Andrew W.K.’s First Tour in Seven Years
The world is about to get infinitely louder and more positive in the coming months. No, I’m not talking about the presidential primaries or the (slim) possibility of a balanced budget. The news I bear is much better. Andrew W.K. is going on his first headlining tour in seven years. I’ll wait a second for you to catch your breath.
What’s even more exciting is the fact that W.K. will be playing cuts exclusively from his decade-old masterpiece, I Get Wet. Beginning on March 3, the most positive man in rock’n’roll will begin a tour promoting his best-selling album.
W.K. has always been an anomaly in music, but especially in the rock community. First, W.K.’s first album, I Get Wet, was initially met with confusion and disdain. Critics weren’t sure if W.K. was serious about the music he was releasing or if he was merely a product built by the industry. These reservations were valid. A spin of the album reveals an unstoppable barrage of pummeling drums, metallic riffs, hollered lyrics about positivity, and some of the most ridiculous, cathedral-size keyboard progressions in the history of modern rock music. Oh, and then there’s the “partying” that has to be dealt with.
There are three songs with “party” in the title, but every song on the album makes reference to partying in its lyrics. From this it’d seem fair to assume that W.K. was a madman throwing down drugs and alcohol every chance he got. Oddly enough, W.K. doesn’t even drink, nor does he do lines of blow at strip clubs. In most ways, at least in the confines of rock’n’roll, the man is a saint. His lyrics exude a uniquely positive charisma. Kind of like your goofy but loveable older brother.
In fact, W.K.’s positivity stretches outside of music, as he has taken time off to become a motivational speaker on college campuses (not a joke) and even appeared on the Fox News channel to discuss his speeches.
As time has passed, both audiences and critics have realized that W.K. is a genuine spirit that is far from a contrived persona of the industry. Whereas I Get Wet was loathed in its initial release, it has found an audience that has connected with it not only as a great record to throw on in virtually any situation, but as a mission statement of positivity in a world of self-loathing rock’n’roll.
If you haven’t had the great fortune of coming into contact with this near-perfect record (and, honestly, it’s near-perfect because every song sounds nearly the same), this new tour is a great opportunity. Below are the dates for the upcoming shows for I Get Wet. Oh, and my birthday is on March 7if you’re feeling generous enough to get me a gift.
March
3 - Vancouver, B.C. @ Venue
4 - Seattle, Wash. @ Showbox at the Market
5 - Portland, Ore. @ Wonder Ballroom
6 - San Francisco, Calif. @ Regency Ballroom
8 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Avalon
9 - Las Vegas, Nev. @ Body English
10 - Pomona, Calif. @ The Glass House
11 - Tempe, Ariz. @ The Marquee
13 - San Antonio, Texas @ White Rabbit
14-17 - Austin, Texas @ South by Southwest
18 - Houston, Texas @ Fitzgerald’s
20 - Denver, Colo. @ Bluebird
22 - Minneapolis, Minn. @ First Avenue
23 - Milwaukee, Wis. @ The Rave
24 - Detroit, Mich. @ St. Andrews Hall
25 - Chicago, Ill. @ Metro
26 - Cleveland, Ohio @ House of Blues
27 - Toronto, Ontario @ Phoenix
28 - Boston, Mass. @ Paradise
30 - Philadelphia Pa. @ Theatre of Living Arts
31 - Uncasville, Conn. @ Wolf Den
April
1 - Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
2 - New York, N.Y. @ Webster Hall
5 - Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade
6 - Orlando, Fla. @ Beacham Theater
7 - Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. @ Revolution
12 - London, U.K. @ Electric Ballroom
13 - Manchester, U.K. @ Club Academy
14 - Glasgow, U.K. @ Garage
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