Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings have announced a short fall tour to support their latest album, I Learned The Hard Way. The endeavor starts this coming Friday with an early evening set at Connecticut’s Gathering of the Vibes Festival before dropping the 54-year-old Jones and her Dap Kings in The Beehive State for a one-off mountain date at Salt Lake City’s Twilight Concert Series. The voyage then makes a stop at Brooklyn’s Propect Park for a free show with The Budos Band. Additional highlights on the 17-date shindig include a show at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a stop at the Newport Folk Festival.
Those who make it out to the shows — like our very own Megan Ritt did in May — should be very pleased by the retro offerings the band has to offer. Backed by The Dap Kings, Jones delivers vocals that are straight out of the Stax Records school of soul. Without taking anything away from the Dap Kings (who were tapped by Mark Ronson to play on Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black), Jones’ contribution is the main reason I Learned the Hard Way cemented soul music’s comeback into the mainstream by debuting at no. 15 on Billboard’s Top 200.
If you’re bummed about not being able to see Ms. Jones strut her stuff on the road, don’t fret. On August 1st, you’ll get a chance to sit at your computer and catch the band’s Newport Folk Festival set, which will be streamed live via NPR.com. Otherwise check out this video of the band playing “She Ain’t a Child No More” at this year’s SXSW below and get your tickets via the band’s website or Ticketmater.com.
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings 2010 Tour Dates:
07/30 – Bridgeport, CT @ Gathering of the Vibes
08/01 – Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival
08/05 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Twilight Concert Series
08/07 – Brooklyn, NY @ Prospect Park (Free Show) *
08/13 – Cleveland, OH @ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
09/04 – Snomass Village, CO @ Jazz Aspen Snomass Festival
09/14 – Puyallup, WA @ Puyallup Fair
09/17 – Lexington, KY @ Busters
09/18 – Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
09/19 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
09/20 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
09/21 – Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
09/23 – Dallas, TX @ The Showroom at Palladium
09/24 – Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
09/26 – Phoenix, AZ @ Orpheum Theatre
09/27 – Santa Fe, NM @ The Lensic Performing Arts Center
09/28 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
* = w/ The Budos Band
Photo by Jacob Blicken
