Violent Femmes will reinvent their classic catalog on a new live album called 2 Mics & The Truth: Unplugged & Unhinged in America that will be released next month ahead of the band’s eagerly anticipated co-headlining tour with Echo & The Bunnymen.
The live album, due out July 7, was recorded last year at public radio stations and music media outlets during the Femmes’ tour in support of their ninth studio album, We Can Do Aything. The songs find the original members Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie augmented by The Horns of Dilemma, the group’s longtime, revolving cast of backing players.
In a statement announcing the new live album, Ritchie says:
“This is the first time we’ve delivered a full scale recording to the public which captures the sound and spirit of the band the way we play together when we’re working out songs in the hotel or dressing room. This project refocuses attention upon the repertoire as a whole by stripping songs to their essentials, conveying them without artifice, and removing them from any timeline. It’s the closest we’ve gotten to the essence of Violent Femmes.”
The album will be released on CD, digital download and a double-vinyl set, the latter of which will include five additional songs. The Violent Femmes hit the road July 7 in Grand Rapids, Mich., beginning with three shows on their own, then embarking on a North American co-headlining tour with the Bunnymen that stretches from July 11 to Aug. 3.
See the live album’s tracklist and full tour dates below.
Tracklist: Violent Femmes, 2 Mics & The Truth: Unplugged & Unhinged in America
CD version
1. “Blister in the Sun” (Recorded at WXRV)
2. “I’m Nothing” (Recorded at PASTE)
3. “It’s Gonna Rain” (Recorded at PASTE)
4. “Breaking Up” (Recorded at WFUV)
5. “Good For/At Nothing” (Recorded at WFUV)
6. “American Music” (Recorded at KINK)
7. “Gone Daddy Gone/I Just Wanna Make Love To You” (Recorded at WXPN)
8. “I Could Be Anything” (Recorded at WFUV)
9. “Rejoice and Be Happy” (Recorded at KCMP)
10. “Add It Up” (Recorded at WFUV)
11. “You Move Me” (Recorded at WXPN)
12. “Issues” (Recorded at KCMP)
13. “Run With It” (Recorded at WFUV)
14. “Ugly” (Recorded at WXRV)
15. “Kiss Off” (Recorded at WXRV)
16. “Jesus Walking on the Water” (Recorded at WFUV)
17. “Prove My Love” (Recorded at WFUV)
18. “Country Death Song” (Recorded at WFUV)
20. “Untrue Love” (Recorded at PASTE)
Vinyl version
Side 1
1. “Blister in the Sun” (Recorded at WXRV)
2. “I’m Nothing” (Recorded at PASTE)
3. “It’s Gonna Rain” (Recorded at PASTE)
4. “Breaking Up” (Recorded at WFUV)
5. “Traveling Solves Everything: (Recorded at KINK)
6. “Good For/At Nothing” (Recorded at WFUV)
Side 2
1. “Memory” (Recorded at KINK)
2. “American Music” (Recorded at KINK)
3. “Gone Daddy Gone” (Recorded at WXPN)
4. “Love Love Love Love Love” (Recorded at KCMP)
5. “Big Car” (Recorded at WXPN)
6. “Untrue Love” (Recorded at PASTE)
Side 3
1. “I Could Be Anything” (Recorded at WFUV)
2. “Rejoice and Be Happy” (Recorded at KCMP)
3. “Add It Up” (Recorded at WFUV)
4. “No Killing” (Recorded at WYEP)
5. “You Move Me” (Recorded at WXPN)
6. “Run With It” (Recorded at WFUV)
Side 4
1. “Ugly” (Recorded at WXRV)
2. “Kiss Off” (Recorded at WXRV)
3. “Jesus Walking on the Water” (Recorded at WFUV)
4. “Prove My Love” (Recorded at WFUV)
5. “Country Death Song” (Recorded at WFUV)
6. “What You Really Mean” (Recorded at WXPN)
VIOLENT FEMMES AND THE HORNS OF DILEMMA
Gordon Gano: lead vocal, guitar, banjo, fiddle
Brian Ritchie: acoustic bass guitar, vocal
John Sparrow: BBQ, cajon, vocal
Blaise Garza: baritone sax, cabasa, vocal
Jeff Hamilton: mandolin, guitar, ukulele, vocal
Mike Kasprzak: percussion, vocals
Tony Trischka: banjo on “Add it Up” and “Country Death Song”
Dan Nosheny: tuba on “Gone Daddy Gone” and “You Move Me”
Billy Ficca: cajon on “Run With It”
Violent Femmes tour dates:
July 7: 20 Monroe Live, Grand Rapids, MI
July 8: Massey Hall, Toronto, ON
July 9: 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
Violent Femmes and Echo & The Bunnymen tour dates:
July 11: Skyline Stage at the Mann, Philadelphia, PA
July 12: Ford Ampitheater at Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY
July 14: Stone Pony Summerstage, Asbury Park, NJ
July 15: Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Boston, MA
July 17: Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA
July 18: Meadow Brook Ampitheatre, Detroit, MI
July 19: Express Live Outdoor Stage, Columbus, OH
July 21: BMO Harris Pavillion, Milwaukee, WI
July 23: Huntington Bank Pavilion, Chicago, IL
July 25: Crossroads KC, Kansas City, MO
July 26: Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO
July 29: Pacific Ampitheatre, Costa Mesa, CA
July 30: The Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA
Aug. 1: Oregon Zoo Ampitheatre, Portland, OR
Aug. 2: Woodland Park Zoo Ampitheatre, Seattle, WA
Aug. 3: PNE Ampitheatre, Vancouver, B.C.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Violent Femmes and Echo & The Bunnymen plot North American co-headlining tour
- Violent Femmes prep EP, debut ‘Love Love Love Love Love’ — first new song in 15 years
- Dresden Dolls’ Brian Vigilone replaces Victor DeLorenzo in reunited Violent Femmes
- Reunited Violent Femmes to play New York City’s Central Park in September
- Violent Femmes on Coachella reunion: ‘It will be a monstrous thing of beauty’
