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Jun 12, 2012 Super Furry Animals By Mike Hilleary

A few years back musical artist Gruff Rhys, known for his work with Super Furry Animals and Neon Neon, embarked on a unique tour through South America in search for his “long lost, guitar-playing, poncho-wearing uncle” Rene Griffiths. Documented by Dylan Goch in the 2010 film Separado! Rhys is returning to his investigative concert format with a new journey, this time seeking out the final resting place of his relative John Evans, who left Wales in 1792 on a quest to find a mythical tribe of Welsh speaking Native Americans.

According to Rhys, Evans “a 22-year old farmhand from the mountains of Snowdonia, Wales - responded to a plea for a brave soul to ascertain if there was indeed a tribe of Welsh-speaking Native Americans still walking the Great Plains, descendants of Prince Madog (widely believed to have discovered America in 1170). During the course of an extraordinary adventure, Evans wrestled the largest river reptiles ever seen in the Mississippi, hunted Bison with the Omaha tribe, defected to the Spanish in St Louis, discovered imaginary volcanoes in Missouri, annexed North Dakota from the British, and created the map that guided Lewis and Clarke on their legendary expedition. His adventure was cut short when he died broke and out of his mind at 29 in New Orleans.”

Using film, photos, social media, and song to create a road movie and album Rhys’ tour will begin at Yale’s Beineke Library where John Evans’ famous map is said to reside. From there he will follow his relative’s footsteps and explore how the myths that surround cultural identity are formed and distorted, urging anyone with clues regarding Evans’ trek to come to the shows and help in the discovery.

You can view the full list of dates below.

Gruff Rhys Tour Dates:

Thu-Aug-02 New Haven, CT Yale University Beineke Library
Sat-Aug-04 Baltimore, MD Golden West Café
Sun-Aug-05 Philadelphia, PA PhilaMOCA
Tue-Aug-07 Pittsburgh, PA Club Cafe
Thu-Aug-09 Cincinnati, OH CAC Black Box Theatre at Contemporary Arts Center
Sun-Aug-12 St. Louis, MO Contemporary Art Museum
Tues-Aug-14 Omaha, NE Slowdown Jr.
Thu-Aug-16 Columbia, MO Les Bourgeois Vineyards
Sat-Aug-18 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone
Wed-Aug-22 New Orleans, LA One-Eyed Jacks

(www.gruffrhys.com)