You like supergroups? Here’s a supergroup. Cody Johnson, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Paul Rodgers of Bad Company, Slash of Guns N’ Roses, Chuck Leavell and Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers Band, Wynonna Judd, and LeAnn Rimes performed a tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd during the 2023 CMT Country Music Awards show with a medley of “Simple Man” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”
Canadian Music Hall Of Fame Inductees COWBOY JUNKIES Announces Ontario Tour
Sometimes revolutions begin quietly.
In 1988, Cowboy Junkies proved that there was an audience waiting for something quiet, beautiful and reflective. The Trinity Session was like a whisper that cut through the noise — and it was compelling. It stood out in the midst of the flash and bombast that came to define the late 80’s. The now classic recording combined folk, blues and rock in a way that had never been heard before and went on to sell more than a million copies.
Cowboy Junkies will release Such Ferocious Beauty on June 2, 2023 via Latent Recordings. This is the band’s first release of new material in five years and follows their heralded 2022 collection of covers, Songs of the Recollection. Such Ferocious Beauty is vintage Cowboy Junkies and another dimension from the lo-fi Canadian band comprised of siblings Margo, Michael and Peter Timmins and lifelong friend Alan Anton. Such Ferocious Beauty is a rumination on aging, losing parents, facing mortality and creating space for one’s life in the midst of the ruin that comes from merely living.
Formed in Toronto in 1985 with siblings Michael Timmins on guitar, Margo Timmins on vocals, Peter Timmins on drums, and Michael’s lifelong friend Alan Anton on bass, the band has sparkled over the course of 26 albums. “I’ve known Alan longer than I’ve known Pete,” says Michael. “We were friends before Pete was born.”
Unlike most long-lasting groups, Cowboy Junkies have never had a break up or taken a sanity-saving hiatus. There’s an appreciation of each other that keeps them constantly working. “It’s that intimacy and understanding of what each one of us brings to the table,” says Michael.
For more than 20 years, Cowboy Junkies have remained true to their unique artistic vision and to the introspective, quiet intensity that is their musical signature, creating a critically acclaimed body of original work that has endeared them to an audience unwavering in its loyalty. Albums like The Caution Horses (1990), Black Eyed Man (1992), Pale Sun, Crescent Moon (1993), Lay It Down (1996) and more recently, Open (2001), One Soul Now (2004), Early 21st Century Blues (2005) and At the End of Paths Taken (2007) chronicle a creative journey reflecting the independent road the band has elected to travel.
COWBOY JUNKIES TOUR DATES: TICKETS ON SALE MARCH 31, 2023
September 27, 2023 – St. Catharines, ON: Partridge Hall. Tickets here at 10am
September 29, 2023 – Windsor, ON: Chrysler Theatre. Tickets here at 11am
September 30, 2023 – Sarnia, ON: Imperial Theatre. Tickets here at 9am
October 1, 2023 – Guelph, ON: River Run Centre. Tickets here at Noon
October 3, 2023 – Toronto, ON: Danforth Music Hall. Tickets here at 10am
October 4, 2023 – Kingston, ON: Grand Theatre. Tickets here at Noon
October 5, 2023 – Peterborough, ON: Showplace Performance Centre. Tickets here at 10am
Blues Artist David Deacon Returns to Music With Philosophical, Humbly Accepting “Arc Of Life”
It can be very difficult to live life on life’s terms, and so Guelph, ON-based blues artist David Deacon gives us a dose of gentle reality on his humbly philosophical song “Arc of Life” – available now.
An introspective, wailing guitar ballad sung in Deacon’s signature gravely tone, “Arc of Life” encourages the listener to examine the life they’ve lived without vanity, without artifice, and with a mature, and ultimately peaceful, acceptance.
It’s the arc of life
A bright or darkened star
It’s our mark on life
What’s done is what we are
What’s done is what we are
“I wrote ‘Arc of Life’ because I always wanted to have a non-secular song that spoke to a life in a larger sense,” Deacon explains. “I wanted something that spoke about individuals and not to some mystic abstract. As well I wanted to make clear my view that I believe that what we do is what we are – not what we hoped or believed or just talked about.”
“Arc of Life” is Deacon’s first single from his forthcoming album Four, out this May, which is like a ride that starts out on a freeway, takes a long stretch down a winding road, makes a few off-road excursions, and ultimately has faith that just keeping on will get you somewhere interesting. It was written upon Deacon’s return to the music scene after a long hiatus. After a decade of hard work in this intense industry, Deacon chose to leave music. Now, returning to the scene, he’s excited to play and create with the new technology that redefines what it means to be a musician, and share his work with the world.
David Deacon can be described as Blues and Roots music attached to a 6’5 rangy-and-rugged guy. He has a voice that sounds like it could have an atomic decay number attached to it (and that’s a damn good thing). His bluesy, old-school rock/ballad storytelling spends time digging into the psyche of someone who has travelled many roads, and the people he’s met along the way. If you like Dire Straits or Tom Waits, maybe Leonard Cohen (if he rode motorcycles), Dylan for sure, perhaps Van Morrison, you will definitely love David Deacon.
Tears For Fears Announces 2023 North American ‘The Tipping Point Tour Part II’
Today, iconic British duo, Tears For Fears, have announced their North American 2023 summer tour — The Tipping Point Tour Part II – with special guest Cold War Kids. Produced by Live Nation, the 22-city tour kicks off on June 23 at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in Atlantic City, NJ making stops across North America in New York, Toronto, Houston, Seattle, and more before wrapping up in Los Angeles, CA at the Hollywood Bowl on August 2.
ears For Fears – Roland Orzabal (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Curt Smith (vocals, bass, keyboards) formed in Bath, England 1981. With 30 million albums sold worldwide, performing to countless sold-out audiences, and winning various awards, the band represent an inimitable intersection of pop palatability, clever and cognisant lyricism, guitar bombast, and new wave innovation. Their 1983 debut The Hurting yielded anthems such as “Mad World,” “Change,” and “Pale Shelter,” reaching RIAA Gold status in the United States. 1985’s Songs from the Big Chair became a watershed moment for the group and music at large. Boasting the signature BRIT Award-winning “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout,” “Head over Heels,” “Mothers Talk” and “I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording),” it went quintuple-platinum and captured #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Slant dubbed it one of, “The Best Albums of the 1980s,” it was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and Consequence of Sound awarded it a rare A+ rating in a 20-year retrospective.1989’s Seeds of Love proved to be Orzabal and Smith’s last collaboration together until Everybody Loves A Happy Ending in 2004, which rekindled the creative fire between them. The band engaged in a three-year touring whirlwind across North America, Japan, South Korea, Manila, and South America beginning in 2010.
2013 saw them return with their first recorded music in a decade: a cover of Arcade Fire’s “Ready to Start.” The band returned once more in 2017 with the Rule The World best of collection, which once more catapulted the band back to the upper echelon of the UK album charts. The duo’s DNA remains embedded within three generations of artists on both subtle and overt levels. Quietly casting a shadow over rock, hip-hop, electronic dance music, indie, and beyond, The Weeknd infused “Pale Shelter” into Starboy’s “Secrets,” David Guetta sampled “Change” for “Always,” and Drake utilized “Ideas as Opiates” as the foundation for “Lust For Life,” while Ally Brooke Hernandez, Adam Lambert, and Gary Jules recorded popular covers of “Mad World” and Disturbed took on “Shout,” and that’s only to name a few. Lorde cut a haunting cover of “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” for the Soundtrack of the blockbuster The Hunger Games – Catching Fire, which Tears For Fears gleefully would use as intro music live and thus bring everything full circle.
Meanwhile, classic songs figure prominently everywhere from The Wire and Donnie Darko to Straight Outta Compton and Mr. Robot. Long before they became a cultural cornerstone Tears For Fears simply consisted of two school friends growing up in Bath, Somerset UK.
With the release of their first album in almost 20 years The Tipping Point in 2022, the 40th anniversary of The Hurting and with more touring on the horizon, Orzabal and Smith remain as loud as ever, while yet another generation gets ready to “Shout” with them all over again.
TEARS FOR FEARS 2023 NORTH AMERICA TOUR DATES:
Fri Jun 23 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
Sat Jun 24 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
Mon Jun 26 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Thu Jun 29 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Fri Jun 30 – Montreal, QC – Place Bell
Sun Jul 02 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Wed Jul 05 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Fri Jul 07 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheatre
Sat Jul 08 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
Tue Jul 11 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
Thu Jul 13 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre STL
Fri Jul 14 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
Sun Jul 16 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Mon Jul 17 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
Thu Jul 20 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Sat Jul 22 – Portland, OR – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
Mon Jul 24 – Vancouver, BC – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
Wed Jul 26 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Thu Jul 27 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Sat Jul 29 – Sacramento, CA – Toyota Amphitheater
Tue Aug 01 – Palm Springs, CA – Acrisure Arena
Wed Aug 02 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
ABOUT TEARS FOR FEARS
T
D4VD Announces Upcoming EP ‘Petals To Thorns’ And North American Tour Dates
Today, genre-defying artist d4vd announces his highly anticipated debut EP Petals to Thorns out May 26 (presave HERE). He also unveils an upcoming run of summer European and US tour dates.
The highly anticipated EP, Petals to Thorns, is primed to be a groundbreaking debut that will captivate listeners with its diverse range of genres, from R&B to indie rock and grunge. The nine-song project features his two chart-climbing singles, RIAA platinum “Romantic Homicide,” a grungy, guitar-driven breakup anthem, and RIAA gold “Here With Me,” a slow-building beachy ballad. The EP also includes his most recent releases, “Worthless,” and “Placebo Effect,” as well as new tracks showcasing d4vd’s innovative sound. The tracks range from fast-paced, reverb-drenched dream pop to woozy slacker rock with elements of R&B and pop-punk in his vocals. After facing copyright strikes on his gaming YouTube channel, d4vd kickstarted his music career by recording songs inside his sister’s closet via the app BandLab. With gaming culture and anime as some of his biggest influences, d4vd’s sound is a true testament to the DIY spirit of today’s emerging artists.
The new summer tour dates follow on the heels of the first leg of d4vd’s “The Root Of It All” tour, which sold out immediately after going on sale. It revisits major cities including New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto, expanding to larger venues. The new run of dates kicks off on May 28th at the Deaf Institute in Manchester, UK with stops around Europe before returning to the US with a show in his hometown at White Oak Music Hall in Houston on June 25th. See full routing below.
d4vd emerged as a visionary artist only one year after he began writing and recording heart-piercing tracks alone in his sister’s closet in Houston, Texas. d4vd gained his now-eclectic taste in rap and indie music from internet wormholes and fan-made Fortnite videos on YouTube, which he also started creating as a homeschooled teenager. As an avid player who has amassed over fifty thousand subscribers on his gaming channel, he noticed that the songs in his game montages were getting copyright strikes, and his mother suggested that he should write his own original music as a solution. This motivated d4vd to start recording his own tracks after discovering an easy-to-use music-making app called BandLab. He’s released a smattering of singles touching everything from indie-alternative to pop to R&B, and the 18-year-old, born David Burke, scored a breakout hit in summer 2022 with the melancholic indie rock song “Romantic Homicide,” whose brutally honest lyrics about heartbreak and resentment have connected with hundreds of thousands of listeners. His slow-building beachy ballad, “Here With Me” also climbed the charts, establishing d4vd as a genre-defying newcomer. d4vd’s intuitive command of lyricism stems from his years of scribbling raps and poems in his journal since childhood and his versatile interests shine in his music, drawing primarily from manga for his “real and grounded” narratives. “Romantic Homicide,” a song recorded entirely on an iPhone, reached No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and led to d4vd signing to Darkroom/Interscope before d4vd ven graduated high school. “Here With Me” followed suit, breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2023. His debut headline spring tour ‘The Root of it All’ sold-out within 30 inutes of going on sale. He continues his rise with recent singles “Placebo Effect” and “Worthless.”
Named one of Zane Lowe’s 23 Artists To Watch In 2023 and named a hero artist for Amazon Music’s Artists to Watch 2023, there’s more to come from d4vd.
HEADLINING TOUR DATES:
Sunday, April 30 – Virginia Beach, VA – Something in The Water
Sunday, May 28 – Manchester, UK – Deaf Institute
Tuesday, May 30 – London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall
Friday, June 2 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso Tollhuisten
Saturday, June 3 – Paris, France – We Love Green Festival
Tuesday, June 6 – Berlin, Germany – Privatclub
Thursday, June 8 – Cologne, Germany – Helios 37
Friday, June 9 – Gräfenhainichen, Germany – MELT Festival
Sunday, June 11 – Stockholm, Sweden – Nalen Klubb
Tuesday, June 13 – Oslo, Norway – Parkteatret
Wednesday, June 14 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Rust
Friday, June 16 – Milan, Italy – Unaltro Festival (Concert Series)
Sunday, June 18 – Florence, Italy – Firenze Rocks Festival
Sunday, June 25 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
Tuesday, June 27 – Dallas, TX – The Echo
Thursday, June 29 – Atlanta, GA – The Loft at Center Stage
Saturday, July 1 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
Wednesday, July 5 – Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground
Friday, July 7 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Saturday, July 8 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
Monday, July 10 – New York, NY – Racket
Sunday, July 16 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
Tuesday, July 18 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
Friday, July 21 – Seattle, WA – Showbox Market
Saturday, July 22 – Vancouver, BC – Fortune
Sunday, July 23 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Tuesday, July 25 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
Saturday, July 29 – Naeba, Japan – Fuji Rock Festival
Thursday, August 10 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey
About d4vd:
Melanie Martinez Announces 2023 North American Portals Tour
Off the heels of the release of her latest album, PORTALS, Melanie Martinez today announced a 29-city tour of the same name. Produced by Live Nation, the highly anticipated run will kick off on May 30 at Fillmore Auditorium in Denver making stops across the U.S. and Canada in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Toronto and more before wrapping up in Montreal at MTELUS on July 15.
The 13-track PORTALS is highlighted by new single “VOID,” written and produced by Martinez, available now HERE. Martinez first unveiled PORTALS last month with an instantly viral TikTok video causing pandemonium among fans around the globe, with teasers surpassing 115 MILLION views across socials. Hugely anticipated festival appearances this past month at Lollapalooza Argentina, Lollapalooza Chile, Bogota, Columbia’s Estéreo Picnic, and Lollapalooza Brazil saw Melanie Martinez debuting new songs for the very first time, performing as an otherworldly new creature which is a rebirth of her alter ego “Cry Baby.”
The PORTALS Tour will find Martinez exclusively performing as Cry Baby at every show, where fans can enjoy hearing songs from her latest album.
Tickets will be available starting with Melanie Martinez’s mailing list presale (details below) beginning Wednesday, April 5. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, April 7 at 10 AM local time at LiveNation.com.
Fans can take part in the Melanie Martinez mailing list presale by joining her email list HERE by Tues, Apr 4 @ 5 PM PT to receive the presale code to their inbox.
PORTALS TOUR DATES:
Tue May 30 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Thu Jun 01 – Sandy, UT – Sandy Amphitheater
Sat Jun 03 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater
Sun Jun 04 – Portland, OR – Alaska Airlines’ Theater of the Clouds
Tue Jun 06 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Wed Jun 07 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live Sacramento
Fri Jun 09 – Inglewood, CA – YouTube Theater
Sat Jun 10 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena
Mon Jun 12 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
Thu Jun 15 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Fri Jun 16 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
Sat Jun 17 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater
Tue Jun 20 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center
Wed Jun 21 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
Fri Jun 23 – Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Sat Jun 24 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tue Jun 27 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
Wed Jun 28 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
Fri Jun 30 – Philadelphia, PA – Skyline at The Mann
Sat Jul 01 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Sun Jul 02 – Washington DC – The Anthem
Wed Jul 05 – Cleveland, OH – Nautica Pavilion
Fri Jul 07 – Cincinnati, OH – Andrew J Brady Music Center
Sat Jul 08 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
Mon Jul 10 – St. Louis – Saint Louis Music Park
Tue Jul 11 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
Wed Jul 12 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
Fri Jul 14 – Toronto, ON – Meridian Hall
Sat Jul 15 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
Melanie Martinez is a multi-Platinum, 12 billion-streaming alt-pop phenomenon. PORTALS marks the 27-year-old NYC-born singer-songwriter-filmmaker’s first full-length release in nearly four years following her 2 billion-streaming, RIAA Gold-certified second album, K-12. K-12 proved a sensation upon its release, entering the Billboard 200 at #3 with further debuts at #1 on the Alternative album chart, and #1 on the Soundtrack album chart. Hailed by Forbes as “a perfect conceptual album in the streaming age,” K-12 also serves as a soundtrack companion to an eerily enchanting musical film written, directed, and starring Martinez. K-12 the film debuted as the 6th highest grossing film in the US on the day of its September 3, 2019 theatrical release, with one-night-only screenings in over 425 cinemas in 32 countries.
Martinez truly set forth on what has proven a remarkable creative journey with her 2015 debut album, CRY BABY. CRY BABY took on a stunning second life in 2020 when the longtime fan-favorite “Play Date“ exploded into a true alt-pop sensation with millions of user-generated videos across TikTok. Now boasting over 1 billion worldwide streams along with 2x RIAA Platinum certification, “Play Date” propelled CRY BABY back onto the upper half of the Billboard 200 more than five years after its initial release. Named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30 2021” thanks in part to the renewed success of “Play Date,” Martinez has brought her idiosyncratic vision to an array of diverse enterprises, including last year’s instantly sold-out collaboration with footwear brand Koi. In addition to her myriad musical and visual efforts, Martinez has also shown herself to be an unforgettable live performer via sold-out headline shows and festival performances around the planet.
Seal Adds New Dates To 30th Anniversary North American Tour
GRAMMY award-winning global icon Seal has added additional shows to his massive 30TH Anniversary Tour across North America this spring. Due to fan demand, Seal has added second shows in New York and Toronto, plus new shows in Vancouver and Montreal.
Produced by Live Nation, the tour will feature Seal teaming up with longtime producer and trusted collaborator Trevor Horn, who will take on the role of musical director for the run of shows; additionally, Horn’s acclaimed new wave band The Buggles will be featured as special guest performers. The seven-week run begins on April 25 in Phoenix, AZ at Arizona Financial Theatre and will make stops at famed venues such as the Beacon Theatre in New York, NY on May 23 just added May 24, and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on June 7. It concludes at the newly added Orpheum date in Vancouver, BC on June 14.
On Tuesday, April 4, a special fan pre-sale will go live for new shows at 10AM local time followed by a Live Nation pre-sale on Wednesday, April 5 at 10AM local time. General on-sale for the new shows begins Thursday, April 6 at 10AM local time. Full tour routing below. Tickets HERE.
The 30TH Anniversary Tour will commemorate three decades of his landmark self-titled debut album Seal (1991) and eponymous follow-up Seal II (1994). He will be performing the records in their entirety for the first time, delivering a set highlighted by classic chart-topping anthems such as “Crazy,” “Future Love Paradise,” “Killer,” and “Kiss From A Rose.” Expect soul staples and standards peppered throughout the set, showcasing the full spectrum of his incredible repertoire.
Last fall, he reissued Seal as the 4-CD/2-LP SEAL: DELUXE EDITION complete with rarities, a 12”x12” hardcover book that includes never-before-published photos and liner notes courtesy of Jim Farber, a previously unreleased 13-track concert performance, and more, with all music impeccably remastered by Trevor Horn. The set has been widely acclaimed: American Songwriter celebrated the set’s “incredible dance remixes,” while Paste proclaimed it one of “The 20 Best Album Reissues of 2022,” writing, “Looking back three decades later, Seal’s combination of pop, funk, rock and dance hit harder than we might have realized at the time.”
Seal notably reached RIAA platinum status in the United States, cracking the Top 30 of the Billboard 200. In the UK, it earned a double-platinum certification and captured #1 on the UK Album Charts. Describing the magic of this debut, Pitchfork likened it to “a vast, multi-sensory explosion of color and texture, a voice giving voice to something beautiful.”
Don’t miss what promises to be an unforgettable tour in honor of this landmark epic. Be on the lookout for more from Seal in 2023.
SEAL 2023 TOUR DATES
^NEWLY ADDED DATE
Tuesday, April 25 / PHOENIX AZ / ARIZONA FINANCIAL THEATRE
Friday, April 28 / HOUSTON TX / BAYOU MUSIC CENTER
Saturday, April 29 / AUSTIN TX / BASS CONCERT HALL
Sunday, April 30 / DALLAS TX / MUSIC HALL AT FAIR PARK
Tuesday, May 2 / NEW ORLEANS LA / SAENGER THEATRE
Thursday, May 4 / CHARLOTTE NC / OVENS AUDITORIUM
Saturday, May 6 / ATLANTA GA / FOX THEATRE
Sunday, May 7 / LOUISVILLE KY / LOUISVILLE PALACE
Wednesday, May 10 / WASHINGTON DC / THE ANTHEM
Thursday, May 11 / PHILADELPHIA PA / THE MET
Friday, May 12 / BOSTON MA / BOCH CENTRE WANG THEATRE
Sunday, May 14 / MONTREAL QC / THÉÂTRE ST-DENIS^
Monday, May 15 / TORONTO ON / MASSEY HALL
Tuesday, May 16 / TORONTO ON / MASSEY HALL^
Friday, May 19 / MINNEAPOLIS MN / ORPHEUM THEATRE
Sunday, May 21 / DETROIT MI / FOX THEATRE
Tuesday, May 23 / NEW YORK NY / BEACON THEATRE
Wednesday, May 24 / NEW YORK NY / BEACON THEATRE^
Friday, May 26 / ST. LOUIS MO / STIFEL THEATRE
Saturday, May 27 / CHICAGO IL / CHICAGO THEATRE
Tuesday, May 30 / DENVER CO / BELLCO THEATRE
Friday, June 2 / LAS VEGAS NV / VENETIAN THEATRE
Saturday, June 3 / LAS VEGAS NV / VENETIAN THEATRE
Tuesday, June 6 / OAKLAND CA / PARAMOUNT THEATRE
Wednesday, June 7 / LOS ANGELES CA / GREEK THEATRE
Saturday, June 10 / PORTLAND OR / KELLER AUDITORIUM
Monday, June 12 / SEATTLE WA / PARAMOUNT THEATRE
Wednesday, June 14 / VANCOUVER BC / ORPHEUM^
New shows in bold
Phil Collins on How He Came Up With the Drum Solo for ‘In The Air Tonight’
Phil Collins talks with Dan Rather about his first solo hit single, “In The Air Tonight,” a track that’s received revitalized attention in pop culture in recent years, largely due to its iconic drum solo.
How The Drums From The Bee Gees’ ‘Stayin’ Alive’ Came Directly By ‘Night Fever’
In this clip from the documentary “The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” one of the producers of “Stayin’ Alive,” Albhy Galuten, explains how the drums came from another Bee Gees song, “Night Fever,” and how they modified it.
The Voice of The Moody Blues JUSTIN HAYWARD Announces Ontario Tour
Having chalked up over fifty years at the peak of the music and entertainment industry, Justin Hayward’s voice has been heard the world over. Known principally as the vocalist, lead guitarist and composer for the Moody Blues, his is an enduring talent that has helped to define the times in which he worked. Over the years the band has sold more than fifty five million albums and received numerous awards. Commercial success has gone hand in hand with critical acclaim and The Moody Blues are renowned the world over as innovators and trail blazers who have influenced any number of fellow artists. In 2018, along with the other members of The Moody Blues, Justin was inducted into the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Born and brought up in Swindon in the UK, Justin’s interest in music started early when he was five years old and his grandfather bequeathed him his large collection of 78 rpm recordings. “It opened a world of imagination to me,” says Justin. Having taught himself to play the ukulele, he soon progressed to guitar and by his early teens he was playing in local groups. Upon leaving school at 17 he answered an advertisement in Melody Maker newspaper and successfully auditioned for UK Rock and Roll hero Marty Wilde. “I got the job playing guitar for Marty – it was a dream come true for me”. Justin credits Marty with encouraging him to become a songwriter; he made several recordings with Marty’s ‘Wilde Three’ and also appeared with them at the London Palladium. They remain close friends to this day: “Marty is still my hero”.
Having started the ball rolling as a songwriter in his own right with a couple of solo singles, he joined the Moody Blues in the summer of 1966. Hitting his stride immediately with the single ‘Fly Me High’, he followed it up with the classic hit songs ‘Nights in White Satin’ and ‘Tuesday Afternoon’ from the seminal album ‘Days of Future Past’. This album went on to become a favourite of the NASA astronauts and was taken aboard the Atlantis shuttle space craft by Chief astronaut “Hoot” Gibson on many missions.
This purple patch showed no sign of abating as Justin created other classic, era and genre-defining hits ‘Question’, ‘The Voice’, ‘The Story In Your Eyes’, ‘I Know You’re Out There Somewhere’ and ‘Your Wildest Dreams’. These laid the foundation for the incredible success story of the Moody Blues – as well as his solo work – which continues to this day.
When the Moody Blues took a break from touring in 1975, Justin worked on the Blue Jays album, followed by the hit single ‘Blue Guitar’ (recorded with the members of 10cc). Although the Moodies continued to record and tour at the highest level, Justin also found time to create several solo albums: ‘Songwriter’, ‘Night Flight’, ‘Moving Mountains’ and ‘The View From the Hill’.
Justin hit the Top Ten globally in 1978 with ‘Forever Autumn’ – created for Jeff Wayne’s ‘War of the Worlds’ album. Becoming signature song, this was the spur to him taking to the stage – for five years, from 2005 – 2010, and starring in the spectacular live stadium production.
In the 1980s he was made a member of the famous ‘SODS’ (The Society of Distinguished Songwriters) and in 2012 he was elected ‘King SOD’. He also collaborated in 1989 with Mike Batt and the London Philharmonic Orchestra and recorded the album ‘Classic Blue’.
In March 1997 Justin was chosen as the subject for the TV show ‘This Is Your Life’ in the presence of many of his friends including Marty Wilde, Lionel Bart and astronaut “Hoot” Gibson.
In 2005 he was presented with ‘The Golden Note’ award from ASCAP, the top honour for a British writer, and he has appeared in Nashville regularly with other songwriters in showcase events. In 2013 The Performing Rights Society in the UK awarded him his second Ivor Novello statue for ‘Outstanding Achievement’.
Whilst releasing solo albums and DVDs and working on many different projects, including new solo recordings, Justin continued tour with the Moody Blues all across the world. Justin records in Italy and France of which he says, “Spending time making music in a beautiful place with your friends is every songwriter’s dream”. His album of new songs ‘Spirits Of The Western Sky’ – for Eagle Rock – was followed by several solo tours, and a ‘live in concert’ DVD ‘Spirits…Live’, which reached No1 on the Billboard Video chart. “My solo tours give the perfect balance to the big production of the Moody Blues concerts. I’m so lucky to have both”. Spirits Of The Western Sky (Eagle Rock Ent.) was followed by 2016’s All The Way (Eagle Rock Ent.) – a compilation of Hayward’s most popular solo work and live performances of Moody Blues classics and in 2021 Justin released two more new solo songs One Summer Day / My Juliette (Eagle Rock Ent.),
In 2022 Justin was featured in the on stage revival of Jeff Wayne’s epic production ‘The War Of The Worlds Live’, playing to sold out stadiums across the UK.
In June of 2022 he was awarded an O.B.E in the late Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honours list.
To coincide with his 2023 solo tours Justin has released his brand new single ‘Living For Love’ on BMG records.
He is consistently touring the globe as a solo artist – accompanied by Julie Ragins on vocals and keyboards, flute player Karmen Gould and guitar player Mike Dawes, one of a new generation of brilliant and exceptionally gifted young players.
“I have spent most of my life, so far, on the road.’ says Justin, “and playing live and creating a small piece of magic in a room is like a drug to me, one that I never want to give up”.
His is a talent that has helped soundtrack more than a generation and created a legacy that remains undimmed.
JUSTIN HAYWARD ONTARIO TOUR DATES:
May 23 | Grand Theatre, London – Tickets here
May 24 | FirstOntario Arts Centre, St. Catharines – Tickets here
May 26 | Chrysler Theatre, Windsor– Tickets here
May 28 | Danforth Theatre, Toronto – Tickets here
May 29 | Showplace Centre, Peterborough – Tickets here
May 30 Regent Theatre, Oshawa – Tickets here
June 1 | Grand Theatre, Kingston – Tickets here