If Pere Ubu's larger-than-life leader and catalyst David Thomas was British, we'd be hailing him a 'national treasure'. As it stands, Thomas is a Floridian who has remained the constant in a band whose output has, to quote tedious clichés, pushed boundaries and thought, performed and recorded way out of the box.

Formed in 1975, Pere Ubu's early material is perhaps the most familiar work to UK audiences, in particular the perennially timeless 1978 debut album "The Modern Dance" which contained one of their most electric songs in "Non-Alignment Pact". During the past 35 years, Thomas and crew have unleashed an uncompromising, cerebral canon that has veered from experimental progressive proto-punk on "Dub Housing" to the still forward-thinking arrangements on 2009's "Long Live Pere Ubu!". They even had a stab at the mainstream in the late '80s with the still-essential albums "The Tenement Year" and "Cloudland" (the latter produced with Stephen Hague) - near-hits "Waiting for Mary" and "Love Love Love" still sound vibrant today.

The latest record-label to court Thomas's art is Fire Records, a stable familiar to anyone who loves a spot of Archers of Loaf, Bardo Pond, Wooden Wand and Giant Sand. New album "Lady From Shanghai" will see the light of day in January, prior to the band's UK tour in April 2013.

First stop for Pere Ubu will be Gateshead on 15th April, followed by the likes of York, Glasgow, Bristol and more until Shepherd's Bush on 23rd. Tickets are on sale, priced from around £15 - money well spent.