Today’s recap includes special performances, 2009 date announcements and more as compiled by TicketNews on October 16, 2008.
Former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh will be reviving a “Dead” tradition by performing two shows in San Francisco for New Year’s Eve. Weir will appear with his jam band RatDog, while Lesh will be backed by his touring Friends for the December 30-31 sets at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
In other news, it has been revealed that Taylor Swift will begin her first headlining tour, produced by TMG/AEG Live, early in the New Year to support her upcoming “Fearless” release. … British punk rock band Buzzcocks will launch a UK tour in 2009, during which they’ll play their first two albums cover-to-cover and then some. … If next year is still too far away for you, Meat Loaf is bringing his Casa de Carne Tour to the U.S. for six October shows and two early December gigs.
Those are the stories that we’ve covered in full today. For more concert and tour industry announcements, check out today’s news in brief.
The Beastie Boys have added a few more swing state stops to their previously announced Get Out and Vote Tour dates, which cover the days leading up to this year’s hotly contested presidential elections. Originally scheduled to begin October 28 at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, VA, the trek now will kick off a day earlier at Amos’ Southend in Charlotte, NC, with appearances by Sheryl Crow and Santogold. Two shows in Ohio have also been added before the November 1-2 shows in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The trek will stop at the Chevrolet Center in Youngstown, OH, first on October 29 with Crow, Ben Harper and Norah Jones in tow. The next day, the Beasties will head to Hara Arena in Dayton, OH, with Crow and Harper.
Jim Heath, a.k.a. Reverend Horton Heat, will be hitting the road soon on his latest string of U.S. tour dates. The shows kick off October 17 at the House of Blues in Houston, TX, and continue through December 13 at The Village in Little Rock, AR. Highlights for the late 2008 dates include an October 24 performance at the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA, a November 15-16 run at Blender Theater in New York, NY, and a December 9 gig at Metro in Chicago, IL. After a couple weeks’ break, the psychobilly rockers will be back on the road for a New Year’s Eve concert booked at La Zona Rosa in Austin, TX.
The Black Keys are beginning their upcoming tour a little earlier than originally planned. The indie rockers have been added to the bill at Devo’s fundraiser for the Democratic Party of Akron, OH, on October 17 at the Akron Civic Theatre. They’ll also be staying on the road a bit longer than first announced, with a new run of 11 performances in Australia in late December and early January. The trek Down Under begins December 19 at the Fremantle Arts Centre in Fremantle, AUS, and continues through a January 11 gig at Palais Theatre in Melbourne, AUS. Highlights include a New Year’s Eve performance at the Pyramid Rock Festival Grounds on Phillip Island, AUS, and a January 9 gig at the Luna Park Big Top in Sydney, AUS.
Kathleen Edwards will follow up her 11 co-headlining concerts with John Doe by hitting the road again. The joint tour begins November 5 at The National in Richmond, VA, and continues through November 19 at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR. The singer-songwriter will return to the U.S. tour trail in 2009 with a January 14-15 set at the Sno Lounge in Snoqualmie, WA. A new block of concerts then picks up Janaury 30 at The Kent Stage in Kent, OH, and runs through February 23 at McGlohon Theatre in Charlotte, NC Highlights include a February 20 stop at World Café Live in Philadelphia, PA, and a February 22 show at Birchmere in Alexandria, VA. Edwards’ itinerary currently ends with a February 28-March 7 residency aboard the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship departing from Miami, FL.
Underoath is currently on tour across the United States, but after wrapping that jaunt on November 25 at The Ritz in Tampa, FL, the band will bring their brand of hard rock to another portion of the Americas — South America. The seven-date tour begins on December 13 at John Bull Music Hall in Curitiba, BRA, and runs through December 21 at the Rock en Tu Calle Festival in Panama City, PAN. A highlight for the brief trek is the band’s December 16-17 set at El Teatrito in Buenos Aires, ARG.
Former Kinks leader Ray Davies will begin an 11-date tour of the States later in the year to support “Working Man’s Café.” The journey begins November 28 at Tampa Theatre in Tampa, FL, and continues through December 12 at the historic Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, NY. Highlights along the way include a December 2 show at Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA, a December 5 gig at the Borgata Music Box in Atlantic City, NJ, and a December 8 concert at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC.
