SKID ROW TO TOUR WITH BLACK STAR RIDERS STARTS MAY 8TH; “UNITED WORLD REBELLION-PART 2” EP DUE AUGUST 5TH
Skid Row–Johnny Solinger (vocals), Scotti Hill (guitar), Rachel Bolan (bass), Snake Sabo (guitar) and Rob Hammersmith (drums)—will be a long way from home throughout the summer. First, the band is teaming up with Black Star Riders for a brief tour of the west coast, which starts May 8th in Tucson, AZ at the Rialto Theatre. Once that concludes on May 16th, the band will play headlining shows across the U.S., including a stop at the legendary Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, May 17th and an appearance at this year’s Rocklahoma festival on May 23rd in Pryor, OK. They’ll then head to Europe in June for various festivals, including the Download Festival in Donington, England on June 14th. Once the U.S. jaunt concludes in July, Skid Row will head to Kostrzyn, Poland, where they’ve been invited to headline one of the biggest festivals in Europe, the Woodstock Festival Poland on July 31st.
All of this touring is getting their loyal fans ready for the highly anticipated new seven-song EP, United World Rebellion-Part 2, set for release August 5th via Megaforce Records.
After a hiatus that started in 1996, Skid Row returned to the big stage—literally–opening for KISS in 2000. Exhilarated to tour with the heroes who rallied them in the first place, the band was reinvigorated by being underdogs who needed to come out fighting to prove themselves.
“When we put the band back together, we needed to reintroduce Skid Row as relevant without relying too much on past success,” explains bassist Rachel Bolan. “We wrote songs and hit the road. We sunk our heart and soul into it, letting people know we weren’t doing it for lack of something better to do.”
2003’s Thickskin and 2006’s Revolutions Per Minute were battle plans for hundreds of live shows with new singer Johnny Solinger out front, every night being a hard fought battle to win new fans and convince the old ones. United World Rebellion-Part 2 is Skid Row coming out swinging. Rachel and guitarist Snake Sabo tapped again into the potent songwriting collaboration that built the band. Sabo says they were eagerly up to the challenge. “We seem to be at our best when we’re faced with adversity. It’s us against the world again–and by us I mean the band and the fans who stick with us and carry the Skid Row torch without fail.”
New plans came together in an Atlanta recording studio. But it’s a different time, a different industry, so they decided to record a series of EPs. “The idea really appealed to me,” says Bolan, “especially with the constantly changing musical climate. I like the idea of a steady flow of new music, as opposed to releasing a full-length album then riding it for the next two years.”
That guerrilla burst of recording a concise EP fostered a focused intensity that was liberating, says Snake. “The pressure seemed to be lifted. That immediately set me at ease and it became really exciting.”
Exciting and potent, prompting Solinger to exert the full range of his ability. “The third time in the studio as the voice of SKID ROW was the proverbial charm, and the proof is in the tracks. United World Rebellion-Part 2 is the most meaningful work I’ve done with the band. It’s definitely the most I’ve been challenged, vocally.”
That sound is rambunctious exuberance. They got older, but Skid Row never really grew up. United World Rebellion-Part 2 is still the youth gone wild, their musical spark still burning gasoline.
Skid Row tour dates:
With Black Star Riders:
5/8 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
5/9 Tempe, AZ The Marquee
5/10 Corona, CA M15
5/12 Sacramento, CA Harlows
5/13 San Francisco, CA DNA
5/15 Agoura Hills, CA Canyon Club
5/16 San Juan Capistrano, CA Coach House
Headlining:
5/17 Los Angeles, CA The Whisky
5/18 Hermosa Beach, CA Saint Rocke
5/20 Houston, TX Scout Bar
5/21 Abilene, TX Lucky Mule
5/23 Pryor, OK Rocklahoma
5/24 Dallas, TX Trees
5/25 Lubbock, TX Big Purple Festival
7/9 Rochester, NY Montage Music Hall
7/10 Cleveland, OH Agora
7/11 Newport, KY Thompson House
7/12 Arlington Heights, IL Home Bar
7/13 Watseka, IL Watseka Theater
7/17 Peoria. IL Illinois State Fair
7/18 Turtle Lake, WI St. Croix Casino
7/19 Oshkosh, WI Rock USA
7/20 Battle Creek, MI Planet Rock
7/25 Duncannon, PA Tubby’s
For Skid Row on the web, please visit skidrow.com, facebook.com/OfficialSkidRow, twitter.com/officialskidrow and youtube.com/user/SkidsTV.
, Scotti Hill (guitar), Rachel Bolan (bass), Snake Sabo (guitar) and Rob Hammersmith (drums)—will be a long way from home throughout the summer. First, the band is ... )
Id rather see these guys w/Sebastian Bach…
L.A. Forum to the Whiskey. Houston Summit to The Scout Bar….and “Tubbys”. Bas must be shaking his head going crazy.
If u wanna keep your hard core fans. Stop blowing off the albany ny area will ya. There’s people here that we’re hoping u would come this way. Like Poughkeepsie ny!!!! Hellooooo. Remember us:))))
I don’t think there are any Holiday Inns in that area. Same reason why Jack Russell’s band of Pirates doesn’t play there either.
Who’s more desperate to reunite, Skid Row or Sebastian Bach? Skid Row seems happy with what they’re doing. Why should they reunite with Bach? Quit hating!
Not hating. Just being factual. Look at their tour schedule Bub – bars and casino’s. What’s so hateful about that?
Why does it bother you? Why does it bother Sebastian? It doesn’t appear to bother Skid Row. They’re making a living, putting food on the table, paying the rent. They seem to be fine doing what they’re doing. Sebastian is the desperate one, thinking a reunion will return him back on top like the glory days. The music business isn’t was it once was any more, and like Nikki Sixx said, he needs to let it go. Even if Skid Row did reunite, you seriously think they’ll sell out arenas? They’ll tour the same pubs, bingo halls and casinos the current band and Sebastian are doing right now. Only difference is they’ll charge more for admission.
“Skid Row seems happy with what they’re doing”…meaning Rachel Bolan said it’s a waste of time to play with Bach so the rest of the band is basically stuck playing to crowds in the low 100’s for the rest of their career. That place Harlow’s in Sacramento (where I live) must be losing business and desperate to get any big names, they usually have 80’s party bands playing there.
Don’t tell Roland that. He’s a staunch supporter of the band regardless.
The headlining shows will fall flat
I really liked United World Rebellion-Part 1. I think they are headed in the right direction. Snake and Rachel are still really good songwriters. I hope part 2 takes it to the next level.