Because of the Times is probably one of the Kings’ best album, dating back to 2006, and is responsible for a little under half the set list on their North American Tour. Reinstated, these “Newly Born Fans” need to pick up their feet and start listening to some older LP’s. True, “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody” are well-written and solid hits, but this band just has way more to offer – Because of the Times does just that.

• “Knocked Up” – 7:10**
• “Charmer” – 2:57
• “On Call” – 3:21**
• “McFearless” – 3:09
• “Black Thumbnail” – 3:59
• “My Party” – 4:10
• “True Love Way” – 4:02
• “Ragoo” – 3:01
• “Fans” – 3:36**
• “The Runner” – 4:16
• “Trunk” – 3:57
• “Camaro” – 3:06
• “Arizona” – 4:50

**Even though all these songs are worth listening to, thrice, Knocked Up, Fans, and On Call have to be one of the band’s best offerings.

Check this out for yourself and hopefully their other older LP’s; maybe you won’t be as confused when you attend a KOL concert and only know the chorus to “Sex on Fire” and half of “Use Somebody”. Wake your mainstream asses up, America.

The Verdict? 6/5 Yeah, that’s a 6.

17 Angoulème, France – Garden Nef Party Festival

18 Germany – Melt! Festival

19 Southwold, UK – Latitude Festival

24 Cambridgeshire, UK – Secret Garden Festival

25 Dorset, UK – Camp Bestival

August

01 Jakarta, Indonesia – Bengkel Night Park

03 Melbourne, Australia – The Palace [SOLD OUT]

04 Melbourne, Australia – The Palace [SOLD OUT]

05 Sydney, Australia – Enmore Theatre [SOLD OUT]

07 Tokyo, Japan – Summersonic Festival Park

08 Osaka, Japan – Summersonic Festival Park

20 Switzerland – Lausanne For Noise Festival

21 Belgium – Pukkelpop Festival

22 Chelmsford, UK – V Festival

23 Staffordshire, UK – V Festival

September

13 Morrison, CO – Monolith Festival @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

16 Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre

25 Central Park, NYC – Rumsey Playfield [SOLD OUT]

26 Central Park, NYC – Rumsey Playfield

October

02 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Festival

13 Montpellier, France – Le Rockstore

14 Lyon, France – Le Transbordeur

15 Strasbourg, France – La Laiterie

16 Lille, France – L’Aeronef

17 Caen, France – Le Cargo

19 Paris, France – Zenith

20 Bordeaux, France – Rock School Barbey

21 Toulouse, France – Le Bikini

22 Nantes, France – L’Olympic

24 Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy 2

25 Glasgow, UK – Arches

26 Bristol, UK – O2 Academy

27 Manchester, UK – Academy 2

28 Brixton, London UK – O2 Academy

November

07 Stockholm, Sweden – Debaser Medis

08 Gothenburg, Sweden – Brew House

09 Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller

10 Copenhagen, Denmark – Vega

12 Hamburg, Germany – Hamburg Docks

13 Germany – Bielefeld Ringlokschuppen

14 Cologne, Germany – E-Werk

15 Munich, Germany – Munich Theaterfabrik

17 Stuttgart, Germany – Zapata

18 Frankfurt, Germany – Cocoon Club

19 Dortmund, Germany – FZW Eldoradio

20 Mannheim, Germany – Alte Feuerwache

21 Berlin, Germany – Huxleys

11 Helsinki, Finland – Tavastia

14 Berlin, Germany – Lido

15 Hohenfelden, Germany – Highland Festival

16 Hasselt, Belgium – Pukkelpop

17 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands – Lowlands Festival

19 Gent, Belgium – Democrazy

20 London, England – Kings College

22 Leeds, England – Leeds Festival

24 Reading, England – Reading Festival

September

26 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits

October

03 Brisbane, Australia – The Zoo

04 Melbourne, Australia – The Corner

07 Sydney, Australia – Oxford Art Gallery

22 Boston, MA – Paradise 24 Montreal, Quebec – Le National

25 Toronto, Ontario – Legendary Horseshoe Tavern

26 Ann Arbor, MI – The Blind Pig

28 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge

29 Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall Ballroom

30 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club

31 Grinnell, IA – Grinnell College

November

19 Vancouver, British Columbia – Richard’s on Richards

20 Seattle, WA – Neumos

21 Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater

22 San Francisco, CA – Bimbos 365 Club

23 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour

25 La Jolla, CA – The Loft

26 Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room

28 Telluride, CO – Sheridan Opera House

29 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater

December

03 Washington, DC – Sixth & I Synagogue

04 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church

05 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg

06 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg

23 Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club

24 Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club

25 Philadelphia, PA – Starlight Ballroom

27 Brooklyn, NY – McCarren Park Pool Party

28 Washington, Washington DC – 9:30 Club

29 Richmond, VA – The National

August 1

1 Chicago, IL – Double Door

2 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza

4 Montreal, QC – Osheaga Festival Musique et Arts

9 Osaka, Japan – Summersonic Festival

10 Tokyo, Japan – Summersonic Festival

13 Budapest, Hungary – Sziget – Óbudai Island

15 El Ejido, Almeria, Spain – Ola Festival

16 Hasselt – Kiewit, Belgium – Pukkelpop

17 Biddinghuizen, The Netherlands – Lowlands

22 Reading, UK – Reading Festival

23 Leeds, UK – Leeds Festival

September

6 Toronto, ON – Virgin Festival

13 Saratoga Springs, NY – SoCo Music Experience @ Saratoga Race Course (Free Show) ^

19 San Diego, CA – Street Scene 08

20 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl •

22 Phoenix, AZ – Dodge Theatre †

23 Albuquerque, NM – Kiva Auditorium †

25 El Paso, TX – Abraham Chaves Theatre †

27 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits

29 Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater †

30 Minneapolis, MN – Wilkins Auditorium †

October

2 Chicago, IL – Aragon †

3 Chicago, IL – Aragon †

November

5 Leeds, UK – Leeds Academy

6 Nottingham, UK – Rock City

7 Bristol, UK – Carling Academy Bristol

9 Glasgow, UK, Scotland – Barrowland Ballroom

10 Birmingham, UK – Carling Academy Birmingham

11 Manchester, UK – Manchester University

12 Paris, France – Olympia

16 Hamburg, Germany – U & G

18 Cologne, Germany – Live Music Hall

22 Berlin, Germany – Kesselhaus

24 Munich, Germany – Backstage (Werk)

27 London, UK – The Forum

28 London, UK – Shepherds Bush Empire

^ w/ Justice, Lotus, The Whigs, and other acts TBA

• w/ Beck, Spoon

† w/ Beck

08 Myslowice, Poland – OFF Festival

09 London, England – Field Day Festival

10 Leicester, England – Summer Sundae Weekender

October

07 Durham, NC – Carolina Theatre

08 Asheville, NC – Orange Peel

10 New York, NY – Roseland Ballroom

15 Paris, France – Elysee Montmarte

16 London, England – Koko

17 Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz 1

8 Rome, Italy – Circolo Degli Artisi

19 Berlin, Germany – Lido

20 Stockholm Sweden – Debaser Medis

21 Copenhagen, Denmark – Amager Bio

24 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant ^

25 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue

26 Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theatre ^

27 Chicago, IL – The Riviera ^

28 Toronto, Ontario – Queen Elizabeth Theatre

30 Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre

31 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory

November

01 Richmond, VA – The National

08 Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle

11 New Orleans, LA – Howlin Wolf

12 Houston, TX – Warehouse Liv

13 Austin, TX – 507 E. 6th Street

14 Dallas, TX – House of Blues Dallas

15 Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall

16 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre

17 Murray, UT – Murray Super Theatre

19 Seattle, WA – Showbox So Do •

20 Portland, OR – Roseland •

21 San Francisco, CA – Regency Center Grand Ballroom •

22 Los Angeles, CA – TBA •

^ w/ Sinkane • w/ HEALTH

21 Reno, NV – Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino

22 San Francisco, CA – Golden Gate Park Outside Lands Festival

24 Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater ^ 27 Victoria, British Columbia – Royal Theatre •

28 Vancouver, British Columbia – Orpheum Theatre • 30 Seattle, WA – Bumbershoot Festival

September

19 San Diego, CA – Street Scene Festival

20 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl †

22 Phoenix, AZ – Dodge Theater

23 Albuquerque, NM – Kiva Auditorium

25 El Paso, TX – Abraham Chavez Theatre

27 Austin, TX – Zilker Park (Austin City Limits Festival)

29 Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theatre

30 Minneapolis, MN – Wilkins Auditorium

October

02 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom

03 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom

^ w/ Cold War Kids

• w/ Band of Horses

† w/ Spoon, MGMT

Liverpool Academy – September 2nd
London Forum – September 3rd

Vetiver will be playing alongside The Shins for the following performances:

Atlanta, Georgia – Atlanta Civic Center (10/17/07)
Charleston, South Carolina – The Plex (10/18/07)
Raleigh, North Carolina – Raleigh Memorial Auditorium (10/19/07)
Norfolk, Virginia – The NorVa (10/20/07)
Columbia, Maryland – Merriwether Post Pavilion (10/22/07)
New York, NY – Terminal Five (10/23/07)
New York, NY – Terminal Five (10/24/07)

Ever since the release of their last single in March, The Sunshine Underground haven’t been up to much, or so it would seem. They were, however, planning on performing at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in the coming weeks, and it looks like this secret show will be a sort of warm-up for the band.

The show will be played on August 22 at the intimate Cockpit venue in Leeds, UK. If you can’t make the Leeds or Reading festivals, this would be a great concert to check out.

If I may make a small confession, I have never been to an indie live concert before, so I’m going to try to make an effort to see The Shins playing live. Hope to see you there!

-The Shins United States tour dates-:

Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater (8/30/2007)
Seattle, WA – Bumbershoot Festival (9/1/2007)
Chicago, IL – Download Festival (9/2/07)
Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theater (10/5/07)
Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl (10/6/07)
Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theater (10/7/07)
Phoenix, AZ – Mesa Amphitheater (10/9/07)
Albuquerque, NM – University of New Mexico / Pope Joy Hall (10/10/07)
Atlanta, GA – Atlantic Civic Theater (10/17/07)
Charlston, SC – The Plex (10/18/07)
Raleigh, NC – Raleigh Memorial Auditorium (10/19/2007)
Norfolk, VA – Norva (10/20/2007)
Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion (10/22/2007)
New York, NY – Terminal Five (10/23/2007)
New York, NY – Terminal Five (10/24/2007)
Las Vegas, NV – Vegoose Festival (10/27/2007)
Las Vegas, NV – The Joint (10/28/2007)