Music News
Darius Rucker Announces 20-City Songs Of Summer Tour

Three-time GRAMMY Award winner Darius Rucker hits the road this summer with his 20-city Songs of Summer Tour, bringing his signature baritone voice and fan-favorite hits to amphitheaters and iconic venues nationwide. Promoted by Live Nation, the 2026 trek features special guests Lauren Alaina, George Birge, Evan Honer, Old Crow Medicine Show, Robert Randolph and Austin Williams joining select dates.
“For me, it’s not summer if we’re not playing music outdoors,” says Rucker. “When I think of the concerts I love attending, it’s the people, the hits and the hot summer air… there’s nothing that compares, so Songs of Summer in a lot of ways is my nod to being in that moment together.”
Tickets go on sale starting this Friday, Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. local time, with select cities on sale in March. For full ticket details, see below and visit DariusRucker.com.
The Songs of Summer Tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include premium tickets, exclusive pre-show meet & greet and photo op with Darius Rucker, guided backstage tour, autographed tour poster and more. VIP package contents vary based on the offer selected. For more information, visit vipnation.com.
Rucker also recently announced a one-night-only Big Band Gala at Charleston’s Gaillard Center on April 7. Presented by Explore Charleston, the performance offers fans a rare opportunity to experience Rucker in an elevated, intimate concert setting backed by Robert Lewis and the Charleston Jazz Orchestra, conducted by Peter Graves. A portion of proceeds will benefit the CMA Foundation’s music education initiatives for Charleston County Schools and the Carolyn G. Rucker Nursing Scholarship at MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital.
Rucker first achieved multi-Platinum status in the music industry as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the GRAMMY Award-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish, who have sold more than 25 million albums worldwide including their Double Diamond-certified (22x Platinum) debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. Since releasing his first Country album in 2008, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four No. 1 albums on the Billboard Country chart plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country radio and 11 Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum certified hits. Rucker was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member in 2012, and he won his third career GRAMMY Award in 2014 for Best Solo Country Performance with his Diamond-certified (11x Platinum) version of “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top five best-selling Country songs of all time. His latest album Carolyn’s Boy is available everywhere now as is his New York Times bestselling memoir “Life’s Too Short,” released via Dey Street in 2024.
As a lifelong philanthropist, Rucker co-chaired the capital campaign that generated $150 million to help build the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in his hometown of Charleston, S.C. and has raised over $5.1 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through his annual Darius and Friends benefit concert and golf tournament. In addition, Rucker has advocated for over 200 charitable causes supporting public education and junior golf programs in South Carolina through the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation and serves as a National Chair for the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tenn. Rucker is also an avid sports fan, with his Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics line of NFL, MLB, NHL and NCAA apparel available via Fanatics.com, and he is part of the Music City Baseball investment group working to bring an MLB team to Tennessee in addition to serving as a partner at the MGC Sports & Entertainment agency.
For more information, visit DariusRucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker.
Songs of Summer Tour
June 4 | Toledo, Ohio | Toledo Zoo Amphitheatre | George Birge, Austin Williams +
June 5 | Grantville, Pa. | Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course | George Birge, Austin Williams *’
June 6 | Canandaigua, N.Y. | Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center | George Birge, Austin Williams *’
June 11 | Bethel, N.Y. | Bethel Woods Center for the Arts | George Birge, Austin Williams
June 12 | Atlantic City, N.J. | Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena | Austin Williams *
June 13 | Gilford, N.H. | BankNH Pavilion | George Birge, Austin Williams *
June 18 | Greensboro, N.C. | White Oak Amphitheatre at Greensboro Coliseum Complex | George Birge, Austin Williams *
June 19 | Wilmington, N.C. | Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park | George Birge, Austin Williams *
June 25 | Grand Rapids, Mich. | Acrisure Amphitheater | Lauren Alaina, Austin Williams
June 26 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Riverbend Music Center | Lauren Alaina, Austin Williams #
June 27 | Clarkston, Mich. | Pine Knob Music Theatre | Lauren Alaina, Austin Williams +
July 16 | Washington, D.C. | The Theater at MGM National Harbor | Austin Williams *
July 17 | Bridgeport, Conn. | Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater | Robert Randolph, Austin Williams *
July 18 | Boston, Mass. | Leader Bank Pavilion | Robert Randolph, Austin Williams *
July 23 | Phoenix, Ariz. | Arizona Financial Theatre | Old Crow Medicine Show, Austin Williams +
July 24 | Albuquerque, N.M. | First Financial Credit Union Amphitheater | Old Crow Medicine Show, Austin Williams *
July 25 | Morrison, Colo. | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Old Crow Medicine Show, Austin Williams *
July 30 | Rogers, Ark. | Walmart AMP | Evan Honer, Austin Williams *
July 31 | Kansas City, Mo. | Starlight Theatre | Evan Honer, Austin Williams ^
August 1 | Indianapolis, Ind. | Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park | Evan Honer, Austin Williams *
* on sale Feb. 27
+ on sale March 6
# on sale March 13
^ on sale March 20
’ not a Live Nation show
Music News
The Smashing Pumpkins Announce Massive ‘The Rats In A Cage Tour’ Celebrating Mellon Collie Anniversary
The Smashing Pumpkins are heading back on the road this fall with a tour built around one of the defining rock albums of the 1990s. The band officially announced “The Rats In A Cage Tour,” a North American arena run celebrating the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness.
The tour kicks off Sept. 30 in Columbus, Ohio and runs through November, with stops across the United States and Canada, including a Vancouver date in November. The tour’s name comes from the famous lyric in “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” one of the biggest singles from the landmark double album.
Frontman Billy Corgan said the band has talked about doing a Mellon Collie-focused production for years, but wanted to wait until the timing and concept felt right. This time around, fans are getting something much bigger than a standard anniversary tour.
Each show will feature two separate sets. The first is dedicated entirely to Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness in what the band describes as a theatrical presentation of the album’s music and themes. The second set will pull from nearly four decades of material, mixing major hits, fan favorites, and deeper cuts from albums spanning Gish through 2024’s Aghori Mhori Mei.
The 1995 album remains one of the biggest alternative rock releases of its era. Songs like “1979,” “Tonight, Tonight,” and “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” helped turn the band into arena headliners and defined alternative radio for a generation of fans who suddenly realized that album is now 30 years old. Time is rude sometimes.
The announcement follows a busy stretch for the band and for Corgan himself. Over the past two years, the Pumpkins have revisited Mellon Collie through deluxe reissues, orchestral reinterpretations with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and special live performances. Corgan has even been taking the material overseas with orchestral theater shows backed by a 60-piece orchestra.
Before the arena tour begins, the Pumpkins will return to Lollapalooza this summer for the first time since the festival’s touring era in 1994, marking a major hometown moment for the Chicago band.
Tickets for “The Rats In A Cage Tour” go on sale May 21 at 10 a.m. local time through the band’s official website. Citi and Verizon presales begin May 19, while members of the band’s VIZ CLUB fan community will get access to a special presale on May 20. More information here.
The band will offer VIP packages featuring a pre-show acoustic performance, Q&A session, exclusive merchandise, memorabilia, lounge access, and early merch shopping.
With no opening acts announced so far and two full sets planned each night, the tour is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious live productions the band has attempted in years.
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS “The Rats In A Cage Tour”:
Sep. 30 – Columbus, OH @ The Schottenstein Center
Oct. 02 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
Oct. 03 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
Oct. 04 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
Oct. 06 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
Oct. 07 – Hamilton, ON @ TD Coliseum
Oct. 09 – Montréal, QC @ Centre Bell
Oct. 11 – Madison, WI @ Kohl Center
Oct. 13 – Saint Paul, MN @ Grand Casino Arena
Oct. 14 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
Oct. 16 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
Oct. 17 – Jacksonville, FL @ VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
Oct. 18 – Tampa, FL @ Benchmark International Arena
Oct. 20 – Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Oct. 22 – Nashville, TN @ The Truth
Oct. 24 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
Oct. 25 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center
Oct. 27 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
Oct. 29 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center
Oct. 30 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
Nov. 01 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center
Nov. 03 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
Nov. 05 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
Nov. 06 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
Nov. 08 – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
Nov. 11 – Phoenix, AZ @ Mortgage Matchup Center
Nov. 12 – Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
Music News
Chance the Rapper Announces the ‘Coloring Book 10 Year Anniversary Tour’
Independent GRAMMY Award-winning artist, Chance The Rapper has announced The Coloring Book 10 Year Anniversary Tour, a North American run celebrating the 10th anniversary of his groundbreaking mixtape Coloring Book.
Promoted by Live Nation, The Coloring Book 10 Year Anniversary Tour kicks off Tuesday, Aug. 11 in Cleveland, Ohio at House of Blues, making stops across North America in Montreal, Toronto, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and more before wrapping up Sunday, Oct. 11 in Pittsburgh, Pa. at Citizens Live at The Wylie.
Released in May 2016, Coloring Book marked a defining moment in Chance the Rapper’s career and a breakthrough for independent music at large. With Coloring Book, Chance The Rapper was the first independent artist to win a GRAMMY® Award, the critically acclaimed mixtape reshaped perceptions around streaming, artist independence and the evolving music landscape. Blending gospel, hip-hop and soulful live instrumentation, Coloring Bookdelivered an uplifting, community-driven sound that resonated across audiences and featured standout collaborations with Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Kirk Franklin, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, T-Pain and Saba. Created alongside longtime collaborators Nico Segal, Peter Cottontale and The Social Experiment, with additional production from Kaytranada, Brasstracks and Francis and the Lights. The project received widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike, with Rolling Stone hailing it a “gospel-rap masterpiece,” and The New York Times recognizing Chance as “a crusader and a pop savant.” Complex solidified its historical significance, calling it “a defining moment for independent artists” cementing its place as one of the most influential releases of its era.
TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with an artist presale (details below) beginning on Tuesday, May 19 at 10am local time. Additional presales will run throughout that week leading up to the general on-sale on Thursday, May 21 at 10am local time at ChanceStuff.com.
ARTIST PRESALE: To participate in the Chance The Rapper Artist Presale on Tuesday, May 19 at 10am local time you must sign up at livemu.sc/chancetherapper by Sunday, May 17 at 11:59pm PT. For shows using Ticketmaster, no codes are needed – access is tied to your account, and anyone who signs up can join the sale. For the few shows that are not Ticketmaster venues, a code will be provided before the pre-sale begins.
VIP: The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include premium tickets, Meet & Greet and individual photo with Chance the Rapper, pre-signed autographed poster, specially designed gift item & more. VIP package contents vary based on the offer selected. For more information, visit vipnation.com!
THE COLORING BOOK 10 TOUR DATES:
Tue, Aug. 11 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
Fri, Aug. 14 – Waterloo, NY – The Vine Showroom at del Lago Resort & Casino
Sat, Aug. 15 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
Sun, Aug. 16 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Tue, Aug. 18 – New York, NY – SummerStage Central Park
Thu, Aug. 20 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Fri, Aug. 21 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
Sat, Aug. 22 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
Sun, Aug. 23 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
Tue, Aug. 25 – Baltimore, MD – Nevermore Hall
Sat, Aug. 29 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
Sun, Aug. 30 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Tue, Sept. 1 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company
Wed, Sept. 2 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Thu, Sept. 3 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
Sat, Sept. 5 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz Ybor
Sun, Sept. 6 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
Tue, Sept. 8 – Memphis, TN – Satellite Music Hall
Wed, Sept. 9 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore New Orleans
Thu, Sept. 10 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
Sat, Sept. 12 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
Sun, Sept. 13 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
Wed, Sept. 16 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
Fri, Sep 18 – Reno, NV – Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
Mon, Sept. 21 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live
Tue, Sept. 22 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
Fri, Sept. 25 – Vancouver, BC – Freedom Mobile Arch
Sat, Sept. 26 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
Sun, Sept. 27 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds
Tue, Sept. 29 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union Event Center
Thu, Oct. 1 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Fri, Oct. 2 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Stir Cove
Sun, Oct. 4 – Milwaukee, WI – Landmark Credit Union Live
Tue, Oct. 6 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
Wed, Oct. 7 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
Sat, Oct. 10 – Louisville, KY – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
Sun, Oct. 11 – Pittsburgh, PA – Citizens Live at The Wylie
