VH1 Classic is proud to present the upcoming U.S. headlining tour for Shaw/Blades—Styx/Damn Yankees guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw and Night Ranger/Damn Yankees bassist/vocalist Jack Blades. It will launch March 16 in Dewey Beach, DE and conclude in April 14 in Agoura Hills, CA. The duo is making the cross-country trek to promote their sophomore INFLUENCE album--which is due out March 6 on VH1 Classic Records--without the support of a back-up band. Songs from both Shaw/Blades albums, as well as a selection from Styx, Damn Yankees and Night Ranger, will be performed completely acoustic. An intimate evening of music will be heard at each stop courtesy of Tommy, Jack and one other guitarist. For a taste of what to expect at their shows, fans should check out the band’s Myspace page (www.myspace.com/shawbladesinfluence), which features a video clip of the duo performing “Too Much Time On My Hands” (Styx) and “High Enough” (Damn Yankees). INFLUENCE is the duo’s first album since their recently re-released 1995 debut, HALLUCINATION. Like the debut--and unlike their history-carving decades as icons in the more hard-rock minded Styx, Night Ranger and Damn Yankees--the latest release is rooted in acoustic guitar and organic production, harvesting a decade of musical influences into 11 tracks (on which Blades and Shaw played all the music except for drums and the occasional keyboards). With classics from the ‘60s and ‘70s including the Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreamin’,” Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” and Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work,” INFLUENCE offers a track-by-track chronology of the musical era that helped define modern rock. In an early album review, Greg Prato of All Music Guide raved, “Impressively consistent from beginning to end, INFLUENCE is certainly one of the better ‘all covers' albums of recent times.” High praise is on the rise from the original artists who are covered on INFLUENCE. To wit: "I want to thank Tommy and Jack for keeping our music alive. They honored us with 'California Dreamin’." --Michelle Phillips, The Mamas & The Papas (“California Dreamin’”) "How absolutely fabulous...what an honor to see someone so 'into it' that it sounds and feels so much like our original record…congratulations." --Graham Nash, The Hollies (“On A Carousel”) 4570 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 201 • Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 • Phone 818 990 6876 • Fax 818 990 6878 • acaganpr@aol.com --2 "Just wonderful...it was just great to hear your recording...you captured the song so well..." --Jon Anderson, Yes (“Your Move”) In further radio news, Jack and Tommy will be heard on the nationwide “The Bob & Tom Radio Show” the morning of Tuesday, April 3, live from the show’s studios in Indianapolis. For a complete list of affiliates, fans should log onto www.bobandtom.com. Shaw Blades Tour Dates: Fri 3/16 http://www.deweybeachlife.com/ent_rr.html The Rusty Rudder - Dewey Beach, DE Sat 3/17 http://www.hob.com/tickets/eventdetail.asp?eventid=43584 House of Blues - Atlantic City, NJ Sun 3/18 http://www.livenation.com/event/getEvent/eventId/251418 Theatre of the Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA Wed 3/21 http://www.bbkingblues.com/schedule/moreinfo.cgi?id=3856 B.B. King’s Blues Club - New York, NY Thu 3/22 http://www.thedise.com/rockclub/index.html Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA Fri 3/23 http://www.crocodilerockcafe.com/concerts.asp Crocodile Rock - Allentown, PA Sat 3/24 http://www.tralfmusichall.com Tralf Theatre - Buffalo, NY Mon 3/26 http://www.birchmere.com/calendar/calendar_list.cfm The Birchmere - Alexandria, VA Thu 3/29 http://tickets.ramsheadonstage.com/Default.asp?&monthsubmit=&SearchText=&pgf=4&anchor=# Rams Head Tavern - Annapolis, MD Fri 3/30 http://pittsburgh.citysearch.com/profile/11275803/pittsburgh_pa/rex_theatre.html Rex Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA Sat 3/31 http://www.promowestlive.com/site/html/search.php?location=Lifestyle%20Communities%20Pavilion&id=785 PromoWest Pavilion - Columbus, OH Sun 4/1 http://www.thetangier.com Tangiers - Akron, OH Wed 4/4 http://www.themusicmillvenue.com/concert.html#shawblades Music Mill - Indianapolis, IN Thu 4/5 http://joesbar.com/calendar/index.cfm?FuseCalendar_ID=3056&CurntDate=04/28/2007&FuseAction=ShowEvent Joe’s - Chicago, IL Fri 4/6 http://www.pabsttheater.org/shawblades Pabst Theater - Milwaukee, WI Sat 4/7 http://www.valairballroom.com/index.php#138 Val Air Ballroom - West Des Moines, IA Wed 4/11 http://www.soboba.net/calendar.htm AC Lounge at Soboba - San Jacinto, CA Thu 4/12 http://www.keyclub.com/index.php Key Club - West Hollywood, CA Fri 4/13 http://www.thecoachhouse.com/cgibin/calendar.pl?month=4&view=Event&event_id=1304 Coach House - San Juan Capistrano, CA Sat 4/14 http://www.canyonclub.net/docs/schedule.html Canyon Club - Agoura Hills, CA