Singer-songwriter-guitarist and philanthropist Michael Franti will strip down for his first ever acoustic tour of the West coast in November.
Pre-sale tickets are on-sale now, and tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, September 26.
“In every show that I do with my band Spearhead, I always take time to do a few songs with just me and my guitar and strip it down to the bare bones so the lyrics and melody can shine through. I've done lots of acoustic sets but never an entire tour, so I am thrilled to be doing this for the first time!”
Franti will perform songs from his tenth studio album, All People (2013), as well as new material. “I find inspiration in simplicity and when I write a new song it has to stand up as an acoustic song before I record it with other instrumentation,” he explains. “I've been writing songs for a new record and I'll be working many of them out on this tour. I'll be playing a mix of old, new and songs still in their seedling form.”
All People is the follow-up to Franti’s’s wildly successful 2010 release, The Sound of Sunshine, his highest charting album to date. Recorded primarily at his home with guitarist J Bowman, the two recorded some 35 songs before settling on the final track list for All People.
A high energy performer, known for a raucous dance/party atmosphere, Franti won’t veer too far from his signature show, “When I play acoustically it's still an energetic dance affair, but I space stillness between songs to explain their origins, share a few stories about my life and the world and tell more than my fair share of jokes.”
And Spearhead bassist Carl Young and guitarist Jay Bowman will accompany the tour. “We are going to wrap up each night with Jay and I DJ'ing after the acoustic show, so bring your dancing shoes... or your bare feet!”
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Acoustic Nation is written by Laura B. Whitmore, a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, who has contributed to Parade.com, Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
