Coming on the heels of last week’s contest announcement where we’re giving away a white label vinyl test-pressing of the new Afghan Whigs record Do to the Beast, out April 15 on Sup Pop Records (a day earlier in Europe), the band has dropped another single from the hotly anticipated release. “The Lottery” follows the spaghetti western tinged “Algiers” that debuted a little over a month ago.
Opening up with a guitar and hi-hat that sounds not-too-suspiciously – or surprisingly – like a cousin to Issac Haye’s “Theme from Shaft,” it quickly builds on the sonic jitters and becomes a full-blown exposition of frontman Greg Dulli’s psyche where he decries, “The lottery…the ritual/The consequence…the criminal.” What exactly is he gambling on in this instance? Who knows for sure, but chances are, it isn’t something good.
In addition to the new single, the Whigs have announced a slew of new dates overseas that follow a brief west coast swing, including both weekends of Coachella, before it hits Boston for an already sold out show at The Paradise.
Full dates are as follows:
Apr. 10 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy & Harriet’s
Apr. 11 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (SOLD OUT)
Apr. 14 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir (SOLD OUT)
Apr. 15 – Seattle, WA – Showbox Market
Apr. 17 – San Francisco, CA – Slim’s
Apr. 18 – Indio, CA – Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (SOLD OUT)
May 15 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl (SOLD OUT)
May 16 – Boston, MA – Paradise (SOLD OUT)
May 17 – Baltimore, MD – Otto Bar (SOLD OUT)
May 20 – Buenos Aires, AR – Teatro
May 22 – Sao Paulo, BR – Audio
May 23 – Porto Alegre, BR – Bar Opinao
May 25 – Santiago, CL – Amanda
Jun. 28 – Norrkoping, SE – Bravalla Festival
Jun. 29 – Oslo, NO – Rockerfeller
Jun. 30 – Copenhagen, DK – Amager Bio
Jul. 02 – Berlin, DE – C Club
Jul. 03 – Gdynia, PL – Opener Festival
Jul. 04 – Hradec Kralove, CZ – Rock For People
Jul. 05 – Sopron, HU – Volt Festival
Jul. 07 – Milan, IT – Magnolia
Jul. 11 – Trencin, SK – Pohoda Festival
Jul. 13 – Bruges, BE – Cactus Festival
Jul. 14 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
Jul. 15 – London, UK – Electric Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
Jul. 17 – Manchester, UK – Cathedral
Jul. 18 – Glasgow, UK – O2 ABC
Jul. 19 – Suffolk, UK – Latitude Festival