American Babies and the Brakes, two song-oriented bands with roots in the Philadelphia improvisational music scene and brand new roots-rock records, will spend much of July on the road together. The two groups will alternate closing spots on a club tour which includes stops at Burlington, VTs Club Metronome (7/18), Newmarket, NHs The Stone Church (7/19), Bostons Harpers Ferry (7/20), Northampton, MAs (7/21), New Yorks Knitting Factory (7/24), Philadelphias North Star Bar (7/26) and Baltimore, MDs The 8×10 Club (7/27). The two groups recently performed together at New Yorks Knitting Factory Tap Bar during the Brakes residency at the club. New Yorks Krystle Warren & The Faculty, Brooklyn’s Pete & J and Philadelphia’s John Francis will join the tour on select nights. The Brakes will also release a live album on Relix records this fall.

In other American Babies news, the group, which features Joe Russo on drums, will open for the Benevento/Russo Duo at Hoboken, NJs Maxwells tonight. While the gig was originally announced as an evening of acoustic music, the Duo has more recently confirmed that it will play a fully electric set tonight featuring a handful of new originals.