Real Estate began their Atlas anniversary tour last night, and it meant the debut of a new guitarist, following the departure of Julian Lynch. Joining the band is James Richardson, a multi-instrumentalist best known for his work on tour and in the studio with MGMT. A representative for Real Estate confirmed that Richardson is a new full-time member of the band.
“You might notice a new and friendly face on stage with us this fall,” Real Estate shared on Instagram. “Please join us in welcoming @jomdry to the Real Estate Family! This dude rocks !!! … and he’s played on some of your favorite records of all time, I’m sure of it.”
Richardson has been a fixture in MGMT since Congratulations, and the band’s Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser have spoken fondly of him in interviews with Pitchfork. Beyond his work with MGMT, Richardson has played on Cameron Winter’s Heavy Metal, Snail Mail’s Lush, Cola Boyy’s Prosthetic Boombox, and more.
Julian Lynch joined Real Estate in 2016, following the departure of founding guitarist Matt Mondanile, who was fired after being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women.
Real Estate began their tour last night in Los Angeles. The North American tour continues into October.