New Supersuckers Album & 30th Anniversary Tour

The Supersuckers celebrate three decades in the trenches this year, and to celebrate the infamous Seattle-based band is releasing a new album and launching a lengthy support tour to bring the music to their legion of loyal fans. On September 21st, 2018 Acetate Records will release Suck It, the Supersuckers’ 12th studio album.

“We’ve finally become the band that we’ve always threatened to be,” states the band’s longtime singer and bassist Eddie Spaghetti in a press release for the new album. Fronting a raucous power trio that includes guitarist Marty Chandler and drummer Chris Von Streicher, Suck It was recorded in a mere four days at Bismeaux Studio in Austin, Texas. “And it sounds great," says Eddie, “there’s not a lick I wish we could have back.”

Originally formed in Tucson, Arizona in 1988 as the Black Supersuckers, the band moved to Seattle in 1990, dropped the ‘Black’ from their name, and recorded singles for a number of regional labels including eMpTy and Sympathy For the Record Industry before they signed with the indie Sub Pop Records label. The Supersuckers would become the legendary grunge imprint’s only country-flavored shit-kickin’ outfit, releasing their debut LP, the Jack Endino-produced The Smoke of Hell, in 1992.

They would release a total of four albums on the Sub Pop label before departing for the middle-major label Koch Records for their The Evil Powers of Rock ‘n’ Roll album in 1999. Interestingly, the Supersuckers were one of the few Seattle-area bands of the early-to-mid ‘90s that didn’t record for a major label (they were signed by Interscope Records and dropped before releasing an album), and after the lone LP for Koch, they formed their own label, Mid-Fi Recordings, to release their next couple of albums. After a lengthy hiatus following their 2008 album Get It Together, the Supersuckers returned in 2014 with Get the Hell for Acetate Records.

The Supersuckers are described by writer Steve Huey of All Music Guide as “kicking out a gleefully trashy brand of throttling, rockabilly-flavored garage punk. Their lyrics were a raucous, over-the-top celebration of all the attendant evils of rock & roll – sex, booze, drugs, Satan, and whatever other vices the band could think of, all glorified with tongue planted firmly in cheek.” While the album flirts with the band’s country-leanings on a couple of songs, Suck It mostly features the band’s rowdy, punkish, guitar-driven rock sound. The Supersuckers’ 30th anniversary tour spans much of the U.S. so check out the list of tour dates below and be sure to check out this trailer-park tornado of a band when they come roaring through a town near you!

Buy the CD from Amazon.com: The Supersuckers’ Suck It
 
Supersuckers’ 30th anniversary tour dates:

09/01/18 - Milwaukee, WI @ Harley-Davidson Museum
09/07/18 - Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco
09/08/18 - Huntsville, AL @ Sidetracks Music Hall
09/09/18 - Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse
09/11/18 - Tampa, FL @ Brass Mug
09/12/18 - Orlando, FL @ Soundbar
09/13/18 - Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits
09/14/18 - Savannah, GA @ The Jinx
09/15/18 - Charleston, SC @ The Royal American
09/16/18 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
09/18/18 - Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle Music Hall
09/19/18 - Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House Music Hall
09/21/18 - Wilmington, NC @ Reggie's
09/22/18 - Richmond, VA @ The Camel
09/23/18 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Shaka's Live
09/24/18 - Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse
09/26/18 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
09/27/18 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Upstairs
09/28/18 - Worcester, MA @ The Cove Music Hall
09/29/18 - New Haven, CT @ Cafe Nine
09/30/18 - Troy, NY @ Hangar on the Hudson
10/02/18 - Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
10/03/18 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
10/05/18 - Erie, PA @ Kings Rook Club
10/07/18 - Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar
10/09/18 - Minneapolis, MN @ Uptown VFW
10/10/18 - Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
10/11/18 - Waterloo, IA @ Spicoli's
10/12/18 - Lombard, IL @ Brauerhouse
10/13/18 - Pekin, IL @ Twisted Spoke
10/14/18 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In

Slayer’s Repentless Vinyl Box Set & Farewell Tour

Each year, June 6th is officially known as the “International Day of Slayer,” and 2018’s celebration includes the release of the band’s Repentless collectors’ vinyl box set. The limited edition release will be available in black, red, or gold-colored wax and only 2,500 copies of each hue will be released worldwide. Each box set features six single vinyl EPs, each one measuring a unique 6.66” in diameter and each disc offers two songs from the 2015 Repentless album. The red and black vinyl versions will sell for $66.66 while the gold discs will go for $73.99 retail; the box set is available to order from the Nuclear Blast label website.

In January, Slayer announced that it would do one more final world tour to say goodbye and thank the band’s rabid fans for three decades of support. Lamb of God, Anthrax, Behemoth, and Testament will open for Slayer on the first leg of the band’s farewell tour, with Lamb of God, Anthrax, Testament, and Napalm Death taking on the second leg of the tour. Slayer’s swansong tour begins in mid-May; you’ll find dates for both legs listed below.

MAY (FIRST LEG)
10   Valley View Casino Center, San Diego CA
11   Five Point Amphitheatre, Irvine CA  (SOLD OUT)
13   Papa Murphy's Park at Cal Expo, Sacramento CA
16   Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC CANADA
17   South Okanagan Events Centre, Penticton, BC CANADA
19   Big Four, Calgary, AB   (SOLD OUT)
20   Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, AB CANADA   (SOLD OUT)
22   Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, MB CANADA
24   The Armory, Minneapolis, MN   (SOLD OUT)
25   Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Tinley Park IL
27   Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, Detroit MI   (SOLD OUT)
29   Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON CANADA  (SOLD OUT)
30   Place Bell, Montreal, PQ CANADA  (SOLD OUT)

JUNE
 1   Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville CT   (SOLD OUT)
 2   PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel NJ 
 4   Santander Arena, Reading PA   (SOLD OUT)
 6   Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati OH
 7   Blossom Music Center, Cleveland OH
 9   KeyBank Pavilion, Pittsburgh PA
10   Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow VA
12   Veteran’s United Home Loans  Amphitheater, Virginia Beach VA
14   PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte NC
15   Orlando Amphitheater, Orlando FL
17   Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land, Houston TX   (SOLD OUT)
19   The Bomb Factory, Dallas TX   (SOLD OUT)
20   Austin360 Amphitheater, Austin TX  (SOLD OUT)

JULY (SECOND LEG)
26   Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, Gilforf NH
27   Impact Music Festival, Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion, Bangor ME
29   Northwell Health at Jones Beach, Wantagh NY
31   The Pavilion at Montage Mountain, Scranton PA

AUGUST
 1   Times Union Center, Albany NY
 3   Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Lake NY
 4   Lakeview Amphitheater, Syracuse NY
 6   Budweiser Gardens, London ON CANADA
 7   Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids MI
 9   Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, St. Louis MO
10   Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood, Atlanta GA
12   Municipal Auditorium, Nashville TN
13   Walmart AMP, Rogers AR
15   Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio TX
16   The Zoo Amphitheatre, Oklahoma City OK
18   Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, Denver CO
19   USANA Amphitheatre, Salt Lake City UT
21   Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater, Boise ID
23   Sunlight Supply Amphitheater, Portland OR
26   SAP Center, San Jose CA

Heavy metal legends Slayer, photo courtesy Nuclear Blast Records

Wishbone Ash April 2018 U.S. Tour & Box Set

British rock legends Wishbone Ash will be hitting the pavement in the U.S. next month as part of their seemingly endless “Open Road Tour.” The band is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, and although the last new Wishbone Ash album, Blue Horizon, was released in 2014 they’ve recently had a pair of their 1980s-era albums – 1982’s Twin Barrels Burning and 1985’s Raw To the Bone – reissued by Cherry Red Records.

To go along with their April tour dates, Madfish Records is releasing Wishbone Ash: The Vintage Years 1970-1991, a monster limited edition 30-disc career-spanning box set comprised of sixteen studio albums, three original live albums (on six discs), and eight previously-unreleased live performances dating from 1973 to 1980. Three of the band’s studio recordings (1987’s Nouveau Calls, 1989’s Here to Hear, and 1991’s Strange Affair), which were originally released by I.R.S. Records, are currently out-of-print and commanding collectors’ prices. All the music in the box set has been remastered from the original multitrack and ¼” tapes and the box includes a 156-page hardcover book written by Classic Rock zine’s Dave Ling, a 36-page poster book, photos, and scads of other band memorabilia.

As for the U.S. tour, the band will be performing in many venues that they haven’t visited in years, especially in the South and Southwest. Wishbone Ash logs roughly 30,000 miles on the road annually, their touring ethic and pioneering twin-guitar hard rock sound the key to their continued popularity as a live band. “The band basically lives together year-round on the road, so we have a very strong level of communication that translates in our performances and recordings,” says frontman Andy Powell in a press release for the tour. “We’ve come to an era where the industry has to pigeonhole a band as ‘Classic Rock’, ‘Prog Rock’, ‘Heritage Rock’ and so on. The truth is that we have always kept our options open and always relied on the musicianship of the players to lead the way. It’s fun to be stylistically diverse and this has, in its way, contributed to our longevity.”

April tour dates are listed below; be sure to make plans to catch Wishbone Ash when they come to your hometown!

 

Buy Wishbone Ash: The Vintage Years 1970-1991 from Amazon.com

Wishbone Ash April 2018 tour dates:
April 03 @ Harvester Performance Center, Rocky Mount VA
April 04 @ Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte NC
April 06 @ City Winery, Atlanta GA
April 07 @ Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts, Melbourne FL
April 08 @ Skippers Smokehouse, Tampa FL
April 11 @ House of Blues, New Orleans LA
April 13 @ Keys Lounge, Fort Worth TX
April 14 @ Sam's Burger Joint, San Antonio TX
April 15 @ One World Theatre, Austin TX
April 18 @ Rhythm Room, Phoenix AZ
April 19 @ Boulder Station Hotel Casino, Las Vegas NV
April 20 @ Canyon Club, Agoura Hills CA
April 21 @ The Rose, Pasadena CA
April 22 @ The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano CA
April 25 @ Yoshi's Jazz Club, Oakland CA
April 26 @ The Fox, Redwood City CA

Also on That Devil Music.com:
Wishbone Ash: The Vintage Years box set
Andy Powell's Eyes Wide Open book review 

UFO's The Salentino Cuts covers album

On September 29th, 2017 British rock ‘n’ roll legends UFO will release their very first album of cover tunes with The Salentino Cuts on Cleopatra Records. Paying homage to a dozen of the band’s favorite tunes, The Salentino Cuts offers up some unexpected-but-no-less-inspired choices like covers of John Mellencamp’s “Paper In Fire” and the Bill Withers’ soul classic “Ain’t No Sunshine” along with more traditional rock ‘n’ rollers like the Yardbirds’ “Heartful of Soul” and ZZ Top’s “Just Got Paid” as well as deep cuts like Mad Season’s “River of Deceit,” Robin Trower’s “Too Rolling Stoned,” and Steppenwolf’s “The Pusher.”

Unlike other 1970s-era classic rock revivalists that will remain nameless, UFO has punched its way into the 21st century. Rather than rehashing their storied past, the band has released a number of studio albums of new material over the past decade, the most recent being 2015’s acclaimed A Conspiracy of Stars. As UFO rapidly approaches its 50th anniversary as a band, the current line-up includes original members Phil Mogg (vox) and Andy Parker (drums), keyboardist Paul Raymond (who’s been with the band since 1976), guitarist Vinnie Moore (since 2003), and recent addition, American bassist Rob De Luca, who joined the band when original UFO madman Pete Way’s health forced his retirement.

In a press release for the new album, Vinnie Moore says, “Making this covers record was a blast for me. I thoroughly enjoyed putting a little of my own spin on these tunes that I grew up with. I played ZZ Top and Robin Trower songs about a gazzilion times onstage over the years. It was great to actually get to record some of my old faves.” The Salentino Cuts will be available on both CD and as two limited-edition vinyl pressings – one on splatter vinyl and one on white vinyl. In support of The Salentino Cuts, the band will be touring North America with fellow British hard rock legends Saxon; you can check out the tour dates listed below to see if they’re coming near your hometown.

Buy the CD from Amazon.com: UFO’s The Salentino Cuts

UFO 2017 North American tour dates:
Sep 22 @ Newton Theater, Newton NJ
Sep 23 @ Paramount Theater, Huntington NY
Sep 24 @ Baltimore Soundstage, Baltimore MD
Sep 26 @ Theater Of The Living Arts, Philadelphia PA
Sep 28 @ Flying Monkey, Plymouth NH
Sep 29 @ Palladium, Worcester MA
Sep 30 @ Webster Theater, Hartford CT
Oct 1 @ Aura, Portland ME
Oct 3 @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto ON Canada
Oct 4 @ Corona Theatre, Montreal QU Canada
Oct 6 @ Machine Shop, Flint MI
Oct 7 @ Ground Zero, Traverse City MI
Oct 8 @ Concord Music Hall, Chicago IL
Oct 9 @ Tangier Cabaret Room, Akron OH
Oct 11 @ Jergels, Pittsburgh PA
Oct 12 @ Bogarts, Cincinnati OH
Oct 13 @ Star Plaza, Merrillville IN
Oct 14 @ The Egyptian, Indianapolis IN

King Crimson Fall 2017 tour dates

King Crimson 2017

Prog-rock legends King Crimson just concluded an extremely successful, albeit too-short North American tour that saw the band performing seventeen shows mostly on either coast as well as prestigious events like the Rochester Jazz Festival (NY) and the Montreal Jazz Festival. During their month-long trek through the U.S. and Canada, the band also released its The Elements of King Crimson 2017 Tour Box set to no little acclaim.

Response to the current incarnation of King Crimson was so strong that the band has booked a fall 2017 tour of the United States that brings them to several destinations that the band hasn’t seen in decades. Stops on road include Atlanta, Georgia (which the band hasn’t visited since 2001) and Austin, Texas (not since 1974) as well as Philadelphia PA, Cleveland OH, and Washington, D.C. You’ll find the full slate of fall tour dates listed below.

The Elements of King Crimson 2017 Tour Box

Bandleader Robert Fripp is an odd bird, indeed, but an interesting one to be sure, and for the upcoming tour – much like the recently-completed dates – he is placing the band’s three drummers up in front of the stage where the audience can see them. In addition to beat-keepers Pat Mastelotto, Gavin Harrison, and Jeremy Stacey, the current of King Crimson roster includes multi-instrumentalist Bill Reiflin on keyboards, guitarist Jakko Jakszyk, longtime bassist Tony Levin, longer-time saxophonist Mel Collins and, of course, the enigmatic Mr. Fripp himself on guitar.

This could be the band’s last run through the states for a while, so don’t wait, buy your tickets for King Crimson now! Aside from standard tickets, the band’s label – DGM – will also be offering a limited number of 60 VIP Royal Packages per show. Details on the tour and everything else related to the band can be found on the King Crimson website.

King Crimson Fall 2017 Tour Dates
Oct 19 @ Bass Concert Hall, Austin TX
Oct 21 @ Music Hall, Dallas TX
Oct 23 @ Center Stage, Atlanta GA
Oct 24 @ Center Stage, Atlanta GA
Oct 26 @ Duke Energy Centre for the Performing Arts, Raleigh NC
Oct 28 @ Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C.
Oct 29 @ Lisner Auditorium, Washington D.C.
Oct 31 @ New Jersey Performing Arts Centre, Newark NJ
Nov 02 @ Merriam Theatre, Philadelphia PA
Nov 03 @ Merriam Theatre, Philadelphia PA
Nov 06 @ Orpheum Theatre, Boston MA
Nov 08 @ The Egg, Albany NY
Nov 09 @ The Egg, Albany NY
Nov 11 @ Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown PA
Nov 17 @ Beacon Theatre, New York NY
Nov 18 @ Beacon Theatre, New York NY
Nov 22 @ Michigan Theatre, Ann Arbor MI
Nov 24 @ Hard Rock Rocksino, Cleveland OH
Nov 26 @ Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee WI

Walter Trout Summer 2017 tour dates

Walter Trout photo by Austin Hargave

In case you missed our post the other day, the almighty Walter Trout has a brand new album coming out on August 25th, 2017. Titled We’re All In This Together, the disc features all original songs from Walter’s skilled pen and a slew of guest performers that reads like a spinning Rolodex™ of blues-rock talent, including Joe Bonamassa, Warren Haynes, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and the Godfather of the scene, the revered John Mayall.

Before heading back to Europe for a run of shows, Trout recently launched a North American tour that runs into September in support of We’re All In This Together. Although we missed the first few dates, we have a list of all the rest of them, so if Walter and his hard-working band come anywhere near your hometown, you should really plan on checking him out in person. You’ll thank me later...

Walter Trout tour dates
7/08 @ Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River MA
7/09 @ Daryl’s House, Pawling NY
7/10 @ Maxwell’s, Hoboken NJ
7/12 @ B.B. King’s, New York NY
7/13 @ Bull Run, Shirley MA
7/14 @ Infinity Music Hall, Norwalk CT
7/15 @ Tupelo Music Hall, Derry NH
7/16 @ North Atlantic Blues Festival, Rockland ME
7/19 @ Blues On The Mall, Grand Rapids MI
7/20 @ Club Soda, Toledo OH
7/21 @ Legends, Chicago IL
7/22 @ Legends, Chicago IL
7/23 @ Shank Hall, Milwaukee WI
7/26 @ Chrome Lounge, Omaha NE
7/27 @ Famous Dave’s, Minneapolis MN
7/28 @ Fargo Blues Fesival, Fargo ND
7/29 @ Arnolds Park Amusement Park, Arnolds Park IA
7/30 @ Lefty’s Live Music, Des Moines IA
8/05 @ Bluespalooza, Mammoth Lakes CA
8/06 @ Mt. Baker R&B Festival, Deming WA
8/16 @ Ram’s Head, Annapolis MD
8/17 @ The Hamilton, Washington D.C.
8/18 @ Somers Point Concert Series, Somers Point NJ
8/19 @ Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival, Morristown NJ
8/20 @ Long’s Park Concert Series, Lancaster PA
8/22 @ Peter’s Players, Gravenhurst, Ontario CAN
8/23 @ Peter’s Players, Gravenhurst, Ontario CAN
8/25 @ Trois Rivieres En Blues, Trois Rivieres, Quebec CAN
8/26 @ North River Blues Festival, Marshfield MA
8/27 @ 2 Left Feet Blues Festival, Simsbury CT
8/30 @ Callahan’s, Auburn Hills MI
8/31 @ Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland OH
9/02 @ Peoria Blues & Heritage Festival, Peoria IL
9/07 @ Big Blues Bender, Las Vegas NV
9/08 @ Big Blues Bender, Las Vegas NV

King Crimson summer tour & Heroes EP

Prog-rock legends King Crimson will kick off a 17-show North American tour with a sold-out performance at the Moore Theatre in Seattle, Washington on June 11th. The “Radical Action Tour 2017” includes performances in Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, and Toronto as well as at the Rochester Jazz Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival. There will be further dates scheduled for the fall, including an anticipated New York City concert.

The current incarnation of King Crimson includes original founding member Robert Fripp as well as multi-instrumentalist Bill Reiflin, guitarist and singer Jakko Jakszyk, longtime Crimson bassist Tony Levin, saxophonist Mel Collins, and multiple drummers – Pat Mastelotto, Gavin Harrison, and Jeremy Stacey. Coinciding with the initial slate of live performances, King Crimson will release their Heroes – Live In Europe, 2016 EP on June 2nd, 2017 on the band’s own DGM label.

The EP features the band’s version of the David Bowie classic “Heroes,” on which Fripp originally played guitar, recorded at the Admiralspalast in Berlin in tribute to the late rock ‘n’ roll legend. The Heroes EP also includes live renditions of “Easy Money,” “Starless,” and “The Hell Hounds of Krim” and is available from the band's website or from Amazon.com.

King Crimson 2017 North American tour dates:

06/11 @ Moore Theatre, Seattle WA (sold out!)
06/12 @ Moore Theatre, Seattle WA
06/13 @ Moore Theatre, Seattle WA
06/15 @ Mountain Winery, Saratoga CA
06/16 @ Fox Theatre, Oakland CA
06/17 @ Fox Theatre, Oakland CA
06/19 @ Humphrey's, San Diego CA
06/21 @ Greek Theatre, Los Angeles CA
06/24 @ Bellco Theatre, Denver CO
06/26 @ State Theatre, Minneapolis MN
06/28 @ Chicago Theater, Chicago IL
06/30 @ Rochester Jazz Festival - Kodak Hall, Rochester NY
07/03 @ Montreal Jazz Festival, Montreal, QC CANADA
07/05 @ Massey Hall, Toronto, ON CANADA
07/07 @ Centre Videotron, Quebec, QC CANADA
07/09 @ Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank NJ
07/10 @ Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank NJ

The Afghan Whigs' 2017 North American Tour

The Afghan Whigs 2017, photo by Chris Cuffaro

The hauntingly beautiful In Spades – the Afghan Whigs’ follow-up to their 2014 ‘comeback’ album Do to the Beast – is being released today on CD, vinyl, and as a download from legendary indie label Sub Pop Records, the band’s first home way back in the ‘80s. If you’re a fan of Whigs’ frontman Greg Dulli and/or his other great band, the Twilight Singers, you’re going to find a lot to like about In Spades; the initial singles released by Sub Pop, including “Demon In Profile” and “Oriole,” are thick on atmosphere, with Dulli’s anguished vocals puncturing through the dense fog of lush instrumentation like a dagger of pure white light.

After a lengthy summer tour with opener Ed Harcourt that begins in late May in the U.K. and sojourns across the European continent with stops in some 17 countries, including Germany, Italy, Denmark, and Belgium, the Afghan Whigs will return to the U.S. for a two-month North American tour that spans September and October. Although the band isn’t performing anywhere within a couple hours drive of the Reverend, they will be hitting all the major stateside musical oases, with stops in Brooklyn, Nashville, Atlanta, Austin, Seattle, and Los Angeles as well as the Whigs’ hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio; we have the complete tour dates below. Check out the band’s wonderful In Spades album and start saving your pennies for concert tickets to see the Afghan Whigs in person!

Buy the album from Amazon.com: The Afghan Whigs' In Spades


The Afghan Whigs' 2017 North American Tour:
Sep 6 @ The Social, Orlando FL
Sep 7 @ Terminal West, Atlanta GA
Sep 9 @ 9:30 Club, Washington DC
Sep 11 @ The National, Richmond VA
Sep 12 @ Union Transfer, Philadelphia PA
Sep 14 @ Paradise, Boston MA
Sep 16 @ Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn NY
Sep 18 @ Theatre Fairmount, Montreal QC CANADA
Sep 19 @ Opera House, Toronto ON CANADA
Sep 21 @ First Ave, Minneapolis MN
Sep 23 @ Metro, Chicago IL
Sep 24 @ Turner Hall, Milwaukee WI
Sep 26 @ St. Andrews, Detroit MI
Sep 28 @ Bogarts, Cincinnati OH
Sep 29 @ Exit/In, Nashville TN
Sep 30 @ Saturn, Birmingham AL
Oct 12 @ Belly Up, San Diego CA
Oct 13 @ Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles CA
Oct 14 @ The Fillmore, San Francisco CA
Oct 16 @ Wonder Ballroom, Portland OR
Oct 17 @ Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver BC CANADA
Oct 18 @ Showbox, Seattle WA
Oct 19 @ Urban Lounge, Salt Lake UT
Oct 21 @ Gothic Theatre, Denver CO
Oct 22 @ Record Bar, Kansas City MO
Oct 24 @ Mohawk, Austin TX
Oct 25 @ Trees, Dallas TX
Oct 26 @ Heights Theater, Houston TX

Bash & Pop May 2017 Tour Dates

We’re overjoyed by the news that former Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson is rounding up his loose-knit Bash & Pop band members to tour in support of their recent Fat Possum Records release, Anything Could Happen. It’s a dynamite LP about which Blurt magazine’s esteemed scribe Michael Toland writes “Stinson doesn’t try to be profound – he simply knocks out one greasy gem after another with an ease and grace that only comes from a combo of talent and experience. Anything Could Happen makes no apologies for getting down to the business of making no-bullshit rock & roll.”

So, it’s not a long tour by any standards, but when Tommy Stinson’s Bash & Pop outfit hits the treads, it’s well worth your time (and money) to cross the distance to catch the band on one of its rare live shows. They’re hitting several musical hot spots in May, including Nashville, Atlanta, Austin, and Boston, so if you’re anywhere near those teaming metropolises, be sure and check ‘em out!

Bash & Pop May 2017 tour dates:

May 16th @ Middle East Downstairs, Boston MA
May 18th @ The Bell House, Brooklyn NY
May 19th @ Songbyrd, Washington DC
May 20th @ The Camel, Richmond VA
May 22nd @ The Social, Orlando FL
May 23rd @ The Earl, Atlanta GA
May 24th @ The High Watt, Nashville TN
May 26th @ Club Dada, Dallas TX
May 27th @ Barracuda, Austin TX

Chris Robinson Brotherhood Tour Dates

Proving that there’s life after the Black Crowes, former Crowes frontman Chris Robinson slapped together his namesake Chris Robinson Brotherhood back in 2011 and hit the road. A kinda, sorta jam band more in the New Orleans style than a HORDE Festival act, the CRB pursues a musical hybrid of rootsy rock, Southern-friend funk, and blues with a psychedelic slant. The CRB benefits from having an extraordinary string-bender in guitarist Neal Casal, but the other guys – bassist Ted Pecchio, drummer Tony Leone, and keyboardist Adam MacDougall – aren’t exactly chopped liver.

After performing a number of shows after forming, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood released a pair of critically-acclaimed albums in 2012 – Big Moon Ritual, their debut, and The Magic Door – followed by a live set in 2013. A year later, they released Phosphorescent Harvest, which critics compared to the Grateful Dead. The band’s bread and butter is the live concert circuit, though, and after recently releasing their fourth studio album, Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel, the CRB is preparing to hit the road in support. Check out the CRB video below and then gaze at our list of tour dates and make plans to catch the band when they hit your hometown.

Buy the CD from Amazon.com: Chris Robinson Brotherhood's Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel

Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Fall 2016 Tour Dates
Aug 28 @ LOCKN' Festival, Arrington VA
Sep 16 @ Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Morrison CO
Sep 18 @ Outlaw Music Festival, Scranton PA
Sep 21 @ Town Ballroom, Buffalo NY
Sep 23 @ The Crofoot, Pontiac MI
Sep 24 @ The Rex Theater, Pittsburgh PA
Sep 25 @ Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland OH
Sep 26 @ Beachland Ballroom Cleveland OH
Sep 29 @ Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg PA
Sep 30 @ Paradise Rock Club, Boston MA
Oct 1 @ Paradise Rock Club, Boston MA
Oct 2 @ The Westcott Theater, Syracuse NY
Oct 4 @ The Intersection, Grand Rapids MI
Oct 6 @ 20th Century Theater, Cincinnati OH
Oct 7 @ Cannery Ballroom, Nashville TN
Oct 8 @ The Blue Note, Columbia MO
Oct 9 @ Slowdown, Omaha NE
Oct 11 @ Varsity Theater, Minneapolis MN
Oct 13 @ Deluxe At The Old National Centre, Indianapolis IN
Oct 14 @ Thalia Hall, Chicago IL
Oct 15 @ Majestic Theatre, Madison WI
Oct 16 @ Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee WI
Oct 20 @ Headliners Music Hall, Louisville KY
Oct 21 @ Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte NC
Oct 22 @ Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh NC
Oct 23 @ Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh NC
Nov 9 @ The Orange Peel, Asheville NC
Nov 11 @ Music Farm, Columbia SC
Nov 12 @ Variety Playhouse, Atlanta GA
Nov 18 @ The Space at Westbury, Westbury NY
Nov 19 @ The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester NY
Nov 29 @ The Wilma Theater, Missoula MT
Dec 1 @ The Hive, Sandpoint ID
Dec 2 @ Neumos, Seattle WA
Dec 3 @ Revolution Bar & Music Hall, Portland OR
Dec 4 @ HiFi Music Hall, Eugene OR
Dec 6 @ Ace Of Spades, Sacramento CA
Dec 8 @ The Fillmore, San Francisco CA
Dec 9 @ The Fillmore, San Francisco CA
Dec 10 @ The Fillmore, San Francisco CA
Dec 11 @ Coconut Grove, Santa Cruz CA
Dec 13 @ Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara CA
Dec 15 @ Fremont Theatre, San Luis Obispo CA
Dec 16 @ The Observatory North Park, San Diego CA
Dec 17 @ Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles CA

Wishbone Ash’s ‘Take It Back’ North American Tour

Classic rock legends Wishbone Ash will be launching a new “British Invasion” with their upcoming ‘Take It Back’ North American tour in September 2016. The band is celebrating its 47th anniversary since forming in England in 1969, and these performances will provide a musical journey that spans the band’s 1970s and ‘80s-era albums as well as including songs from more recent recordings.

“We'd like to mix it up a little,” says Wishbone Ash founding member Andy Powell in a press release for the tour. “Perhaps include a different epic instrumental, dust off a couple of the old harmony-driven songs, feature an unexpected track from our latest album, Blue Horizon.”

Since releasing its self-titled debut album in 1970, Wishbone Ash has built a catalog of unusually high quality music, including albums like 1971’s Pilgrimage, 1972’s Argus, 1976’s New England, and 1978’s No Smoke Without Fire – a total of nine studio albums during the ‘70s, another six during the ‘80s, two dozen altogether – a slate of acclaimed works that continued with 2011’s Elegant Stealth and 2014’s Blue Horizon. The current roster includes singer, songwriter, and guitarist Powell, Finnish six-string wizard Muddy Manninen, bassist Bob Skeat, and drummer Joe Crabtree; these four musicians have been together since 2007, making it the longest-lasting incarnation of the band.    

Wishbone Ash’s trademark sound is based on the band’s melodic twin lead guitars, which have influenced bands as diverse as Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, among many others. Over close to a half-century, the band has dabbled in folk, blues, jazz, and electronica along with the landmark rock ‘n’ roll sound they created during their early years. Touring constantly and logging 30,000 miles annually, the band has forged a strong bond with its loyal fans.

“We laid down strong musical roots in the '70s, and these roots continue to prove productive,” Powell says. “Also, we nurtured our fan base as much as possible through fan club conventions, newsletters and the like; but this was all given a great boost once the digital age came into being, with websites and social media.”

Check out Wishbone Ash’s September tour dates below. Buy a copy of their most recent album through Amazon.com: Wishbone Ash’s Blue Horizon

Related Content: Andy Powell's Eyes Wide Open book review


Wishbone Ash's “Take It Back” North American Tour 2016
 Sept 8 @ Soiled Dove, Denver CO
Sept 9 @ Stargazers, Colorado Springs CO
Sept 10 @ Knuckleheads, Kansas City MO
Sept 12 @ Pabst Theatre – Turner Hall, Milwaukee WI
Sept 13 @ Famous Dave’s, Minneapolis MN
Sept 16 @ Wildey Theatre, Edwardsville IL
Sept 17 @ Arcada Theatre, St. Charles IL
Sept 18 @ Callahan’s, Auburn Hills MI   
Sept 19 @ C2G Music Hall, Fort Wayne IN
Sept 20 @ Rex Theater, Pittsburgh PA
Sept 21 @ Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo NY
Sept 22 @ The Upper Room, Albany NY
Sept 23 @ Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe PA
Sept 24 @ Infinity Hall, Norfolk CT
Sept 25 @ Tupelo Music Hall, Londonderry NH
Sept 26 @ Ram's Head, Annapolis MD
Sept 27 @ Sellersville Theater, Sellersville PA
Sept 28 @ Highline Ballroom, New York NY
Sept 29 @ Daryl's House Club, Pawling NY

Walter Trout’s ALIVE In Amsterdam Tour

Touring in support of his recently-released live album ALIVE In Amsterdam, blues-rock guitarist Walter Trout – one of the Rev’s personal favorites – has announced that he’ll be hitting the road in August for a number of North American performances. Trout’s tour opens on August 13th with an appearance at the Cincinnati Blues Festival and will close in Denver, Colorado on August 30th, 2016 at the Oriental Theater. After a brief romp across Europe, Trout will return to the states for a slate of December shows that are as of yet unannounced.

Trout’s ALIVE In Amsterdam is a red-hot collection of performances recorded in November 2015 in Amsterdam’s Royal Theatre Carré. ALIVE In Amsterdam has been released as both a two-CD set and a three-album set pressed in glorious 180gr black vinyl. In a press release for the album, Trout states “we were rocking. If people are expecting a laid-back show, that's not what they’ll get. This is potent stuff.  That whole tour was kinda triumphant for me. Just to be back, after what I went through. But also to be playing with a renewed energy and commitment.”

With songs pulled from every era of his five-decade career, ALIVE In Amsterdam includes the Luther Allison cover “I'm Back,” the plaintive B.B. King tribute “Say Goodbye To The Blues,” the harmony-bolstered rocker “Almost Gone” and the raucous “Tomorrow Seems So Far Away” from Trout’s Battle Scars album and much more. Check out the video for ALIVE In Amsterdam below and then get ready to catch Trout perform live when he comes to your hometown!

Walter Trout's August 2016 Tour Dates

8/13 @ Cincinnati Blues Festival, Cincinnati OH
8/14 @ Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland OH
8/16 @ City Winery, New York NY
8/18 @ Violet's, Barrie, Ontario CAN
8/19 @ Violet's, Barrie, Ontario CAN
8/20 @ Seneca Casino, Niagara Falls NY
8/21 @ Funk 'n' Waffles, Syracuse NY
8/24 @ Castle Theatre, Bloomington IL
8/25 @ Redstone Room, Davenport IA
8/26 @ Paola Roots Fest, Paola KS
8/27 @ Playing With Fire Concert Series, Omaha NE
8/28 @ Lefty's Live Music, Des Moines IA
8/30 @ Oriental Theater, Denver CO

Blues-Rock Guitarist Walter Trout Announces U.S. Tour

Blues-rock guitarist Walter Trout has announced an upcoming tour of the United States that launches on March 10th, 2016 in Las Vegas and runs through the end of June. Aside from headline dates across the country, Trout will perform several festivals, including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Tampa Bay Blues Festival, and the Beale Street Music Fest in Memphis, Tennessee. The guitarist will also appear at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville for the Leadbelly Fest, and will perform a live HD broadcast on Music City Roots. After the U.S. tour, Trout will return to Europe for a festival tour, so if you don’t catch him this time around, maybe he’ll do another North American tour in the fall.

Touring in support of his excellent new studio album, Battle Scars, the U.S. tour is a triumphant homecoming, of sorts, for the beleaguered guitarist, who returned to the stage in June 2015 after a life-threatening illness and subsequent liver transplant. The album reflects Trout’s near-death experience and is a stunning, masterful set of songs; in my review for Blues Music magazine, I wrote that “Battle Scars is Trout’s Inferno, a tale of redemption and rebirth that doesn’t shy away from reality but rings loudly with hope…it’s also the best album, in all facets, that Trout has ever recorded.”  

“I’m thrilled about this album, about my life and about my music,” says Trout in a press release for the tour. “I feel that I’m reborn as a songwriter, a singer, a guitarist and a human being. I have a new chance at being the best musician and the best man that I can be. And I’m incredibly happy and grateful.” Trout looks forward to playing the songs from his recent release for his US fans. “The songs come out a little bit different each night, as I feed off inspiration from the audience. It is still a therapeutic experience for me to play these songs about my journey to death’s door and back, and each time I share them with a live audience, I heal a little bit more.”

Trout’s blues bona fides can’t be argued with – the guitarist made his bones touring with legends like John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, Lowell Fulsom, and Percy Mayfield during the 1970s – and later became a member of two hard-touring bands, Canned Heat and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Trout went solo and formed his own band in 1989, releasing his debut album Life In The Jungle in Europe, and making his U.S. debut with his self-titled 1998 album. In the 27 years since launching his solo career, Trout has earned multiple awards and nominations, including being named the “Overseas Artist of the Year” three times by the British Blues Awards.

Walter Trout’s current band includes bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Sammy Avila, and drummer Michael Leasure, with special appearances by his son Jon. Elated to be back on the stage, Trout delivers an electrifying and dynamic performance each and every night and, with Battle Scars, he has an emotionally-charged buffet of blues songs from which to choose. “I don’t take this lightly,” Trout declares. “My wife, Marie says that all of the people who donated to our fundraiser for my medical expenses bought stock in me and my liver. When I play for them now, I have a responsibility to give back and offer the very best that I have.”

Walter Trout U.S. Tour Dates:
3/10 @ Boulder Station Casino, Las Vegas NV
3/11 @ Rhythm Room, Phoenix AZ
3/30 @ Taos Mesa Brewing, Taos NM
4/01 @ Dosey Doe - The Big Barn, Woodlands TX
4/02 @ Scoot Inn, Austin TX
4/04 @ The Kessler Theater, Dallas TX
4/07 @ Mojo Kitchen, Jacksonville FL
4/08 @ Funky Biscuit, Boca Raton FL
4/09 @ Terra Fermata, Stuart FL
4/10 @ Tampa Bay Blues Festival, St. Petersburg FL
4/13 @ BB King's Blues Club, New York NY
4/14 @ Daryl's House, Pawling NY
4/15 @ Narrows Center For The Arts, Fall River MA
4/16 @ Infinity Music Hall, Norfolk CT
4/19 @ Smith's Olde Bar, Atlanta GA
4/20 @ Music City Roots, Franklin TN (Live HD Webcast)
4/22 @ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans LA
4/25 @ Howard Theatre, Washington DC
4/26 @ River City Ale Works, Wheeling WV
4/27 @ Woodlands Tavern, Columbus OH
4/30 @ Old Rock House, St. Louis MO
5/04 @ Shank Hall, Milwaukee WI
5/05 @ Famous Dave's, Minneapolis MN
5/06 @ Surf Ballroom, Clearlake IA
5/07 @ Knucklehead's Saloon, Kansas City MO

Shuggie Otis Summer 2015 Tour

Rhythm & Blues legend Shuggie Otis came out of retirement – or a really long hiatus, depending on how you look at it – a couple of years ago to perform his first live dates in years. The critically-acclaimed artist shook off the ring rust and managed to lay the smackdown on audiences with an exciting live show that included new takes on classic Otis songs like “Inspiration Information,” “Shuggie’s Boogie,” and “Strawberry Letter 23.” A brief 2014 tour led to Otis’s first concert album, Live In Williamsburg, which was released last year on CD, vinyl, and DVD.

Otis will hit the road again in July for a coast-to-coast barnstorming tour across North America. To give you an idea of the kind of show to expect, I wrote in my review of Live In Williamsburg for The Blues magazine (U.K.) that “Otis’s vocals and guitar playing show little or no rust here, displaying the same livewire electricity as his groundbreaking 1970s work, albeit tempered with experience and wisdom.” Shuggie possesses a unique musical voice and blues-based guitar style that incorporates elements of funk, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll unlike any artist before or since.

Shuggie Otis is the son of West Coast R&B legend Johnny and a true musical prodigy that learned not only from his father but also by performing and recording alongside legendary talents like Al Kooper, Etta James, Frank Zappa, and Bobby “Blue” Bland. Otis recorded his first album at age sixteen and largely retired from the business by age 30 with a handful of classic recordings to his name. The 2013 reissue of Otis’s landmark 1974 album Inspiration Information (which included Wings of Love, a bonus disc of unreleased recordings) led to renewed interest in the skilled singer, songwriter, and guitarist and, subsequently, to last year’s tour. If you’ve never seen Otis perform – and chances are that you haven’t – you’re going to want to catch one of the below-listed shows. You can thank me later... 

Shuggie Otis Tour Dates

07/05 @ City Winery, Napa CA 
07/10 @ Continental Club, Houston TX
07/11 @ Continental Club, Austin TX
07/12 @ DADA Club, Dallas TX
07/15 @ Rev Room, Little Rock AR
07/16 @ City Winery, Nashville TN
07/17 @ City Winery, Chicago IL
07/19 @ Ottawa Bluesfest, Ottawa CAN
07/20 @ Lee's Palace, Toronto CAN 
07/22 @ The Sinclair, Boston MA
07/23 @ Iron Horse, North Hampton MA
07/24 @ Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn NY
07/25 @ B.B. King Blues Club, New York NY 
07/26 @ The Egg, Albany NY
07/30 @ Ardmore Music Hall, Lancaster PA
07/31 @ Howard Theater, Washington DC
08/01 @ Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh NC
08/03 @ Georgia Terminal West, Atlanta GA
08/06 @ Vinyl, Pensacola FL

Walter Trout Returns To The Stage!

This is great news, indeed – beloved blues-rock guitarist Walter Trout will be returning to the stage this summer! After spending all of 2014 recovering from a life-saving liver transplant, and after undergoing extensive rehab to get back into “fighting” shape, the lifelong road warrior is ready to climb back on stage and thrill fans like he always has.

In a press release for the upcoming tour, Trout says, “the last year has been one where the blues truly came calling, and I came face to face with death more than once. My wife moved me to Nebraska to improve my chances of getting a life-saving liver transplant, and after a long wait, I got my new liver on May 26th, 2014. Since then I have been filled with immense gratitude. Gratitude for the fans who supported me via fundraisers, cards, messages, thoughts and prayers, for the donor and his or her family, for medical science, for my family, and for life itself. Everything matters more to me now.” 

Continuing, Trout adds, “now, 8 months after my transplant I feel like a new man. I have strength and energy. In some ways I feel like I am in my 20s again! The past couple of years of playing, I was getting dizzy spells, severe cramps in my hand and forearm and played many shows in severe pain. It turns out that was a result of my deteriorating liver. That is gone now! I am able to play better than I have in years. I feel reborn. I cannot wait to get back out on the road again and do what I love to do for my fans. The future looks great!”

Trout will make his first public appearance in over at year on June 15th, 2015 in London at the Royal Albert Hall, the guitarist performing at the Leadbelly Fest. He’ll start his North American tour on July 10th at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, California, a venue that holds a lot of history for Trout. Since he didn’t get a chance to tour in support of his excellent 2014 release The Blues Came Callin’, I’m sure that Walter is eager awaiting the upcoming shows, and there will certainly be performances added to the list below before it’s all over. We’ve also included Trout’s video announcing his return to the stage.

Walter Trout 2015 Tour Dates

06/15 @ Royal Albert Hall, London UK
07/10 @ The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano CA
07/21 @ Redstone Room, Davenport IA
07/23 @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Sioux City IA
07/25 @ Lowertown Blues Festival, St. Paul MN
07/31 @ Infinity Music Hall, Norfolk CT
08/01 @ Riverfront Blues Festival, Wilmington DE
08/02 @ Ram's Head, Annapolis MD
08/04 @ B.B. King's, New York NY
08/07 @ Bear's Den @ Seneca Casino, Niagara Falls NY
08/08 @ Heritage Blues Festival, Wheeling WV
08/14 @ Buddy Guy's Legends, Chicago IL
08/15 @ Big Bull Falls Blues Festival, Wausau WI
09/10 @ Big Blues Bender, Las Vegas NV
09/11 @ Big Blues Bender, Las Vegas NV
11/17 @ Arc, Stockton UK
11/18 @ ABC, Glasgow UK
11/20 @ Picturedrome, Holmfirth UK
11/21 @ Forum, London UK
11/24 @ Assembly, Leamington Spa UK
11/25 @ Cheese & Grain, Frome UK
11/28 @ Carre, Amsterdam Netherlands
12/01 @ Fabrik, Hamburg Germany
12/02 @ Kesselhaus, Berlin Germany
12/03 @ RuhrCongress, Bochum Germany
12/06 @ Feriheiz, Munich Germany

Ian Anderson’s Homo Erraticus Special Tour Edition

Earlier this year, rock ‘n’ roll legend Ian Anderson released Homo Erraticus, the Jethro Tull frontman’s sixth studio album and most commercially successful solo work to date in the U.K. An old-school, 1970s-styled collection of hard rock, folk, and progressive rock that doesn’t stray too far from Tull’s roots, Homo Erraticus is a concept album that builds upon Anderson’s 2012 effort, Thick As A Brick 2.

The album’s story is based on Anderson’s fictional character Gerald Bostock (who should need no introduction to Tull fans), and features lyrics “written” by Bostock based on an old, unpublished manuscript that examines key events from British history and offers a number of prophecies for the future. That may sound kind of odd to 21st century rock fans who didn’t grow up during a time when conceptual prog-rock collections were the norm (Rick Wakeman, anyone?). But the music on Homo Erraticus is lush, exciting, and eminently progressive while Anderson’s signature vocals bring the words of each song alive with energy and gravitas.

On September 30th, 2014 Kscope Records will release Homo Erracticus as a two-disc CD/DVD “special tour edition” with the entire album on CD and an additional bonus DVD that includes a music video of the song “Enter the Uninvited” recorded live at the Swan Theatre in the U.K. as well as an interview with Anderson discussing the live visuals fans can expect to see when the legendary rocker launches his North American tour on September 12th. Billed as the “Best of Jethro Tull and Homo Erracticus,” Anderson and his band will perform the new album in its entirety, following with a selection of classic Jethro Tull songs; if you haven’t already picked up the CD, here’s your chance to get a bonus edition. You’ll definitely want it after seeing Anderson on tour at one of the dates listed below!

Buy the CD from Amazon.com: Ian Anderson's Homo Erraticus (regular edition)
 
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Ian Anderson Tour Dates

09/12/14 @ McCaw Hall, Seattle WA    
09/13/14 @ Maryhill Winery Amphitheater, Goldendale WA    
09/15/14 @ Cascade Theater, Redding CA    
09/17/14 @ Fox Theater, Oakland CA        
09/18/14 @ Segerstrom Hall, Costa Mesa CA    
09/19/14 @ Pearl Concert Theater, Las Vegas NV    
09/20/14 @ Mesa Arts Center, Mesa AZ    
09/21/14 @ Kiva Auditorium, Albuquerque NM   
09/23/14 @ Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, Dallas TX    
09/24/14 @ Wagner Noel PAC, Midland TX    
09/26/14 @ Austin City Limits, Austin TX        
09/27/14 @ Tobin PAC, San Antonio TX    
09/28/14 @ Stafford PAC, Stafford TX    
09/30/14 @ Symphony Hall, Atlanta GA    
10/01/14 @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville TN    
10/03/14 @ Blumenthal PAC, Charlotte NC    
10/04/14 @ Durham PAC, Durham NC    
10/05/14 @ The National Theater, Richmond VA    
10/16/14 @ Pfeiffer Hall, Naperville IL    
10/17/14 @ Sangamon Auditorium, Springfield IL    
10/18/14 @ Pabst Theater, Milwaukee WI    
10/19/14 @ Gallagher Bluedorn PAC, Cedar Falls IA    
10/21/14 @ State Theater, Minneapolis MN        
10/23/14 @ Horshoe Casino, Elizabeth IN    
10/24/14 @ Clay Center, Charleston WV    
10/25/14 @ The Palace Theatre, Greensburg PA        
10/26/14 @ Sands Bethlehem Event Center, Bethlehem PA    
10/28/14 @ Flynn Center, Burlington VT     
10/29/14 @ Providence PAC, Providence RI    
10/30/14 @ The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield CT    
11/01/14 @ Lynn Auditorium, Lynn MA     
11/02/14 @ Palace Theatre, Albany NY    
11/04/14 @ Center For the Arts, Buffalo NY    
11/06/14 @ Lincoln Theater, Washington DC    
11/07/14 @ Caesars' Circus Maximus, Atlantic City NJ    
11/08/14 @ The Paramount, Huntington NY        
11/09/14 @ Count Basie Theater, Red Bank NJ    
11/10/14 @ Wellmont Theatre, Montclair NJ

Bad Company Vinyl Reissues & Tour Dates

When I was a wee sprout of a rock ‘n’ roll fanatic, the British blues-rock outfit Free was one of my fave rave bands. As such, I couldn’t understand why they broke up when they broke up…back in those days, there was no Internet to provide gossip, lies, and innuendo, so Paul Kossoff’s drug problems and inter-band tensions weren’t widely-known knowledge…especially to snot-nosed teenage fans.

When former Free frontman Paul Rodgers and the band’s drummer Simon Kirke formed Bad Company with former Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and former King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell, I begrudgingly gave their self-titled 1974 album a spin. Although Bad Company, the album, wasn’t Free, it was still pretty good, and I soon had another favorite band. Quite a few other young rockers must have shared my feelings, because Bad Company shot up to number one on the Billboard Top 200 album chart, eventually selling five million copies on the strength of hit singles like “Can’t Get Enough” (charted at #5) and “Movin’ On” (#19) as well as featuring tunes like “Ready For Love,” “Rock Steady,” and the atmospheric album title track.

On July 1st, 2014 Rhino Records will reissue Bad Company’s first two classic albums – Bad Company and Straight Shooter – on 180-gram vinyl with the complete original packaging. Like its predecessor, Straight Shooter rose up the album charts to the number three position, scoring hit singles with “Feel Like Making Love” (#10) and “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad” (#36) and the classic rock radio standard “Shooting Star.” Accompanying the vinyl reissues of their two classic albums, Bad Company will be touring the U.S. this summer with another legendary 1970s era band, Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Sadly, Boz Burrell passed away in 2006, but the current Bad Company version includes original members Rodgers, Ralphs, and Kirke along with guitarist Howard Leese and bassist Todd Ronning (from Rodgers' solo band). Vinyl copies of both albums will be on sale at the band’s shows as well as available through fine record shops everywhere.

Bad Company/Lynryrd Skynyrd Summer Tour Dates

07/10/14 @ Waterfront, Bangor ME                           
07/12/14 @ Xfinity Center, Mansfield MA                      
07/13/14 @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien NY                             
07/15/14 @ Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh NC                           
07/16/14 @ PNC Pavilion, Charlotte NC                        
07/18/14 @ Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden NJ                                 
07/19/14 @ Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow VA                           
07/22/14 @ Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls OH              
07/23/14 @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park IL                      
07/25/14 @ DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston MI                 

Progressive Nation At Sea 2014

Back in 2008, Dream Theatre drummer Mike Portnoy dreamt up an idea of a sort of prog-rock "super tour" to bring the music to the masses. Thus was the Progressive Nation launched, and over the course of two North American and one European tour during 2008 and '09 – fronted by Dream Theatre and including three other bands hand-picked by Portnoy – the package tour showcased a variety of prog-minded bands.

After a five year hiatus, Progressive Nation is returning, this time on the high seas. The Progressive Nation At Sea will be a floating party featuring some of the best of brightest from the prog-rock and metal worlds. Launching from Miami, Florida and sailing to Great Stirrup Cay and Freeport, Bahamas, the Progressive Nation At Sea cruise will run from February 18th-22nd, 2014 on the Norwegian Pearl ship. The ocean-going festival will feature 40+ shows on multiple stages as well as jam sessions that are sure to get the big boat a rockin'!   

Sponsored by Inside Out Music, Progressive Nation At Sea features a veritable "who's who" of prog-rockin' talent, including Portnoy and his former Dream Theatre bandmate Derik Sherinian, prog "supergroup" Transatlantic (with Portnoy, Neal Morse, Roine Stolt, and Pete Trewavas), former Yes frontman Jon Anderson, Adrian Belew's Power Trio, the Devin Townsend Project, Spock's Beard, King's X, the Flower Kings, Pain of Salvation, Anathema, Bigelf, Beardfish, Jolly, Haken, and many others.

The cruise ain't cheap – these things never are – but at $700 per person plus taxes and fees (say a grand total to be safe), you get the aforementioned entertainment, meals, and full run of the ship including an outdoor pool, hot tubs, a fitness center and more. The music is the main attraction, though, and comparing the cost of Progressive Nation At Sea with other cruises, it's a pretty good price for the entertainment value. Check out the Progressive Nation At Sea website for more info…

New Transatlantic CD & Tour In 2014

Prog-rock "supergroup" Transatlantic has announced the January 27th, 2014 release of Kaleidoscope, the band's fourth studio album which, of course, will be accompanied by a supporting tour. Since its forming in 2001, and over the course of three studio and three live albums, Transatlantic has become one of the leading lights of the modern progressive rock movement. The band features talents like Neal Morse (solo, Spock's Beard), Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings), bassist Peter Trewavas (Marillion), and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theatre).  

Says Morse in a press release for the new album, "we are all completely excited about the Kaleidoscope album and our upcoming tour! This will be a mind blowing experience for us and the audience for sure. We've never taken on a tour of this scope before and the album is crazy good so we are looking forward to playing this new material all over the world."

The track-listing for Kaleidoscope and initial Transatlantic 2014 tour dates are listed below:

1. Into The Blue
2. Shine
3. Black As The Sky
4. Beyond The Sun
5. Kaleidoscope

An Evening With Transatlantic 2014 World Tour:

Jan 31st @ El Segundo Performing Arts Center, Los Angeles CA
Feb 4th @ The Arcada Theater, Chicago IL
Feb 5th @ Theatre Du Capitole, Quebec City, Canada
Feb 6th @ L'Olympia, Montreal, Canada
Feb 8th @ Keswick Theater, Philadelphia PA
Feb 9th @ Highline Ballroom, New York NY
Feb 11th @ Teatro Metropolitan, Mexico City, Mexico
Feb 18th-22nd - "Progressive Nation At Sea" Cruise
Feb 27th @ La Rivera, Madrid, Spain
Feb 28th @ Razzmatazz 2, Barcelona, Spain
March 2nd @ Alcatraz, Milan, Italy
March 3rd @ Orion, Rome, Italy
March 5th @ Z7, Pratteln, Switzerland
March 6th @ Substage, Karlsruhe, Germany
March 7th @ Muffathalle, Munich, Germany
March 8th @ Astra, Berlin, Germany
March 9th @ E Werk, Cologne, Germany
March 11th @ Trix, Antwerp, Belgium
March 12th @ The Forum, London, England
March 13th @ 013, Tilburg, Holland
March 14th @ 013, Tilburg, Holland
March 15th @ Le Bataclan, Paris, France
June 4th-7th - Sweden Rock Festival