Youth Group to launch tour

YOUTH GROUP “DESTINED FOR HUGENESS” BAND TO PERFORM AT SXSW CONFIRMS U.S. TOUR WITH AQUEDUCT IN SUPPORT OF CASINO TWILIGHT DOGS

Youth Group – the widely-heralded Sydney-based rock outfit – will launch a five-week U.S. tour on March 9th in Portland Oregon. The extensive Stateside trek in support of its highly-praised third studio album, Casino Twilight Dogs (released by Epitaph on January 30, 2007), will wrap on April 15th in Chicago.

“Casino Twilight Dogs is that most welcome of albums: a great driving record that exquisitely soundtracks crushes and heartbreaks,” writes Spin this month in a rare four-star review. Elsewhere, USA Today asserted that frontman Toby Martin, “sings with a voice meant to break hearts.”

And Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield writes, “Youth Group are destined for hugeness,” adding, “they wield massive choruses, stadium-ready production and the keening vocals of Martin. He may sing like Chris Martin (no relation), but he’s singing better tormented-lover-boy rock ballads than Coldplay have managed in years.”

Produced by Wayne Connolly (Vines, You Am I), the follow up to 2005’s Skeleton Jar comes on the heels of a hugely successful support slot on Coldplay’s trek down under. The foursome’s February 2006 Australian #1 single – a cover of Alphaville’s “Forever Young” that is in tow on the new album – sold 90,000 copies and was also a staple on The O.C. last spring.

“Forever Young” also earned the band the honor of “Best Breakthrough Artist – Single” at the 2006 ARIA Awards ceremony in Sydney. Previous recipients of that honor include Jet, The Vines and The Avalanches. Tracked in Sydney in December 2005 and February 2006 and mixed in Los Angeles in April 2006, Casino Twilight Dogs debuted at #10 upon its Australian release last July.

Here are Youth Group’s upcoming U.S. dates:

3-9 Doug Fir Portland OR#
3-10 Crocodile Cafe Seattle WA#
3-12 Slim's San Francisco CA#
3-13 Spaceland Los Angeles CA#
3-14 Casbah San Diego CA#
3-15 Filter Austin TX*
3-16 Soho’s Austin TX*
3-17 Latitude 30 Austin TX*
3-20 Beta Bar Tallahassee FL +
3-21 AKA Lounge Orlando FL +
3-22 The Earl Atlanta GA+
3-23 Local 506 Chapel Hill NC+
3-24 Grey Eagle Asheville NC+
3-25 Exit Inn Nashville TN+
3-27 The High Tone Memphis TN+
3-28 Mojos Columbia MO+
3-30 Southgate House Newport KY+
3-31 The Billiken Club St. Louis MO+
4-1 Grog Shop Cleveland Heights OH+
4-5 Space Gallery Portland ME+
4-6 Middle East Club Cambridge MA+
4-7 Century Lounge Providence RI+
4-9 Maxwells Hoboken NJ+
4-10 Mercury Lounge New York NY+
4-11 North Star Bar Philadelphia PA+
4-13 Black Cat Washington DC+
4-14 Club Cafe Pittsburgh PA+
4-15 Magic Stick Detroit MI+
4-17 Empty Bottle Chicago IL+

# - Headlining
* - SXSW
+ - with Aqueduct