Pitchfork

As a full-time student/part-time music reporter, my view of the indie rock scene could at best be described as "fringe", but even I can say with near-certainty that 2006 is going to be a hell of a year for Norwegian foot-concentrators Serena Maneesh. Having spent the last three or four months as the hip foreign band that everyone talked about but no one actually got the opportunity to hear, they're now ready to show America what they're about.

They'll accomplish that by invading some bars, a few lounges, and a church basement in Philadelphia in order to rock our and Jesus' collective faces off. After playing a show in Oslo tomorrow, they'll head to New York City for a whirlwind weekend of shows (and an in-store), before returning to Scandanavia for a bunch more dates in January in February. Then, in March, they'll return to our shores for even more NYC shows and some love for the rest of the country. They'll even put in a few SXSW appearances, just like every other band on Earth except the Escape Club (and I haven't checked the roster in a while, so even they might be playing).

So you've got the tour, the SXSW gigs, and the U.S. release of the debut album that hasn't yet been confirmed, but you just know is coming our way, and BAM! you've got a breakthrough year for a deserving artist. Don't believe me? Just ask Dungen. Or the Go! Team.

Now go buy the tickets so you can tell your friends you like the band before they did.

01-14 Oslo, Norway - Parkteatret *
01-20 Brooklyn, NY - North Six #
01-21 Brooklyn, NY - Sound Fix (in-store)
01-21 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge $
01-24 Jönköping, Sweden - Bongo Bar
01-25 Lund, Sweden - Mejeriet
01-26 Linköping, Sweden - John Doe @ Herrgårn
01-27 Uppsala, Sweden - Pang Musik @ Kalmar Nation
01-28 Stockholm, Sweden - Fritz's Corner @ Debaser
02-09 Tromso, Norway - Storsalen, Kulturhuset
02-10 Tromso, Norway - RICA Hall
02-24 Bergen, Norway - Hulen
03-06 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
03-07 New York, NY - TBA
03-08 Boston, MA - TT the Bears &
03-09 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
03-10 Columbus, OH - Little Brothers
03-11 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle %
03-12 St. Louis, MO - Creepy Crawl
03-13 Oklahoma City, OK - Conservatory
03-14 Denton, TX - Hailey's
03-15 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-16 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-17 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-19 Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland
03-20 Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland
03-21 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill

* with The Loch Ness Mouse, Maria Mena
# with Psychic Ills, Jason Lowenstein
$ with Asobi Seksu, Kiss Me Deadly
& with Charlene
% with Dirty on Purpose

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