Titus Andronicus Ready To Rock On The Road

It’s a real tragedy: New Jersey’s own bearded indie-punk-folk act Titus Andronicus is set for the “Rockers On The Road” North American tour this fall. Support acts will be A Giant Dog and Happiness.

Photo: Jason Moore

"Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival," Empire Polo Club, Indio, Calif.

The routing has the group playing at the Rock and Roll Hotel Anniversary in Washington, D.C. Aug. 23 and kicking off the extended run of shows Sept. 8 in Jersey City, N.J. The band then plays a show at least every other day for the rest of the month. A few more dates close out the tour in October, the last of which are a pair of shows at Market Hotel in Brooklyn, N.Y., Oct. 7 and 8.

Titus Andronicus won’t be making it further west than Wisconsin or Texas this time around, and most of the tour is spread around the continental South, Midwest and then Northeast.

New fans may notice some of the band’s more gaudy elements first, specifically the epic beards and vocals that sometimes sound more like screaming. There is a lot going on beneath the surface though. The band is named after a particularly violent Shakespearean tragedy and many of its lyrical themes dwell on death, loss and the shortcomings of modern society.

The music draws from many influences, but one can hear progressive bands like Dinosaur Jr. blended with punk sounds. Titus Andronicus has a live album coming out soon, titled S+@DIUM ROCK: FIVE NIGHTS AT THE OPERA.

Here is the plan:

Sept. 8 – Jersey City, N.J., Monty Hall
Sept. 9 – Philadelphia, Pa., Theatre Of Living Arts
Sept. 11 – Richmond, Va., The Camel
Sept. 13 – Durham, N.C., The Pinhook
Sept. 14 – Asheville, N.C., The Mothlight
Sept. 15 – Nashville, Tenn., High Watt
Sept. 17 – Birmingham, Ala., Saturn
Sept. 18 – New Orleans, La., Gasa Gasa
Sept. 20 – San Antonio, Texas, The Paper Tiger
Sept. 21 – Austin, Texas, Barracuda
Sept. 22 – Dallas, Texas, The Loft
Sept. 23 – Norman, Okla., Opolis
Sept. 24 – Columbia, Mo., Rose Music Hall
Sept. 27 – Madison, Wis., High Noon Saloon
Sept. 28 – Chicago, Ill., Bottom Lounge
Sept. 29 – Detroit, Mich., The El Club
Sept. 30 – Toronto, Ontario, Lee’s Palace
Oct. 04 – Boston, Mass., Brighton Music Hall
Oct. 05 – Portsmouth, N.H., 3S Artspace
Oct. 06 – Rockville Centre, N.Y., Cannon’s Blackthorn
Oct. 07 – Brooklyn, N.Y., Market Hotel
Oct. 08 – Brooklyn, N.Y., Market Hotel

Tickets to these shows are mostly under $20. You can get more info at TitusAndronicus.net and the band’s Facebook page, but links will just send you to the venue websites, so you might want to check with venues for updates on tickets, or just be ready to pay at the door.