NASHVILLE |DT: AUGUST 5, 2008
FR: LIBBY HENRY-COFFEY/KRISTINE ASHTON–MAGNUSON/CHELSI SCHRIVER
ANNOUNCE FALL U.S. DATES WITH
FLOGGING MOLLY
U.K. TOUR WITH LESS THAN JAKE ON TAP
SUMMER SONIC IN JAPAN SET FOR THIS WEEKEND
BEAT UNION is anything but DISCONNECTED, to borrow the title of the British band’s U.S. debut album, released this spring via indie label Science.
On tour all summer on the Vans Warped Tour, the band–which “combines youthful energy with an attentiveness to songcraft that is inspiring,” raved Outburn magazine (2008)–have announced a major nationwide U.S. tour supporting Flogging Molly. It gets underway September 15 in Sayreville, NJ at the Starland Ballroom with high profile shows on September 16 in Philadelphia (Electric Factory), September 24 in Dallas (House of Blues), September 25 in Houston (Verizon Wireless Theatre) and Anaheim, CA (House of Blues) and many more (see full itinerary below). After the Flogging Molly U.S. run, the Birmingham band will launch a U.K. trek with Less Than Jake beginning November 2.
As the band gears up for these upcoming tours, they'll take a break from performing on the Hurley.com stage on this summer's Vans Warped Tour this weekend for Japan's Summer Sonic festival, where they'll play alongside Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie, The Kooks, Sex Pistols, The Fratellis, Against Me!, MGMT, The Ting Tings and Santogold among others.
In video news, BEAT UNION are now streaming behind-the-scenes footage for their new single “Can’t Stop the Radio” exclusively on IMEEM.com. The clip includes interviews with the band and video director Nate Weaver. To view the clip, visit: http://www.imeem.com/beatunion/video/TZV8iZei/cant_stop_the_radio_beat_union_behind_the_scenes_music_vi/. Imeem is a social network that enables users to discover, interact and express themselves with media, including music, video and photos, and form connections based on shared tastes and interests. To watch the latest clips on BEAT UNION, visit their newly revamped YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/beatunion.
The group boast a strong U.K. following; their song "She Is The Gun" fired up to #5 on the BBC Radio 1 Chart, which prompted lead vocalist/guitarist for Goldfinger and top producer John Feldmann (Lostprophets, Story of the Year, Veronicas) to team up with the band for DISCONNECTED. The result is a seamless yet diverse and potent eleven-track debut that celebrates the past as it looks to the future with serious intent.
Check out some of the strong critical reaction for BEAT UNION:
“reggae guitars punched out Clash-style…"
–Chuck Eddy, RollingStone.com (7/17/08)
"Much like The Jam's Paul Weller before him, Warsop sings of the modern world over choppy guitar that often mimics drum patterns. What Beat Union does best is draw upon the sound of the UK from the late 1970s and early 1980s–something almost punk, certainly pop and definitely not pop-punk. On the standout tracks—‘Pressure Zone,’ ‘Dancing In Our Sleep,’ and ‘Don't Have Love’ in addition to the opening number–the band combines youthful energy with an attentiveness to songcraft that is inspiring and more modern than one might hear upon first listen."
–Liz Ohanesian, OUTBURN, May-August 2008
“[‘Pressure Zone’] The first single off the band's US debut, Disconnected (out April 22), is a new wave jam with old-school punk–think the Clash–influences.”
–Maxine Shen, NEW YORK POST, February 19, 2008
“This Birmingham, England-based quartet is inspired by post-punk pop-smiths like the Clash, Elvis Costello and The Jam, and its debut album Disconnected is full of retro-style upbeat pop, bristling ska-rhythms and dripping-with-attitude vocals from singer/guitarist Dave Warsop.”
—DAILY CAMERA (Boulder, CO), (3/31/08)
“Beat Union has managed to create a very fresh sounding release by infusing it with undertones of punk rock. Warsop has a coarseness in his voice that he fuses with upbeat melodies. The band appears to have a total discontent for the pressures of modern society and the technology that comes with it. Beat Union broaches this feeling of uneasiness on various levels throughout the release. This feeling of detachment from modernization is perhaps made most evident on the album's title track ‘Disconnected’. Warsop sings about feeling displaced from today's world and out of touch in a digital age. BEAT UNION has managed to take some very old ideas about change and its affect on music while expressing them in a fresh format. "Disconnected is done well, and the band's U.S. debut will be a successful one.”
–Lisa Schaeffer, THE WEEKENDER, (3/31/08)
Beat Union were kicking it at the Smart Punk stage with a great supply of tunage. They really rocked out and got a great reception. It was a better show and although they’re just as harmony-driven as Mayday Parade were during their showing, Beat Union had more adrenaline and great riffs."
— Francis.Petruziello, CLEVELAND LEADER (7/18/08)
“We stayed to see Beat Union, a band from the United Kingdom. The band's lyrics and melody were upbeat and catchy–the type of music to make you dance the night away.”
–Gillian Ludlow, FREELANCE STAR (Fredericksburg VA), (7/24/08)
“Forging remnants of the anti-establishment punk style of the Clash with the beats and progressions of true pop hits, the UK has produced Beat Union, yet another band worthy of world interest.”
—AUDIO MUFFIN (UK), (3/31/08)
“Beat Union are definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of The Clash or Elvis Costello. That’s not to say the band is stuck in the past. Their debut album is an exercise in modern day pop-punk. Vocalist Dave Warsop has the wonderful quirkiness in his voice that made Elvis Costello so enjoyable. It’s about time a band came out with a distinguishable singer. There is no mistaking Beat Union when you hear them. The band has some success with “Can’t Stop The Radio” which also featured as a hidden track on the album in a dub-influenced remix form. It’s pretty diverse sound that goes on. England has been hiding Beat Union for far too long. It’s no wonder they’ve been making so much noise across the pond.”
–Paul Thiens, AMPLIFIED MAGAZINE, (5/08)
| DATE | CITY | VENUE | |||
| Summer Sonic | |||||
| Sat | 8/9 | Tokyo, JAPAN | Chiba Marine Stadium | ||
| Sun | 8/10 | Osaka, JAPAN | Festival Grounds | ||
| Vans Warped Tour 2008 | |||||
| Wed | 8/13 | Fresno, CA | Save Mart Center | ||
| Thu | 8/14 | San Diego, CA | Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre | ||
| Fri | 8/15 | San Francisco, CA | Shoreline Amphitheatre | ||
| Sat | 8/16 | Sacramento, CA | Sleep Train Amphitheatre | ||
| Sun | 8/17 | Los Angeles, CA | Home Depot Center | ||
| U.S. Tour with Flogging Molly & The Loved Ones | |||||
| Mon | 9/15 | Sayreville, NJ | Starland Ballroom | ||
| Tue | 9/16 | Philadelphia, PA | The Electric Factory | ||
| Thu | 9/18 | Virginia Beach, VA | The Norva | ||
| Fri | 9/19 | Myrtle Beach, SC | House of Blues | ||
| Sat | 9/20 | Columbia, SC | Headliners | ||
| Sun | 9/21 | Charlotte, NC | Amos Southend | ||
| Tue | 9/23 | Baton Rouge, LA | Varsity Theatre | ||
| Wed | 9/24 | Dallas, TX | House of Blues | ||
| Thu | 9/25 | Houston, TX | Verizon Wireless Theatre | ||
| Sun | 9/28 | Alpine, CA | Viejas Concerts In The Park | ||
| Mon | 9/29 | Anaheim, CA | House of Blues | ||
| North American Tour with Flogging Molly | |||||
| Fri | 10/10 | Boise, ID | Knitting Factory | ||
| Sat | 10/11 | Portland, OR | Roseland Theatre | ||
| Sun | 10/12 | Pullman, WA | Comton Union Building Ballroom | ||
| Mon | 10/13 | Calgary, AB | MacEwan Hall | ||
| Tue | 10/14 | Vancouver, BC | Commodore Ballroom | ||
| United Kingdom Tour w/Less Than Jake | |||||
| Sun | 11/2 | Norwich | UEA | ||
| Mon | 11/3 | Northhampton | Roadmender | ||
| Tue | 11/4 | Swansea | Brangwyn Hall | ||
| Wed | 11/5 | Exeter | Great Hall | ||
| Thu | 11/6 | Bristol | Academy | ||
| Sat | 11/8 | Nottingham | Rock City | ||
| Sun | 11/9 | Birmingham | Academy | ||
| Mon | 11/10 | Southhampton | Guildhall | ||
| Tue | 11/11 | Oxford | Academy | ||
| Wed | 11/12 | London | Astoria | ||
| Sat | 11/15 | Leeds | Academy | ||
| Sun | 11/16 | Manchester | Academy | ||
| Mon | 11/17 | Newcastle | Northumbria University | ||
| Tue | 11/18 | Aberdeen | Moshulu | ||
| Wed | 11/19 | Glasgow | ABC | ||
For BEAT UNION publicity, contact:
Libby Henry-Coffey, (818) 380-0400 ext. 224 Lhenry@msopr.com
Kristine Ashton-Magnuson, (818) 380-0400 ext. 233 kashton@msopr.com
Chelsi Schriver (tour press) (818) 380-0400, ext. 231 cschriver@msopr.com
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BEAT UNION ANNOUNCE FALL U.S. DATES WITH FLOGGING MOLLY U.K. TOUR WITH LESS THAN JAKE ON TAP SUMMER SONIC IN JAPAN SET FOR THIS WEEKEND
