Peter Wolf kicked off a U.S. tour this weekend in support of his critically acclaimed new solo album, A Cure for Loneliness. After a series of shows in New England and New York, the trek will hit various cities in the Midwest, South and Mid-Atlantic states before eventually making its way to California in August.
Wolf tells ABC Radio that he and his longtime backing band, The Midnight Travelers, are “gonna be trying to get to as many places as we possibly can” this year to promote the record, which finds the founding J. Geils Band frontman delving into various genres of American roots music.
While Wolf has taken part in a number of reunion shows with his old group during the last few years, he says his main focus currently is on his solo career.
“There’s so much I get out of the solo works that that’s where the energies have gone and feels the most natural right now for me,” he tells ABC Radio. “I respect…the body of work that the Geils Band created, and all the shows that we did means a lot to me…It’s something that helped me get to where I am now, but where I am now is where kind of my focus is at.”
Although Wolf has no current plans to record new music with The J. Geils Band, fans of the group likely will find plenty to enjoy on A Cure for Loneliness, which features quite a few soul- and R&B-flavored tunes reminiscent of the band’s classic songs.
Meanwhile, Peter says he has a special chemistry and camaraderie with the members of his solo band, most of whom play on nearly every track on A Cure for Loneliness. “We have a brotherhood and a kinship that’s, for me, like no other,” he explains. (AUDIO IS ABC 1-ON-1)
Fans coming out to Wolf’s upcoming shows can expect to hear a mix of songs from the new album and selections from his previous solo records, plus of few Geils Band gems too. One interesting tune featured in his set is a bluegrass reworking of the J. Geils Band classic “Love Stinks,” which also appears on A Cure for Loneliness.
Wolf’s next show takes place this Thursday in Norfolk, Connecticut, and the trek currently is mapped out through an August 21 concert in Brownfield, Maine. Here are all of his confirmed tour dates, according to PeterWolf.com:
4/29 — Hartford, CT, Infinity Music Hall
4/30 — Fall River, MA, Narrows Center for the Arts
5/1 — Londonderry, NH, Tupelo Music Hall
5/5 — Norfolk, CT, Infinity Music Hall
5/6 — New York, NY, Bowery Ballroom
5/11 — Portland, ME, Port City Music Hall
5/12 — Somerville, MA, Somerville Theatre
5/13 — Albany, NY, The Egg
5/19 — Ann Arbor, MI, The Ark
5/20 — Ann Arbor, MI, The Ark
5/21 — Chicago, IL, Park West
6/1 — Alexandria, VA, The Birchmere
6/3 — Atlanta, GA, City Winery
6/4 — Nashville, TN, City Winery
6/5 — Louisville, KY, Headliners Music Hall
6/7 — Cleveland, OH, Music Box Supper Club
6/8 — Pittsburgh, PA, Three Rivers Festival
6/9 — Annapolis, MD, Rams Head On Stage
6/24 — Clarkston, MI, DTE Energy Music Theatre
7/8 — Greenfield, MA, Green River Festival
8/13 — Los Angeles, CA, The Greek Theatre
8/14 — Paso Robles, CA, Vina Robles Amphitheatre
8/19 — Plymouth, MA, Spire Center for Arts
8/20 — Lowell, MA, Lowell Summer Music Series
8/21 — Brownfield, ME, Stone Mountain Arts Center
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