Manchester trio the Doves will kick off an eleven city North American tour on June 3rd in Seattle, a day before the release of their second album, The Last Broadcast. Advance tickets are available online only at tickets.artistdirect.com/doves. Fellow Manchester band Elbow will open on all dates.

The Last Broadcast is the follow-up to the Doves' Mercury Music Prize nominated Lost Souls. Drummer Andy Williams promises the new album will have a somewhat lighter tone than its predecessor. "We hope people will hear more optimism in there," he says. "We can only write about what happens and what has happened has been good, so some of that is starting to shine through."

The record was produced by the Doves, Steve Osborne (Happy Mondays) and Max Heyes (Primal Scream, Paul Weller). The first U.S. run of the album will include four bonus tracks.

Doves tour dates:

6/3: Seattle, Graceland
6/5: San Francisco, Great American Music Hall
6/6: Los Angeles, Mayan Theater
6/10: Denver, Bluebird Theater
6/12: Minneapolis, Fine Line Music Café
6/13: Chicago, Vic Theater
6/15: Toronto, Palais Royale
6/16: Philadelphia, Theater of Living Arts
6/17: Boston, Axis
6/19: Washington, D.C., 9:30 Club
6/20: New York, Hammerstein Ballroom

CHRISTINA SARACENO
(May 1, 2002)