THE JULIANA THEORY and ZAO will join forces this spring for the “City of Champions” tour, a thirty-five date trek kicking off March 2nd that will also feature OPEN HAND and THE TAKEOVER UK. THE BLACK MARIA and SINAI BEACH will appear on select dates.

Putting THE JULIANA THEORY’s powerful blend of melodic rock and heavy atmospherics alongside ZAO’s savage metallic wail might seem strange, but the two bands, in fact, share a long and storied history, dating back to THE JULIANA THEORY’s formation and before. Both groups hail from the outskirts of Pittsburgh (dubbed the “City Of Champions” during the 70’s, when the Steelers conquered the Super Bowl and the Pirates dominated the World Series) and singer/guitarist Brett Detar formed THE JULIANA THEORY while a member of ZAO.

“We have been discussing the idea of touring together for years,” says Detar. “Some of THE JULIANA THEORY’s first shows were opening for ZAO when I was still in the band. We are looking forward to spending several weeks on the road with our best friends on this tour.”

“This is something we have wanted to do for such a long time and there is no better time than the present, as they say,” adds Scott Mellinger, who replaced Detar as a guitarist in ZAO shortly before the recording of the landmark ZAO record, Liberate Te Ex Inferis.

In related news, THE JULIANA THEORY is putting the finishing touches on its fourth album in Los Angeles with producer John Travis (SOCIAL DISTORTION, NADA SURF). The as-yet-untitled follow up to the band’s highly-acclaimed Epic Records album, Love, will surface this summer.

The first few dates of the tour have been confirmed with several more to be announced:
March 2 Allentown, PA - Crocodile Rock
March 3 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
March 4 Boston, MA - Axis
March 5 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
March 6 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club