For Immediate Release
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From Diesel Management
DAVID GOGO
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B.B. King
Ridin’ With The King To Celebrate Legend’s 80th Birthday
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31 at 7:00 p.m.
MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE
TORONTO, ON
Ottawa, ON – Juno-nominated blues guitarist, David Gogo will get to live out his dreams twice when he hits the stage to perform as part of the billing with the one and only B.B. King at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto, ON on Wednesday, August 31st at 7:00 Pm as part of B.B.’s 80th Birthday celebration.
In 1992, the Nanaimo, BC native, had to pinch himself when he landed on stage to jam with the “King of The Blues” at the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, where he was a special guest of festival director Claude Nobs. The Montreux visit had Gogo guesting with another one of his heros, Otis Rush who had high praise for the young guitarist. To cap off the Montreux experience, Gogo was invited to join Blues Traveller and John Popper, who laid down some harmonica licks to compliment his stinging guitar sounds.
The upcoming Toronto performance features a “Young Guns of the Blues” with David Gogo alongside Kenny Wayne Shepherd, a guitarist who, like Gogo, has been carrying the torch in introducing blues music to a whole new generation of fans, who are discovering contemporary blues through classic rock acts such as Led Zepplin, Cream, Pink Floyd and Eric Clapton. In keeping with reaching a wider audience, David’s first single “Love In The City”, a track he co-wrote and that features Tom Wilson (Blackie & The Rodeo Kings), went Top 35 at rock radio across Canada. This kind of success as an indie artist has been paramount in having doors open to the mainstream rock audience for Gogo. Similarly, opening two festival performances last summer for The Tragically Hip and his support slot with ZZ Top at this year’s Ottawa Bluesfest have also been key in what the Ottawa Citizen called his “breakthrough performance.”
Gogo’s new release “Vibe” (Cordova Bay/Maplenationwide/Universal), an all-original affair, is being received with excitement and enthusiasm by the critics and fans alike. Named the 2005 Maple Blues “Guitarist of The Year”, Gogo has quietly self-produced his world-class recording in a small studio in his hometown of Nanaimo. “Vibe” features a special guest appearance by another renowned Canadian guitarist, Jeff Healey, who trades riffs with David on “She’s Alright”. The new single “Hey Juanita” went out to rock radio in early August and Gogo and his band are heading out on the road to the East coast for first time performances in Halifax, NS and Fredericton, NB in September. A full Canadian tour will follow in October.
Fresh off a swing of U.S. dates last weekend that saw him open for Dickie Betts (Allman Brothers) to rave reviews in Rochester, NY and headline a festival performance in Omaha, NE to 7000 screaming fans, David Gogo is poised and excited about reuniting with King this month. “It was an incredible experience to play with B.B. in Switizerland in ’92 and to get the chance to be part of his 80th Birthday celebration is really special.”
Gogo’s album “Skeleton Key” is set for release in the U.S. through Cordova Bay/Oarphin on October 25, 2005. A full U.S. tour is scheduled to start in November and will carry well into 2006. Based on the commercial radio success in Canada, the label is eagerly preparing a single for release to AAA radio in America.
Don’t miss the chance to catch one of Canada’s rising stars perform with blues icon B.B. King on this monumental occasion!
Tickets for the Molson Amphitheatre performance can be purchased on-line at http://www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling Ticketmaster at 416.870.8000.
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