Matthew Sweet and his band join fellow influential ’80s psychedelic pop rockers The Dream Syndicate for an October West Coast tour; scroll down for complete dates. Sweet is touring for his current album release, Tomorrow’s Daughter. This co-billed tour will find the bands alternating the headlining slot each evening. Sweet’s current guitarist, Jason Victor, joins his classic rhythm section of Ric Menck (drums) and Paul Chastain (bass); he’ll also be filling the guitar position for The Dream Syndicate.
Both bands were based in Los Angeles in their respective heydays. Sweet is known for his power pop hits “Girlfriend, “Sick of Myself,” and “I’ve Been Waiting” among others, pairing catchy choruses and muscular guitar riffs with lyrics sprinkled with pop culture allusions and self-doubt.
The Dream Syndicate, featuring founder member Steve Wynn, became critical and fan favorites immediately with their debut full-length alternative rock album, The Days of Wine and Roses. They continue to deliver edgy, guitar-and-melody driven rock in their live shows and Wynn also records and tours as a solo artist and with his band, The Baseball Project.
Sweet is in the midst of a personal musical renaissance that’s seen him produce some of the most compelling and ambitious music of his career. Tomorrow’s Daughter is a return to the riff-heavy pop he’s known for with a memorable batch of new tunes. “I Belong to You,” “Run Away,” “Lady Frankenstein” and “Out of My Misery” demonstrate his uncanny ability to tap into a bottomless well of pop history to craft music that’s effortlessly catchy yet deeply personal and idiosyncratic.
Sweet is also releasing deluxe, two-LP vinyl editions of his classics Girlfriend, Altered Beast/Son Of Altered Beast and 100% Fun, each with extensive new liner notes, available for pre-order now. He also has a special Black Friday Record Store Day LP, Wicked System of Things, set for release on November 23, 2018 (record store day).
It’s creating new music that remains Matthew Sweet’s main concern, and he continues to do so with renewed intensity.
“This feels like a really good time for me, and I feel lucky and grateful to still be doing what I love to do,” Sweet says. “When I meet young people and they ask for advice about a career in music, I always say, ‘Do music because it’s what you love to do, and because you’d do it no matter what happens,'” he concludes. “I’ve tried to keep that attitude about it, because that’s always worked for me. I just try to keep doing my thing and keep believing.”
MATTHEW SWEET and THE DREAM SYNDICATE ON TOUR
* Matthew Sweet Band only
10/16 – Portland @ Wonder Ballroom
10/17 – Seattle @ The Neptune
10/19 – San Francisco @ The Fillmore
10/20 – Sacramento @ Harlow’s
10/21 – Los Angeles @ The Fonda
10/22 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up*