Modest Mouse Tour Without Johnny Marr

Modest Mouse will tour the U.S. in February and March without guitarist Johnny Marr.

Those of you who might think Marr has left the group can think again. He'll spend the spring touring with his other band (no, not The Smiths — dream on, you dolt), The Cribs, who'll release a new album sometime this year. Marr is still a member of Modest Mouse, according to the band's publicist.

Ex-Grandaddy guitarist Jim Fairchild will replace Marr for Modest Mouse's U.S. dates in support of 2006's We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. Portland, Ore. rockers Mimicking Birds will open throughout the tour. Mimicking Birds recently signed to Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock's Glacial Pace label.

You can see Brock, Fairchild, bassist Eric Judy, drummer Jeremiah Green, percussionist Joe Plummer (not to be confused with the John McCain-endorsed Joe The Plumber), and multi-instrumentalist Tom Peloso here:

Feb. 22 Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre
Feb. 23 Visalia, CA @ The Fox Theater
Feb. 24 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
Feb. 25 Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee Theatre
Feb. 26 Albuquerque, NM @ Albuquerque Convention Center
Feb. 28 Boulder, CO @ Balch Fieldhouse (University Of Colorado At Boulder)
March 2 Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theatre
March 3 Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
March 4 Austin, TX @ Stubb's BBQ
March 5 Oxford, MS @ The Lyric Theatre
March 7 Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
March 8 Miami, FL @ Bicentennial Park (Langerado Festival)