Nerdy American hippie folkie and unlikely pop star Darwin Deez (real name Darwin Smith) has already made quite a name for himself in Britain. Over the last 18 months, his happy, chirpy singles “Constellations” and “Radar Detector” (completely nonsensical video for the latter below) appeared on national radio playlists in the UK. You couldn’t avoid them if you tried. (To be honest, for a while I thought he was following me around as “Radar Detector,” playing loud and irksome on a club PA, interrupted a serious conversation I was trying to have with an English band back in October.) Fans over there can’t get enough of him it seems, quickly buying up tickets to see him on a NME Radar tour for up and coming acts in spring 2010, a headlining tour of the UK this past October, and another upcoming UK tour set to begin in late February 2011.
His self-titled debut album was released in the UK in mid-May 2010, but it will finally have a release here in the U.S. on February 22 on Lucky Number. A single, “Bad Day,” will arrive about a month prior, on January 18. Gearing up for this release, Darwin and his band will be going on an extensive tour stateside so Americans will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with his music. Catch him at a venue near you.
Tour Dates
Jan 13 – Great Scott / Allston, MA
Jan 14 – Bug Jar / Rochester, NY
Jan 15 – Beachland Tavern / Cleveland@
Jan 16 – Schubas / Chicago^
Jan 17 – 7th Street Entry / Minneapolis#
Jan 19 – Larimer Lounge / Denver*
Jan 21 – Kilby Court / Salt Lake City*
Jan 22 – Neurolux / Boise*
Jan 24 – Media Club / Vancouver*
Jan 25 – Vera Project / Seattle*
Jan 26 – Holocene / Portland*
Jan 28 – Hemlock Tavern / San Francisco*
Jan 29 – Satellite / Los Angeles&
Jan 31 – Loft at UCSD / San Diego&
Feb 01 – Solar Culture / Tucson&
Feb 03 – Emo’s / Austin&
Feb 04 – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs / Houston&
Feb 05 – Hailey’s / Denton, TX&
Feb 07 – Hi Tone Cafe / Memphis&
Feb 08 – End / Nashville&
Feb 09 – Spring Street Firehouse / Birmingham&
Feb 10 – Club Downunder / Tallahassee&
Feb 11 – Drunken Unicorn / Atlanta&
Feb 12 – Snug Harbor / Charlotte&
Feb 14 – Local 506 / Chapel Hill&
Feb 15 – Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar / Charlottesville, VA&
Feb 17 – Black Cat Backstage / Washington, DC&
Feb 18 – Kung Fu Necktie / Philadelphia&
Feb 19 – Bowery Ballroom / New York City&
^ with S. Carey and Sea of Bees
# with Fol Chen
* with Fol Chen and Friends
& with Friends
Darwin Deez: website | myspace
Photo: Pieter M. Van Hattem
