Richmond Fontaine announce UK / Irish Tour

Richmond Fontaine will be heading out on the road in support of their album “We Used to Think The Freeway Sounded Like a River” (décor records) this Feb and March. Lead singer and songwriter Willy Vlautin’s new book “Lean on Pete” will also be released on Faber & Faber Feb 4th and the band will also have a brand new limited edition live album recorded last December featuring tracks from their last two albums (title tbc) “We Used To Think The Freeway…” finished in UNCUTS top 50 albums of 2009 and was just released this Jan on vinyl.

The UK/Irish dates are as follows:
February
12 – Glasgow – Captain’s Rest (Willy Vlautin solo show)
25 – Brighton – Hanbury Ballroom 01273 325440
26 - Tingewick – Village Hall 01296-748-268
27 - Winchester – The Railway 08700 600 100
28 - Bury – The Met 0161 761 2216
March
1 - Cardiff – Clwb Ifor Bach 01633-256-261
2 - Bristol - The Tunnels 0870-4444-400 0870-44444444
3 - Leicester – The Musician 0116 251 0080
4 - London - Bush Hall 0844 847 1678
5 - Matlock Baths - The Fishpond 0115 947-5650
6 - Edinbugh – Cabaret Voltaire 0131 226-7010
7 - Aberdeen – The Tunnels 01224 - 642662
8 - Leeds - Brudnell Social Club 0113 -275 2411
10 – Galway – Roisin Dubh 091509960
12 – Belfast - No Alibis. 02890319601
13 – Dublin – Whelans 014780766



What they are saying about “We Used to Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River”:

4/5 Sunday Times, 7/10 NME, 4/5 Independent, 4/5 Daily Express 'Pretty much everything I've ever liked about guitar music…sounds perfect; now point me at the back catalogue' - Word 'A dreamy, reverb-laden masterpiece' - 5/5 Sunday Express 'Beautiful slices of Americana' - 4/5 Q 'Vlautin's gift for observational storytelling helps make this their finest record' - Mail On Sunday 'Raw, autobiographical brilliance' - 5/5 Uncut

About the books:
‘The comparisons with Steinbeck and Carver are richly deserved, yet Vlautin is a truly original voice. Lean On Pete is powerful, heartbreaking stuff. Just three novels in and Vlautin is already one of the best writers in America.’ Mark Billingham (English novelist) Described by Mojo as ‘one of America’s most fundamental artists in words and music’ Willy Vlautin is the author of two highly acclaimed novels, The Motel Life (2005) and Northline (2007) with film options on both novels in development with Guillermo Arriaga and Courtney Hunt respectively. An avid fan of horseracing, he can often be found writing behind a closed circuit monitor at Portland Meadows racetrack.

PRAISE FOR NORTHLINE:
‘Vlautin follows his excellent first novel The Motel Life with a raw tale of America’s underclass ... the cool clarity of Vlautin’s simple prose, perfectly listened-to dialogue and unsentimental realism hold reader gloom at bay ... All round Willy Vlautin is becoming one of America’s most fundamental artists in words and music.’ Mojo ‘Vlautin’s style shares something with Raymond Carver and even John Steinbeck in never using words for their own sake … His strength lies in his sympathy for those on the margins of American society ... it’s a pleasure to discover a songwriter who doesn’t assume he’s such a genius that his approach to writing lyrics can simply be transplanted into book-length fiction. Northline succeeds on many levels.’ Guardian

PRAISE FOR THE MOTEL LIFE:
‘A hugely compassionate, wildly original road movie of a novel ... The warm-hearted folksy balladeer proves he’s just as much at home on the printed page as he is behind a mic, with detailed yet understated drawings complementing the tale.’ Henry Sutton, Esquire ‘Not many people do anything similar over here, with the same sense of small town big-sky melancholy. So British readers looking for a shot of post-Beat generation blues should reach with confidence for Vlautin’s book. ... Serene and assured.’ Independent

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