Music News - The USA experimental pop group, Animal Collective has confirmed additional European and North American shows for this spring. The new itinerary picks up with a twenty two city European tour that runs from March 4 at Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo, Norway, thru March 28 at Stiff Kitten in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The avant-garde group takes off time before revving up a 24-date run across North America, beginning May 11 at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC, and wrap June 10 at Club Firestone in Orlando, FL.

Animal Collective is out promoting their eighth studio album, "Merriweather Post Pavillion," which was recently released on cd from Domino Records. The release is their follow-up to 2007's critically acclaimed album "Strawberry Jam". The new record's title comes from the Maryland concert venue of the same name, which is located in Symphony Woods in Columbia, MD. The facility, Merriweather Post Pavillion was designed by architect Frank Gehry and opened back in 1967. The outdoor space impacted Animal Collective's members and has influenced the type of music they make.

"We used to go to shows there while growing up and have fond memories of times spent on the lawn," the Baltimore, MD based band explained in a note accompanying the LP version of the album. "For most of the time we've been playing together, both in Animal Collective and the years before, we've tried to make music that would be deserving of an amazing outdoor listening experience. As both a name and a place, Merriweather Post Pavilion represents this for us." Animal Collective is Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Avey Tare (David Portner), Geologist (Brian Weitz) and Deakin (Josh Dibb), though albums released under the Collective name can feature contributions from any or all of the members. Since the release of "Strawberry Jam" and the subsequent tour Deakin has been on hiatus from the group and is not expected to participate in the 2009 shows.

AC is an enjoyable band that should be experienced.