Carlos Santana tours with Steve Winwood for ‘Universal Tone’ 

Around this time last year, Carlos Santana announced his new stint as resident rock ‘n’ roller for The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. But this summer, the famed guitarist will leave Sin City behind to tour the rest of the nation with Steve Winwood.

Focused primarily on Midwest and East Coast markets, the 22-date Universal Tone Tour begins June 30 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. After a little over four weeks, the tour calendar closes with an August 1 concert at Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL.

The U.S. portion of the itinerary also includes performances on July 4 at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, MO; July 18 at the Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY; and July 29 at Chastain Park Amphitheatre in Atlanta, GA. Santana’s summer routing features two stops in Canada on July 11 at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre in Toronto, ON, and July 15 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC.

More North American tour dates are expected in the coming weeks, as are announcements for international legs of the Universal Tone Tour. Winwood will open all nights of the tour, and Santana will be backed by his current lineup, comprised of about 10 musicians and vocalists.

Ticket presales for the Universal Tone Tour begin today, April 13, through the official Santana fan club. Onsale dates and times will vary from market to market, but the first public ticket sales will open on April 16.

Most markets will offer price points ranging from the low (about $20, before fees) to the moderate and high ($100+). More tour and ticketing details are available on Santana’s official Web site.

In April 2009, Santana announced the beginning of a residency at The Joint, “Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits.” The multi-year deal called for about 36 concerts per year. As his schedule stands now, Santana and his band have eight more residency dates coming up: April 21-22, 24-25, 28 and 30, and May 1-2. The Joint has not announced any additional Santana concerts for this year yet.

Much like Santana’s residency, the summer jaunt will feature songs from Santana’s 40-year career. However, the tour will also include a preview of newer material that Santana is developing for an upcoming studio album. An expected release date for the project has not yet been announced.

Leading up to this summer, Winwood will complete a late spring tour of Europe with Eric Clapton. The fomer Blind Faith bandmates previous co-headlined a U.S. tour in summer 2009.

Universal Tone Tour itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)