Beloved Australian musician/activist Xavier Rudd‘s latest album Dark Shades of Blue comes out in the U.S. on August 19, and in support of this, his seventh album, Rudd recently announced a month-long North American tour that kicks off in Aspen CO on August 29. The headlining dates are bookended by high profile festival appearances at Bumbershoot on September 1, and Austin City Limits on September 28.
Loud and psychedelic, Dark Shades highlights a side of Xavier Rudd merely hinted at on earlier releases. The guitar-driven songs, mixed by Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age), are more complex and rocking than what audiences perhaps expect from the lifelong surfer and Dave Matthews tourmate. Yet fans will not be disappointed, for the new direction still holds true to Rudd’s passion for mixing rock and folk with indigenous instruments and other voices. For a taste of what’s to come, a pre-order promotion is currently running on Rudd’s website: order the CD or digital download early, and immediately receive an MP3 for "This World As We Know It," the first single off of Dark Shades of Blue.
Xavier Rudd’s "Dark Shades of Blue" North American Tour:
8/29 Aspen, CO Snowmass Town Park
8/30 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
9/01 Seattle, WA Bumbershoot Festival
9/02 Eugene, OR McDonald Theatre
9/03 Portland, OR Musicfest Northwest
9/04 San Francisco, CA Regency Center Grand Ballroom
9/05 West Hollywood, CA House of Blues
9/06 San Diego, CA 4th & B Concert Theatre
9/11 Boston, MA Wilbur Theatre
9/12 New York, NY Nokia Theatre Times Square
9/13 Philadelphia, PA Filmore at the TLA
9/14 Washington, DC Nightclub 9:30
9/16 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel
9/17 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
9/18 Nashville, TN City Hall
9/19 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
9/20 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
9/22 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Club
9/23 Madison, WI The Majestic Theatre
9/24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
9/25 Kansas City, MO Voodoo Lounge
9/26 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
9/28 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Festival
