POKEY LAFARGE IS BACK WITH NEW ALBUM, RENT MONEY
Iconoclastic American troubadour Pokey LaFarge releases Rent Money — Friday, September 11 — digitally, with CD and LP to follow October 3 on his own Boxer Boy Records / ONErpm / Diggers Factory. The album’s single, “My Baby Loves Me,” is out now, and an official video directed by Jacob Butler (LA LOM, Paul Cauthen) premieres today on YouTube.
“No matter what the world does to me. No matter what the world says about me. No matter who may come and go in and outta my life. I remember, my baby, that is my wife, Addie, and now my little baby girl, Nina Ruth — they love me. And all that other mess don’t matter.”
Produced by Elliot Bergman (Wild Belle, LA LOM, Natalie Bergman), Rent Money once again finds Pokey LaFarge deftly traversing the boundaries of genre, seamlessly integrating the myriad strains of 20th century American music – spanning, but not limited to, urban blues, primal rock ‘n roll, early jazz, ragtime, first wave reggae, boogie, gospel and electric country funk – with a freewheeling command of earnest songcraft, inspired performance, and subversive creativity. The album sees the Illinois native pushing forward yet again in what can be safely declared his finest collection to date, impassioned and mature, both as no-nonsense social commentary and heartfelt expression of personal experience. Driven by twanging guitars, plucky rhythms, and undeniably captivating melodies, songs like “My Baby Loves Me” and the outspoken first single and title track, “Rent Money,” soar and swing, their joyous refrains belying the kitchen-table issues and inescapable undercurrent of constant worry that permeates these troubled times.
“People are always going to tell you what they think you should play,” says Pokey LaFarge, “what you should sing about, how you should sound, how you should look, how you should act. And I’ve always just been like, nah. Nope. I’ve just completely gone my own way, and hopefully I’ve been honest and authentic in the process.
“I’m just trying to make music that AI can’t replicate. Things are so homogenized right now. That’s what I’m really, really, really resistant to, especially when it comes to music. I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to conform.”
LaFarge will introduce fans old and new to Rent Money with an epic North American headline tour featuring full-band performances and solo shows beginning September 11 in Bloomington, IL at Castle Theater and then traveling the continent through a holiday season finale at Los Angeles, CA’s historic Lodge Room on December 19. For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.pokeylafarge.net/tour.
TRACKLIST:
The Thing
My Baby Loves Me
Hambone
Rent Money
Stick Together
Work
Stranger
Can’t Take it With You
Told You No
Big Boss Man
On and On
POKEY LAFARGE – ON TOUR 2026/2027
SEPTEMBER
11 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
12 – St Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
13 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
15 – Madison, WI – Atwood Music Hall
16 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe
17 – Ferndale, MI – The Magic Bag
18 – Toronto, ON – The Concert Hall
19 – Ottawa, ON – CityFolk Festival †
20 – Homer, NY – Center for the Arts of Homer
22 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall
23 – Washington, DC – The Atlantis
25 – Cincinnati, OH – Ludlow Garage
26 – Pelham, TN – The Caverns
27 – Indianapolis, IN – HI–FI Indy
NOVEMBER
10 – Somerville, MA – Arts at The Armory
11 – Amherst, MA – The Drake Amherst
12 – New York, NY – Sony Hall
13 – Kingston, NY – Assembly
14 – Camden, ME – Camden Opera House
DECEMBER
2 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
3 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line
4 – Omaha, NE – Waiting Room Lounge
5 – Denver, CO – The Gothic Theatre
6 – Fort Collins, CO – Washington’s
8 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Commonwealth Room
9 – Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club
11 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
12 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre
13 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
15 – Sebastopol, CA – HopMonk Tavern
16 – San Francisco, CA – Bimbo’s 365 Club
17 – Felton, CA – Felton Music Hall
18 – Carlsbad, CA – NAMM Museum of Making Music
19 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
MARCH 2027
9 – Ireland, Dublin, Button Factory
11 – United Kingdom, Bristol, Lantern
12 – United Kingdom, London, Islington Assembly Hall
13 – United Kingdom, Manchester, Band on the Wall @ Manchester Folk Festival †
15 – Belgium, Leuven, Het Depot
16 – France, Paris, New Morning
18 – Netherlands, Groningen, Oosterpoort
19 – Netherlands, Utrecht, TivoliVredenburg
20 – Germany, Cologne, Gebäude 9
21 – Germany, Dresden, Beatpol
23 – Germany, Berlin, Lido
25 – Netherlands, Breda, Mezz
26 – Netherlands, Venlo, Grenswerk
27 – Belgium, Brugge, Cactus
† Festival Appearance
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