Norma Jean Announce March Headline Tour Dates

UPDATED, January 27, 10:44am EST: New dates added.

Just the other day I was talking with someone about how Norma Jean’s 2013 album Wrongdoers may’ve been their best one yet. Sure, it may’ve had only trace elements of the hardcore roots present on Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child or O God, the Aftermath — or even Redeemer (my previous favorite NJ album) — but as I’ve said many, many times before in this space, I find it way more interesting and satisfying when bands develop and evolve over time rather than re-hash their past. Wrongdoers was a change for Norma Jean, in some ways a hard rock record more than a metal one, but if you’ve been following the band you know they’ve been gradually moving that way for some time now. Most importantly, it worked: every song is memorable.

All this is a roundabout way of saying I’m stoked to see that Norma Jean have announced a brief, two-week spring tour. Hmmm… seems as if there’s a gaping, three-day hole between Baton Rouge and San Antonio… right during SXSW…. wonder what that could be about??? <cough>

Dates below, and a stream of Wrongdoers too while we’re at it. For The Fallen Dreams, Sirens and Sailors, and Silent Planet will support — I’m sorry to say I don’t know a thing about any of those bands, but chime in below in the comments if you’ve got an opinion about them one way or the other. 

3/7 Columbus, OH @ Park Street Saloon
3/9 Milwaukee, WI @ The Metal Grill
3/10 Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
3/11 Ringgold, GA @ Cloud Springs Deli
3/12 Marietta, GA @ Swayze’s (no Norma Jean)
3/13 Lake Worth, FL @ Propoganda
3/14 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
3/15 Ocala, FL @ Omally’s Alley
3/16 Baton Rouge, LA @ The Spanish Moon
3/17 San Antonio, TX @ The Korova
3/18 Austin, TX @ SXSW (Norma Jean only)
3/19 San Antonio, TX @ The Korova (no S&S)
3/20 Houston, TX @ Walters
3/21 Grand Prairie, TX @ QuikTrip Park

[via Lambgoat]