David Byrne backs new solo album with spring tour

David Byrne , best known as the frontman for Talking Heads , sets out on a solo tour this spring in support of his latest album.

The run kicks off in mid-May, and dates are confirmed through late June; more shows will be added, according to Byrne's website.

Byrne is backing his just-released solo set, "Grown Backwards," which hit stores on March 16. The album is his first for Nonesuch Records.

Byrne--who, in the past, wrote new material by "starting with improvised textures and grooves and later [added tunes]"--took a different approach with "Grown Backwards," according to a press release; this time around, he hummed melodies into a micro-cassette recorder and later unscrambled them to create songs.

The result is a 15-track set that features 11 original songs; two opera arias ("Un di Felice" from Verdi's La Traviata and "Au Fond Du Temple Saint" featuring Rufus Wainwright); a cover of the Lambchop song "The Man Who Loved Beer"; and the bonus track "Lazy," which is a rearranged version of a track that Byrne and X-Press 2 first released in 2002.

Byrne's website features streaming samples of all of the tracks on "Grown Backwards."

Joining Byrne on the album is longtime collaborator Mauro Refosco on percussion and mallet instruments, and Paul Frazier on bass. Others featured include the Tosca Strings from Austin, TX, and Carla Bley's jazz band, which plays on the cut "Empire."

Byrne co-produced "Grown Backwards" with Patrick Dillet.

Click here to read liveDaily's review of "Grown Backwards."

[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]
 tour dates and tickets
May 2004
12 - Buffalo, NY - SUNY Buffalo - Center for the Arts
13 - Pittsburgh, PA - Byham Theatre
15 - Ithaca NY - State Theater
16 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Bardavon
17 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone Casino Resort
18 - New London, CT - Garde Arts Center
20 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Hall
22 - Annapolis, MD - Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts
23 - Concord, NH - The Capitol Center for the Arts
25 - Montreal, Quebec - Place Des Arts - Maissoneuve Theatre
26 - Burlington, VT - Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
27 - Morristown, NJ - Community Theatre
29 - Tarrytown, NY - Tarrytown Music Hall
30 - Portland, ME - State Theater

June 2004
1-3 - Alexandria, VA - Birchmere
4 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre
6 - Northhampton, MA - Calvin Center
7 - Harrisburg, PA - Sunoco Performance Theater
8 - New York, NY - Carnegie Hall
11 - Athens, GA - The Georgia Theatre
13 - Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music Festival
15 - Ann Arbor, MI - Power Center for the Performing Arts
17 - Chicago, IL - Navy Pier - Skyline Stage
18 - Minneapolis, MN - Walker Arts Center - Outdoors
20 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater

 tour dates and tickets
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