In 1967, Joan Didion wrote that she “had dealt directly and flatly with the evidence of atomization, the proof that things fall apart.” Today, Andrew Bird updates her observation with the release of  “Atomized,” his first new single and video of 2022. 

“Start making your apologies, blaming technology,” he sings. “They’re gonna try to get a rise to unseat you, they’ll demagnetize your poles and you know they’re gonna try to delete you…Here’s what I say to them: things fall apart.” 

“Didion was updating W.B. Yeats for the fractious 60s,” Andrew Bird observes, by way of explanation. “This song takes it to the pixelated present where it’s not just society that is getting atomized but the self that is being broken apart and scattered.” 

This summer, Andrew Bird will debut the song live on his co-headline “Outside Problems” tour with Iron & Wine. From June through August, stretching from coast to coast, the extensive run will bring the two artists to more than 25 shows at such storied venues as Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, New York City’s Pier 17, and Colorado’s Red Rocks, as well as Chicago’s brand new Salt Shed and more listed below. Following a select number of appearances at Newport Folk Festival and Ravinia Festival in 2021, “Outside Problems” will mark Bird’s first full-band tour in nearly three years, featuring support from Allison Russell and Meshell Ndegeocello. Tickets are on sale now at  andrewbird.net/#tour, including a recently-announced leg of European dates. Dates are listed below.

Andrew Bird – 2022 Tour Dates

6/12 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren*

6/13 – San Diego, CA – The Magnolia* 

6/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre*

6/17 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre*

6/18 – Portland, OR – Pioneer Courthouse Square*

6/19 – Seattle, WA – Woodland Park Zoo*   

6/21 – Salt Lake City, UT – TBA*

6/22 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre^

6/23 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up Aspen

7/10 – Paris, FR – Days Off Festival w/ L’Orchestre national d’Île-de-France

7/12 – Lyon, FR – Les Nuits de Fourvières Festival w/ L’Orchestre national de Lyon

7/14 – Munich, DE – Neue Theaterfabrik

7/15 – Berlin, DE – Metropol

7/16 – Utrecht, NL – TivoliVredenburg Grote Zaal

7/17 – Köln, DE – Gloria Theater

7/19 – London, UK – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

7/22 – Atlanta, GA – Pullman Yards^#

7/23 – Asheville, NC – Rabbit Rabbit^#

7/24 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium^#

7/25 – Cary, NC – Koka Booth^#

7/27 – Charlottesville, VA – Ting Pavilion^#

7/28 – Vienna, VA – Wolf Trap^#

7/29 – New York, NY – Pier 17^#

7/30 – New Haven, CT – Westville Bowl^#

7/31 – Bethlehem, PA – Steel Stacks^#

8/02 – LaFayette, NY – Beak & Skiff^#

8/04 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion at Riverbend^#

8/05 – Grand Rapids, MI – TBA^#

8/06 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater^#

8/08 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE^#

8/09 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live!^#

8/10 – St Louis, MO – Chesterfield Amphitheater^#

8/12 – Chicago, IL – Salt Shed^#

8/13 – Minneapolis, MN – Surly^#

*w/ Iron & Wine and Allison Russell

^w/ Iron & Wine and Neko Case

#w/ Iron & Wine and Meshell Ndegeocello