Birds Of A Feather

New York gender-benders Antony & The Johnsons have embarked on a 34-date tour of North America and Europe that will have them on the road through mid-December. The group - which just won the prestigious Mercury Music Prize in London - will head down the West Coast and over to Boston before hitting Canada and the upper Midwest.

In keeping with the unique nature of the group, many tour stops are at unconventional venues like the San Diego Woman's Club and the Trinity St. Paul Centre in Toronto.

San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts and Boston's Paradise Rock Club are on the itinerary, which runs through October 7. Cocorosie will open on all North American dates.
After a two-week break, Antony & The Johnsons will fly to Spain for four dates before taking on the rest of Europe.

More than a dozen countries are on the Euro schedule, which includes familiar venues like Brussels' Ancienne Belgique and London's Shepherd's Bush Empire. The trip concludes December 11 in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Antony's haunting vocals have earned the admiration of Lou Reed, Boy George, Devendra Banhart and Rufus Wainwright, all of whom made guest appearances on the group's latest album, I Am A Bird Now.
"When I first heard ‘Cripple and the Starfish' [from the group's self-titled debut], I knew I was in the presence of an angel," Reed said. "His amazing band contributes to one extraordinary experience of musical wit, depth and most of all beauteous heart."

Reed was so impressed that he asked Antony to contribute to his 2003 album, The Raven, and subsequently took him on tour as part of his band.

The current outing is Antony & The Johnsons' second tour of the year with Cocorosie opening. This summer, the two acts sold out venues including New York City's 1,485-capacity Town Hall Theatre.

Cocorosie is supporting its sophomore effort, Noah's Ark, which dropped September 13 on Touch & Go.

source: pollstar