MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD--led by the socially and environmentally conscious singer, songwriter and guitarist--released a joyous, positive and uplifting video for "Summertime Is In Our Hands" over the Memorial Day Weekend which Franti talked aboutduring an interview on the nationally syndicated "Delilah" radio show, which has an estimated eight million listeners (listen to the full podcast episode via iTunes here). Filmed in Bali and directed by Franti, the video brings to life a vibrant story about enjoying every moment with a heartening plot twist towards the end. Click here to watch.
The song--off his most recent and ninth studio album, SOULROCKER
(Fantasy Records)--carries very meaningful inspiration for Franti as it was written when his son was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease. As a result of the diagnosis, they grew closer, valuing their time. The feeling is "summer is whenever, the memories last," says Franti. "Live your life to the fullest, even in the darkest hour." A mini-documentary about the "Summertime Is In Our Hands" video and the "Do It For The Love" organization--the wish-granting non-profit co-founded by Franti and his wife Sara that brings people living with life-threatening illnesses, children with severe challenges, and wounded veterans to live concerts--has also been released. Watch the moving mini-documentary here.
Onstage is where MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD truly take flight;they embracethe power of music knowing how it can inspire, uplift, and make people want to dance or cry. For the aptly titled "Love Out Loud" world tour, which kicked off March 2 in Alaska including international performances already completed in South Africa and Japan,the group will be stopping all over from now through early October, with stops in San Diego, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Kansas City, Charlotte, Atlanta, Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, Austin, Boise and Saratoga, among many others. Following this past weekend's performance at the BottleRock Festival in Napa, the "Love Out Loud" tour will also include festival stops at Rock 'N' Roll Marathon in San Diego, CA on June 4, Mountain Jam Festival in Hunter, NY on June 18 California World Fest in Grass Valley, CA on June 16, and Floydfest in Floyd, VA on July 8 among others, before wrapping at Tour De Fat in Tempe, AZ on October 7. See below for a list of upcoming North American tour dates.
Catch MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD on the road:
DATE CITY VENUE
Sun6/4San Diego, CARock 'N' Roll Marathon
**Sun6/4Solana Beach, CABelly Up Tavern
**Mon6/5Solana Beach, CABelly Up Tavern
~Fri6/9Huntington, NYThe Paramount
*Sat6/10New York, NYPlayStation Theater
Sun6/11Russell Township, OHLaureLive 2017
*Tue6/13Munhall, PACarnegie Music Hall of Homestead
^^Thu6/15Asbury Park, NJStone Pony Summer Stage
*Fri6/16Lowell, MABoarding House Park
*Sat6/17Philadelphia, PAElectric Factory
Sun6/18Hunter, NYMountain Jam 2017
***Tue6/20Portland, METhompson's Point
^Wed6/21Burlington, VTHigher Ground
^Thu6/22Lebanon, NHLebanon Opera House
^Fri6/23Hyannis, MACape Cod Melody Tent
^Sat6/24Ithaca, NYState Theatre
^Sun6/25Silver Spring, MDThe Fillmore
^Tue6/27New Haven, CTCollege Street Music Hall
Thu6/29Saskatoon, SKSaskatchewan Jazz Festival
Sat7/1Richmond, VAJam Sandwich Festival
Mon7/3N. Myrtle Beach, SCHouse of Blues
Thu7/6Fish Creek, WIDoor Community Auditorium
Fri7/7Bayfield, WILake Superior Big Top Chautauqua
Sat7/8Harbor Springs, MIBlissfest
Mon7/10Columbia, MORose Music Hall
Tue7/11Kansas City, MOCrossroadsKC
>>Thu7/13Morrison, CORed Rocks Amphitheatre
Thu7/13Morrison, CORed Rocks Amphitheatre
(LOVE OUT LOUD Yoga w/ Gina Caputo)Fri7/14Alta, WYTarghee Fest 2017
Sat7/15Seattle, WAThe Gorge Amphitheater (supporting Train)
Sun7/16Grass Valley, CACalifornia WorldFest
Sat7/22Oakville, CARobert Mondavi Winery w/ Ethan Tucker
Fri7/28Floyd, VAFloydFest 17
Sat7/29Selbyville, DEThe Freeman Stage at Bayside
Sun7/30Wilmington, NCGreenfield Lake Amphitheater
Tue8/1Raleigh, NCThe Ritz
Wed8/2Charlotte, NCNeighborhood Theatre
Thu8/3Asheville, NCSalvage Station
Tue8/8Atlanta, GAVariety Playhouse
^Fri8/11Chicago, ILConcord Music Hall
Sun8/13Royal Oak, MIRoyal Oak Music Theatre
Tue8/15Peoria, ILRiverfront Feastival Park
Wed8/16Grand Rapids, MIMeijer Gardens
^Fri8/18Minneapolis, MNCabooze Outdoor Plaza
^Sat8/19Papillion, NESumtur Amphitheater
^Sun8/20Des Moines, IASimon Estes Amphitheater
^Mon8/21Tulsa, OKCain's Ballroom
^Wed8/23Dallas, TXMajestic Theater
^Thu8/24Houston, TXWhite Oak Music Hall Downstairs
^Fri8/25Austin, TXStubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater
Sun8/27Livermore, CATaylor Family Foundation
Wed9/6Jacksonville, ORBritt Pavilion
Thu9/7Eugene, ORCuthbert Amphitheater
Fri9/8Bend, ORLes Schwab Amphitheater
Sat9/9Troutdale, ORMcMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater
Mon9/11Missoula, MTBig Sky Brewery Company
Tue9/12Spokane, WAKnitting Factory Concert House
Thu9/14Boise, IDOutlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden
Fri9/15Lake Tahoe, NVMontBleu Resort & Casino
Sat9/16Templeton, CABeaverstock Music Festival
Tue9/19Saratoga, CAThe Mountain Winery
Fri9/29Flagstaff, AZPepsi Amphitheater
Sat9/30Taos, NMKit Carson Park
Sun10/1Oro Valley, AZOro Valley Music Festival
Sat10/7Tempe, AZTour De Fat
*** with St. Paul & The Broken Bones
** with Paul Cannon
* with Nattali Rize
~ with Nattali Rize and Adam Ezra Group
^^ with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
^ with Satsang
> with Landon McNamara
>> with Trevor Hall & HIRIE
ABOUT MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD:
Formed in 1994, Spearhead was born as the latest in a series of musical projects that also included Franti's industrial/hardcore act the Beatnigs and his groundbreaking hip-hop duo Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. The band released their debut album in September 1994, and over the next two decades gained a massive following across the globe, bolstered by the smash success of "Say Hey (I Love You") (a 2009 single that hit #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared on Spearhead's sixth studio album All Rebel Rockers). In 2016 Michael Franti & Spearhead released their ninth studio album, SOULROCKER, via Fantasy/Concord records. Through the years, Franti has also dedicated himself to activism and filmmaking, with his 2005 documentary I Know I'm Not Alone chronicling his journey to Iraq, Palestine, and Israel and offering a seldom-seen look at war's toll on everyday people.
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