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O.A.R. Releases New Summer Anthem 'Gonna Be Me (the friendship song)' Feat DJ Premier & Brady Watt
“Gonna Be Me (the friendship song)” arrives as O.A.R. launches their nationwide summer tour, which started July 16th at Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, NC.
By: Josh Sharpe Jul. 19, 2024
O.A.R. has released their new single, "Gonna Be Me (the friendship song)," featuring and produced by the legendary DJ Premier and dynamic virtuoso Brady Watt, which is now available. This collaboration promises to be another summer anthem for O.A.R., combining their signature sound with the iconic DJ Premier's legendary production and Brady Watt's vital musical contributions.
"Gonna Be Me (the friendship song)" further displays O.A.R.'s ability to evolve and innovate while staying true to their organic roots. The collaboration with DJ Premier and Brady Watt supplies a fresh and natural element to their grassroots approach, making this single a must-listen for both long-time fans and new listeners.
“The first time we played Madison Square Garden, we walked out to “Work” by Gang Starr. DJ Premier is such a giant in music, but also in the world of O.A.R. To have the opportunity to make a song from scratch with him, and the genius of Brady Watt is literally once in a lifetime” Marc Roberge declared. “Like our greatest friendships in life, we have to step up and commit to the good stuff. We are so grateful for our friends in music and life.”
DJ Premier shared his enthusiasm for the collaboration: “I've been a fan of O.A.R., especially their live album releases. I met Marc a few years ago when I was at a NY Rangers Hockey game with DMC of RUN-DMC and we had a discussion about working on a record one day” Premier recalled. “Fast forward, we finally booked a session at my studio mainly to exchange some ideas with Brady Watt. I heard them both singing the initial first words in our Live Room, and I started beatboxing a drum pattern to myself. By the time they walked in my control room, I had programmed the drums and Marc brought his guitar in and strummed the opening melody to my cadence. From there, he and Brady wrote the rest of the lyrics and next thing I know, we had a song and a single. It happened that fast.”
Brady Watt also expressed his excitement about the new single and his admiration for O.A.R. “I’ve been an O.A.R. fan for a long time and it’s always been a dream to work with them. After my manager met Marc at the Howard Stern show, he brought him to the studio for a session with Preem and me, and he was aware of my Bass & Bars series. Marc comes into the studio, takes out his guitar, and plays the first riff to “Gonna Be Me,” and I was like, that’s it” Brady excitedly shared. “I started adding some additional structure to the chords, and Preem started making a beat to it in the next room, and it literally happened right when we met; we wrote this song. We started recording the guitar parts, started humming melodies, Marc and I were going pretty much bar for bar, and wrote the song. It was amazing, and we knew it was going to be a single. From there we just built it out, writing about life, friends, worrying about people, and the love we have for our family and day ones. That’s what the song is about, friendship; and it’s my favorite collaboration I’ve ever been a part of. Thank you to Marc and Premier for believing in me.”
“Gonna Be Me (the friendship song)” arrives as O.A.R. launches their nationwide summer tour, which started July 16th at Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, NC. The tour will run through November, featuring stops at iconic venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Hard Rock Live, the Oceans Calling Festival, Merriweather Post Pavilion (home turf), LA’s Greek Theatre, and The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City. Joining O.A.R. on this tour will be Fitz and The Tantrums, Ripe, and DJ Logic, making for an unforgettable concert experience. DJ Premier and Brady Watt will also be joining O.A.R. on the road for special dates as well. All O.A.R. tour dates are below and you can purchase tickets for all events here https://www.liveoar.com/tour.
O.A.R.’s Marc Roberge said: “It's time for us to get out there and play a full set, jam out, and have another best summer of our lives. We can’t wait to hang this summer with our friends Fitz and the Tantrums, Ripe and DJ Logic!”
A portion of proceeds from the tour will be donated to the band’s longtime nonprofit, Heard The World Fund, which has raised over $1.2 million since its inception supporting youth and education in underserved communities around the United States.
O.A.R. 2024 Summer Tour Dates
- July 16 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
- July 18 – Pittsburgh, PA* – Stage AE
- July 19 – Asbury Park, NJ* – Stone Pony Summer Stage
- July 20 – Boston, MA* – Leader Bank Pavilion
- July 23 – Gilford, NH* – BankNH Pavilion
- July 25 – New York, NY* – The Rooftop at Pier 17
- July 26 – New York, NY* – The Rooftop at Pier 17
- July 27 – Columbia, MD* – Merriweather Post Pavilion
- July 28 - Philadelphia, PA* – TD Pavilion At The Mann
- July 31 – Atlanta, GA* – Cadence Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
- August 2- Houston, TX* – White Oak Music Hall
- August 3 – Irvin, TX*- The Pavilion AT Toyota Music Factory
- August 4 – Austin, TX*- ACL Live At The Moody Theatre
- August 7- Phoenix, AZ* – Arizona Financial Theatre
- August 8 – Los Angeles, CA*- Greek Theatre
- August 9 – San Diego, CA* – Cal Coast Credit Union Air Theatre at SDSU
- August 10 – Saratoga, CA* – The Mountain Winery
- August 13 - Woodinville, WA* – Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
- August 14 – Bonner, MT* – KettleHouse Amphitheater
- August 16 - Salt Lake City, UT* – Red Butte Garden Amphitheater
- August 17 – Vail, CO* – Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater
- August 18 – Morrison, CO*- Red Rocks Amphitheater
- August 21 – Maryland Heights, MO* – Saint Louis Music Park
- August 23 – Highland Park, IL* – Ravinia Festival
- August 24 - Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheater at Freedom Hall
- August 25 – Cleveland, OH* – Jacobs Pavilion
- August 27- Lewiston, NY^ – Artpark
- August 29 – Columbus, OH^- KEMBA Live!
- August 30 – Newport, KY^- MegaCorp Pavilion
- August 31- Indianapolis, IN^ – Everwise Amphitheater at White River Skate Park
- September 1 – Nashville, TN^ – Ryman Auditorium
- September 4 – Cedar Rapids, IA^ - McGrath Amphitheater
- September 5 – Kansas City, MO^ – Starlight Theatre
- September 27-29 – Ocean City, MD – Oceans Calling Festival
- November 14 – Orlando, FL- Hard Rock Live
- November 15 – Clearwater, FL – The Sound at Coachman Park
- November 16 – Boca Raton, FL – Mizner Park Amphitheater
- November 17 – St. Augustine, FL- The St. Augustine Amphitheater
*with Fitz and the Tantrums
^with Ripe
DJ Logic to appear on all dates except Utah / Florida
About O.A.R.
Formed in Maryland nearly three decades ago, the members of O.A.R. have evolved together over the years to create a multifaceted group with a devoted fanbase that transcends generations. From playing their first shows at an eighth-grade talent show to selling out Madison Square Garden multiple times, the band has proven their strength and longevity time and again.
The band will embark on a headlining US tour this summer with special guests Fitz and the Tantrums, bringing their energetic live performances to fans across the country.
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