Black Label Society Announces 20th Anniversary Tour and Super-Duper Deluxe Sonic Brew Reissue
Today in “Shit That’ll Make You Feel Old”: Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society released their debut album, Sonic Brew, twenty years ago come this May. That means Zakk has now been doing BLS longer than he’d been playing with Ozzy when he started BLS. And it feels like just yesterday that we were all booing Joe Holmes. Time flies when sobriety is a stranger.
ANYWAY, I mention it because BLS have made some big announcements regarding the anniversary. Specifically: starting in April, they’ll hit the road for what they’re appropriately calling the 20 Years of Sonic Brewtality Tour, which will include two shows in each market — a first night, during which they’ll perform Sonic Brew in its entirety, and a second night featuring a greatest hits set.
Meanwhile, on May 17, eOne will release Sonic Brew – 20th Anniversary Blend 5.99 – 5.19, “a new, reimagined version” of the neo-classic, which… well, actually, I’m just gonna let the official press release explain it, because it’s pretty damned entertaining:
“’The original recording back in 1997 was mastered with high volume, alcohol, and dance,’ says Wylde from his home studio. ‘We went in and worked off the existing performances and focused on the high volume and dance while replacing the booze with viagra and anabolic steroids.’
“The new re-blended version of Sonic Brew will feature two new bonus tracks, a full band/piano version of ‘Spoke in the Wheel’ and an acoustic version of ‘Black Pearl.’
“Wylde continues, although we wish he would stop, ‘I wanted to re-blend and re-choreograph this release to be the most brewtal and dance-tactic album since Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’ dominated the dance floor at Studio 54!’”
Oh, Zakk. Never change.
Tour dates are below. Expect pre-orders for Sonic Brew 2.o to launch soon. Also, expect more BLS re-releases in the future: their current label, eOne, has licensed their entire back catalog — including Stronger Than Death, 1919 Eternal, The Blessed Hellride, Hangover Music Vol. VI, Mafia, and Shot to Hell — and promise that “Fans can expect these titles in never-before-released formats over the next few years.”
Apr-24 Denver, CO The Oriental Theater
Apr-25 Denver, CO The Oriental Theater
Apr-27 Dallas, TX Canton Hall
Apr-28 Dallas, TX Canton Hall
Apr-30 Chicago, IL Concord Music Hall
May-01 Chicago, IL Concord Music Hall
May-04 Jacksonville, FL Welcome To Rockville
May-06 New York, NY The Bowery Ballroom
May-07 New York, NY The Bowery Ballroom
May-11 Rockingham, NC Epicenter
May-14 Toronto, ON Opera House
May-15 Toronto, ON Opera House
May-17 Columbus, OH Sonic Temple
May-18 Clarksville, TN O’Connors
May-22 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
May-23 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
