Damon Simon, Paul and Tony had seen their album chart respectably inside the US top 50 stateside but at the time of its release were engaged in touring and promotional appearances in the UK and Europe, and it was March when the band behind The Good, The Bad & The Queen made the trip across the Atlantic to play their first dates in North America. An itenary that saw them cross the continent was comprised of 6 full live shows and 3 very special additional appearances. Once again, the band were accompanied by a small strings section, attired in the same Vaudeville-recalling fashion as the band themselves, and Mike Smith once again supplemented the lineup with various instrumental flourishes.


Each night the live shows followed the now familiar format of a full airing of the album in the main set - the only way the band felt they could do proper justice to the record - with additional songs being played as encores. In a change from their previous shows however, the encore each night was composed of the completely new and never-before-heard B-side to the as-yet-unreleased single Green Fields 'Doghouse'. This proved to be a delicious instrumental reggae groove with each member of the band coming to the fore on their respective instrument - Damon taking up the melodica for the number, and Mike Smith on sax completing the track. After this, at every date apart from the opening night, live favourite Mr.Whippy was perfomed in full as the last song of the set.


First stop on the tour was Toronto in Canada, where the band paid a visit to radio station The Edge playing two songs to a live audience which was broadcast live - and afterwards mingled with fans. Later that night it was on to the Kool Haus where a 2000 capacity crowd were treated to the full live The Good, The Bad & The Queen experience. (All the dates on the tour were played to sold-out crowds). The tour then moved south to New York City. A free mini show aat the Soho Apple Store kicked off the first of three appearances in the city, the full Webster Hall show the same day was followed the subsequent night with an appearance on that national television show Late Show With David Letterman.


A date at Washington DC's 9:30 club completed the East Coast enagements and it was on to the South. Two appearances at the SXSW festiva in Austin, Texasl were hailed by bloggers and the press alike as some of the best shows of the whole festival, the second appearance, a matinee, being at a Levis / Fender sponsored event which featured free food and beer! New Orleans was the last stop on the tour where the crowd at the Republic showed their appreciation as Damon spoke a few words about the bravery of the city that has been through so much in recent times. Although the venue was only three quarters full (the only date not to sell out) it was an especially poignant show and a fitting end to the tour.



Read on below for the full story of each night though words, pictures and video from fans and the press!