(PR) Frank Black will hit the road this summer - not fronting his legendary band the Pixies - but on his own, doing a series of solo acoustic shows opening for Foo Fighters, mixed with a handful of his own headline club dates. The tour will kick off in Salt Lake City, UT on Wednesday, August 9.The dates are in support of Black's new album, "Fast Man Raider Man," due out on Back Porch/EMI June 20, and mark the first time Black as toured as a solo artist since 1995.
"I'm excited about these dates," said Black. "I like doing solo shows, it's a very intense and personal experience, very different from playing with a band. I like the idea that I don't have to 'follow the beat,' that I can pull the songs a part a little bit, change the set right there on stage if I want. And playing theatres is the best kind of venue to see a concert - everyone's sitting down, relaxed, and ready to be entertained."
Black plans to play songs from both "Fast Man Raider Man and last year's critically-acclaimed "Honeycomb." "Fast Man Raider Man," produced by Jon Tiven, was recorded over a two year period at studios in Nashville and Los Angeles, and slams a bit harder than the more laid-back "Honeycomb." It also features some of the most celebrated players in music, including Levon Helm from The Band, Tom Petersson from Cheap Trick, Heartbreaker drummer Steve Ferrone, the legendary Al Kooper, honky-tonk hero Marty Brown, songwriting enigma P.F. Sloan, and Simon Kirke from Bad Company and Free, as well as "Honeycomb" "returnees" Steve Cropper, Reggie Young, Buddy Miller, Spooner Oldman and Chester Thompson, to name just a few.
Another factor that makes this tour special for Black is that his entire family will accompany him - wife Violet, 8-year old Julian, 5-year old Annabelle, 20-month-old Jack Errol, and Lucy Berlin, who was born in late April - will travel together on a tour bus, making this a great summer family vacation adventure.
"The kids are too young for me to put them to work as roadies," added Black, "but Julian, who is a very talented artist, will probably be hustling the Foo Fighters to buy the artwork he does while on the road."
With more dates to be announced, Frank Black's summer tour itinerary is as follows:
AUGUST
9 Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT (headline)
11 Blueberry Hill, St. Louis, MO (headline)
12 The Dame, Lexington, KY (headline)
13 Birdy's, Indianapolis, IN (headline)
14 Chameleon, Lancaster, PA (headline)
15 Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. (w/ Foo Fighters)
16 Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA (w/ Foo Fighters)
18 Wellfleet Beachcomber, Wellfleet, MA (headline)
19 Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY (headline)
21 Beacon Theatre, New York, NY (w/ Foo Fighters)
22 Wang Center, Boston, MA (w/ Foo Fighters)
23 Hummingbird, Toronto, Ontario (w/ Foo Fighters)
25 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL (w/ Foo Fighters)
26 Sokol Underground, Omana, NE (headline)
29 Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles, CA (w/ Foo Fighters)
30 The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA (headline)
31 Harlow's Night Club, Sacramento, CA (headline)
