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On June 3 in New York City, Afrobeat pioneer Femi Kuti, backed by his band the Positive Force, will begin a 24-date summer tour spanning North America, including several shows opening for the Dave Matthews Band, a headline appearance at the Hollywood Bowl and performances at the Bonnaroo, Montreal Jazz and Rothbury Music festivals. Kuti's performances will feature material from his first studio album of new material in seven years, the acclaimed Day By Day.
Femi is ready to bring his new material from Day By Day to the many cities comprising the summer tour. It's easy to hear that the long respite has inspired him. He is upbeat, enthusiastic and raring to hit the road again, in spite of how much has changed since he began his hiatus. “Everybody is back in training now," he says. “We have to re-establish my music. We have to come out and play it live, because the record industry is in such a bad shape, we are all suffering."
“Luckily," he laughs, “the African man is used to suffering."
Check out JamBase's 2008 interview with Femi Kuti here.
Femi Kuti U.S. Tour Dates:
June 3 New York, NY The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
June 4 New York, NY The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
June 5 Hartford, CT Dodge Music Center*
June 6 Hartford, CT Dodge Music Center*
June 9 Toronto, ONT Molson Amphitheatre*
June 10 Montreal, QC Parc Jean Drapeau*
June 11 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
June 12 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival
June 14 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden
June 16 Seattle, WA Showbox
June 17 Portland, OR Oregon Zoo Amphitheatre
June 19 Boonville, CA Sierra Nevada World Music Festival
June 20 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
June 21 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
June 24 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
June 25 Brooklyn, NY Celebrate Brooklyn
June 26 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
June 27 Washington, D.C. 9:30 Club
June 30 Apple Valley, MN Music in the ZooWeesner
July 1 Highland Park, IL Ravinia Festival
July 2 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest
July 3 Rothbury, MI Rothbury Festival
July 4 Toronto, ONT Harbourfront Centre
July 5 Montreal, QC Metropolis
* Supporting Dave Matthews Band
