Ex-KYUSS Frontman JOHN GARCIA Announces May 2024 North American Tour

American desert rock pioneer and former KYUSS frontman John Garcia will embark on a North American East Coast tour this spring, during which he will perform classic songs from some of his iconic bands KYUSS, HERMANO and SLO BURN. Support on the trek will come from blues-rock guitarist Jared James Nichols, psychedelic rock duo TELEKINETC YETI, and blues rockers LEFT LANE CRUISER.

The tour will kick off on May 15 in Madison, Wisconsin and will conclude in Brooklyn, New York on May 29.

Prior to the trek, Garcia will play a free show in Austin, Texas on March 16 with support from MIDNIGHT.

John Garcia North American tour dates with Jared James Nichols, TELEKINETIC YETI, LEFT LANE CRUISER:

March 16 - Austin, TX @ Fiesta Destructo [free show]*
May 15 - Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
May 16 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
May 17 - Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall
May 21 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Jergels
May 22 - Detroit, MI @ Crofoot Theatre
May 23 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme
May 25 - Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
May 27 - Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally's
May 28 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
May 29 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere

* John Garcia with MIDNIGHT only

Garcia's touring lineup:

John Garcia - Vocals
John Bennet - Guitar
Billy Cordell - Bass
Greg Saenz - Drums

KYUSS's albums "Blues For The Red Sun" and "Welcome To Sky Valley" helped birth the stoner rock movement.

Following the band's split, all four members went on to launch new projects. Josh Homme formed QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, soon to be joined by Nick Oliveri. Garcia formed SLO BURN and, subsequently, UNIDA and HERMANO. John, Brant Bjork and Nick later played together as KYUSS LIVES!, but a lawsuit from Josh forced them to change the band's name to VISTA CHINO.

Back in 2018, Garcia told Kerrang! magazine that KYUSS breaking up was "the best thing that ever happened" to him. He added: "I mean that, truthfully. I found out really quickly who I was and who my friends were. It was a big blow to my ego, but very good for me to have a massive slice of humble pie shoved down my throat by the big man upstairs. 'You think you're cool? Swallow this!' There's nothing worse than false modesty or humbleness, but it is good to be pounded down to the ground to the point where you have to get up and acknowledge that you want to be a better person. It's happened to me a lot. It's my path. I'm totally okay with it. From the time I was 17, singing all those years, I can say that I appreciate music, I appreciate life, and I appreciate all the musicians I have gotten to play with. I'm very, very lucky. It's been me continuing to grow up and me continuing to find better ways to be there. It's a big thing to continue to grow and develop as a person."

As for his favorite moments from his career, Garcia said: "I really loved playing with the KYUSS lineup that featured Josh, Brant, Nick and myself. That lineup was really, really cool. We brought it. Once Brant left, it was never really the same. Those early days are standout. Why? Just because we were so into what we were doing so, so much. We didn't care about anything else. We didn't care about what people thought or said. It was an attitude. It was a temperament. We were writing our own path and nobody was going to stop us. The music was incredible, as well. To see Brant and Josh sitting in a room writing together felt magical: in my garage or Brant's room or Josh's garage, sweating like a banshee in the heat with no air conditioning. And wanting to do that. Boy, I couldn't do that these days. I've gotten spoiled. But those are the great, great memories. It feels great even to be given the chance to think back and have to answer these questions. They evoke answers that allow me to find things out about myself."

Photo by Richard Sibbald