorded first and then debuted live, allowing them to "end up in a different place" two months down the road. But this time around, Callahan played 10 West Coast shows before going into the studio, backed by bassist Connie Lovatt and drummer Jim White.
"Usually when I record, everything is uncertain because no one has heard anything but me," Callahan says. "Then, we go into then studio and just work it out, which brings a certain energy. But this is the first record when I actually listen to and say 'that's me.'"
Callahan's backing band on the upcoming dates will include White, Colleen Burke of We Ragazzi on bass and Jason Dezember on guitar. White Magic, Espers and Feathers will support on various North American bills.
Here are Smog's tour dates:
June 6: Austin, Texas (Waterloo Records)
June 9: London (Islington Academy)
June 10: Manchester, England (Roadhouse)
June 11: Dublin (Whelan's)
June 12: Belfast (The Limelight)
June 13: Galway, Ireland (Roisin Dubh)
June 15: Leicester, England (Music Cafe)
June 16: Glasgow (Mono)
June 17: Edinburgh (Cabaret Voltaire)
June 18: Leeds, England (Faversham)
June 19: Bristol, England (Trinity Arts Theatre)
June 22: Utrecht, Holland (Tivoli de Helling)
June 23: Cologne, Germany (Gebaude 9)
June 24: Paris (Le Maroquinerie)
June 29: Fribourg, Switzerland (Fri-son)
June 30: Schorndorf, Germany (Manufaktur)
July 1: Prague (Palac Akropolis)
July 2: Berlin (Postbahnhof)
July 3: Hamburg (Westwerk)
July 5: Malmo, Sweden (Accelerator Festival)
July 6: Gothenburg, Sweden (Accelerator Festival)
July 7: Stockholm (Accelerator Festival)
July 8: Oslo (John Dee)
July 10: Aarhus, Denmark (Voxhall)
July 11: Copenhagen (Lopp)
July 20: Brighton, England (Sallis Benney Theatre)
Aug. 1: Kansas City, Mo. (Grand Emporium)
Aug. 4: Chicago (Empty Bottle)
Aug. 5: Kalamazoo, Mich. (Kraftbrau)
Aug. 8: Toronto (Lee's Palace)
Aug. 10: Northampton, Mass. (Iron Horse Music Hall)
Aug. 11: Cambridge, Mass. (Middle East)
Aug. 13: Philadelphia (North Star Bar)
Aug. 14: Baltimore (Ottobar)
Aug. 17: Wilmington, N.C. (Soapbox Laundro-Lounge)
Aug. 18: Atlanta (the Earl)
Aug. 20: Louisville (Uncle Pleasant's)
Sept. 2: Austin, Texas (The Parish)
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