Above: SLASH new album Orgy of the Damned, cover artwork by Toni Greis. SLASH’s Orgy of the Damned is available digitally, on vinyl and CD via Gibson Records for pre-order HERE. Preview the album HERE and for more information, go to www.slashonline.com. Orgy of the Damned encompasses a broad range of styles within the blues genre, veering from an upbeat, rowdy take on Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads” to a plaintive, twanging rendition of T. Bone Walker’s “Stormy Monday.” Some of the songs, like Steppenwolf’s “The Pusher,” Charlie Segar’s “Key to the Highway,” and Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign,” had been performed by Slash’s Blues Ball, while others, like Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City,” were long-time favorites for SLASH. “Hoochie Coochie Man,” written by Willie Dixon and made famous by Muddy Waters in 1954, showcases the in-the-moment nature and unrestrained energy of Orgy of the Damned, with Z.Z. Top’s Billy F. Gibbons stepping in on guitar and vocals. The group went into a rehearsal room in North Hollywood and began hashing out soulful, rollicking takes on the classic songs. Everything was played live in the room, with an emphasis on improvisation which resulted in a collection of dynamic, energized songs that are immediate, raw, and distinctly familiar. In celebration of the forthcoming new record, SLASH curated an all-star Blues lineup to join him on the newly announced S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival touring North America this summer, including Warren Haynes Band, Keb’ ‘Mo, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson, and Larkin Poe. SLASH’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival, which stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance, will bring fans together to celebrate the spirit of the Blues and raise awareness and funds for multiple charities that uplift marginalized communities, support mental health initiatives, and share SLASH’s restorative focus of elevating lives for the benefit of all. A portion of the proceeds from each VIP package and S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival ticket sold will directly benefit the following charities that SLASH has selected The Equal Justice Initiative, Know Your Rights Camp, The Greenlining Institute, War Child, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival has partnered with PLUS1.ORG to support these charitable endeavors. SLASH’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival will kick off on July 5, for tickets and VIP packages, visit: www.SerpentFestival.com. S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival 2024 North American Dates with Warren Haynes Band, Keb’ ‘Mo, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson, and Larkin Poe: Fri Jul 5 | Bonner, Montana | KettleHouse Amphitheater* | Sat Jul 6 | Airway Heights, Washington | Northern Quest Amphitheater* | Mon Jul 8 | Redmond, Washington | Marymoor Park* | Wed Jul 10 | Bend, Oregon | Hayden Homes Amphitheater* | Fri Jul 12 | Lincoln, California | Thunder Valley Casino* | Sat July 13 | Los Angeles, California | Greek Theatre* | Sun Jul 14 | Tucson, Arizona | Anselmo Valencia Amphitheatre* | Wed Jul 17 | Denver, Colorado | The Mission Ballroom** | Fri Jul 19 | La Vista, Nebraska | The Astro Amphitheater # | Sun Jul 21 | Terra Haute, Indiana | The Mill # | Mon Jul 22 | Cincinnati, Ohio | PNC Pavilion at Riverbend # | Wed Jul 24 | Interlochen, Michigan | Interlochen Center for the Arts # | Thu Jul 25 | Huber Heights, Ohio | Rose Music Center $ | Sat Jul 27 | Windsor, Ontario | The Colosseum at Caesars $ | Sun Jul 28 | Toronto, Ontario | Budweiser Stage $ | Tue Jul 30 | Lewiston, New York | Artpark Outdoor Amphitheater $ | Thu Aug 1 | Boston, Massachusetts | Leader Bank Pavilion $ | Sun Aug 4 | New York, New York | Pier 17 $ | Mon Aug 5 | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Musikfest ^ | Wed Aug 7 | Cary, North Carolina | Koka Booth Amphitheatre + | Thu Aug 8 | Atlanta, Georgia | Cadence Bank Amphitheatre-Chastain Park ^ | Sat Aug 10 | Clearwater, Florida | The Sound-Coachman Park ^ | Sun Aug 11 | Saint Augustine, Florida | Saint Augustine Amphitheatre + | Tue Aug 13 | Huntsville, Alabama | The Orion Amphitheater + | Wed Aug 14 | Franklin, TN | FirstBank Amphitheatre + | Fri Aug 16 | Bentonville, Arkansas | The Momentary ^^ | Sat Aug 17 | Grand Prairie, Texas | Texas Trust CU Theatre ^^ |
* Warren Haynes Band, Samantha Fish, and Eric Gales
** Keb’ ‘Mo, Samantha Fish, and Jackie Venson
# Keb’ ‘Mo, ZZ Ward ,and Jackie Venson
$ Keb’ ‘Mo, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph
^ZZ Ward and Robert Randolph
+ Larkin Poe, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph
^^Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph |