Berlin-based contemporary pianist Nils Frahm will be embarking on his second North American tour this November in support of 2013’s record, Spaces, out now via Erased Tapes. Known for his unconventional approach to an age-old instrument which sees him uniquely combine electronic sounds with piano, as well as his collaborations and production work for contemporaries such as Ólafur Arnalds, Peter Broderick and most recently Sarah Neufeld of Arcade Fire, Frahm is one of the most exciting and original young pianists today.

Known for his utterly unique and modernized collection of sounds, Frahm’s fascinating and inventive live set-up is built without loops and incorporates an upright grand piano, a Juno and Rhodes for heavier synthesizer sounds, a drum machine and Moog Taurus to explore his more electronic-based compositions, as well as the Space Echo. Frahm has built a steady reputation for his intimate, poignant piano recordings – which offer a glimmer of his live show. His heart lies in improvisation, in the magic of a moment where, inspired by the space and the audience, his fingers can create new compositions loosely based around his familiar melodies. Being called to perform at electronic events like Mutek, Boiler Room, Primavera and Decibel, as much as traditional concert spaces like Hackney Empire and the Royal Opera House, Frahm continues to cross musical barriers.

Frahm will embark on his second tour this year in North America after his sold out tour this March, and will be supported from New York-based Dawn of Midi.

“What I love most about playing in front of people has something to do with a certain kind of energy exchange. The attention and appreciation of my audience feeds back into my playing. It really seems as if there is a true and equal give and take between performer and listener, making me aware of how much I depend on my audience. And since the audience is different every night, the music being played will differ too. Every space I performed in has its own magic and spirit.” – Nils Frahm

Spaces is an ode to the joy of live performance. It expresses Frahm’s love for experimentation and answers the call from his fans for a record that truly reflects what they have witnessed during his concerts. Breaking the convention of a traditional live album, Spaces was recorded over the course of two years in different locations and on various mediums, including old portable reel-to-reel recorders and cassette tape decks. These moments were later pieced together in his Durton Studio and referred to by Frahm as a collage of field recordings rather than a live album. It Includes surprise moments such as the sound of him banging a toilet brush on the piano strings to create a dub-sounding track. The decision to select takes that have people coughing and cell phones ringing show that his audience is an integral part of every performance.

Nils Frahm 2014 North American Tour Dates

Nov 6 – The Showbox [tickets] – Seattle, WA *

Nov 7 – The Imperial [tickets] – Vancouver, BC *

Nov 9 – Mississippi Studios [tickets] – Portland, OR *

Nov 11 – Great American Music Hall [tickets]  – San Francisco, CA *

Nov 13 – El Rey Theatre [tickets] – Los Angeles, CA *

Nov 15 – Amsterdam Hall – Saint Paul, MN *

Nov 16 – Thalia Hall [tickets] – Chicago, IL *
Nov 17 – Contemporary Art Centre [tickets] – Cincinnati, OH *
Nov 18 – Wexner Center for the Arts [tickets] – Columbus, OH *

Nov 19 – Adelaide Hall [tickets] – Toronto, ON *

Nov 21 – St. Paul & St. Andrew Church [tickets] – New York, NY *

Nov 22 – Metropolis [tickets] – Montreal, QC *

Nov 23 – Brighton Music Hall [tickets] – Boston, MA *

* with Dawn of Midi

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