Category: Buffalo

Just in time for Pride month, LA’s Andy Frasco & The U.N. have announced the release of their eagerly awaited new album, L’Optimist, on Friday, August 11^th. Today, they have premiered the release of the ebullient first single, “You Do You,” with a hilarious music video to accompany it. 

As a much-beloved live outfit renowned for unbridled improvisation, audience interaction, surprising covers, special guests, and animated antics unlike any other, Andy Frasco & The U.N. is unlike no other. Frasco’s sixth studio album L’Optimist is the most hopeful and enthusiastic collection thus far in his career.

The upcoming release now sees Frasco continuing to develop as a songwriter, band leader, and human being, his exploratory spirit giving way to something more firmly grounded yet no less adventurous. Having built a still-expanding career on forward motion, Andy Frasco remains positive in his determination to keep on keeping on, pushing himself and his music to grow and improve with every passing day. 

“‘You Do You’ is basically a call to arms to myself,” Frasco says about the single. “Like, what is success? We built success through being outlaws and being ourselves. I did it my own way and it worked out for the best, I think. Could we have been way more successful if I just conformed? Maybe, but that’s boring. It sounds like cheating in a race and I’m not trying to cheat. I want to do it my way. Hopefully I’ll look back when I’m 80 and realize that, like Frank Sinatra, I did it my way.” 

A testament to Frasco’s wide-ranging influences and boundless energy, L’Optimist sees the magnetic frontman continuing to chart his path of self-exploration and personal discovery through increasingly introspective lyricism and musical adventure. The album sees Frasco fully in command of his craft, more comfortable and confident than ever before, his notorious party-animal persona giving way to a wiser, but no less enthusiastic, artist and band leader.  

Frasco once again challenged himself to explore difficult lyrical terrain, spanning relationships and chronic depression, empathy and alienation, inspired in part by his first real girlfriend. Songs like the deeply moving “Iowa Moon” touch on matters of the heart and mental health, emotional struggle and the sheer vulnerability of the human experience, all relayed through a wildly eclectic approach navigating funk, jazz, surf rock, blues, swing, gospel, reggae, exotica, and more with horn-blasted positivity and soulful power. 

“With so much bad news in the world, why not try to figure out a way to get out of the darkness,” Frasco says. “We’re not going to be able to change the world, but at least we can change the mind state we have moving forward. We can at least help the process along by being optimistic that the future will turn itself around. And if everyone changes their mind state about the future, then maybe we can change the world.” 

In the meantime, Frasco will spend the summer traveling America on a wide-ranging itinerary that features headline dates, top-billed festival appearances, and an eagerly awaited double bill supporting Slightly Stoopid set for August 13^th at Morrison, CO’s famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Additional dates will be announced in the upcoming weeks. 

ANDY FRASCO & THE U.N. TOUR 2023

MAY

19 – Beaufort, NC – Beaufort Music Festival * 

20-21 – Garrettsville, OH – Tropidelic’s Sunny Days * 

28 – Chillicothe, IL – Summer Camp Music Festival * 

JUNE

1-3 – New River Gorge, WV – Mountain Music Festival * 

16 – Swanzey, NH – Northlands Music & Arts Festival * 

17 – Wellfleet, MA – Beachcomber 

18 – Nantucket, MA – The Chicken Box 

21 – Charlotte, NC – Visulite Theatre 

22 – Isle of Palms, SC – The Windjammer 

23 – Black Mountain, SC – Pisgah Brewing Company 

24 – Kill Devil Hills, NC – Outer Banks Brewing Station 

25 – Kill Devil Hills, NC – Outer Banks Brewing Station 

27 – Roanoke, VA – 5 Points Music Sanctuary 

28 – Dewey Beach, DE – Bottle & Cork 

29 – Virginia Beach, VA – New Realm Brewing Co. 

30 – Baltimore, MD – Union Craft Brewing 

JULY 

1 – Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival * 

2 – Amagansett, NY – The Stephen Talkhouse 

14 – Buffalo, NY – Cobblestone Live! * 

26 – Victor, ID – Knotty Pine 

27 – Salmon, ID – Sweet Water Hollow 

28 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge 

29 – Ketchum, ID – Argyros Performing Arts Center 

AUGUST

1 – Durango, CO – Animas City Theatre 

2 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater 

4 – Steamboat Springs, CO – Snow Bowl Steamboat 

5 – Telluride, CO – Sheridan Opera House 

6 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up Aspen 

10–12 – Yuba, WI – People Fest * 

13 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre + 

SEPTEMBER

9 – Indianapolis, IN – All In Music & Arts Festival * 

10 – St. Louis, MO – Music At The Intersection * 

28 – E. Lansing, MI – Hall 224 ^ 

OCTOBER

1 – Washington, DC – Atlantis ^ 

4 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Ballroom ^ 

8 – Portland, ME – Bayside Bowl ^ 

11 – Richmond, VA – The Broadberry ^ 

NOVEMBER

2 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl † 

4 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse † 

5 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre † 

DECEMBER

5 – Little Rock, AR – Revolution Music Hall – 

6 – Tulsa, OK – The Vanguard – 

7 – Austin, TX – Mohawk –  

8 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co. – 

9 – Houston, TX – Last Concert Cafe –  

10 – Baton Rouge, LA – Chelsea’s Live –  

16 – Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic Lounge # 

* Festival Appearance 

+ w/ Slightly Stoopid 

^ w/ Special Guest Cool Cool Cool 

† w/ Special Guest Doom Flamingo 

– with Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers  

# with Maggie Rose 

To watch “You Do You,” click the link here. 

For more details about the tour and ticket information, please visit the link here.