This tour is supporting their new album, : ankoku butoh :, which was released on October 31, 2009 -- coinciding with the start of the : ankoku butoh : European Tour, which saw F&TM in their most ambitious theatrical undertaking yet, with a 9-person live line-up, featuring butoh/tribal fusion dancers, a full string quartet, and taiko drums, in addition to their usual rock set up. Banners, projected visuals and atmospheric staging only add to the otherworldly ambience of the show, leaving audiences spellbound. Beginning in the UK with the Whitby Gothic Weekend, the band received passionate reactions from fans all over the continent, resounding accolades from the European press, and even saw the band charting in the DAC (German Alternative Charts). The tour ended with a sold-out show in Madrid, Spain, showing the band at the top of their game. 2010: Happy New Year indeed -- on Monday, January 4th, Faith and the Muse’s : ankoku butoh : took 1 in the DAC album chart. F&TM are also due to appear at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig, Germany on May 23rd, which will be followed by another 5-week European tour in July that will see the band performing at the M’Era Luna festival in Germany and the Gothic Festival in Belgium, sharing the stage with the likes of Placebo, The Sisters of Mercy and Nina Hagen.

FAITH AND THE MUSE

Faith And The Muse is Monica Richards and William Faith. Well-known and widely respected in the Underground community, Faith And The Muse have already made their indelible mark on Independent music and culture.They have been called “an art band with a pop sensibility”; refusing to conform to current fads in music.

Based in Los Angeles, Faith And The Muse came together in 1993 with the intention of taking music to new extremes; both being established veterans in Underground music. William Faith played with such cult icons as Christian Death and Shadow Project; Monica Richards, who got her start in music fronting Washington harDCore punk bands in the early 1980’s, made a name for herself in the post-punk outfit, Strange Boutique.

With the release of 6 albums, along with extensive touring throughout the U.S. and Europe over the last fifteen years, the band has managed to gain the attention of a vast assortment of music fans, owing to their constantly evolving sound: undefineable but unmistakeable.

In 2009, Faith and the Muse began work on their first studio album in 6 years. Never ones to repeat themselves, the band decided once again to take things in a new direction -- in this case, east.

: ankoku butoh :, Japanese for "Dance of Utter Despair," is an eclectic blend of substance and shadow, statement and notion; meaningful music for meaningless times. Faith and the Muse collected various elements of Japanese culture: from the reverence for nature of Shinto and the martial discipline of taiko, to the classic legends of the Yurei and the solemn vow of bushido, Faith and Richards created an entire world within which to share a message: that true wisdom lies within the natural world, and that true strength lies in one another. : ankoku butoh : -- a beacon of empowerment; a modern parable.

Sonically, : ankoku butoh : continues in the F&TM tradition of breaking new ground. From the opening choral strains of "The Woman of the Snow," to the punk shadow of "Blessed," from the tribal taiko fury of "Battle Hymn," to the spectral ambience of "She Waits by the Well," the album covers a lot of new territory in typically grand F&TM fashion.

Not content to simply release a new audio album, : ankoku butoh : includes a DVD, with videos for the album tracks "Battle Hymn" and "Blessed," as well as an interview with Faith and Richards, a full live concert film, rarities and extras, as well a visually stunning 30-page book, with exclusive photos, graphics, lyrics, poetry and liner notes. Packaged in a 6-panel digipack, all held inside a beautiful slipcase, : ankoku butoh : is a unique offering in this age of devalued download culture.

: ankoku butoh : was released on October 31, 2009 -- coinciding with the start of the : ankoku butoh : European Tour. Beginning in the UK with the Whitby Gothic Weekend, any concerns about the 6-year absence of the band were immediately put to rest, as the band received passionate reactions from fans all over the continent, resounding accolades from the European press, and even saw the band charting in the DAC (German Alternative Charts). The tour ended with a sold-out show in Madrid, Spain, showing the band at the top of their game.

On Monday, January 4th, Faith and the Muse's : ankoku butoh : took #1 in the DAC album chart, remaining in the chart for 8 weeks, and at #1 for a full month. Happy New Year indeed...

Faith And The Muse are now in preparation for a 6-week North American tour beginning in April; this will be followed by another 5-week European tour in July, which will see the band performing at the M'era Luna festival in Germany and the Gothic Festival in Belgium among others, sharing the stage with the likes of Placebo, The Sisters of Mercy, VNV Nation, Clan of Xymox and many others.

Faith and the Muse from Hollywood, CA

With Guest DJ:   Scary Lady Sarah  MySpace Web Site

Opening the Show Will Be: 

A View so Cruel

 UTO

Ludwyg

Queue-Up

*** Tickets Now Available @ The Chamber and The Phantasy Nite Club ***

*** Limited Pre Sale tickets still available***