One way to tell that you have made it in your career: you get used as a reference. So I feel like congratulations are in order for The Morning Benders, Free Energy and Neon Indian, who are all used by Arizona popsters Miniature Tigers over the course of their summer tour announcement. Opening for The Morning Benders and Free Energy as part of the more than 200 shows the band played in 2009 is one thing (we’ve all seen enough crappy openers to take little stock in this), but the thing that jumps out is the Neon Indian name drop. The chill-wave torch bearer produced their single, “Gold Skull?”, which is part of their sophomore release that many of us will view as their freshman album. Titled Fortress, it will be on torrent engines and Soulseek (they still have that?) probably before the July 27th release date. Listen to the single so you can hear what the fuss is about.

The band will continue to learn the finer points of our great country by examining every bar with a stage that will have them. One of them is the giant bar called Lollapalooza. Do you think it’s going to have a cover? I imagine Miniature Tigers will be playing somewhere sunny, before you have a chance to be blacked-out, so enjoy this band before someone else is using them as a reference, which shouldn’t be long.

Miniature Tigers 2010 Tour Dates:
07/21 – Seattle, WA @ The High Dive ^
07/22 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios ^
07/23 – San Francisco, CA @ Hotel Utah Saloon ^
07/24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland ^
07/25 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues ^
07/27 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Rhythm Room ^
07/29 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court ^
07/30 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge ^
07/31 – Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Brewing Company ^
08/02 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft ^
08/03 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs ^
08/05 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room ^
08/06 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club ^
08/08 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/10 – Pontiac, MI @ Pike Room ^
08/11 – Akron, OH @ Musica ^
08/12 – Cambridge, MA @ TT the Bear’s ^
08/13 – New York, NY @ The Mercury Lounge ^
08/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ W North Star Bar ^
08/17 – Washington, DC @ The Black Cat ^
08/18 – Baltimore, MD @ Sonar Club Stage ^
08/19 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 ^
08/20 – Atlanta, GA @ The Star Community Bar ^
08/21 – Orlando, FL @ The Blackbooth ^

^ = w/ The Spinto Band