Beirut Return!

Being a big fan of Beirut, I was somewhat worried when last year's European Tour was cancelled. Zach Condon announced last April that the time had come for what Hunter S. Thompson would call 'an agonising reappraisal of the entire situation'. A letter was posted by Zach on the band's website which painted a bleak future:

"It's come time to change some things, reinvent some others, and come back at some point with a fresh perspective and batch of songs".

Well, contrary to the concerns of those more pessimistic amongst us, Beirut's return is now imminent. Less than a year on the band have scheduled some European dates in support of a forthcoming double EP. February 17th sees the release of 'March of the Zapotec' & 'Holland', both of which see Condon continue his geographically based musical journey. Where 'The Gulag Orkestar' showcased Balkan music & 'The Flying Club Cup' visited France, 'March of the Zapotec' takes in the world of Mexican funeral music (and is performed by a 19 piece Mexican band).

'Holland', on the other hand, is less straightforward. Though it's title might be the least ambiguous of Condon's records, the music is not, as one would expect, a collection of Dutch-inspired tunes. The songs are instead, according to Condon himself, along the "epic synth-pop" lines, while still containing Beirut's trademark heavy brass elements. This makes me excited.

One track from the latter EP has already surfaced online, and will give you an idea of what to expect (candid titles & minimal electro). My verdict is positive.

Beirut- My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille

The EPs will be released as one unit, appearing to be a split between Beirut & a band called Realpeople (though Realpeople is really just a pseudonym for Condon). What makes me (possibly) more excited than these EPs is the prospect of a European tour. Since TFCC Beirut have been firmly established as a band I must see live, and this tour may well be my oppertunity. No Irish dates on the cards (yet?), but a hop over to London for the Forum show doesn't seem too outlandish. Just let me speak to the good people at Visa...

Full Tour dates and bonus mp3 in the readmore.



Hamburg: Fabrik (May 3)
Amsterdam: Paradiso (May 5)
Brussels: Cirque Royal (May 6)
London: The Forum (May 8)
Minehead: All Tomorrow's Parties - The Fans Strike Back (May 9)
Paris: Bataclan (May 12)

Bonus Beirut related mp3 from one of 2009's up-and-comings:

Florence and the Machine- Postcards from Italy (Beirut cover)