No Pussy Blues

Umlaut's e-mails, cell phone messages, and conversations with many Music Geek friends for the past 2 weeks has been dominated by this subject: Just when we all thought he had finally given up on touring the States, my songwriting hero Nick Cave and his magnificent side project Grinderman are actually doing a brief U.S. Tour in July... and 1/2 of the shows are in San Franfuckingcisco!! The Rock Godz work in mysterious ways.

• 07-24 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden (supporting White Stripes)
• 07-25 Chicago, IL – Metro
• 07-26 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
• 07-27 San Francisco, CA – Slim's

These are Cave's first Stateside shows of any kind in 4 years... and he's never played venues this small in San Francisco. Due to the significance of these gigs, the GAMH / Slim's posted the following statement:

The electrifying and much-ballyhooed Grinderman, the new quartet comprising Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Martyn P. Casey and Jim Sclavunos, has unexpectedly announced 2 SF appearances! (ALSO AT GAMH ON THUR. JULY 26.) These dates are guaranteed to be unforgettable brushes with the primal forces of rock as steered by one of the most iconic figures working in music today. The odds against Grinderman appearing on these shores in 2007 were very long indeed and no guess can be offered as to when another opportunity may present itself.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING TICKETING INFO... TICKETS ARE ON SALE SAT. JUNE 16 AT 10AM. THEY ARE ONLY BEING SOLD ONLINE THROUGH TICKETS.COM & WWWW.VIRTUOUS.COM

1) There is a two-ticket limit. 2) No hard tickets will be issued at the time of sale. 3) All ticket purchasers will have to present photo ID and the credit card used for purchase at will-call on the night of the show. 4) All purchasers must enter the venue immediately upon receipt of their tickets from the will-call window.

These policies have been put in place to restrict both scalper access and motivation so that we get the most tickets into actual fans’ hands at the reasonable price set. We hope that everyone will forgive the minor inconveniences associated with them in light of the greater good.

As expected, the show at the historic Great American sold out in less than a day. I'll see y'all at both shows! Who's buying me a drink? Discuss amongst yourselves.

I can't think of a better antithesis to the 40th Anniversary of The Summer of Love than Grinderman in San Francisco!! Fuck... that... Hippie Shit!