Print-friendly Version

Return to the full version

Tesla plots February march on concert venues

Hard rock veterans Tesla return to the road in February for another round of dates supporting their most recent album, June's "Real to Reel."

The group, which revealed in September it would be returning to the studio to put together a new album for 2008, will kick things off Feb. 1 in Seattle, with 20 cities on the itinerary. All dates for the tour, which runs to a close in early March, are shown below.

The band is coming off something of a resurgent year, having completed its first world tour in 16 years this fall with dates in Australia, Japan and Europe. The band also toured extensively in the US this summer, when fans attending the band's shows were given an early opportunity to purchase the second volume of "Real to Reel," which was initially only available in single-CD format.

The two volumes of "Real to Reel" discs feature covers of "songs that inspired us back in the day when we first heard them in the '70s," singer Jeff Keith said in a press release. "We originally had a large list of songs in mind for the record, and we had a lot of fun picking out the ones that ultimately made it onto the album. Making music is all about feeding off of your inspirations and putting your own touches to it. We feel we've accomplished this to the highest extent."

Artists given the cover treatment on Tesla's new album include The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and others.

The album is Tesla's first since once again parting ways with original member Tommy Skeotch, who was replaced last year on tour and in the studio with guitarist Dave Rude.

Last month, the band released the iTunes-exclusive "A Peace of Time," a seven-song digital EP that includes covers of songs by Bread, The Climax Blues Band and Ten Years After, as well as the band's version of the traditional holiday classic "Silent Night."