After 45 years since their first performance, over 20 million albums sold and countless accolades among them, there’s no doubt that the B-52s have remained one of the most groundbreaking and beloved bands in the world. music. Now the B-52s are preparing to hit the road one last time and announce a farewell tour that will begin this summer.

Their North American farewell tour will visit 11 cities across the United States, kicking off August 22 in Seattle at the breathtaking McCaw Hall – Brotman Auditorium and continuing through November 11 to culminate at the legendary Fox Theater in Atlanta. . More shows will be added in the coming weeks (please see full current routing below).

The B-52s Farewell Tour presale kicks off tomorrow, April 27 at 12:00 p.m. EST. Tickets will officially go on sale this Friday, April 29 at 12:00 PM EST. KC and The Sunshine Band and The Tubes are set to make special appearances on select dates.

Tickets, information and exclusive VIP Meet & Greet packages will be available at The B-52s.com

Additionally, to kick off their farewell tour, the B-52 will perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this Wednesday, April 27. MRC Films and Fulwell 73 have announced that the long-awaited documentary film about the iconic group will be released in early 2023.

Directed by Craig Johnson (Skeleton Twins; Wilson; Alex Strangelove) and produced by Fred Armisen, the film will trace the band’s incredible journey and influence. The film also received generous support from all band members, including many personal archive photos and films that were never released.

According to co-founder Kate Pierson, “Who knew what started as a way to have fun and play music for our friends at house parties in Athens in 1977 would turn into over 45 years in making music and traveling the world. It’s been cosmic.”

Cindy Wilson, who also co-founded the band with her late beloved brother, Ricky, adds: “It’s been a wild ride for sure. We feel really lucky to have had an amazing career encouraging people. to dance, to sing with us and feel that they can be who they are with our music.”

Fred Schneider, co-founder and perhaps rock’s most unique frontman, sums up the band’s decision to retire from the road: “No one likes throwing a party more than we do, but after almost half a century on down the road, it’s time for one last blast with our friends and family…our fans. And with KC & The Sunshine Band and The Tubes on board, it’s going to be one hell of a farewell party to these shows.”

Tour dates

August 22 – Seattle, WA – – McCaw Hall*

September 29 – Mashantucket, CT – Foxwoods Casino**

September 30 – Boston, MA – – MGM Music Hall**

October 1 – Washington, DC – The Anthem**

October 7 – Chicago, Illinois – – Chicago Theater**

October 13 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre**

October 14 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre**

October 15 – Atlantic City, NJ – Ovation Hall – Ocean Casino**

October 19 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theater

October 21 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theater

October 22 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theater

October 28 – San Francisco, California – The Masonic Auditorium*

October 29 – San Francisco, California – The Masonic Auditorium*

November 4 – Los Angeles, California – YouTube Theater**

November 11 – Atlanta, GA – – The Fox Theater**

*with special guests The Tubes

**with special guests KC & The Sunshine Band

It is well known that the B-52 are the biggest party band in the world. Nearly 40 years and over 20 million albums into their career, there is no doubt that they remain one of rock music’s most beloved and enduring bands.

Any mystery regarding the band’s longevity and continued appeal is immediately resolved when exposed to a B-52 concert experience. From groundbreaking songs like “Rock Lobster,” “Dance This Mess Around,” “Private Idaho,” “Roam” and “Deadbeat Club” to chart-topping hits like “Love Shack,” to their thrilling reappearance on the pop scene with their 2008 CD Funplex, which bowed to No. 11 on the Top 200. The B-52’s unforgettable dance-rock tunes start a party every time their music starts.

Formed one evening in October 1976 after a drink at a Chinese restaurant in Athens, GA, the band played their first gig at a friend’s house on Valentine’s Day 1977. Naming themselves after Southern slang for exaggerated “puffy” hairstyles, the newly baptized B-52s (Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland, Cindy Wilson and Ricky Wilson) began weekend road trips to New York for concerts at CBGB and in a handful of other places.

Before long, their thrift-shop aesthetic and genre-defying songs were the talk of the post-punk underground. A record deal soon followed and their self-titled debut, produced by Chris Blackwell, sold over 500,000 copies thanks to their early singles, the garage rock party classic ‘Rock Lobster’ and ’52 Girls’. .

The album ranked No. 152 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” and No. 99 on VH1’s “Greatest Albums of All Time.” The B-52s began to attract fans far beyond the punk clubs of the Lower East Side – galvanizing the pop world with their “stream of consciousness” approach to songwriting and outrageous performances. They had clearly tapped into a growing audience for new music that was far wider than anyone could have imagined.