Michael Franti and Spearhead to tour

Michael Franti and Spearhead Launch U.S. Tour February 3rd

Yell Fire! Heralded As "Most Uplifting Set Of Songs To Date"

Michael Franti and Spearhead will launch a five week U.S. tour in support of its recent Anti- album Yell Fire! on February 16th at The Warfield Theatre in San Francisco. Preceded by a one-off performance on February 3rd in Breckenridge, Colorado as part of Ski Tour, the North American dates come on the heels of successful treks through Europe and Australia.

"Conjuring the sharp soul of Bill Withers and Stevie Wonder, [Franti] soaked up the admiration of a crowd for whom he is an inspirational figure in the lineage of Bob Marley," wrote The Evening Standard in a review of the group’s London performance last month. "Franti displayed a seductive charisma, an undimmable optimism that made one feel like a grinch if you didn’t wave your hands in the air when he asked; such cynics were very much in the minority."

In November, Franti won the Best International Documentary Award in the prestigious Harlem International Film Festival for his directory efforts on I Know I’m Not Alone: A Musician’s Search For The Human Cost Of War. Filmed during his travels to the war zones of Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Franti and his team went to the core of the red-zoned, war torn neighborhoods of Baghdad, the West Band and Gaza Strip with his guitar and video cameras, the compelling documentary film has been called "an antidote to despair" by anti war activist Medea Benjamin of Global Exchange.

Ironically, the director/songwriter’s journey to the war-ravaged Middle East inspired his most uplifting set of songs to date, which were fully realized on Yell Fire! "The thing that I found when I was in war zones was that nobody wants to hear songs about war," the San Francisco-based Franti says. "They want to hear songs about connection to people, and songs about love and life, songs that make them dance."

Largely recorded in Jamaica at the suggestion of Island Records’ founder Chris Blackwell, the Kingston sessions featured the godfathers of riddem, Sly and Robbie, on live drums and bass, percussionist Sticky Thompson along with Spearhead bassist Carl Young and guitarist Dave Shul. The tracks were recorded at Anchor Studios with Mario Caldato Jr and Robert Carranza (Beastie Boys, Jack Johnson) engineering.

Called "the most important artist recording and touring today who has yet to reach the masses," by Blackwell, the critics have resoundingly agreed. "Who says protest songs can’t be both fiery and fun," wrote Entertainment Weekly in its A- review of Yell Fire! Elsewhere, All Music Guide wrote, "Franti’s brain-stimulating songwriting rises to a new level of proficiency," and Amazon.com said, "It’s easily Franti’s best album yet."

Here are Michael Franti and Spearhead’s tour dates:
2/3/2007 The Ski Tour @ Riverwalk Pavilion Breckenridge CO
2/16/2007 Warfield Theatre San Francisco CA
2/17/2007 Warfield Theatre San Francisco CA
2/18/2007 Montbleu Resort Lake Tahoe CA
2/21/2007 Galaxy Theater Santa Ana CA
2/22/2007 The Wiltern Los Angeles CA
2/23/2007 4th and B Theater San Diego CA
2/24/2007 Arlington Theater Santa Barbara CA
2/26/2007 Orpheum Theatre Flagstaff AZ
2/27/2007 Lensic Performing Arts Center Santa Fe NM
3/1/2007 Warehouse Live Houston TX
3/2/2007 Gypsy Tea Room Dallas TX
3/3/2007 Stubbs Bbq Austin TX
3/6/2007 Georges Majestic Lounge Fayetteville AR
3/7/2007 Workplay Birmingham AL
3/8/2007 Soul Kitchen Mobile AL
3/9/2007 Variety Playhouse Atlanta GA
3/10/2007 Revolution Ft. Lauderdale FL
3/10/2007 Markham Park Sunrise FL
3/13/2007 The Music Farm Charleston SC
3/14/2007 Orange Peel Asheville NC
3/15/2007 The Norva Theater Norfolk VA
3/16/2007 9:30 Club Washington DC