Folk Luminary William Fitzsimmons Announces Debut Aussie Tour Dates

14 October 2015 | 4:05 pm | Staff Writer

The lusciously bearded troubadour will play his first-ever shows Down Under this February

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Illinois-based indie-folk singer-songwriter William Fitzsimmons has been plying away at his craft for some time now, but has never managed to make it round the planet to perform for his Australian fans — until now, that is.

It's been 10 years in the build-up — since the release of 2005 debut LP Until When We Are Ghosts, in fact — but Fitzsimmons will finally hit stages Down Under early next year, when he heads to Sydney's Newtown Social Club on Tuesday 9 February, and Melbourne's Northcote Social Club on Thursday 11 February.

The trip comes fresh on the heels of evocative seventh album Pittsburgh, an ode to his late grandmother — who spent her whole life in the city — and out now through esteemed indie label Nettwerk. Fitzsimmons has released each of his records since 2011's Gold In The Shadow, on which he collaborated with local songstress Julia Stone, via the label, having moved off Downtown Records, which handled his first studio full-length, The Sparrow & The Crow, back in 2008.

Pittsburgh takes on an added degree of care thanks to Fitzsimmons' commitment to producing, performing and mixing nearly the entire record, the first time he has done so since 2006 sophomore self-released LP Goodnight.

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"Sometimes you need someone else's perspective … their mastery to fulfill your vision," Fitzsimmons said in a statement. "Other times, however, you need to go in by yourself, lock the door, and stay until you're done. I knew these songs needed the latter."

Take the opportunity to see that firsthand care and dedication shine through Fitzsimmons' starkly beautiful tracks when he makes his Australian debut this February. Tickets for both shows are available now via Handsome Tours.

See theGuide or check The Music App for more information.