Torontos very own classically trained indie virtuoso Laura Barrett is packing up her gear and heading cross-country. And lucky for Barrett, her instrument of choice, the kalimba or "thumb piano takes up little space in a suitcase. Starting this Friday, May 16, Barretts trek kicks off in Vancouver, crisscrosses in and out of the States and Canada, and lands her back home in Ontario June 8.
The tour follows her Paper Bag Records debut Earth Sciences and comes in anticipation of her upcoming, yet-to-be-named full-length, which according to the label, will be out late this summer.
And while the tour comes with 12 dates attached, including one with Balkan indie poppers Beirut, she has previously showed some shyness about taking her show on the road.
"Wandering around the world, or the country, and singing songs to people still feels like a really strange concept to me, Barrett told Exclaim! in a recent interview. "To actually consider, Oh, Im a musician. Oh, Im a songwriter! ... Music is integral to my life and yet I didnt really see myself performing my own songs in front of people. Its still a bit of a weird mind trip.
Here are Laura Barretts tour dates, one which involves playing a hot dog shack in Calgary. Now, thats rocknroll.
5/16 Vancouver BC, Blim *
5/18 Victoria BC, Cama's Collective Bookshop
5/22 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom ^
5/23 Calgary AB, Palomino #
5/24 Calgary AB, Tubby Dog
5/25 Edmonton AB, The Artery
5/26 Saskatoon SK, Little Pictures Art Preserve
5/28 Winnipeg MB, Candor Books
5/30 Madison WI, Project Lodge $
6/02 Ypsilanti MI, Dream Land Theatre
6/04 New York,NY, Knitting Factory %
6/08 Sarnia ON, Sarnia Art Walk TBD
* with Wintermitts
^ with Beirut
# with Beija Flor
$ with Great White Jenkins
% with Jason Trachtenburg and WS Burn
The tour follows her Paper Bag Records debut Earth Sciences and comes in anticipation of her upcoming, yet-to-be-named full-length, which according to the label, will be out late this summer.
And while the tour comes with 12 dates attached, including one with Balkan indie poppers Beirut, she has previously showed some shyness about taking her show on the road.
"Wandering around the world, or the country, and singing songs to people still feels like a really strange concept to me, Barrett told Exclaim! in a recent interview. "To actually consider, Oh, Im a musician. Oh, Im a songwriter! ... Music is integral to my life and yet I didnt really see myself performing my own songs in front of people. Its still a bit of a weird mind trip.
Here are Laura Barretts tour dates, one which involves playing a hot dog shack in Calgary. Now, thats rocknroll.
5/16 Vancouver BC, Blim *
5/18 Victoria BC, Cama's Collective Bookshop
5/22 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom ^
5/23 Calgary AB, Palomino #
5/24 Calgary AB, Tubby Dog
5/25 Edmonton AB, The Artery
5/26 Saskatoon SK, Little Pictures Art Preserve
5/28 Winnipeg MB, Candor Books
5/30 Madison WI, Project Lodge $
6/02 Ypsilanti MI, Dream Land Theatre
6/04 New York,NY, Knitting Factory %
6/08 Sarnia ON, Sarnia Art Walk TBD
* with Wintermitts
^ with Beirut
# with Beija Flor
$ with Great White Jenkins
% with Jason Trachtenburg and WS Burn