Minus the Bear emerged as one of the 21st century’s most consistently solid indie bands, maintaining a steady touring schedule while putting out LP after LP of compelling, synth-heavy rock. Now, in a new interview with Stereogum, the band has announced they’ll be breaking up after 18 years together.
“I feel like we’ve accomplished what we’ve wanted to do,” guitarist Dave Knudson told Stereogum. “Sometimes it feels like a natural time to step away, and that’s what we’re doing right now as opposed to continuing on and maybe not having the same drive or enthusiasm that we once did. For all the fans that have seen and supported us, we won’t diminish that legacy or experience for them.”
Vocalist Jake Snider added, “Touring at 27 and touring at 42 is a totally different ball game. There’s so much stress on you. It’s hard to leave your family behind for weeks at a time — your wife with the kids.”
Accompanying the announcement is a two-month itinerary of tour dates, as well as the promise of a new, four-track EP, Fair Enough, which arrives on October 19th via Suicide Squeeze. Three of the EP’s tracks are leftovers from their 2017 sessions for VOIDS, while the fourth is a remix of VOIDS‘ standout “Invisible” from Now, Now member Brad Hale’s Sombear project. Below, give a listen to the title track, an atmospheric, melancholic cut that plays to many of the band’s strengths.
Minus the Bear’s farewell tour kicks off in Nashville on October 9th, and will sprawl across North America throughout November and December, when it will wrap up in the band’s native Seattle. See their full list of shows below, as well as the band’s official statement on the split.
Band statement:
Friends,
After almost two decades of writing and touring the world together, we have decided to close this chapter of our lives as Minus the Bear.
What started as a silly inside joke inside the dingy confines of Seattle’s original Cha Cha Lounge back in 2001 quickly snowballed into years of adventures, creativity, and friendship. We could have never predicted the wild journey about to begin. We’ve accomplished so much over the past 17 years, and we are grateful for the experience.
Undoubtedly we owe all of these adventures to you, our fans. Without all of you, the memories of traveling the world, exploring different cultures, and witnessing the delight of your beautiful faces singing along wouldn’t have been possible. Your support weathered us through storms that easily could have scuttled the band. Throughout the years, it’s you who kept us going. We cannot thank you enough.
This Autumn we head out on our final tour in support of our upcoming 4-song EP “Fair Enough” courtesy of Suicide Squeeze Records.
These final shows are a celebration for the community of fans who gave us so much through years of dedication. We’ll be digging deep in the MTB catalogue and we are honored for the opportunity to play our hearts out for you one last time.
Love,
Alex, Cory, Dave & Jake
Minus the Bear 2018 Tour Dates:
10/09 – Nashville, TN @ 3rd & Lindsley *
10/10 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle *
10/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade *
10/12 – St. Louis, MO @ Ready Room *
10/13 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman *
10/14 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room *
10/15 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre *
10/17 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues *
10/18 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall *
10/19 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre *
10/20 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall *
10/21 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre *
10/23 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre *
10/24 – Silver Springs, MD @ The Fillmore *
10/25 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club *
10/26 – Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony *
10/27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory *
10/28 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza *
11/27 – Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor ^
11/29 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues ^
11/30 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre ^
12/01 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s ^
12/03 – Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theatre ^
12/04 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre ^
12/05 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex Grand ^
12/07 – Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee ^
12/08 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House ^
12/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre ^
12/11 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom ^
12/12 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades ^
12/13 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre ^
12/14 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox ^
* = w/ Caspian
^ = w/ Tera Melos
