Features
Touring In Reverse
The new dates kick off September 6 at Belly Up Aspen in Colorado, and run through the first week of October. Highlights include stops at the House of Blues in Las Vegas (September 10), the Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles (September 13-14), the Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco (September 16), the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Ore. (September 20-21), Garrick Centre in Winnipeg, M.B. (September 26), The Starlite Room in Edmonton, A.B. (September 29), and Showbox At The Market in Seattle (October 4-6).
Joining Built to Spill for several sections of the tour is Camper Van Beethoven.
Tickets for all shows are available through Ticketmaster.
Reverse, which hit the streets last April, was Built to Spill’s first release in five years. In June, Warner Brothers, the band’s label, reissued the album in a limited edition vinyl version, along with two other albums, 1997’s Perfect From Now On and 1999’s Keep It Like A Secret.
The band, which now consists of founder Doug Martsch, bassist Brett Nelson, drummer Scott Plouf and guitarists Brett Nelson and Jim Roth, have been writing and recording tracks for a new album while on tour over the past year.
In July, Warner released two reggae-tinged tracks from the band, an original titled “They Got Away” and a cover of The Gladiators’ “Re-Arrange,” as both digital downloads and a 12″ vinyl single.
Martsch is quick to reassure fans that reggae is not necessarily the new direction Built To Spill is headed; the band just enjoys playing it.
“‘They Got Away’ came out of jamming,” Martsch said. “This one jam just took on a life of its own, it evolved over time. We were reluctant to do a reggae song, but we started to really like it.
“We just happened to stumble upon a reggae song that we couldn’t not do. I want to make sure that people don’t think we are becoming a reggae band. We play reggae because we love to play it.”