The music video to The Decemberist’s “This Is Why We Fight” looks like a combination of “Braveheart” and what people imagine my childhood to be when I tell them I grew up in Kansas.
The song is sticky, gummy and catchy as hell, and the clip is equally pro with exceptional casting of kids just turning mustache age. It features two outfits of poor scamps at war with each other, and an evil overlord who may just happen to ring reminiscent of Ezra Koenig. (I would pay money to witness a throwdown between Colin Meloy and the Vampire Weekend frontman.) I think it’s no coincidence this debuted over tax weekend.
The Aaron Stewart-helmed video is beautifully shot, and the location scout deserves a bonus, y’know, to help out after-taxes.
“This Is Why We Fight” is from the Decemberists’ latest “The King Is Dead.” They have since announced a tour, with dates below, with excellent openers like Justin Townes Earle, The Head and the Heart and Best Coast on tap.
[Video and dates after the jump…]
I like the clip, do you?
Here are The Decemberists’ tour dates:
April 18, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA+
April 19, Overture Hall, Madison, WI+
April 21, Benedum Center, Pittsburgh, PA+
April 22, Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI
April 23, The LC Pavilion, Columbus, OH+
April 25, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI+
April 26, Iroquois Amphitheater, Louisville, KY+
April 27, The Pageant, St. Louis, MO+
April 29, House of Blues, Dallas, TX=
April 30, Stubb”s Waller Creek Amphitheatre, Austin, TX=
May 1, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, LA
May 2, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Atlanta, GA+
May 29, Les Schwab Amphitheater, Bend, OR*
May 30, Sasquatch! Music Festival, Quincy, WA
June 10, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Manchester, TN
June 11, Raleigh Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC#
June 13, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD#
June 14, Celebrate Brooklyn @ Prospect Park Bandshell, Brooklyn, NY#
June 15, Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA#
June 18, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Telluride, CO
July 19, Britt Pavilion, Jacksonville, OR^ (on-sale date TBD)
July 20, Idaho Botanical Gardens, Boise, ID^
July 22, Big Sky Brewery, Missoula, MT^
July 25, Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL~
July 26, Nautica Pavilion, Cleveland, OH~
July 27, Kresge Auditorium, Interlochen, MI~
July 29, Borgata Event Center, Atlantic City, NJ
July 30, Newport Folk Festival, Newport, RI
July 31, Mountain Park, Holyoke, MA
August 1, Artpark, Lewiston, NY~
August 3, nTelos Wireless Pavilion, Charlottesville, VA~
August 4, PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music, Cincinnati, OH~
August 5, The Lawn @ White River State Park, Indianapolis, IN~
August 8, Stubb”s Waller Creek Amphitheatre, Austin, TX-
August 11, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ
August 12, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA (on-sale date TBD)
August 13, Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, San Francisco, CA
+ with Justin Townes Earle
= with Other Lives
– with Caitlin Rose
* with Rodrigo Y Gabriela
# with Best Coast
^ with Typhoon
~ with The Head and the Heart