Singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten recently wrapped the North American dates supporting her fantastic album Remind Me Tomorrow. If you were lucky enough to see her on tour, Van Etten performed a stunning cover of Sinead O’Connor’s “Black Boys On Mopeds” at many of her dates. O’Connor penned the 1989 track in response to the death of 21-year-old Colin Roach, who was shot in the doorway of a British police station in 1983. Police brutality against Black youth unfortunately remains as relevant a topic as it was 30 years ago, and the song’s power has only grown as it has aged.
Van Etten performed “Black Boys On Mopeds” for SiriusXM. Her voice carries an incredible amount of emotion, and the minimalist acoustic arrangement lets every lyric ring loud and haunting. Van Etten is gearing up for an extensive European tour this summer, but she’ll play a handful of festivals dates in North America as well. Check out her North American dates below, and listen to her cover of “Black Boys On Mopeds” above.
05/03 — Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival
05/04 — New York, NY @ Webster Hall
06/22 — New York, NY @ ALT92.3 Inaugural Summer Open
07/25-07/28 — Calgary, AB @ Calgary Folk Festival
07/26-07/28 — Edmonton, AB @ Interstellar Rodeo
08/02 — Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Festival 2019
08/04 — Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
09/21-09/22 — Asbury Park, NJ @ See.Hear.Now Festival
