Watsky to release new album and tour

Watsky officially announced plans to release his highly-anticipated album "Cardboard Castles" at iTunes and all major retailers on March 12. In anticipation, the emcee/poet/performer will drop the video for the album's lead single, "Strong As An Oak" on January 22 with more singles to follow leading up to the album's debut. "Cardboard Castles" marks the freshman release from Watsky's new label imprint, Steel Wool Entertainment/Welk Music Group/EMI), which he formed late last year on the heels of a triumphant 12 month run - highlighted by the release of his acclaimed free mixtape "Nothing Like The First Time" and subsequent sell-out first headlining tour of the same name; the 9-episode YouTube web-series "Watsky's Making an Album," which included behind the scenes and live videos from his tour; his critically lauded performances on the iconic "Rock The Bells" festival; and three standing-room-only performances at the historic Old Vic Tunnels in London during the summer Olympics. Adding to this excitement, Watsky is celebrating the release of his new album with performances at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX (3/10-3/17) and embarking upon the 27-city "Cardboard Castles" spring tour, featuringDumbfoundead. The tour kicks off in Tempe, AZ on March 8th and will cross the country with dates including the House of Blues in New Orleans (3/18), Irving Plaza in NYC (3/30) and Varsity Theater in Minneapolis (4/12)before a return to the West Coast for homecoming shows at The Fillmore in San Francisco (4/25) and the El Rey in Los Angeles (5/4).   Ticket presales start today viageorgewatsky.com/presale and do not including ticketing fees; the general public begins January 22 via georgewatsky.com/tour and livenation.com. "Cardboard Castles is about making what you can out of what you have available to you," says Watsky.  I believe that you can get to where you want using what you have in you and using what you have around you and this album is a reflection of that. Also, in March I'm going on another big as* tour and we're playing the mother-f'in Filmore, the Filmore, the Filmore -- my dream, bucket list venue in my hometown San Francisco." Watsky is an insightful lyricist and an electrifying live performer who seamlessly moves between rapping, melodies and spoken-word poetry. He broke into the industry with a starring role on HBO's Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry while still in college and performed at hundreds of universities across the country. In 2010 he released "Watsky" which peaked at #7 on the iTunes hip hop charts. The following year he debuted at the top of Billboard's Social 50 chart with the track "Pale Kid Raps Fast" and in the months that followed his fan base skyrocketed alongside his music. By the end of 2012 his music, videos, mixtapes and live performances amassed him a loyal fan base that have eagerly followed him from the social realm (100 + million viral views + 153k Facebook) to the live stage (two sold-out national tours, Rock the Bells, 3x performer at the Kennedy Center)and led to overwhelming critical recognition including two appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, a profile on Last Call with Carson Dalyand across-the-board media praise from the likes of XXL, Billboard and The Source.

Watsky "Cardboard Castles" Spring Tour Dates: 3/8 Tempe, AZ Club Red 3/10-3/17 Austin, TX SXSW Festival 3/18 New Orleans, LA House of Blues 3/20 Gainesville, FL High Dive 3/21 Orlando, FL Backbooth 3/22 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits 3/23 Atlanta, GA Greene Street 3/26 Washington, DC Howard Theatre 3/27 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Soundstage 3/28 Philadelphia, PA TLA 3/29 Northampton, MA Pearl Street 3/30 New York, NY Irving Plaza 4/1 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall 4/2 Burlington, VA Higher Ground 4/3 Montreal, QC Cabaret Underworld 4/5 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre 4/6 Buffalo, NY Soundlab 4/7 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop 4/8 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig 4/9 Chicago, IL Bottom Lounge 4/11 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon 4/12 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre 4/13 Iowa City, IA Blue Moose 4/14 Lawrence, KS Granada 4/17 Denver, CO Cervantes Otherside 4/19 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court 4/21 Portland, OR Branx 4/22 Vancouver, BC The Rio Theatre 4/23 Seattle, WA The Crocodile 4/25 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore 5/4 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Tour dates and additional information can be found at www.georgewatsky.com/tour.