New ART OF ANARCHY Lineup Announces First Tour Dates

ART OF ANARCHY has announced its first shows in support of the band's third studio album, "Let There Be Anarchy", which will be released on February 16, 2024 via Pavement Music.

Joining founding ART OF ANARCHY members Jon Votta (guitar),Vince Votta (drums) and guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (GUNS N' ROSES, SONS OF APOLLO) in the band's new lineup are vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JOURNEY, SONS OF APOLLO) and bassist Tony Dickinson (SOTO, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA).

Tour dates:

Mar. 22 - The Vault - Saginaw MI
Mar. 23 - Arcada Theater - St. Charles IL
Mar. 24 - Shank Hall - Milwaukee WI
Mar. 27 - The Token Lounge - Westland MI
Mar. 30 - Debonair Music Hall - Teaneck NJ
Mar. 31 - Sellersville Theater - Sellersville PA

Says Soto: "And then there were six…SIX shows that is, as we celebrate the release of the new ART OF ANARCHY album 'Let There Be Anarchy' coming out Feb 16 via Pavement Music.

"This is not yet the 'tour', just more a chance for us to dip our toes in the water before we commence further with more dates around the world once you’ve all sunk your teeth into the new songs/lineup.

"More videos are being edited and coming soon, lots unfolding for us so I want to invite past AOA fans to join new ones we will make as we prep for rocking stages everywhere!"

The Dale "Rage" Resteghini-directed music video for the first single from "Let There Be Anarchy", "Vilified", can be seen below. The clip features Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr., along with "news narrations" by former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate.

Gooding says: "'Vilified' is not a song, but a statement, a message, and a warning. It is a reflection of the many issues that are being brought to the forefront within our society. Mental illness, mass shootings, institutions, people being demonized without proper information or due process. 'Vilified' will no doubt be one of those culturally significant rock songs that will speak to generations to come. Because in the end, we must fight against the urge to vilify what we do not understand!"

"Let There Be Anarchy" track listing:

01. Die Hard
02. Echo Your Madness
03. Vilified
04. Bridge Of Tomorrow
05. Writing On The Wall
06. Rivals
07. Blind Man's Victory
08. Dying Days
09. The Good, The Bad, And The Insane
10. Disarray

Although STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland sang on the first ART OF ANARCHY album, 2015's self-titled effort, he never performed live with the group and distanced himself from the project before his death from an overdose of drugs and alcohol in December 2015 while on the road.

In July 2015, Vice Inc., whose chief executive officer and principal executive officer are Jon and Vince Votta, sued Weiland, alleging that he refused to help promote ART OF ANARCHY's debut LP and take part in music videos after agreeing to write and perform the lyrics for 10 songs for the disc. According to The Blast, Vice said that it paid Weiland $230,000 upfront for his work.

In March 2017, ART OF ANARCHY issued its sophomore album, "The Madness", featuring Scott Stapp on vocals. Less than a year later, the founders of ART OF ANARCHY sued Stapp for allegedly refusing to tour with the band and participate in promotional photo and video shoots and publicity events. That $1.2-million lawsuit was filed in New York State Supreme Court by Vice, which claimed to have paid the CREED singer $200,000 for services to be rendered, which he allegedly asked to be treated as a loan, for tax purposes.

According to Jon and Vince Votta, Stapp only performed at 18 concerts with ART OF ANARCHY in 2017 and was unwilling to appear at a scheduled video shoot in October 2017 on the deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on the Hudson River in Manhattan.

Stapp's failure to live up to his contract led to the cancelation of the group's recording contract at the end of October 2017, the complaint alleged.