Josh Groban Announces BEFORE WE BEGIN Special Shows

Internationally renowned singer and songwriter Josh Groban has announced that he will perform four intimate live concerts in November, three in California and one in Connecticut, leading up to the release of his fifth studio album, the eagerly anticipated Illuminations, which is due from 143/Reprise Records on November 15th, 2010.

Groban has decided to perform these intimate shows, which feature just him on piano accompanied by his guitarist, with a specific goal in mind: To involve the audience in the initial planning stages of his Illuminations World Tour in 2011.

Says Groban, "Going on tour involves so many steps to get ready for what people eventually see as the big production. The first step is simple. I sit down in my living room at the piano and play. I try to explore the songs in a different light and also just practice as much as possible to get the songs in my hands and voice. I also think about playing songs I haven't played on tour in years. And then I might bring in my guitarist to work more songs out. All of this happens before we move it into a more formal rehearsal space with the full band and orchestra. However, this time around, I want to try something different. I want to bring my Living Room to you. I want the "first step" for this tour to be in front of you."

Dates for these shows are as follows. In addition to a ticket each audience member will also receive a copy of the Illuminations album.

11/06 Palm Desert, CA McCallum Theatre
11/07 San Diego, CA Balboa Theatre
11/10 Santa Barbara, CA Granada Theatre
11/13 New Haven, CT Shubert Theatre

Tickets for these shows go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 22nd at 10 a.m. local time via http://www.joshgroban.com/tour or the local venue box office. A pre-sale for current members of Friends of Josh Groban will take place on Thursday, October 21st from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time via http://www.joshgroban.com/tour only.
The 29-year-old Los Angeles native displays both artistic and personal growth on Illuminations - the rewardingly surprise-filled result of the unexpected teaming with veteran producer Rick Rubin, known for his iconic work with Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, and Dixie Chicks, among many others.

The unprecedented partnership saw both Groban and Rubin stepping out of their respective zones to come together and create an entirely new zone where art meets intimacy and immediacy meets timelessness. Most importantly, Groban - who ranks as Billboard Magazine's 14th top-selling artist of the 2000s with more than 20 million units in the U.S. alone -- was free to express himself at his fullest by tapping into a new range of expression and emotional connection with lyrics drawn straight from the heart.

Lead song "Hidden Away," which is currently available from all digital service providers, provides the album's emotional and artistic center - its plea for a romantic ideal given a musical setting that highlights the raw honesty and natural gifts of Groban as a singer, musician, and writer.

Groban first broke through in 2001 with his self-titled 5x-platinum self-titled debut, followed by 2003's 5x-platinum Closer and 2006's 2x-platinum Awake. In 2007, Groban became the best-selling recording artist of the year thanks to sales of Awake and his blockbuster 5x-platinum Christmas album, Noël, which spent five consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. Groban and his recordings have been nominated for more than a dozen awards including an American Music Award, a World Music Award, a Juno Award, two Grammy Awards, and an Academy Award for "Believe" from the 2005 film Polar Express. He has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide.
www.joshgroban.com

 

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