One can only imagine the juggling skills required to keep a side-project and its parent act both in fine working order. Up to this point, Jonathan Meiburg, the keyboardist for Okkervil River and the front-man of its offshoot Shearwater, has done a pretty good job of this, but it seems he now needs to become a one-band man.
On Monday (May 12), Meiburg officially announced his departure from Okkervil River, saying he now needs to focus his energies on Shearwater, who on June 3 will release the bands new album, Rook, via Matador Records.
Shearwaters publicist has released the following statement: "Jonathan Meiburg, front-man for Shearwater, has announced that he is leaving Okkervil River to focus exclusively on Shearwater. Meiburg says the split is completely amicable, and that Shearwater has grown to the point that it excludes his further participation in Okkervil.
Meiburg himself added: "This is just a logical extension of the way things have been going since Palo Santo [Shearwaters 2006 full-length]. Shearwater's increasingly demanding schedule has meant that I've performed with Okkervil less and less over the past two years, and with Rook coming out in June, we all felt that it would be best if I completely disengaged from Okkervil rather than stretch myself too thin."
Along with Rook, Meiburg will have a pile of Shearwater live dates to keep him busy, with no word yet if Okkervil River plan to add a new member in his absence.
Here are those dates:
5/13 Minneapolis MN, 7th St Entry *
5/14 Fargo ND, Aquarium %
5/16 Seattle WA, Neumos *
5/17 Vancouver BC, Richard's on Richards *
5/18 Portland OR, Doug Fir Lounge *
5/19 San Francisco CA, The Independent *
5/20 West Hollywood CA, The Troubadour *
5/29 Austin TX, The Parish (performing Rook)
6/13 Atlanta GA, Earl
6/14 Chapel Hill NC, Local 506
6/15 Washington DC, Black Cat +
6/17 Philadelphia PA, Johnny Brenda's ^
6/19 Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg #
6/21 Danbury CT, Heirloom Arts Theatre #
6/22 Montreal QC, Lambi #
6/24 Chicago IL, The Mansion #
6/27 Fort Worth TX, Lola's
6/28 Austin TX Mohawk
* with Clinic
% with Heavenly States, Poison Control Center
+ with Cryptacize
^ with Centro-Matic
# with Frog Eyes, Evangelicals
On Monday (May 12), Meiburg officially announced his departure from Okkervil River, saying he now needs to focus his energies on Shearwater, who on June 3 will release the bands new album, Rook, via Matador Records.
Shearwaters publicist has released the following statement: "Jonathan Meiburg, front-man for Shearwater, has announced that he is leaving Okkervil River to focus exclusively on Shearwater. Meiburg says the split is completely amicable, and that Shearwater has grown to the point that it excludes his further participation in Okkervil.
Meiburg himself added: "This is just a logical extension of the way things have been going since Palo Santo [Shearwaters 2006 full-length]. Shearwater's increasingly demanding schedule has meant that I've performed with Okkervil less and less over the past two years, and with Rook coming out in June, we all felt that it would be best if I completely disengaged from Okkervil rather than stretch myself too thin."
Along with Rook, Meiburg will have a pile of Shearwater live dates to keep him busy, with no word yet if Okkervil River plan to add a new member in his absence.
Here are those dates:
5/13 Minneapolis MN, 7th St Entry *
5/14 Fargo ND, Aquarium %
5/16 Seattle WA, Neumos *
5/17 Vancouver BC, Richard's on Richards *
5/18 Portland OR, Doug Fir Lounge *
5/19 San Francisco CA, The Independent *
5/20 West Hollywood CA, The Troubadour *
5/29 Austin TX, The Parish (performing Rook)
6/13 Atlanta GA, Earl
6/14 Chapel Hill NC, Local 506
6/15 Washington DC, Black Cat +
6/17 Philadelphia PA, Johnny Brenda's ^
6/19 Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg #
6/21 Danbury CT, Heirloom Arts Theatre #
6/22 Montreal QC, Lambi #
6/24 Chicago IL, The Mansion #
6/27 Fort Worth TX, Lola's
6/28 Austin TX Mohawk
* with Clinic
% with Heavenly States, Poison Control Center
+ with Cryptacize
^ with Centro-Matic
# with Frog Eyes, Evangelicals