José González has unveiled the new video for Leaf Off / The Cave from his forthcoming album Vestiges & Claws. The video was directed by Mikel Cee Carlsson and was inspired by the Sunday Assembly Movement (a UK movement started by Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans)…I’d not come across the movement before but you can out more about it here. In short it apparently has no doctrine and runs under the motto of live better, help often, wonder more. It’s something that José González clearly feels a kinship with, so much so that the video features its co-founder Sanderson Jones. José offered insight into the song’s meaning and its connection to the video which we’ve included below.
“Leaf off / to take the leaf from the mouth” is to speak clearly, speak out, speak one’s mind. The idiom refers to The Fall of Man and how Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves. “To take the leaf off” would mean to expose the naked truth.
“The Cave” is inspired by The Allegory of the Cave, or Plato’s Cave, but also as a metaphor for the cozy dark home that might limit us from knowledge of the world.
In this song I was playing with thoughts of enlightenment / salvation. How the sense of being right and finding something that feels true can lead to a euphoric and exuberant state of mind.
I invited Sanderson Jones from The Sunday Assembly to imitate one of their gatherings, which are open to any non-believer, believer, or doubter, and their motto is ‘Live better, help often and wonder more’. We filmed the video at a school close to where I grew up in Gothenburg, together with Slynkören, Castlewoods and some of the musicians that are joining me on tour. It was directed by Mikel Cee Karlsson, who’s done my documentary and many of Junip’s and my previous videos. Once again I feel Mikel found a great balance between humor, seriousness and awkwardness.”
José begins his international tour next month and has just added several summer festivals, including Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Sziget Festival in Budapest, and several others. See below for a complete list of upcoming dates..
2015 Tour Dates:
February
18 Madrid, Spain @ La Riviera
19 Lisbon, Portugal @ CCB SOLD OUT
20 Barcelona, Spain @ L’auditori De Barcelona
21 Santiago de Compostela, Spain @ Sala Capitol
22 Murcia, Spain @ Auditorio y Centro de Congresos Víctor Villegas
March
2 Berlin, Germany @ Heimathaften* SOLD OUT
3 Berlin, Germany @ Heimathaften* SOLD OUT
4 Prague, Czech Republic @ Lucerna Music Bar*
5 Vienna, Austria @ Ottakringer Brauerei* SOLD OUT
6 Munich, Germany @ Muffathalle* SOLD OUT
7 Zurich, Switzerland @ Kaufleuten*
8 Frankfurt, Germany @ Mousonturm* SOLD OUT
9 Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg Oude Saal* SOLD OUT
10 Paris, France @ Cabaret Sauvage*
11 London, UK @ Scala* SOLD OUT
12 London, UK @ Scala* SOLD OUT
13 Coventry, UK @ Warwick Arts Centre*
14 Manchester, UK @ Academy 2* SOLD OUT
16 Brussels, Belgium @ Cirque Royal*
17 Hamburg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefarlich* SOLD OUT
April
6 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer*
7 Washington, DC @ 930 Club*
10 New York, NY @ Webster Hall*
11 Boston, MA @ Paradise* SOLD OUT
12 Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre*
13 Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre*
14 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall* SOLD OUT
15 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall* SOLD OUT
16 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center*
17 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center*
18 Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre*
20 Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre*
22 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot*
24 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom* SOLD OUT
25 Vancouver, BC @ Imperial* SOLD OUT
27 San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club* SOLD OUT
28 San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club* SOLD OUT
29 Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent* SOLD OUT
30 Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent*
May
28 London, UK @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire
29 Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound
June
12-14 Aarhus, Denmark @ Northside Festival
26-28 Oslo, Norway @ Piknik I Parken
July
16-19 Ostrava, Czech Republic @ Colours
August
10-17 Budapest, Hungary @ Sziget Festival
21-23 Biddinguizen, Netherlands @ Lowlands
21-23 Hamburg, Germany @ Dockville Festival
* with Ólöf Arnalds