The New Cities UK Tour
Friday 22nd of January 2010
Hailing from Trois-Rivières (that's "three rivers" to you and me), a small town halfway between Montreal and Quebec City, The New Cities are currently on tour in the UK. Blending the timeless tastiness of classic synth-pop to the intensity and dynamics of modern pop rock and the irrefutable rump mobilization of the recent dance-rock insurgence, The New Cities are primed to bring their own form of urban renewal to the music scene.
Influenced initially by Death From Above (1979) and the Faint, the band has since developed their own unique hybrid sound. After they released their eponymous EP they hooked up with Greig Nori (Sum 41) who produced their debut album, Lost In City Lights, due for release later this year. The whole affair was mixed by Dave "Rave" Ogilvie, a man with Marilyn Manson, David Bowie, Skinny Puppy, Tool and Nine Inch Nails on his sprawling list of credits. "We were trying to find someone who could mix electronics and rock," says synth player Nick Denis. "Not everyone knows how to do that. This guy does."
The title track from the album, Lost In City Lights, has already been featured on "Gossip Girl" and The New Cities are already itching for what comes next. Their high-voltage live shows have already made a mark on the Canadian concert circuit, but the band's vision is wider than that. Denis reflects on the uncertainties of many of their fellow francophones in Quebec, even those who choose to sing in English. "There's a mentality where you don't feel like you can take it out of Quebec. You always feel like it's more of a dream than a possibility." No such limitations exist for The New Cities - "We made it really clear that we love to play in Canada, but it's always good to know you can go further."
The band has already made one visit to the UK, and are now on tour supporting Twenty Twenty, on the following dates:
January 2010:
- Thursday 21st - 02 Academy 2, Liverpool
- Friday 22nd - 02 Academy 2, Sheffield
- Saturday 23rd - 02 Academy, Newcastle
- Monday 25th - 02 ABC 2, Glasgow
- Tuesday 26th - 02 Academy 2, Birmingham
- Thursday 28th - 02 Academy, Oxford
- Saturday 30th - 02 Academy, Islington
February 2010:
- Monday 1st - CLWB Ifor Bach, Cardiff
- Tuesday 2nd - Roadhouse, Manchester
- Thursday 4th - Scopitone Club, Paris