// Joan Shelley \\ spring tour // 2020 \\

JOAN SHELLEY

Tour dates with Nathan Bowles & Euro tour with James Elkington //
Live recordings // Winter comfort // Bonnie "Prince" Billy album 

The winter hardening months are here, when the cold sneaks into the cracks of the house (and the cracks in myself).  Some folks gravitate towards cheering groups or bars to help keep the inner spark alive, but I find the snow and the short days are welcome excuses to stay in, to paint or draw and find ways to look the dark feeling (that is always there) in the face, to try to do something with it... build with it, to make melodies that wrap around it. 

That's how the song Electric Ursa came about. It was the first song Nathan and I wrote together (he - the music and I - the words/melody). We played it 6 years ago in the newly empty house of my father's, before it went up for sale. That video, filmed by our friend Stephen Kertis and recorded by Daniel Martin Moore, was the performance that ended up on the album of the same name. The lyrics describe the bear, the Ursa Major constellation, pawing fruitless through barren heavens. Why does this bring me comfort?

BUT SPRING WILL COME SOON ENOUGH

And we've got new shows to announce when it does.

First, a northeast run with Nathan Bowles, who will be opening the shows with his mesmerizing solo banjo as well as joining us on drums to form a trio. After that we're off to the U.K. and Benelux region with James Elkington opening who will be playing with us as well. 

SHOWS

Mar 14 • Red Bicycle Hall • Madison, IN • Tickets
Apr 26 • Mountain Stage @ Ohio University • Athens, OH • Tickets
Apr 29 • Ace of Cups • Columbus, OH %
Apr 30 • The Warhol • Pittsburgh, PA • Tickets %
May 1 • Ninth Ward • Buffalo, NY • Tickets %
May 2 • Auburn Public Theatre • Auburn, NY • Tickets %
May 3 • Higher Ground • Burlington, VT • Tickets %
May 6 • Press Room • Portsmouth, NH %
May 7 • One Longfellow Square • Portland, ME • Tickets %
May 8 • Columbus Theater • Providence, RI • Tickets %
May 9 • White Eagle Hall • Jersey City, NJ • Tickets %
May 10 • Sellersville Theater • Sellersville, PA • Tickets %

May 21 • Mono • Glasgow, UK • Tickets ^
May 22 • Gosforth Civic Theatre • Newcastle, UK • Tickets ^
May 23 • The King’s Arms • Manchester, UK • Tickets ^
May 24 • Brudnell Social Club • Leeds, UK • Tickets ^
May 25 • The Wardrobe Theatre • Bristol, UK ^
May 27 • Kings Place • London, UK • Tickets ^
May 28 • Hope & Ruin • Brighton, UK • Tickets ^
May 30 • De Roma • Antwerp, BE • Tickets ^
Jun 1 • Paradiso Upstairs • Amsterdam, NL • Tickets ^
Jun 2 • Merelyn • Nijmegen, NL • Tickets ^
Jun 4 • Primavera Sound • Barcelona, ES • Tickets 

% - w/ Nathan Bowles
^ - w/ James Elkington

For those who missed the Best Hands band on tour last fall, here are some recordings made at the end of the run in Ann Arbor, MI Live on Acoustic Cafe (music starts at 2:54, to skip some of the interview).

If you didn't catch it, the new Bonnie "Prince" Billy just came out in internet form on January 31st. "I Have Made a Place"  features myself singing harmony and Nathan Salsburg playing guitars.

Hope to see you all out there. As always, thanks for listening. 

Joan