Bad Lieutenant is headed by Joy Division/New Order’s Bernard Sumner, who shares vocal duties in the new project with U.K. singer Jake Evans. They band also features Phil Cunningham, the newest member of New Order, on guitars. The guys are joined on tour by Joy Division/New Order drummer Stephen Morris and bassist Tom Chapman.
A post on Bad Lieutenant’s site explains that “with frustration and regret,” the U.S. dates were cancelled because “stringent immigration laws and changing visa parameters resulted in an inability to process the necessary paperwork.”
Sumner posted the following statement:
“We were all so very excited about coming to the States to play our new music for our American fans and are extremely disappointed that on this occasion, we won’t have the opportunity to do so. … Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you.”
Bad Lieutenant was scheduled to headline Park West in Chicago Nov. 18 in addition to Webster Hall in New York Nov. 21. The band was also set to open for the Pixies at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom Nov. 19 at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom Nov. 23.
Sumner said the band plans to reschedule the Chicago and New York shows in addition to some addition U.S. dates in Spring 2010. The Spring 2010 dates are expected to be announced soon.
Bad Lieutenant played its very first show Oct. 20 at Digital-Brighton in Brighton, U.K., followed by gigs in London and Manchester, U.K.
Next month the band opens for the Pet Shop Boys with U.K. shows lined up at S.E.C.C. in Glasgow (Dec. 17), The NIA in Birmingham (Dec. 18), Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester (Dec. 20) and The O2 in London (Dec. 21).
Bad Lieutenant’s debut album, Never Cry Another Tear, was released digitally Oct. 6 exclusively through Amazon.com. The physical CD is now available for purchase in stores.
Click here for Bad Lieutenant’s website.
Click here for the band’s MySpace page.