The Monitor, Titus Andronicus’ legend-making second album, turned 10 years old last year. That same day, on March 9, 2020, the band released a “2020 teaser” video featuring archival clips of the band performing The Monitor anthem “A More Perfect Union.” The caption read, “On March 9th 2010, Titus Andronicus released their landmark album ‘The Monitor.’ On March 9th 2020, Titus Andronicus released this cryptic video. What does it mean? Stay tuned to find out…” A tour celebrating the album’s 10th anniversary was clearly in the works.

However, by the end of that week, America was shutting down due to the encroaching pandemic, so no such outing materialized. Now that vaccines are available and tour announcements are proliferating, the band is finally ready to commence with the festivities: They’ll be playing the album in full for the first time on a tour through the Northeast and Midwest this November, starting in Patrick Stickles’ native New Jersey and ending in his home base of Brooklyn. In addition to the tour, Titus are reissuing The Monitor on vinyl. It’s been remastered by Matthew Barnhart, and the originally intended vinyl track transitions have been restore. A limited number of copies will feature the long-out-of-print embossed cover, and a color variant will become available later this summer through Vinyl Me Please.

Stickles, who has always been annoyed about the way The Monitor overshadows his band’s other albums, offered this statement on the project:

As the 10th anniversary came and went, I considered scrapping the whole thing, but my audience has helped me so much to endure during this difficult time, and knowing how much they themselves have had to endure, I couldn’t ignore or deny that they deserve a little treat. After so many years of doing whatever I want, for once, I’m going to give the people what they want.

In the past year, Stickles has contributed some great writing about Lou Reed and Bob Dylan to this website. He’s also been the subject of some of the most entertaining interview features we’ve ever published. He and his band have continued to be a fascinating and vital presence in rock music well beyond The Monitor. That said, this tour is going to destroy, and I am very much looking forward to seeing it in Columbus on a Sunday night this fall.

Along with the announcement, Titus have shared a 2009 demo for “Titus Andronicus Forever.” It’s not on the reissue, but it will get you hyped up to listen to The Monitor again. Check it out below along with those dates.

TOUR DATES:
11/03 Jersey City, NJ @ White Eagle Hall
11/04 Pawtucket, RI @ The Met
11/05 Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
11/06 Albany, NY @ Lark Hall
11/07 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
11/10 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
11/11 Detroit, MI @ El Club
11/12 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
11/14 Columbus, OH @ Ace Of Cups
11/16 Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Music Hall
11/17 Washington, DC @ Black Cat
11/18 Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
11/19 Asbury Park, NJ @ House Of Independents
11/20 Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
11/21 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg

Titus’ The Monitor reissue is out 10/21 on XL. Pre-order it here, and get tickets for the anniversary tour here. Here is a photo of Stickles in 2010 to play us off: