NEW ALBUM STAY HUMAN 2­­ DUE OUT SOON

FRANTI DIRECTS STAY HUMAN DOCUMENTARY, WINS MULTIPLE FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS

“Franti offers a set of elastic, expansive grooves that combine humane social concern and messages of love with pure thump.” “Influential and provocative…Michael Franti’s sound may have changed, his message hasn’t.” “There might not be another performer in the world who pours out more positive vibrations than Michael Franti…an upbeat, life-affirming, community experience.” “…A groove-heavy and often joyous affair…”

After three months of successful dates this summer, including sold-out shows at Red Rocks Amphitheater, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Red Butte Garden and Salvage Station, Michael Franti & Spearhead are continuing to add dates to their Stay Human tour. Kicking off October 4 at The Paramount in Huntington, NY, the new tour dates include performances at Philadelphia‘s The Fillmore with Thievery Corporation, Atlanta‘s Variety Playhouse, The Cowan in Nashville, Champions Square in New Orleans with Trombone Shorty, The Gates Hotel in Key West and more. Dustin Thomas and Victoria Canal will be supporting all October headline dates.

Michael Franti will offer fans his new VIP Experience on select dates, including a Q&A, acoustic performance, photo with Michael and an autographed VIP item. Tickets are available for purchase beginning at 10 a.m. local time on August 10 and for most dates include a download of Franti’s upcoming record, once available. See end of page for a list of dates.

The tour comes in anticipation of Franti’s new album Stay Human 2, due out soon. The forthcoming record is influenced by Franti’s new self-directed documentary Stay Human, which has won an array of awards while on the festival circuit, including the RWJ Barnabas Health Award at the 2018 Asbury Park Music & Film Festival, the Audience Award at the 2018 Nashville Film Festival, the Audience Award and the Voice for Humanity Award at the 2018 ILLUMINATE Film Festival and the Soul in Cinema Award at the 2018 Maui Film Festival. The film will continue to screen at film festivals this winter, including upcoming public screenings at Woodstock Film Festival in Woodstock, NY, and Mill Valley Film Festival in San Rafael, CA.

Of the tour, new music and film, Franti explains, “I’ve traveled the globe making music and throughout the years I’ve always hoped that it could inspire small steps towards making the world a better place. Struggling with the challenges of the world I began filming my new documentary, Stay Human, telling the stories of heroic everyday people who helped me to discover more deeply what it means to be and STAY HUMAN.”

Franti began writing music as a way to process both the political landscape of the late 1980s and the unique sounds and ideas of his Bay Area upbringing. In 1994, Franti formed Michael Franti & Spearhead. Touring with his band, Franti continued to notice inequality and injustice both at home and abroad. The band released their seminal Stay Human album in 2000, reflecting on the unjust nature of the death penalty among other themes, to make sense of our common humanity in juxtaposition to near constant violations of human rights.

Franti released his first self-directed documentary, I Know I’m Not Alone in 2005 to widespread critical acclaim. The film depicts his mission for peace in the Middle East, with a focus on the human cost of war. Franti visited warzones in Iraq, Israel and Palestine again finding common connection, playing music to both soldiers and civilians regardless of affiliation.

Michael Franti & Spearhead continue to foster the community both on and off stage and with Michael and his wife Sara’s foundation Do It For The Love, a wish granting nonprofit that brings those with life threatening illnesses, veterans and children with severe challenges to concerts. His recent musical projects have included the Billboard #1 single “The Sound of Sunshine” (2010) and full-length releases All the People (2013) and SOULROCKER (2016), which topped the Billboard rock album charts at #4 and #5, respectively.

MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD LIVE
*VIP Experience available

August 8—Vancouver, BC—Commodore Ballroom
August 10—Calgary, AB—Grey Eagle Resort & Casino*

August 11—Edmonton, AB—Edmonton Folk Music Festival

August 12—Regina, SK—Regina Folk Festival

August 13—Winnipeg, MB—Burton Cummings Theatre*

August 16—Vancouver, BC—Commodore Ballroom

August 17—Salmon Arm, BC—Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival

August 19—Grande Prairie, AB—Bear Creek Folk Festival

August 21— Missoula, MT—The Wilma*

August 22— Billings, MT—Pub Station Ballroom*

August 24— Moorhead, MN—Roots on the Red

August 25—Apple Valley, MN—Weesner Family Amphitheater, Minnesota Zoo*

August 31—Aspen, CO— Jazz Aspen Snowmass

October 4—Huntington, NY—The Paramount*

October 5—Ithaca, NY—State Theatre*

October 6—Freeport, ME—L.L. Bean Discovery Park
October 7—Rutland, VT—The Paramount Theatre*
October 11—Port Chester, NY—Capitol Theatre*

October 12—Kingston, NY—BSP Kingston

October 13—Philadelphia, PA—The Fillmore*

October 14—Silver Spring, MD—The Fillmore Silver Spring*

October 17—Atlanta, GA—Variety Playhouse*

October 18—Nashville, TN—The Cowan*

October 19—Jackson, MS—Duling Hall*

October 20—New Orleans, LA—Bold Sphere Music at Champions Square

October 22—Key West, FL—The Gates Hotel, Sunset Green Lawn

October 24—Fort Lauderdale, FL—Revolution*

October 25—St. Petersburg, FL—Jannus Live*

October 26—St. Petersburg, FL—Jannus Live*

October 27—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre, Backyard Stage*

November 3—Savannah, GA—Forsyth Park