Author: u0zp4y

The title of the new Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, is not just a reference to a famous line from Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.” It is the entire thesis of James Mangold’s film in three words. In A Complete Unknown, Mangold’s Dylan arrives in New York City in early 1961 with the clothes on his back, an acoustic guitar, and a name that he chose for himself. He shuffles anonymously through Greenwich Village’s clubs and coffee shops. No one gives this scruffy kid a second look. Not until they hear him play.

Pretty soon, Dylan becomes a Village favorite. Within a few years, he’s an international star, and so big and influential than when he dares to buck the trend toward socially relevant folk music that he helped bring into the mainstream, he’s labeled a Judas by his own fans. But the motivations behind that decision and many others he makes throughout A Complete Unknown are left opaque. As a musician, Dylan is clearly a genius. As a man, he remains a complete unknown.

A biography that reinforces its subject’s mysteries rather than illuminates them is a valid choice for a Dylan film, and one Dylan himself would probably appreciate if he ever gets around to watching A Complete Unknown. But I am not sure it is an entirely rewarding one to the paying customer who goes to see this.

Yes, this movie is well-made. But what, ultimately, does it add to our understanding of Dylan, or to great artists in general? What do we take away from this story, except that Dylan followed his muse, wrote incredible music, and left the rest to others to sort out for themselves? These are questions I am still wrestling with even as I’m writing this review.

READ MORE: This Is Our Least Favorite Biopic Cliche

I know this much: Timothée Chalamet is genuinely impressive playing (and singing!) the young Bob Dylan. A Complete Unknown is not a biopic like Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, which barely concerned itself with the musical legacy of Leonard Bernstein, and focused instead on his complicated marriage and private life. A Complete Unknown overflows with Dylan music, from “Song For Woody,” strummed by Chalamet’s Dylan in a hospital room for Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), to “Like a Rolling Stone,” blasted by Dylan and his backing band at the stunned throngs gathered at 1965’s Newport Film Festival.

All of the music is performed by Chalamet, doing a very credible Dylan croon — and doing an even more impressive job of inhabiting Dylan away from the microphone. His tics, his stammers, his evasive glances, his endless obfuscations. Beyond his wild mop of brown hair, Chalamet doesn’t really look much like Dylan. And Dylan is vastly different from ascendant emperor Paul Atreides in Dune, or from the aspiring chocolatier in Wonka. For a guy who  looks basically the same in every single role he takes on, Chalamet sure has developed an impressive chameleonic quality.

Mangold surrounds Chalamet with a terrific ensemble. Edward Norton plays an awed, frustrated Pete Seeger who recognizes the potential in Dylan, and perhaps envies it as well, and tries to guide the young folkie’s career in the ways he would have wanted if he were just coming into his own as an artist in the early ’60s. Elle Fanning plays Sylvie, a fictionalized version of Dylan’s girlfriend in this period, perhaps the last person outside the world of show business who would ever be close to him. And Monica Barbaro plays Joan Baez, who forged a fiery connection with Dylan both on and off-screen.

A Complete Unknown’s screenplay, written by Mangold with frequent Martin Scorsese collaborator Jay Cocks and based on a book by journalist Elijah Wald called Dylan Goes Electric!, charts Dylan’s rise to fame and then his growing interest in rock and roll and pop, much to the consternation of old-school folk singers like Seeger and his colleagues at the Newport Folk Festival. Whether you will get invested in the battle over Dylan’s musical soul may depend on how much you know or care about the man himself, and how much you know about how these events played out in real life.

Beyond them, there isn’t an enormous amount of dramatic tension or suspense in the film. A Complete Unknown is not a traditional take on “The Bob Dylan Story.” It’s more a loving evocation of 1960s New York City, with its smoky bars and chilly dives, and of the wider social and political upheaval that birthed this remarkable talent — who then decided he was more interested in things beyond protest songs and campaigning for civil rights. For Dylan, the times were always a’changing.

So does that justify a movie that adds so little to our understanding of Dylan? A Complete Unknown is beautiful, it’s got a wonderful texture of authenticity, and it’s got one remarkable song after another. (The soundtrack will be incredible … provided you want to hear Timothée Chalamet sing “Girl From the North Country.”) And when the movie was over, I walked out of the theater and thought to myself … “Okay, but, so what?”

I believe Mangold directed the Dylan movie he wanted to, and in some ways A Complete Unknown is interesting precisely because it is a willfully withholding portrait of an enigmatic star. Then again, it’s hard to make a completely satisfying movie about a subject that its director seems to believe cannot be understood.

Additional Thoughts:

-The other key player in this biopic is Johnny Cash, a colleague and admirer of Dylan’s — and the protagonist of a previous James Mangold movie biopic, Walk the Line, which starred Joaquin Phoenix as Cash. This time, Boyd Holbrook assumes the role, and mostly plays the country singer as a lovable rogue rather than a tortured gunslinger. It’s fun to see Mangold present another side of Cash, even if only for a couple of scenes.

RATING: 7/10

Boston, one of the most iconic rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s, emerged with a sound that blended soaring guitar harmonies, powerful vocals, and lush production. Formed in Boston, Massachusetts, by guitarist and producer Tom Scholz, the band included vocalist Brad Delp, guitarist Barry Goudreau, bassist Fran Sheehan, and drummer Sib Hashian. Known for their meticulous studio work and arena-filling anthems, Boston quickly became a household name.

The band’s discography includes six studio albums: their self-titled debut, Boston (1976), which remains one of the best-selling debut albums in history; Don’t Look Back (1978), a continuation of their signature sound; Third Stage (1986), marked by a shift in both personnel and production; Walk On (1994), introducing new vocalist Fran Cosmo; Corporate America (2002), reflecting Scholz’s evolving vision; and Life, Love & Hope (2013), which featured contributions from multiple vocalists and new material. Each album showcased Boston’s commitment to intricate craftsmanship and melodic rock.

Here is a complete list of Boston songs from A to Z, including the albums they were released on and their release dates:

“A Man I’ll Never Be” – Don’t Look Back (1978)

“A New World” – Third Stage (1986)

“Amanda” – Third Stage (1986)

“Can’tcha Say (You Believe in Me)” – Third Stage (1986)

“Cool the Engines” – Third Stage (1986)

“Corporate America” – Corporate America (2002)

“Cryin’” – Corporate America (2002)

“Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love” – Corporate America (2002)

“Don’t Be Afraid” – Don’t Look Back (1978)

“Don’t Look Back” – Don’t Look Back (1978)

“Feelin’ Satisfied” – Don’t Look Back (1978)

“Foreplay/Long Time” – Boston (1976)

“Get Organ-ized/Get Reorgan-ized” – Walk On (1994)

“Heaven on Earth” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“Higher Power” – Greatest Hits (1997)

“Hitch a Ride” – Boston (1976)

“Hollyann” – Third Stage (1986)

“I Had a Good Time” – Corporate America (2002)

“I Need Your Love” – Walk On (1994)

“I Think I Like It” – Third Stage (1986)

“If You Were in Love” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“It’s Easy” – Don’t Look Back (1978)

“Last Day of School” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“Let Me Take You Home Tonight” – Boston (1976)

“Life, Love and Hope” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“Livin’ for You” – Walk On (1994)

“Love Got Away” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“Magdalene” – Walk On (1994)

“More Than a Feeling” – Boston (1976)

“My Destination” – Third Stage (1986)

“O Canada” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“Party” – Don’t Look Back (1978)

“Peace of Mind” – Boston (1976)

“Rock & Roll Band” – Boston (1976)

“Sail Away” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“Smokin’” – Boston (1976)

“Someday” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“Someone” – Corporate America (2002)

“Something About You” – Boston (1976)

“Stare Out Your Window” – Corporate America (2002)

“Surrender to Me” – Walk On (1994)

“Te Quiero Mia” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“Tell Me” – Greatest Hits (1997)

“The Journey” – Don’t Look Back (1978)

“The Launch” – Third Stage (1986)

“The Star-Spangled Banner/4th of July Reprise” – Greatest Hits (1997)

“The Way You Look Tonight” – Life, Love & Hope (2013)

“To Be a Man” – Third Stage (1986)

“Turn It Off” – Corporate America (2002)

“Used to Bad News” – Don’t Look Back (1978)

“Walk On” – Walk On (1994)

“Walk On (Some More)” – Walk On (1994)

“Walkin’ at Night” – Walk On (1994)

“We Can Make It” – Walk On (1994)

“We’re Ready” – Third Stage (1986)

“What’s Your Name” – Walk On (1994)

“With Me” – Corporate America (2002)

“You Gave Up on Love” – Corporate America (2002)

More Boston articles on ClassicRockHistory.com

Top 10 Boston Songs

Boston’s Best Song On Each Of Their Studio Albums

Why Boston Fans Should Check Out These RTZ Band Songs

Complete List Of Boston Albums And Songs

Complete List Of Boston Band Members

Best Boston Album Covers

Tommy DeCarlo of Boston: The ClassicRockHistory.Com Interview

Read More: Artists’ Interviews Directory At ClassicRockHistory.com

Read More: Classic Rock Bands List And Directory

Complete List Of Boston Songs From A to Z article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024

December 9, 2024, 7 minutes ago

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Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ critically acclaimed score for Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers has been nominated in two categories for the 82nd Annual Golden Globes. The awards ceremony is set to air live on Sunday, January 5, at 8 PM, ET/5 PM, PT on CBS. It will also stream live on Paramount+.

Reznor and Ross’ work on Challengers is nominated in the “Best Original Score – Motion Picture” category, while the soundtrack song, “Compress/Repress” gets a nomination for “Best Original Song – Motion Picture”.

For a complete list of nominations for the 82nd Annual Golden Globes, head here.

“Welcome Year Zero!,” says Super7, announcing the addition of Ghost’s Papa Emeritus II to their new 7” scale deluxe figure world.

This articulated figure is inspired by the charismatic frontman’s onstage guise in the Infestissumam album era, features intricate sculpt and premium paint detailing, includes a soft goods robe and staff accessory with Grucifix detail, and comes packaged on a die cut card back. Available and shipping now from Super7.com.

Ghost recently announced their 2025 world tour. Details can be found here. Watch a video trailer below.

Tour dates:

April
15 – AO Arena – Manchester, United Kingdom
16 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow, United Kingdom
19 – The O2 – London, United Kingdom
20 – Utilita Arena Birmingham – Birmingham, United Kingdom
22 – Sportpaleis – Antwerpen, Belgium
23 – Festhalle – Frankfurt, Germany
2 – Olympiahalle – München, Germany
26 – LDLC Arena – Lyon, France
27 – Zénith de Toulouse – Toulouse, France
29 – MEO Arena – Lisboa, Portugal
30 – Palacio Vistalegre – Madrid, Spain

May
3 – Hallenstadion – Zürich, Switzerland
4 – Forum – Assago, Italy
7 – Uber Arena – Berlin, Germany
8 – Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam, Netherlands
10 – Atlas Arena – Łódź, Poland
11 – O2 Arena – Prague, Czech Republic
13 – Accorhotels Arena – Paris, France
14 – Rudolf Weber-ARENA – Oberhausen, Germany
15 – ZAG Arena – Hannover, Germany
17 – Royal Arena – Copenhagen, Denmark
20 – Tampereen monitoimiareena – Tampere, Finland
22 – Saab Arena – Linköping, Sweden
23 – Göransson Arena AB – Sandviken, Sweden
24 – Oslo Spektrum Arena – Oslo, Norway

July
9 – CFG Bank Arena – Baltimore, MD
11 – State Farm Arena – Atlanta, GA
12 – Amalie Arena – Tampa, FL
13 – Kaseya Center – Miami, FL
15 – Lenovo Center – Raleigh, NC
17 – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse – Cleveland, OH
8 – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA
19 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
21 – TD Garden – Boston, MA
22 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
24 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI
25 – KFC Yum! Center – Louisville, KY
26 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
28 – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI
29, 2025 – Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI
30 – Enterprise Center – St Louis, MO

August
1 – Allstate Arena – Rosemont, IL
2 – Xcel Energy Center – Saint Paul, MN
3 – CHI Health Center Omaha – Omaha, NE
5 – T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO
7 – Ball Arena – Denver, CO
9 – MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV
10 – Viejas Arena – San Diego, CA
11 – Footprint Center – Phoenix, AZ
14 – Moody Center – Austin, TX
15 – Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, TX
16 – Toyota Center – Houston, TX

September
24 – Palacio de los Deportes – Mexico, Mexico

Opeth’s 14th studio album, The Last Will And Testament, was officially released on November 22 via Reigning Phoenix Music / Moderbolaget and is now charting internationally.

The current positions can be found below:

The Last Will And Testament lands at #26 on BraveWords’ BravePicks 2024 Top 30, currently counting down here.

Opeth’s fourteenth album was written by Mikael Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (The Heard, ex-Crucified Barbara). The Last Will And Testament was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (Ghost, The Hellacopters), engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (Killing Joke, Robert Plant), and Opeth, with Boman, Åkerfeldt, and the rest of Opeth mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on The Last Will And Testament were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (Egg, Khan) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returns to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting “photograph” reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s infamous “Overlook Hotel” photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, Queen) also revisits mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Åkerfeldt rolls out the red carpet for storied flautist and Jethro Tull main man Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson’s signature notes fly on “§4” and “§7”, he narrates on “§1”, “§2”, “§4”, and “§7”. Joining Anderson, Europe’s Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on “§2”, while Åkerfeldt’s youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in “§1”.

The Last Will A Testament is gripping from start to finish, jaw-dropping inside and out, representing some of Opeth’s finest material to date. Just as Opeth welcomed many into its distressed arms over the years, the Swedes again deliver on the promise that great music always tells a compelling story—this time with growls.

The Last Will And Testament is available worldwide via Moderbolaget / Reigning Phoenix Music. Order here.

Album cover by Travis Smith.

The Last Will And Testament tracklisting:

“§1”
“§2”
“§3”
“§4”
“§5”
“§6”
“§7”
“A Story Never Told”

“§4” lyric video:

“§3”:

“§1” (Radio Edit) lyric video:

Track by track video:

After conquering North America this past October, Opeth will embark on a headlining tour throughout Europe and the UK starting February 9 of next year. The full itinerary can be found below. Tickets here.

Tour dates (w/ Grand Magus):

February
9 – Helsinki, Finland – Ice Hall
11 – Stockholm, Sweden – Cirkus
12 – Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
14 – Copenhagen, Denmark – DR Koncerthuset
15 – Hamburg, Germany – Docks
17 – Cologne, Germany – Palladium
18 – Berlin, Germany – Tempodrom
19 – Munich, Germany – Muffathalle
21 – Paris, France – L’Olympia
22 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – AFAS Live
23 – Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique
25 – Bristol, UK – Bristol Beacon
26 – London, UK – Roundhouse
28 – Birmingham, UK – Symphony Hall

March
1 – Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
2 – Glasgow, UK – Barrowland

(Photo – Terhi Ylimäinen)

Rockers, bowling enthusiasts, Dio fans and supporters returned to Pinz Bowling Center in Studio City, California on November 14 for the annual Bowl For Ronni Celebrity Bowling Party, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.

Officially sold out well in advance, the event brought in over $70,000 for the music-based cancer charity. 

From left: Tom Morello, Eddie Trunk, Wendy Dio, Shavo Odadjian. Photo by Gene Kirkland

Hosted by broadcast personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM’s 103 Faction Talk channel, this year’s attendees included musicians Vinny Appice (Dio, Black Sabbath); Regina Banali; Chris Beall and Jerry Dixon of  Warrant; Ira Black (Bullet Boys, Dio Disciples); Mark Boals (Ring of Fire, Dio Disciples); Phil Buckman and Brett Scallions of Fuel; Mike Cancino and Rob Math (Soul Sign); Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses); Jeremy Colson (Steve Vai, Sebastian Bach); Fred Coury (Cinderella); Stoney Curtis (Count’s 77); Phil Demmel (Kerry King, Machine Head); Matt Duncan (DC4); Bjorn Englen (Dio Band, Soul Sign); Marc Ferrari (Keel, Cold Sweat); Damon Fox (The Cult, Bigelf); Eric Gamans (Cold Sweat); Juan Garcia (Agent Steele, Evil Dead); Abby Gennet (Slunt); Billy Graziadei (Biohazard); Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns); John Heintz (Big Ol’ Nasty Getdown); DJ Will Howell of KNAC.com; Paul Hudson (Stonebreed); Jesse Hughes and Jennie Vee of Eagles of Death Metal; Rob Jones and Chaz Ruiz of Yachtley Crew; Danny Koker (Count’s 77, Faster Pussycat); Sam Bam Koltun (Faster Pussycat, Dorothy); Richie Kotzen (The Winery Dogs); Julia Lage (Vixen); Luis Maldonado and Jeff Pilson of Foreigner; Sean McNabb (Dokken, Quiet Riot); Billy McNicol (Billy McNicol Band); Jason Charles Miller; Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave); Dave “Chili” Moreno (Puddle of Mudd, Westbound); Marty O’Brien (Daughtry, Lita Ford); Shavo Odadjian (System of a Down); Orianthi; Tim “Ripper” Owens (KK’s Priest); Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats); Robert Sarzo (Hurricane); Rudy Sarzo (Dio, Quiet Riot); Clint Schultz; Howie Simon (Alcatrazz); Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Mötley Crüe); Jason Sutter (Cher); Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Dead Daisies); Neil Turbin (Anthrax); Chris Velez (Lightning Swords of Death, Persecutor); Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth, Savagelands); Doug Weiand (Death Dealer Union); Chas West and Jason Cornwell of West Bound; Scott Warren and Simon Wright (Dio, Dio Disciples); August Zadra (Dennis DeYoung); producer Wyn Davis, comedian Lisa Curry and actors Kurt Deimer, Corey Feldman, Star Fields (“Sons of Anarchy”) and Zack Ward (“A Christmas Story Christmas”) as well as influencer Anwar Hadid and Jonathan Martin of Walnut Creek, California, who was the highest bidder in the Ebay auction to play on Eddie Trunk’s team.

From left: Wendy Dio, Simon Wright, Ira Black, Scott Warren, Jeremy Colson and Scott Owen. Photo by Craig Newman

The Board of Directors presented Dr. David Wong, whose team at the UCLA School of Dentistry has had the support of the Dio Cancer Fund for its research in the development of salivary biomarkers for gastric cancer detection since 2016, a check for an additional $25,000 toward his team’s research on a simple, non-invasive saliva swab test for early cancer detection.

From left: Danny Zelisko, Eddie Trunk, Dr. Sandy Kapoor, Rick Sales, Andy Gould, Paul Newman, Mary Kusnier, Nick Jackson, Wendy Dio, Dr. David Wong, Delilah Gimenez Dio, Sharon Weisz, Sean McNabb and Sheila Melody. Photo by Gene Kirkland

Following an interlude of feverish bowling, the winning teams – which include ties for 2nd Place in both the Celebrity and Sponsor categories – were presented with trophies by Wendy Dio and Eddie Trunk.

Highlights of the 2024 Bowl For Ronnie can be viewed below:

In addition to all of the celebrities who continuously support and participate in our events, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund would like to thank: everyone who generously donated by sponsoring a lane: 5b Artist Management, BMG, Cancer Support Community Los Angeles, Clair Global, Danny Wimmer Presents, Danny Zelisko Presents, DEB Concerts, Global Merchandising Services, Inc., Horns for Padavona, Kapoor Medical, McBride Wealth Management, Mercury Studios, Metal Blade Records, Niji Entertainment Group, Inc., Pants Optional, Rhino/Warner Bros. Records, Rick Sales Entertainment, Savran, Sound Talent Group, Spectacle Group, The Kirby Organization (TKO), There Bowls My Hero, Upstaging and Viper Cabling; …and the volunteers who generously gave of their time: Lauren Aloy, Kia Andersson, Deme Bermudez, Bella Beuder, Kaley Block, Michael Bradbury, PG Brunelli, Trina Campbell, Jeff Coggins, Michele Coombe, Carlon Dawson, Delilah Gimenez Dio, Omar Gimenez, Scot Kaufman, Gene Kirkland, Alex Kluft, Asha Luevano, Sheila Melody, Sabrina Ment, Sultira Montgomery, Kristen Mourad, Craig Newman, Paula Newman, Michelle Parisi, Nicole Simpson, Liz Walton, Sarah Weiss and Sharon Weisz.

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund was formed in memory of the legendary rock singer Ronnie James Dio, who lost his life to gastric cancer in 2010.  A privately funded 501(c)(3) charity organization dedicated to cancer prevention, research and education, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund has already raised over $2 million in its history. Monies raised have been committed to the cancer research work of the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research, the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Ronnie was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life, and other cancer research projects. Since 2016, the Dio Cancer Fund has committed funds to support the research of Dr. David Wong and his team at the UCLA School of Dentistry in developing a simple, non-invasive saliva test for the early detection of cancer, which is in keeping with the Fund’s mission of cancer prevention, research and education.

For more information, visit diocancerfund.org.

Gene Simmons Band, the touring act around KISS singer/bassist, Gene Simmons, recently announced a string of 2025 tour dates. Brooklyn Vegan is reporting that Simmons has now added a May 9 date at Huntington, NY’s The Paramount.

Tickets for the new date go on sale Friday, December 13 at 10 AM, EST here, with various presales starting Tuesday, December 10 at 12 PM, EST.

Simmons’ tour dates can be found below, and tickets are available via genesimmons.com.

2025 tour dates:

April
28 – The Moon – Tallahassee, FL    

May
3 – Beaver Dam Amphitheater – Beaver Dam, KY
5 – Basie – Red Bank, NJ
9 – The Paramount – Huntington, NY
22 – House Of Blues – Dallas, TX
24 – House Of Blues – Houston, TX

Simmons is featured on the soundtrack for the 2024 film, Regan, performing the jazz standard, “Stormy Weather”, written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. The official video for the song can be found below.

About Reagan:

From dusty small-town roots, to the glitter of Hollywood, and then on to commanding the world stage, Reagan is a cinematic journey of overcoming the odds. Told through the voice of Viktor Petrovich, a former KGB agent whose life becomes inextricably linked with Ronald Reagan’s when Reagan first caught the Soviets’ attention as an actor in Hollywood, this film offers a perspective as unique as it is captivating.

Dennis Quaid brings to life a story that transcends the boundaries of a traditional biopic, offering a profound exploration of the enduring impact of the power of one man who overcame the odds, sustained by the love of a woman who supported him in his journey.

UK-based prog rockers Big Big Train have announced a run of live dates in the US for April 2025, which includes a co-headlining appearance at this year’s Cruise To The Edge.

The band have also stated that they will make their very first live appearances in Canada which will be announced shortly. They will also perform in Portugal for the very first time at the beginning of May at the Gouveia Art Rock Festival.

“I’m looking forward not only to Big Big Train’s return to North America but also to the band playing for the first time ever in Portugal at Gouveia Art Rock,” says violinist Clare Lindley. “The festival has a great reputation and we relish the opportunity to add to the list of great bands that have played there over the years.”

“We had an absolute blast last year playing in the States and on board the Cruise, so we were keen to do a longer run of shows this time around, including venturing north of the border into Canada,” adds drummer Nick D’Virgilio. “We’re taking a step-by-step approach to North America – if we can make this second run of shows successful, then the next step would be to get further west and south.”

The band will be promoting their recent studio and live albums The Likes Of Us and A Flare On The Lens on the US dates. They return to continue working on their next studio album, which will be released through InsideOut/Sony in the first half of 2026.

“We’ve got some great material in progress already for the next Big Big Train studio album,” comments guitarist Rikard Sjöblom. “Everyone has been contributing to the writing process to varying degrees and we’re confident about building on the foundations that we laid with The Likes Of Us.”

Tickets for all shows go on sale at 10am Eastern time on Friday 13 December 13. A pre-sale open to the band’s 2025 tour patrons and members of the Passengers Club for all shows (except Cruise To The Edge and the Gouveia Art Rock) festival opens at 10am Eastern time on Wednesday December 11.

You can see all dates and ticket link below.

Big Big Train US Tour Dates 2025

Apr 2: IN Fort Wayne Sweetwater
Apr4-9: FL Cruise To The Edge
Apr 10: IL Des Maines Theater
Apr 11: MI Westland The Token Lounge
Apr 13: NY Buffalo Electric City
Apr 17: MA Arlington Regent Theatre
Apr 18: NJ Rutherford Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center
Apr 19: NJ Rutherford Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center

Get tickets.