The band fun. album+tour news

photo by Lindsey Byrne

fun. has announced a flurry of activity surrounding the release of their Fueled By Ramen debut, “Some Nights.” The album – which includes the hit single, “We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monáe)” – is now available in stores and at all digital retailers.

On Feb. 24, fun. will visit to VH1’s Big Morning Buzz Live (check local listings).

A series of rare in-store events are scheduled as well as a headlining North American tour. The pre-sale for fan club members for newly announced dates (see below) has started at http://tixx1.artistarena.com/fun/, with general on-sale beginning March 2. For complete details and ticket availability, see http://ournameisfun.com/tour.

fun. is teaming with LGBT rights organization Revel & Riot as their official charity partner for the spring tour. Revel & Riot is an organization that promotes LGBT rights, awareness and equality through art, design and education resources.

The band collaborated with the organization to design a shirt reading “It’s all fun. and gay ‘til someone loses their rights,” and proceeds from the shirt, which is available at tour dates and in the band’s webstore (http://store.ournameisfun.com/). An outspoken advocate for equal rights and marriage equality, fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff recently published the first in a series of blog posts for Huffington Post’s Gay Voices, titled “Straight Allies: The Importance and the Realities.”

Currently a top 5 favorite at Alternative radio outlets nationwide, “We Are Young” is a major breakthrough for fun., with sales surpassing 600,000. The track claimed the top slot on Billboard’s Digital Songs chart and the #3 slot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Clear Channel recently named fun. one of their “Emerging Artists,” and iHeart Radio is currently featuring an interview with the band and very special acoustic performances of “We Are Young” and “Carry On.” The videos are posted at http://www.iheartradio.com/iplaylist/artist/1146421/.

In addition, fun. is MTV’s P.U.S.H. (Play Until Someone Hears) featured artist of the week. The “We Are Young” companion video is earning major play across the MTV network, including rotation at VH1 and mtvU, where fun. was recently named among the nominees for the 2012 mtvU Woodie Awards’ “Breaking Woodie” – fans are invited to vote for fun. at www.mtv.com/ontv/woodieawards/2012/breaking-woodie/.

“We Are Young” was also prominently featured in Chevrolet’s 2012 Super Bowl XLVI ad campaign promoting the 2012 Chevy Sonic. “Stunt Anthem” can be viewed online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuvoSw1TiJ8&feature=youtu.be.

As if all that weren’t enough, a companion video for the first track on Some Nights, “Some Nights (Intro)” – directed by filmmaker/photographer Poppy de Villanueve – is premiering today exclusively at IFC.com at http://www.ifc.com/fix/2012/02/premiere:-fun.-some-nights-(intro).

* * * * *

Having earned widespread acclaim with their 2009 debut album, “Aim and Ignite,” on “Some Nights” fun. teamed with producer Jeff Bhasker (Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Drake). The band and Bhasker have worked to evolve the idiosyncratic fun. sound by marrying their robust melodies with elements of hip-hop.

“We Are Young (Feat. Janelle Monáe)” received instant applause upon its arrival last year, with USA Today hailing the “baroque indie-popsters” for “(making) a counterintuitive play for the big time, slowing down for the massive sing-along chorus.”

fun. began in 2008 when Nate Ruess teamed up with Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff to meld an array of diverse inspirations into their own irresistible and freewheeling pop songcraft. The band drew immediate attention for their contemporary rethinking of classic 70’s pop, where ornate arrangements and inspired orchestrations meet present-day rock ‘n’ roll.

For more news and information, please see www.ournameisfun.com, www.facebook.com/ournameisfun, twitter.com/OurNameIsFun, and www.fueledbyramen.com. 

fun. North American Tour 2012
*denotes newly announced date

FEBRUARY
29 South Burlington, VT Higher Ground

MARCH
1 Providence, RI FYE (In Store Event – Free)
1 Pawtucket, RI Lupo’s
2 Towson, MD The Recher Theatre – SOLD OUT!
3 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle – SOLD OUT!
7 St. Petersburg, FL State Theatre
8 Orlando, FL Beacham Theatre
9 Atlanta, GA Center Stage – SOLD OUT!
10 Birmingham, AL WorkPlay Theatre – SOLD OUT!
18 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
20 Houston, TX Warehouse Live Studio
21 Dallas, TX House of Blues
23 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
24 Pomona, CA The Glass House – SOLD OUT!
26 Sacramento, CA Sac State University Union
28 San Francisco, CA The Independent – SOLD OUT!
29 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill – SOLD OUT!
31 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
31 Sandy, UT Graywhale Entertainment (In Store Event – Free)

APRIL
3 Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre
5 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
5 Fort Collins, CO Twist & Shout Records (In Store Event – Free)
6 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre & Café – SOLD OUT!
7 Kansas City, MO Beaumont Club
8 Iowa City, IA The Blue Moose Tap House
10 Omaha, NE The Slowdown
11 Madison, WI The Majestic Theatre
13 Minneapolis, MN The Brick
14 Chicago. IL Vic Theatre – SOLD OUT!
15 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
18 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection
19 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
20 Rochester, NY Water Street Music Hall
21 Boston, MA House of Blues
25 Toronto, ON The Guvernment
27 Clifton Park, NY Northern Lights
26 Montreal, QC Cabaret du Mile End
27 Clifton Park, NY Northern Lights
28 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts – SOLD OUT!
30 Montreal, QC Cabaret Du Mile End

MAY
3 Washington, DC 9:30 Club – SOLD OUT!
4 Washington, DC 9:30 Club – SOLD OUT!
5 Charlottesville, VA Jefferson Theatre
28 George, WA Sasquatch Festival @ The Gorge
29 Portland, OR Roseland Theater*

JUNE
5 Flagstaff, AZ The Orpheum*
6 Santa Fe, NM Railyard Plaza*
8 Oklahoma City Diamond Ballroom*
9 St. Louis, MO The Pageant*
13 Indianapolis, IN Deluxe at Old National Centre*
14 Cleveland, OH House of Blues*
15 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Smalls*
16 New York, NY Terminal 5*