Nicole Atkins and Jim Sclavunos' UK tour is starting soon

Following the release of their new single “Strange Weather”, Nicole Atkins and Jim Sclavunos will be singing their way across the UK from May 30th - June 11th:

30/05: Edinburgh, UK - Voodoo Rooms
31/05: Glasgow, UK - Broadcast
01/06: Newcastle, UK - The Cluny
02/06: London, UK - Omeara
03/06: Euston, UK - Red Rooster Festival
05/06: Portsmouth, UK - Wedgewood Rooms
06/06: Brighton, UK - Komedia
07/06: Manchester, UK - YES
08/06: Birmingham, UK - Kitchen Garden Cafe
10/06: Cardiff, UK - Clwb Ifor Bach
11/06: Chester, UK - St Mary Creative Space

A study in contrasts, Nicole Atkins and Jim Sclavunos make music that is a perfect synthesis of their eclectic tastes and backgrounds. With uptempo krautrock grooves sitting alongside deconstructed sambas, space-rock confessionals and wistful ballads, the pair’s songs evoke thumbnail intimacies in vast empty spaces.

“I think our music sounds like heavy ancient books thrown down to the gutter by gods during a hurricane — in slow motion,” says Atkins. “Or psychedelic folk tunes written by lonely martians,” adds Sclavunos.

Having debuted at SXSW in 2019 and been invited to play at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion Festival the same year, both singers enjoyed unique and distinguished musical careers of their own before they began collaborating.

Starting out in NY’s famous No Wave scene playing bass with Teenage Jesus & The Jerks in 1978, Jim Sclavunos carved out a distinctive reputation for himself as a drummer. Recording with Sonic Youth and The Cramps before joining Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds in 1994, he also co-founded Grinderman and began his own solo project The Vanity Set. 

Nicole Atkins’ 2007 debut album Neptune City introduced the world to a charismatic performer and writer with a powerful, versatile voice of dramatic subtlety. A unique arranger, she released her latest record Italian Ice in 2020. Recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound with members of Swampers, the Bad Seeds, Dap Kings and Spoon, the album further established her as a genre-bending artist with a penchant for noir-ish sensuality. 

Against the freewheeling backdrop of their music, Nicole and Jim’s lyrics address the thorny emotional conflicts and complexities in relationships and the interplay of their voices infuses their songs with depth and humour. “I’m kind of like Nicole’s Darth Vader,” offers Jim. “And I’m his Yoda,” affirms Nicole.