Click here for photos from this show in the QRO Concert Photo Gallery Click here for photos of We Barbarians at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY on June 30th, 2012 in the QRO Concert Photo Gallery Click here for photos of We Barbarians at CMJ 2011 in New York, NY in the QRO Concert Photo Gallery
Click here for QRO’s review of We Barbarians at WIRED Store in New York, NY on December 15th, 2010
Summer is over, and people have every reason to slow down. Weather-related calamities are hitting all over the world – even brushed up against the Big Apple (though the city proper kept its streak of impregnability to natural disasters, no matter Mayor Bloomberg’s warnings – NYC: No natural disasters, no UFO abductions…). It’s time to head back to school, head back to work (if you’ve got it), and otherwise put your head down. But new New Yorkers We Barbarians are only just getting started, and kicked off their September tour a day early at New York’s Mercury Lounge (QRO venue review) on Wednesday, August 31st.
Originally from Long Beach, California (and not the Long Beach in New York that was hit so hard by Hurricane Irene), We Barbarians have mostly gotten notice for touring/opening for bands you like, from Tokyo Police Club (QRO spotlight on) & Ra Ra Riot (QRO spotlight on) to, more recently, electro-pop hits Foster the People (QRO album review). But their September tour with ANR is much more of an equal billing (indeed, at 
Mercury ANR played before them – QRO photos), and the Barbarians have a new EP to boot (QRO review). The set at Mercury naturally saw all of the EP – including David Byrne/Brian Eno cover “Strange Overtones” – as well as new songs/the ones that’ll be on the LP. In addition to “Overtones”, the EP’s following “Chambray” and the title track, “Headspace”, stood out strong for their indie-grit. But there was also the bigger rock of “Spun Out” to open and “Release” to close, with evocative “Taking After” and expansive “Somewhere” one-two in the middle.
We Barbarians’ September tour takes them across the U.S. (and even into Canada), so don’t let the end of summer keep you from catching ‘em:
9/1/11 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
9/2/11 – Montreal, PQ, Canada – Casa del Popolo
9/3/11 – Toronto, ON, Canada – The Drake
9/5/11 – Detroit, MI – Lager House
9/6/11 – Grand Rapids, MI – Pyramid Scheme
9/7/11 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
9/9/11 – Urbana, IL – Canopy Club
9/10/11 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
9/12/11 – Seattle, WA – Crocodile
9/13/11 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
9/15/11 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill
9/16/11 – Fresno, CA – Audie’s Olympic
9/17/11 – Los Angeles, CA – The Satellite
9/20/11 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
