British rock guitarist Martin Barre will bring an “Aqualung” 50th-anniversary concert to Surrey this summer.
The former Jethro Tull band member has a July 25 date at Bell Performing Arts Centre on a North American tour.
“Aqualung,” the most famous and celebrated of all of Jethro Tull’s albums, was released in 1971.
On tour, the album is played in its entirety by Barre and band with special guest Clive Bunker, Tull’s original drummer.
“The anniversary tour will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit back and relive this legendary album, being played in full and in sequence for the first time,” says a post on the theatre’s website.
Tickets start at $56.25 on bellperformingartscentre.com, or call 604-507-6355.
On martinbarre.com, Barre is noted as Tull’s guitarist for over 43 years.
“His sound and playing was a major factor in their success,” a bio says. “Album sales have exceeded 60 million units and they continue to be played worldwide, representing an important part of classic rock history.”
His playing on the album “Crest of a Knave” earned Barre a Grammy award in 1989, a year when many observers thought Metallica should have been given the Metal/Hard Rock award.
“As well as numerous Jethro Tull albums, Martin has worked with many other artists including Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa and Chris Thompson and has shared a stage with such legends as Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin,” the bio continues.
“Martin has put together a band to play the “classic” music from the Tull catalogue. His band is a total commitment to give the Tull fans and a broader audience the chance to hear tracks not performed for many years. The band includes top musicians from a similar background.”
In B.C. this summer, Barre’s tour will also stop at theatres in Victoria, Campbell River, Nanaimo and Vernon, followed by fall dates in Europe.
Also at the Bell this summer, an Aug. 6 concert will feature December Avenue, an indie pop/alternative rock band from Manila, Philippines, known for their viral compositions online. “The name December Avenue reflects the band’s repertoire, which mostly talks about life, love and moving on,” says a post on the venue website.
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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