Long the most restless and ambitious act in contemporary rock music, Titus Andronicus are set to cap off their most prolific and far-reaching era to date with the June 21 release of An Obelisk on Merge Records. These past two months have seen fans old and new bopping ecstatically to pre-release singles “(I Blame) Society” and “Tumult Around the World.” Today, the perennially unsatisfied rockers are not merely announcing the most punishing North American tour itinerary imaginable, but also sharing a piece of art the likes of which have been previously unseen by human eyes: the pilot episode of “prestige” situation comedy STACKS. Watch it today on Vulture, alongside an insightful interview, then tune in to the official Titus Andronicus YouTube page at 9pm ET for “STACKS ON STACKS : The Official STACKS After-Show” during which Patrick Stickles and a panel of special guests will offer insights and answer your questions live.
Following in the hallowed tradition of comedian vehicles such as Maron, Crashing, and Seinfeld, STACKS follows a “day in the life” of a (semi)fictionalized version of Titus Andronicus singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles, as he attempts to navigate a “heightened” reality where the perils and pitfalls of the modern music industry take on nightmarish proportions. As Stickles (the titular protagonist of STACKS) tangles with a media out for his blood and a record company swiftly losing patience, fans will be treated to previously unreleased An Obelisk tracks “Just Like Ringing a Bell” and “Troubleman Unlimited” via seamlessly integrated musical sequences unknown since the halcyon days of The Monkees.
STACKS is the latest peak of the longstanding collaboration between Stickles and director Ray Concepcion, the still-fresh fruits of which have previously included such seminal works as “The Magic Morning” and “A Productive Cough : The Documentary.” With STACKS, the combination of Concepcion’s inimitable visual style and Stickles’ flair for sardonic satire has created a 36-minute viewing experience unlike anything else in the contemporary cultural landscape.
“What a blessing for a guy like me to be the beneficiary of Ray Concepcion’s inestimable talents,” Stickles gushed in a rare moment of gratitude. “Where once my capricious whims would vanish into the ether immediately following their conception, I can now turn to my trusted ally so that they might be actualized into vibrant life. I will forever celebrate and cherish the man with the golden eye.”
Dazzled television executives eager to throw series orders at this dynamic duo will have to wait as, beginning September 3, Titus Andronicus will embark on a positively heroic, 63-date North American tour, which will test the mettle of even these wizened road dogs. The indomitable rockers will leave no stone unturned as they courageously criss-cross the continent, undaunted by its vastness, defiantly laughing in the face of its many hazards.
“Wherever there are people who may be in need of the mystical healing properties of rock music, it is there that you will find us,” Stickles proclaimed, balling his trembling hand into a righteous fist. “If such people may be in North Dakota, we will go to North Dakota. If such people may be in South Dakota, we will go to South Dakota. The scent of their hunger hangs thick in the air, and we will chop at it like so much lumber, however crippling the consequences. This tour may break our bodies, but, by the power of rock, nothing will break our spirits.”
Find all 63 (SIXTY-THREE) dates of the Titus Andronicus Autumn 2019 Tour below (on sale Friday at noon local), watch the full pilot episode of STACKS now, and don’t be the last one on your block to pre-order the premier rock album of the year, An Obelisk, at the Merge store.
Titus Andronicus on tour:
Jun 21 Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade (Record Release Show) [SOLD OUT]
Jun 22 Fords, NJ – Vintage Vinyl (in-store)
Jul 23 Washington, DC – Comet Ping Pong [SOLD OUT]
Jul 26 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle (MRG30 Festival) [SOLD OUT]
Jul 27 Fredericksburg, VA – Fredericksburg All Ages
Jul 28 Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMOCA [SOLD OUT]
Sep 04 Pittsburgh, PA – Spirit Hall
Sep 05 Cleveland, OH – Now That’s Class
Sep 06 Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
Sep 07 Milwaukee, WI – X-Ray Arcade
Sep 08 Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
Sep 09 Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Music Hall
Sep 10 Sioux Falls, SD – Total Drag
Sep 11 Fargo, ND – Aquarium
Sep 13 Missoula, MT – VFW
Sep 14 Walla Walla, WA – Huichica Festival
Sep 15 Vancouver, BC – Imperial (Westward Music Festival)
Sep 16 Seattle, WA – Crocodile
Sep 18 Portland, OR – Polaris
Sep 20 Davis, CA – Odd Fellows Lodge
Sep 21 San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop
Sep 22 Felton, CA – Felton Music Hall
Sep 23 San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO Brew
Sep 25 Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg Theater
Sep 26 Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction
Sep 27 San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
Sep 28 Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge
Sep 29 Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot
Oct 01 Denver, CO – Globe Hall
Oct 02 Omaha, NE – Waiting Room
Oct 03 Iowa City, IA – Gabe’s
Oct 04 St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
Oct 05 Indianapolis, IN – Hoosier Dome
Oct 06 Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups
Oct 07 Morgantown, WV – Pleasant Street
Oct 09 Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
Oct 10 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
Oct 11 Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Park Brewery
Oct 12 Jersey City, NJ – Monty Hall
Oct 22 Providence, RI – AS220
Oct 23 Easthampton, MA – Flywheel
Oct 24 Boston, MA – ONCE Ballroom
Oct 25 Portsmouth, NH – Press Room
Oct 26 Burlington, VT – ArtsRiot
Oct 27 Montreal, QC – L’Escogriffe
Oct 28 Ottawa, ON – 27 Club
Oct 30 Toronto, ON – Mod Club
Oct 31 Detroit, MI – Deluxx Fluxx
Nov 01 Louisville, KY – Odeon
Nov 02 Nashville, TN – Drkmttr
Nov 03 Hot Springs, AR – Low Key Arts
Nov 05 Dallas, TX – Club Dada
Nov 06 Austin, TX – Barracuda
Nov 07 Houston, TX – Satellite
Nov 08 New Orleans, LA – Santos Party House
Nov 09 Mobile, AL – Alabama Music Box
Nov 11 Miami, FL – Churchill’s
Nov 12 Tampa, FL – Crowbar
Nov 13 Orlando, FL – Will’s Pub
Nov 14 Gainesville, FL – High Dive
Nov 15 Atlanta, GA – The Earl
Nov 16 Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club
Nov 17 Greensville, SC – Radio Room
Nov 18 Asheville, NC – The Mothlight
Nov 19 Durham, NC – The Pinhook
Nov 20 Richmond, VA – The Camel
Nov 21 Washington, DC – Black Cat
Nov 22 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
Nov 23 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
Photo credit: Ray Concepcion
