Phil Manzanera has one of the most genuinely extraordinary life stories in rock music, and “An Evening Of Words And Music With Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera” gives audiences a rare chance to hear it told in person. The Roxy Music guitarist, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, OBE recipient, and esteemed record producer returns to the United States in May for four Midwest dates supporting his memoir and companion CD ‘Revolucion To Roxy’, following a highly successful West Coast run earlier this year.
The format is as distinctive as the man himself. Each show blends conversation with live performance, Manzanera discussing the memoir while also picking up the guitar to take the room through musical highlights. The response from the West Coast run was unambiguous. The San Jose Mercury News praised it as “a great night for fans,” while Parklife DC called Manzanera “a right proper gentleman” whose storytelling kept audiences “glued to our seats,” adding that “you could simply feel the room bursting with joy” when he played. That combination of candor, wit, and genuine musicianship makes these shows something well beyond a standard book tour appearance.
The memoir itself covers remarkable ground. Manzanera writes vividly about living through the Cuban Revolution, discovering a 17th century Caribbean Jewish pirate ancestor, and an Italian musician grandfather, before moving into his years with Roxy Music and encounters with Bob Dylan, David Gilmour and Rick Wright of Pink Floyd, Paul Simonon of The Clash, and Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. The companion CD on Expression Records via BFD/The Orchard features ten tracks including five previously unreleased songs. The Cleveland date at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on May 14th features a conversation with VP Jason Handley, while the Chicago Space show on May 18th pairs Manzanera with legendary WXRT-FM DJ Terri Hemmert.
“An Evening Of Words And Music With Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera” Tour Dates:
May 14 – Cleveland, OH – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (in conversation with Jason Handley)
May 18 – Chicago, IL – Space (in conversation with Terri Hemmert)
May 19 – Milwaukee, WI – The Shank
May 20 – Minneapolis, MN – The Quinlan Room