Husband-and-wife duo Grand Duchy [ tickets ] will take their act on the road this summer, lining up a number of appearances together, as well as several Black Francis [ tickets ] solo dates.

The legendary alt-rocker and his wife, singer/bassist/keyboardist Violet Clark, kick off the outing July 16 in Washington, DC. Francis' own solo tour launches July 6 in Edmonton, Alberta, and the two tours will run more or less concurrently, with Grand Duchy's current six-date schedule slotting into open dates on Francis' trek. Details are included below.

Francis--whose day job consists of a wildly prolific solo career (as well as occasionally fronting the Pixies [ tickets ] when that band slips back into reunion mode)--and Clark issued "Petit Fours," their debut album together as Grand Duchy, earlier this year. The nine-track set hit European store shelves back in February, and surfaced in the US in April.

"I think I had to get over some inhibitions or confusion about my role as a music-maker, because, obviously, he was a well-established musician and I was more of a hobbyist," Clark told LiveDaily recently.

"I think I had to prove to him, too, that I was competent and capable, because he works with a lot of fine musicians, and just because I'm his wife--he wouldn't indulge me in that way. He's just not that kind of guy who'd risk his cred."

"Lovesick," a digital-only EP featuring two non-album tracks ("Vapors" and "The Timbers") is currently available directly through the band's Cooking Vinyl and from most online music retailers.