THE WILDHEARTS To Support THE DARKNESS In The U.S.

THE WILDHEARTS have been officially tapped to open for THE DARKNESS on their upcoming U.S. tour. As a result, many of the shows on THE WILDHEARTS' originally announced U.S. tour have had to be cancelled.

Commented THE WILDHEARTS frontman Ginger: "I apologize on behalf of the band and management for the cancellation of the forthcoming U.S. tour, in favor of continuing to tour with THE DARKNESS around the world. This DARKNESS tour means that we can reach more people, and that means coming back to headline USA a heck of a lot more in the future.

"When we put the band back together, the manifesto was always to make it as successful as it should have been first time around, and opportunities like this U.S. DARKNESS tour come along ONCE in a lifetime. We just COULDN'T say no, when they offered it to us. And the tour was offered the day of the Brit awards, just a few days ago.

"I know there are a lot of people that have bought plane tickets, concert tickets and spent weeks looking forward to seeing us on the co-headline tour with DRAGONS. All I can say to those people is that we will try to pay you back, and make it up to you in full, over the course of the next few years. We will help out with free guest tickets on the DARKNESS tour, where applicable (if you've spent a fucking fortune already then you deserve compensation),and try to make life comfortable for the true hardcore fans that were the first to buy tickets, etc, when we come back to play a proper headline tour. We will do everything we can to honor the dates already booked, until THE DARKNESS tour starts. Believe me when I say that this is as big of a surprise to us as it is to you, and I hope this doesn't lead to a mass exodus from the band's fanbase in U.S., although I do understand your disappointment.

"But the future is ours to build, and we can't build anything without moving a few things around. That is the way of change.

Once again I apologize, but have to ask the question, 'What would YOU have done in our position?'

"I hope you stick with us, because this looks likely to be the best chance to crack the U.S. that the band have ever had, and that has always been the wish of the American fans, as well as the band."

THE WILDHEARTS' revised U.S. schedule is as follows:

Headlining:

Mar. 19 - San Antonio, TX @ Sam's Burger Joint
Mar. 20 - Austin, TC @ Emo's Gearhead Records SXSW Showcase
Mar. 21 - New Orleans, LA @ The Circle Bar
Mar. 22 - Atlanta, GA @ E.A.R.L.
Mar. 23 - Charlotte, NC @ The Room
Mar. 24 - Baltimore, MD @ Otto Bar

Supporting THE DARKNESS:

Mar. 26 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave Bar
Mar. 27 - Chicago, IL @ The Vic
Mar. 28 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew's Hall
Mar. 30 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's Downunder
Mar. 31 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Laga
Apr. 02 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
Apr. 03 - Boston, MA @ Avalon Ballroom
Apr. 04 - Providence, RI @ Lupo's at the Strand
Apr. 06 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Apr. 08 - Atlanta, GA @ Cotton Club
Apr. 09 - New Orleans, LA @ The House of Blues
Apr. 11 - Houston, TX @ Engine Room
Apr. 12 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
Apr. 13 - Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
Apr. 15 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
Apr. 16 - Mission Beach, CA @ Canes Bar & Grill
Apr. 17 - Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre
Apr. 18 - Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre

In related news, several photos of SILVERGINGER 5 — the band formed by Ginger with former ELECTRIC BOYS frontman Conny Bloom — performing live at the Debaser in Stockholm, Sweden on February 17 (supporting THE WILDHEARTS) have been posted online at this location.