Bret Michaels has rollled out his 2023 "Parti-Gras" North American summer tour dates with road regulars Night Ranger and Jefferson Starship. Joining the festivities at assorted stops throughout the dozen-city trek will be former-Journey singer Steve Augeri and Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath.
The Poison frontman said in a statement, "It's unique, never quite been done before. I said I want to throw that party starting in the parking lot, into the building, let fans have a chance to be on the side of the stage, they're doing the 'Dress Like Bret' karaoke contest, it's like a carnival of fun and awesomeness, right? And the music we're playing in between, we've got DJs spinning, everything is meant to be a party from the time you get there till you end. It's gotta be all killer, all hits, no filler."
Bret Michaels has long maintained that although Poison's music might not be deemed "high art" by the rock press establishment, that doesn't mean that their songs don't matter in a big way for a lot of people: ["We don't always know what we're doing, we just do it with conviction. (Laughs) And somehow originality comes from that, y'know? And writing what I think are really, really strong songs both musically but mostly lyrically, like 'Something To Believe In"' or 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn.' They hit people's soul."] SOUNDCUE (:14 OC: . . . hit people's soul)
Night Ranger's frontman/bassist Jack Blades told us that even after all these years, he and drummer Kelly Keagy are still the best of friends both on and off the stage: ["Well, Kelly and I, it’s pretty funny with Kelly, because we hang out all the time on the road. Kelly and I are the ones, that, like, y’know, you wake up in the morning after a long bus ride (and) I’ll get up at nine or 10, and we’re texting each other — ‘Coffee. Starbucks. Where is it? Let’s go.’ I mean, we’re always like, 'Hey — let’s go out and look in some junk shops, let’s hit some antique shops, let’s do this. . . Hey, you wanna take a walk? Let's go outside, let’s breathe some air.’ Kelly and I do everything together, I mean, on the road. We’re pretty much brothers to the bone. As silly as that sounds, that’s still the way it is, and I think it’s really fortunate that it’s that way."] SOUNDCUE (:29 OC: . . . it’s that way)
JUST ANNOUNCED: Bret Michaels / Night Ranger / Jefferson Starship tour dates (subject to change):
July 14 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
July 15 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
July 16 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
July 21 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
July 22 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
July 23 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
July 28 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
July 29 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
July 30 – Nobleseville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
August 4 – Tampa, FL – MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 5 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
August 6 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion