When: 7.30pm on Saturday 2 March 2013
Where: Night & Day Cafe, 26 Oldham St, Manchester, M1 1JN

We’re delighted to be bringing back American Music Club’s Mark Eitzel – his first Manchester show in four years – with two excellent support artists!

Mark Eitzel’s new record, Don’t Be a Stranger, is released by Décor Records this autumn. After a string of bad luck that included a heart attack that set him back several months and the implosion of his band American Music Club, Mark Eitzel fortuitously found himself in the studio with celebrated producer Sheldon Gomberg (Rickie Lee Jones, Ron Sexsmith, Ben Harper), thanks to the generosity of a an old friend. The result is Eitzel’s finest solo album in over a decade.

Mark began writing and recording the songs that would become Don’t Be a Stranger in early 2010. Initially planned as the next American Music Club album, it quickly became evident that the new songs would work better as a solo album. He visited the UK for a few months to play the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival and to help launch Marine Parade, the musical he co-wrote with Simon Stephens, which premiered at the Brighton Festival and has gone on to be produced in Germany.

Then in May of 2011, Mark suffered a serious heart attack that kept him flat on his back and out of circulation until the following October, he had to seriously re-evaluate his lifestyle and habits and take a step back from the recording. Good luck suddenly appeared in the form of a friend who had just won the lottery and offered to fund his recording in a professional studio. Producer Sheldon Gomberg put together a band that included Attraction’s drummer Pete Thomas and American Music Club guitarist Vudi on a few songs, as well as a full string section and many Los Angeles musical luminaries. The collaboration between Mark and Sheldon had an organic sound resulting in a generous and beautiful record, about which Mark says, ‘I wanted to make an album more reminiscent of records like Harvest by Neil Young or Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake than anything I’ve previously done’.

Mark Eitzel has released over 15 albums of original material with his band American Music Club and as a solo artist. The Guardian has called him ‘America’s Greatest Living Lyricist‘ and Rolling Stone once gave him their Songwriter of the Year award. Originally formed in 1983, American Music Club released seven albums before breaking up in 1995 and finally reuniting in 2004 for two more albums.

Mark plans to tour Europe in early 2013 and the US later this year with his band Mark Eitzel’s Warm Gentle Rain. His live set consists of a mixture of songs from his rich catalogue, including selections from American Music Club as well as newer material. Mark’s touring band will consist of piano, bass, and drums in the classic lounge style, but he also plans to ‘bring the chaos’ in the form of his electric guitar. Renowned for his self-deprecating sense of humour, Mark’s live shows are always unique and unpredictable in the best possible way.

Tour support comes from Woodpigeon, led by Mark Andrew Hamilton. To date, Woodpigeon have released three studio albums, and a number of EPs to critical acclaim, and Hamilton has worked with over 70 collaborators both on record and in live performance. Live, Woodpigeon is often a solo project incorporating loops and layered vocals. The band’s sound has been compared to Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear, Camera Obscura, Simon & Garfunkel and Belle & Sebastian amongst others. Band leader Mark Hamilton’s main lyrical influence is The Kinks.

Local support comes from Butcher The Bar. Signed to Morr Music (Múm, Amiina, Telekinesis) they make subtle pop songs reminiscent of label-mates Seabear, but also of indie-pop greats such as The Lucksmiths. The band recently toured with Death Cab For Cutie, and last played for us with Allo Darlin’.

Book tickets now. Tickets are available from Common (no booking fee), Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange, Seetickets.com, WeGotTickets.com, Ticketline.co.uk and on 0871 220 0260.

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