Mumford and Sons Schedule Gentlemen of the Road Stopovers

Indie-folk superstars Mumford and Sons have announced four mini festivals to be held in the United States, called Gentlemen of the Road Stopovers. The band will headline each event with support from an eclectic group of artists that they hand-picked themselves.

The purpose of these Stopovers is to highlight each community while bringing a world class music festival atmosphere to the mix. Each stop will kick off with the concert and segue into smaller events involving local businesses, venues and the people of the area. Tickets are $69 each and start going on sale on Friday, June 1, at GentlemenOfTheRoad.com. Each purchase includes a commemorative Gentlemen of the Road Stopover Passport and an exclusive digital download compilation album featuring tracks taken from various acts across the four shows. See all the dates below.

"The Gentlemen of the Road Stopover is based loosely upon our favorite festivals like Colorado's Telluride Bluegrass and Scotland's Loopallu Festivals," Mumford and Sons said in a press release. "We want to stop off in towns where bands don't usually tour, and celebrate the local people, food and music."

They continue: "We're keen to promote the town's local businesses, and we'll be using the local bars and venues for after-show parties, whilst working closely with the local people to get everyone involved in making these shows spectacular. There will be a host of our friends playing too, and the vibe falls somewhere between 'traveling Victorian circus' and 'Victorian traveling circus.' It should be a whole lot of fun."

In related news, Mumford & Sons have confirmed that their new album is finished and that they are planning a September 2012 release. The disc will be the follow-up to their 2009 breakthrough, 'Sigh No More.'

2012 Gentlemen of the Road Stopovers:

8/04 - Portland, Maine | The Eastern Promenade (With St. Vincent, Dawes, the Maccabees, Apache Relay, Simone Felice, Haim)
8/11 - Bristol, Va./Tenn. | Off State Street in Downtown Bristol (With Dawes, JEFF the Brotherhood, the Very Best, Justin Townes Earle, Apache Relay, Simone Felice, Haim)
8/18 - Dixon, Ill. | Page Park (With Gogol Bordello, Dawes, Abigail Washburn, the Very Best, Apache Relay, Haim)
8/25 - Monterey, Calif. | Monterey County Fairgrounds (With Gogol Bordello, the Very Best, Grouplove, Two Gallants, Apache Relay, Haim)