Alternative rock legends announce Alabama show, 40 years after classic albums
Popular alternative rockers Violent Femmes, who rose to fame during the 1980s and sustained success well into the next decade and beyond, will perform two of their groundbreaking albums on tour in 2024, with one stop in Alabama.
The band from Milwaukee, Wisc., will perform a special limited run of shows featuring their self-titled debut, which released 41 years ago, as well as their 1984 follow-up “Hallowed Ground,” which is celebrating 40 years since its release.
The exclusive run kicks off Thursday, Sept. 26, at the House of Blues in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and will finish Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Avondale Brewing Company in Birmingham.
Tickets go on sale Friday, May 24, at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster.
The Femmes will begin each show by playing their second album, “Hallowed Ground,” which included songs like “Country Death Song,” “Never Tell,” “Jesus Walking on the Water” and “It’s Gonna Rain.” Following a brief intermission, the band will retake the stage to play their debut record, “Violent Femmes,” which featured songs like “Blister in the Sun,” “Kiss Off,” “Gone Daddy Gone” and “Add It Up.” The first album has sold three million copies worldwide.
Later albums include “The Blind Leading the Naked” (1986), “3″ (1989), “Why Do Birds Sing?” (1991), “New Times,” (1994), “Rock!!!” (1995), “Freak Magnet” (2000), “We Can Do Anything” (2016) and their most recent record, 2019′s “Hotel Last Resort.”
Violent Femmes’ music has permeated pop culture, appearing on the popular ‘90s coming-of-age television series “My So-Called Life” as well as the films “Reality Bites,” “Grosse Pointe Blank” and “The Crow.”
The band, sometimes described as “folk punk,” formed in 1981. Members include Gordon Gano, Brian Ritchie, Blaise Garza and John Sparrow.
The official tour dates are as follows (Dates subject to change):
- Sept. 26: House of Blues – Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
- Sept. 27: Pompano Beach Amphitheater – Pompano Beach, Fla.
- Sept. 28: Jannus Live – St. Petersburg, Fla.
- Sept. 29: St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, Fla.
- Oct. 1: The Charleston Music Hall – Charleston, S.C.
- Oct. 2: The Ritz – Raleigh, N.C.
- Oct. 4: Old Forester’s Paristown Hall – Louisville, Ky.
- Oct. 5: Rabbit Rabbit – Asheville, N.C.
- Oct. 8: Avondale Brewing Company – Birmingham, Ala.
Other notable rock shows on the slate at Avondale Brewing Company in 2024: Primus (Aug. 18), Sister Hazel (Sept. 13), Marcus King (Sept. 24), Cake (Sept. 29), Judah & The Lion (Oct. 24).
Gordon Gano of Violent Femmes seen at KAABOO Texas at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, May 11, 2019, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)Amy Harris/Invision/AP