Death Cab for Cutie release new video for “Grapevine Fires”

Atlantic recording group Death Cab for Cutie has unveiled a must-see new video for “Grapevine Fires,” one of the stand-out tracks on their RIAA gold certified Grammy nominated “NARROW STAIRS.” The animated clip, directed by Walter Robot, a.k.a. the team of multimedia artist Bill Barminski and writer Christopher Louie.

“Grapevine Fires” was initially inspired by DCFC vocalist/guitarist Ben Gibbard’s up-close-and-personal encounter with 2007’s California wildfires. The song – which was recently included on “CHANGE IS NOW: RESTORING AMERICA’S PROMISE,” the official commemorative CD-DVD set celebrating President Barack Obama’s historic inauguration – motivated Walter Robot to create an animated short film which brilliantly relays the sense of devastating tragedy and forced optimism caused by the fire’s wrath.

Since coming together in 2007, Walter Robot have been hailed for their ingenious and imaginative work, blending live action and animation in a wide range of music videos, commercials, and experimental films. Among the prolific duo’s recent credits are collaborations with Gnarls Barkley and Modest Mouse as well as an animated alliance with journalist Joel Stein, entitled Joel Stein’s Completely Unfabricated Adventures, which was an official entry at the Sundance Film Festival 09.

“I have been an admirer of the beautiful art of Walter Robot from afar for a while, ” says Death Cab bassist Nick Harmer. “Working with them on this video is an amazing dream come true and I am in awe of the stunning video they have made for us.”

“We’re huge Death Cab fans,” says Walter Robot. “We had also heard from other directors how great all the Death Cab guys are and how really open they are to the creative process, which they were. They were extremely supportive and sincere.”

In other DCFC news, the Seattle-based band has just returned from a long awaited headline tour of Australia and Japan and is now set to kick off a spring schedule on April 7th at the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. The dates then continue through a May 7th show at Orlando, Florida’s Hard Rock Live. Support throughout the tour comes from Cold War Kids, Matt Costa, and Ra Ra Riot (see itinerary below).

Death Cab for Cutie is: Ben Gibbard: guitars, keyboards, vocals * Chris Walla: guitars, keyboards * Nick Harmer: bass * Jason McGerr: drums

Death Cab for Cutie
On Tour 2009
4/7-29 w/Cold War Kids and Ra Ra Riot
except * Cold War Kids only and **Ra Ra Riot only
5/1-6 w/Matt Costa and Ra Ra Riot except *** Matt Costa only
5/7 Special Guests TBA

APRIL
7 Upper Darby, PA Tower Theatre
8 Washington, DC DAR Constitution Hall
9 Davidson, NC John Belk Arena/Davidson College
10 Louisville, KY Louisville Palace
11 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theatre
12 Tulsa, OK The Brady Theater
13 Omaha, NE Holland Theatre *
15 St. Paul, MN Roy Wilkings Auditorium
17 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom
18 East Lansing, MI Breslin Events Center/Michigan State University
19 Waukesha, WI Van Male Fieldhouse/Carroll College
22 Bellingham, WA The Mount Baker Theater **
24 Spokane, WA McCarthey Athletic Center/Gonzaga University
25 Boise, ID The Morrison Center
27 Sacramento, CA Memorial Auditorium
29 San Diego, CA RIMAC Arena/UC San Diego *

MAY
1 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall
2 New Orleans, LA Contemporary Arts Center ***
4 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
5 Birmingham, AL BJCC Concert Hall
6 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
7 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live