Every band you love is touring in 2025—R.I.P. your bank account
Zappagram 144: RIP Roberta Flack, buy CBGB's original awning and give it to me, new TOOL album in the works, more concerts than you can shake a credit card at, and much more...
I hope that, unlike me, you’ve been hoarding massive piles of cash or at least clearing out the balance on your credit cards because, in the last two weeks alone, the number of insane tours that have been announced is nothing short of staggering.
If you thought 2024 was stacked with great shows, 2025 is shaping up to be an all-out assault on your finances—an unrelenting barrage of must-catch tours, one after another—and that’s just what’s been announced so far. And we’re only two months into the year.
For starters, legendary electronic duo Autechre is returning to North America for the first time in a decade. Deftones just kicked off a North American tour with The Mars Volta. TOOL and Guns N’ Roses are now playing on the bill with Ozzy for Black Sabbath’s final show in Birmingham.
Christ, the airfare alone is going to break me.
I don’t know about you, but I never thought I’d see Patti Smith touring in support of Horses turning 50, but here we are.
Death Cab for Cutie will tour for the 20th anniversary of my favorite DCFC album _Plans_. (That was their first album I ever bought.) Speaking of twenty years ago, you couldn’t escape The Fray’s _How to Save a Life_, and now Isaac Slade and company are prepping to run an anniversary victory lap.
If reunions are your thing, brace yourself.
One of my cannot miss events is Pixies touring with Spoon! What?! Take my money. TAKE MY DAMN MONEY! Fountains of Wayne have reunited to play their first shows since Adam Schlesinger’s passing in 2020. Jenny Lewis and Rilo Kiley are back at it, marking the first time the original band lineup has played together since 2008.
Remember this one?
“We are young, we run green,
Keep our teeth nice and clean,
See our friends, see the sights,
Feel aaaaaalright…”
That’s right—Gaz Coombes is back with Supergrass for the I Should Coco 30th-anniversary tour.
It’s like 25-year-old me time-traveled to put all of these bands on this year’s roster.
Feeling overwhelmed yet? Buckle up, buttercup—you might want to sit down for this next part.
Dropkick Murphys & Bad Religion, My Morning Jacket, Elbow, Phantogram, High Vis, Lords of Acid, Stereolab, Snail Mail with Dinosaur Jr., and Vampire Weekend—they’re all hitting the road. As are Neil Young & the Chrome Hearts, Father John Misty, Bob Dylan, Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin tribute, Phish, and Tori Amos (for a book tour, but still)—add them to the list, too.
I told you 2025 was going to be insane.
Simply put—this is the year where we’re all going to need to get really good at budgeting. If you want to see as many people on this list as me, you might need to do a casual Google search for “what is the black market going rate for vital organs” and “do I really even need a spleen?”
And when we’re all broke and sad because the shows are over, Bon Iver is giving us a new album to cry to as we sit in the middle of a giant pile of overpriced merch we knew we couldn’t afford but had to buy anyway. I’ll be wiping my tears with a Ministry t-shirt I picked up at what will likely be their last tour ever.
All I know is that once I’m done taking out a second mortgage for concert tickets, the damn Ticketmaster CEO better name his next yacht the “ZAPPAGRAM.”
Ground control to subscriber:
Take your protein pills. Put your helmet on.
This newsletter ain’t gonna read itself…
MUSIC NEWS
Roberta Flack, a revered soul singer who passed away on February 24, 2025, at the age of 88, left an indelible mark on the music world with her classically-influenced style and emotional depth. Born a piano prodigy who attended Howard University at just 15 years old, Flack transitioned from classical music to become a pop sensation in her 30s, creating timeless hits like "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and becoming the only artist to win back-to-back Record of the Year Grammy Awards. Despite facing health challenges, including ALS in her later years, her musical legacy lives on through her recorded legacy which includes 18 studio albums , the artists she mentored (including Donny Hathaway and Luther Vandross), and the countless musicians she influenced who continue to sample and celebrate her work.
David Johansen, the New York Dolls frontman—also known as Buster Poindexter—has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and is currently facing significant health and financial challenges. According to his daughter, Leah Hennessey, Johansen has been battling cancer for nearly a decade, with his condition worsening in 2020 when he developed a brain tumor. His situation became even more critical after a Thanksgiving accident where he fell down stairs, breaking his back in two places, which has left him bedridden and requiring full-time care from his wife, Mara. A Sweet Relief fundraiser has been established to help cover medical costs, nursing care, physical therapy, and daily living expenses for the influential musician.
Layne Staley's personal writings will be published as "This Angry Pen: The Lost Journals of Layne Staley," a 176-page hardcover book releasing on November 11th, 2025. The collection will feature the late Alice in Chains frontman's never-before-seen poetry, handwritten lyrics, personal notes, original artwork, and rare photos, offering fans unprecedented insight into his creative process and inner thoughts. The book is currently available for pre-order at $40.
Wu-Tang Clan has announced their final tour, "Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber," spanning across North America from June 6 to July 18, 2025. This farewell tour will feature all surviving members (RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna) along with Ol' Dirty Bastard's son, Young Dirty Bastard. Run the Jewels will join as the opening act for all dates. According to RZA, the tour will showcase previously unperformed songs and feature a unique production design, giving fans one last opportunity to experience the legendary group's music and cultural impact in a fresh, innovative way.
Tool bassist Justin Chancellor confirmed the band will spend three months refining ideas for a new album after their upcoming Latin American tour. While members have amassed a “good pile of stuff,” the challenge now is shaping it into a final product. Chancellor likened the process to a pregnancy and defended their slow creative pace, hinting they may release singles or an EP instead of waiting for a full album. He reassured fans that new music is coming, as the band has no plans to “sit on their laurels.” This update follows the recent passing of frontman Maynard James Keenan’s father.
Potter & Potter is hosting a unique auction titled “Punks, Monsters, Smut & Madmen: A Countercultural Cross-Section.” This auction features some incredible memorabilia, including the original storefront canopy from CBGB(!!!) and actual pieces from the club, like the emergency exit lights, and pieces of the bar and walls. The auction is currently open for online bids and will conclude with an in-person event on March 6th. You can also find items signed by the Ramones and Dead Kennedys. I would sell a vital organ to own the original CBGB canopy.
Paramount+ has added a treasure trove of classic music television to its streaming library, featuring over 50 episodes of MTV Unplugged alongside numerous episodes of VH1 Storytellers and CMT Crossroads. The collection includes iconic performances from legendary artists like Nirvana, Neil Young, Sinead O’Connor, The Church, Pearl Jam, Paul McCartney, Elton John, David Bowie, and Tori Amos (and more!) many of which haven't been available to viewers for over two decades.
Paramount+ is producing Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now, a documentary on Ozzy’s health struggles since his 2019 fall and Parkinson’s diagnosis, leading up to his final concert this summer taking place on July 5, 2025, in Birmingham, England. The film features candid interviews with Ozzy, his family, and musicians from Black Sabbath, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Tool, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The doc is set to premiere in fall 2025.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are reportedly seeking approximately $350 million for their music catalog, which could bring their total music asset earnings to nearly $500 million(!) when combined with the $140 million already received from Hipgnosis Songs for the band’s publishing rights in 2021. According to Billboard, the band owns the rights to all 13 studio albums released through Warner Music, with the catalog generating an estimated $26 million annually. There are rumors that a deal may have already been struck with Warner Music Group, though this remains unconfirmed. This potential sale follows other major catalog deals in the music industry, including Bruce Springsteen's $500 million sale to Sony Music, Pink Floyd's $400 million deal, and Queen's record-breaking $1.27 billion agreement with Sony in 2024.
Paul McCartney has announced a new book titled Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, set for release on November 4. The book chronicles the history of—you guessed it—his band Wings. Authored by McCartney himself and edited by historian Ted Widmer, the book features previously unreleased photographs and is part of a larger retrospective on Wings that includes anniversary editions of classic Wings albums and a new documentary.
Phil Collins revealed in a rare interview with MOJO that while he has considered making new music, his declining health and lack of creative drive have kept him from doing so. The Genesis icon, who has suffered from nerve damage since a 2007 spinal injury, described himself as having been “very sick” without elaborating on his condition. During Genesis’ farewell tour in 2022, Collins was unable to play drums and performed seated.
The Betts Family is offering a free livestream via nugs.net of the sold-out "In Memory Of Dickey Betts" tribute concert on February 28 in Macon, Georgia. The all-star show, curated by Dickey's son Duane, will feature former Allman Brothers Band members and notable musicians like Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, and Susan Tedeschi. Proceeds will help establish the Dickey Betts Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Berklee College of Music, part of the broader Dickey Betts Music Education Fund created to honor the late guitarist's legacy through supporting emerging musicians and composers.
Pink Floyd's iconic 1972 concert film Live At Pompeii is being released in a meticulously restored 4K version in theaters and IMAX worldwide starting April 24, 2025, with tickets available March 5th. This landmark restoration features the first complete 90-minute cut, combining the original performance with Abbey Road Studios documentary footage, all recovered from the band's archives. The film's audio has been newly mixed in 5.1 and Dolby Atmos, and a companion live album will be released in multiple formats beginning May 2nd. The original footage captures Pink Floyd performing classics like "Echoes" and "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" in the empty ancient Roman amphitheater in Pompeii, Italy, in October 1971.
The documentary film "SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" directed by Questlove is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+. The film explores Sly’s legacy and influence with his groundbreaking band The Family Stone.
Soul singer Jerry Butler, known as "The Iceman," died on February 20, 2025, at age 85 in Chicago. A founding member of the Impressions alongside Curtis Mayfield, Butler achieved solo success with hits like "Only the Strong Survive" and co-wrote Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long." After his music career, he served as a Cook County commissioner. Butler was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the Impressions and later honored by the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
B-SIDES
Autechre announce first North American tour in a decade
Beirut announce new album
Bob Dylan announces new headlining tour dates in 2025
Bon Iver announce new album SABLE, fABLE
The Dandy Warhols map out east coast tour for May 2025
Death Cab for Cutie announce Plans 20th anniversary shows
Deftones kick off U.S. tour with The Mars Volta in Portland
Dropkick Murphys and Bad Religion announce 2025 U.S. tour
Elbow announce fall 2025 North American tour dates
Father John Misty adds 2025 tour dates
Fountains of Wayne announce first shows since Adam Schlesinger’s death
The Fray announces How To Save A Life: The 20th Anniversary tour
Garbage announce new album
Guns N' Roses and Tool added to final Black Sabbath show
The Head and the Heart announce new album
High Vis announce North American tour
Hurray for the Riff Raff announces tour
Jason Bonham announces Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti U.S. tour
Lords of Acid announce tour with new singer Carla Harvey
Melvins announce new album
Ministry celebrate synth-pop years with new album, 2025 tour
My Morning Jacket add summer and fall 2025 U.S. tour dates
Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts announce 2025 tour
Patti Smith announces 50th anniversary Horses tour
Phantogram announces livestream for sold-out North American tour finale
Phish announce summer 2025 tour dates
Pixies announce 2025 tour with Spoon
Rilo Kiley add reunion tour dates, announce greatest-hits album
Snail Mail and Dinosaur Jr. announce summer 2025 tour
Stereolab announce tour of North America and Europe
Supergrass reveal 30th anniversary North American tour dates
Tori Amos announces 2025 book tour
Vampire Weekend announce 2025 U.S. tour
Z-REX
Speaking of the CBGB canopy I badly want to own…
Check out the gross, gritty glory of CBGB in this installment of 1973: Shaping the Culture, a series from Rolling Stone and HBO’s Vinyl. Opened by Hilly Kristal in 1973 in New York City’s seedy Bowery, CBGB became ground zero for punk rock. The club reshaped rock music, shifting it from distant arenas to an intimate, grimy venue where bands like Patti Smith, Talking Heads, and the Ramones performed original material and forged a raw, rebellious sound that would influence generations.
NEW RELEASES
Bartees Strange: Horror
Baths: Gut
Buena Vista Social Club: Buena Vista Social Club (Vinyl Reissue)
Cindy Lee: Diamond Jubilee (Physical Release)
Doves: Constellations For The Lonely
Father John Misty: I Love You, Honeybear (Vinyl Reissue)
The Lumineers: Automatic
Mandrake Handshake: Earth-Sized Worlds
Neil Young: Oceanside Countryside
Oracle Sisters: Divinations
Stubai: Were We Here?
Winona Fighter: My Apologies to the Chef
The Young Mothers: Better If You Let It
Youth Lagoon: Rarely Do I Dream
RELEASE RADAR
:: FEB 28
Miya Folick: Erotica Veronica • Motörhead: Ace of Spades (Vinyl Reissue) • Oasis: Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants (Vinyl Reissue)
:: MAR 7
Benmont Tench (of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) – The Melancholy Season • Bob Mould: Here We Go Crazy • David Bowie: Young Americans (Vinyl Reissue) • De La Soul: Clear Lake Auditorium EP (Reissue) • Hamilton Leithauser: This Side of the Island • Jason Isbell: Foxes in the Snow • Lady Gaga: Mayhem • Neil Young: Oceanside Countryside • Noah Kahan: Live From Fenway Park (Vinyl Release) • Spiritbox: Tsunami Sea
:: MAR 14
Bambara: Birthmarks • Nels Cline: Consentrik Quartet • Of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins (20th Anniversary Edition) • Ozzy Osbourne: See You on the Other Side V2.0 (Box set) • Throwing Muses: Moonlight Concessions • World Party: Best in Show (Vinyl Reissue)
:: MAR 21
De La Soul: The Grind Date (20th Anniversary Edition) • The Horrors: Night Life • Japanese Breakfast: For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) • My Morning Jacket: Is • RUSH: RUSH 50
:: MAR 28
Alison Krauss & Union Station: Arcadia • Bryan Ferry: Loose Talk • Deafheaven: Lonely People With Power • Destroyer: Dan’s Boogie • Lucy Dacus: Forever Is a Feeling • Ministry: The Squirrely Years Revisited • Perfume Genius: Glory
:: COMING IN MAY
Butch Bastard: Death Valley
ON THIS DATE
:: FEB 28
Birthdays: Brian Jones (1942) • Cindy Wilson of The B-52s (1957) • U2 released their third studio album, War. (1983)
:: MAR 1
Birthdays: Harry Belafonte (1927) • Jerry Fisher of Blood Sweat & Tears (1942) • Roger Daltrey (1944) • Nik Kershaw (1958) • Pink Floyd released their eighth studio album, The Dark Side Of The Moon. (1973)
:: MAR 2
Birthdays: Lou Reed (1942) • Rory Gallagher and Larry Carlton (1948) • Karen Carpenter (1950) • Jon Bon Jovi (1962) • Chris Martin (1977) • Dusty Springfield died after a long battle against cancer, aged 59. (1999) • Canadian guitarist/singer Jeff Healey died of cancer. (2008) • American jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter died in Los Angeles, California, aged 89. (2023) • Stephen Mackey, bassist for Pulp, died at the age of 56. (2023)
:: MAR 3
Birthdays: Robyn Hitchcock (1953) • Camila Cabello (1997) • Metallica released their third studio album, the highly influential Master of Puppets. (1986)
:: MAR 4
Birthdays: Bobby Womack (1944) • Chris Squire of Yes (1948) • Chris Rea (1951) • Jason Newsted (1963) • Patrick Hannan, drummer of The Sundays (1966) • Evan Dando of The Lemonheads (1967) • Jeremiah Green of Modest Mouse (1977) • John Lennon's statement that The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus Christ” was published in The London Evening Standard. (1966)
:: MAR 5
Birthdays: Mark E. Smith of The Fall (1957) • Identical twin brothers, Craig and Charlie Reid, of The Proclaimers (1962) • John Frusciante (1970) • Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee. (1963) • John Belushi died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin. (1982)
:: MAR 6
Birthdays: Mary Wilson of The Supremes (1944) • David Gilmour (1946) • Kiki Dee (1947) • Guy Garvey of Elbow (1974) • Tyler, the Creator (1991) • The Beatles recorded sound effects onto the song “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” at Abbey Road studios in London. (1967)
CODA
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Maybe consider upgrading to a paid subscription. For the cost of an album in the bargain bin, you can keep this good thing going.
Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow,
Chris Zappa
🤘🏻
Time to gas up the car & hit the road. Let's get to a show this year!
Yep informative