After releasing latest album Dream House, NYC indie star JW Francis hits the UK for a headline tour. The run of dates include a Manchester gig at Night and Day and a headline show at Liverpool’s Jimmys.
The gigs in Manchester and Liverpool are two of seven UK dates he is playing alongside a full band as part of a wider European tour.
Indie-rock, jangle, slacker, bedroom pop and softly-whirring psych combine to build his Dream House – the foundations held in earthy human emotion, with a roof in the clouds. Across 12 quirky, technicolour sonic vignettes, JW Francis showcases every side of his approach to guitar pop.
The album is built around a collection of tracks written for other people, taken from the valentines songs he writes on his fans’ behalf.
“Every year, about 6 weeks before Valentine’s Day, I make the following post on social media:” he explains,
‘If you send me the name of your Valentine, and the reason you love them, I’ll write a song for them on your behalf.’
“That is how ‘Dream House’ was born, 3 years ago. Over the past three years, I have received over 300 requests from fans to write songs for their loved ones. All of the songs on Dream House come from this project, some of them have been reworked to speak more to the artist’s life, others have remained exactly as they were first written. Ultimately, this is an album about caring for others, and the way we express it.”
When does JW Francis headline at Manchester’s Night and Day?
JW Francis headlines at Manchester’s Night and Day on 11 May. He headlines at Liverpool’s Jimmy’s on 5 May. The Manchester and Liverpool gigs are two of seven UK dates he is playing:
4 May – London, Oslo
5 May – Liverpool, Jimmy’s
6 May – Glasgow, The Hug & Pint
7 May – Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s
9 May – Newcastle, The Cluny 2
10 May – Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club
11 May – Manchester, Night And Day
Image of JW Francis courtesy Eva Pentel
