State Champ Radio The New Pornographers have announced their first tour since 2024. The shows take place across the United States in April and May of next year. Support will come from Okkervil River’s Will Sheff. See the group’s tour schedule below.
The New Pornographers have not performed live since the arrest and dismissal of Joe Seiders—the drummer who is serving a three-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to felony possession of child pornography and misdemeanor counts of intent to invade privacy through use of a concealed camera, annoying minors, and attempted invasion of privacy via cameras.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone’s Jon Blistein, New Pornographers frontman A.C. Newman discussed the Seiders situation, the decision not to change the band’s name, and a forthcoming new album. “He had to be caught,” Newman said of his former bandmate. “It’s not a better alternate history where he doesn’t get caught and he’s still in the band. That’s the worst alternate history. It all had to happen.”
The group’s new album will follow 2023’s Continue as a Guest, and it was originally recorded with Seiders. Following his arrest and dismissal from the band, Newman got Charley Drayton to remake the drum parts. (Drayton will likely not tour with the New Pornographers, and they do not yet have a permanent drummer, according to Rolling Stone.) “Charley’s just one of the best drummers in the world, and I’m lucky that I knew him,” Newman said. “His longtime girlfriend and my wife are really good friends. I think a couple of days after it all happened, he said to my wife, ‘Tell Carl to call me. I’ll do it.’ And he’s such a big deal that I think I needed that.”
The New Pornographers:
04-22 Boston, MA – The Wilbur *
04-23 New York, NY – Webster Hall *
04-24 Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre *
04-25 Rochester, NY – Water Street Music Hall *
04-27 Detroit, MI – El Club *
04-29 Millvale, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre *
04-30 Cleveland, OH – House of Blues *
05-01 Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall *
05-02 Minneapolis, MN – The Fitzgerald Theater *
05-03 Chicago, IL – The Metro *
05-05 Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre *
05-06 Salt Lake City, UT – The Commonwealth Room *
05-08 Seattle, WA – The Showbox *
05-09 Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater *
05-11 San Francisco, CA – The Castro Theatre *
05-12 Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom *
05-13 Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom *
05-15 Austin, TX – Mohawk Outside *
05-16 Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater *
05-17 Baton Rouge, LA – Chelsea’s Live *
05-19 Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse *
05-20 Saxapahaw, NC – Haw River Ballroom *
05-21 Washington, D.C. – 9:30 Club *
* with Will Sheff
