In the early ’80s, madcap performance artist and comedy genius Andy Kaufman invented a cantankerous alter ego named Tony Clifton.
A decade later, Garth Brooks introduced rocker “Chris Gaines” to the public. More recently, Joe Jackson started performing as music hall entertainer Max Champion.
Now, we can add Sturgill Simpson to the list of stars that have shed their persona and began a second life as an entirely new artist.
Simpson, 45, just announced he will take off on his ‘Why Not? Tour’ this fall in support of Johnny Blue Skies’ upcoming album “Passage du Desir,” due out July 12.
Along the way, Simpson/Blue Skies will drop into Queens, NY’s Forest Hills Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19.
As for special guests, he’ll be joined by Lord Huron for just one show on the run; that’s the Sept. 20 gig at George, WA’s Gorge Amphitheater.
And while we don’t know whether Simpson Johnny Blue Skies will perform tracks from Simpson’s catalog or just new Blue Skies material, we do know the best way to find out is live.
Fans can purchase tickets for all upcoming shows on sites like Vivid Seats; the official on-sale is Friday, June 14.
Vivid Seats is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.
They have a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and will be delivered before the event.
Sturgill Simpson tour schedule 2024
A complete calendar including tour dates, venues, and links to buy tickets for all upcoming ‘Why Not? Tour’ shows can be found below.
| Sturgill Simpson tour dates |
|---|
| Aug. 9-11 at the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, CA Three-day pass |
| Sept. 14 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA |
| Sept. 15 at the Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, CA |
| Sept. 17 at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, UT |
| Sept. 19 at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend, OR |
| Sept. 20 at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA |
| Sept. 22 at the KettleHouse Amphitheater in Bonner, MT |
| Sept. 24 at the Bluestem Center for the Arts in Moorhead, MN |
| Sept. 25 at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in Minneapolis, MN |
| Sept. 27 at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY |
| Sept. 28 at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, MI |
| Oct. 1 at the Salt Shed in Chicago, IL |
| Oct. 2 at the Salt Shed in Chicago, IL |
| Oct. 4 at the Brandon Amphitheater in Brandon, MS |
| Oct. 4-6 at Austin City Limits in Austin, TX Three-day pass |
| Oct. 8 at the Criterion in Oklahoma City, OK |
| Oct. 9 at Walmart AMP in Rogers, AR |
| Oct. 11-13 at Austin City Limits in Austin, TXThree-day pass |
| Oct. 15 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis, MO |
| Oct. 18 at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA |
| Oct. 19 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY |
| Oct. 21 at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, NC |
| Oct. 22 at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, NC |
| Oct. 24 at the Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA |
| Oct. 25 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN |
| Nov. 12 at The Met in Philadelphia, PA |
| Nov. 15 at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA |
| Nov. 18 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. |
| Nov. 20 at Massey Hall in Toronto, ON, CA |
| Nov. 21 at Massey Hall in Toronto, ON, CA |
| Nov. 23 at MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston, MA |
Sturgill Simpson 2024 festival appearances
On top of the tour, Simpson is scheduled to headline a pair of major multi-day music extravaganzas.
For a closer look at who he’s performing with, here’s everything you need to know —including fellow headliners — about Simpson’s 2024 festival appearances:
| Sturgill Simpson festival appearances |
|---|
| Outside Lands Music and Arts FestivalAug. 9-11 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA Tyler The Creator, The Killers, The Postal Service, Killer Mike, Schoolboy Q |
| Austin City Limits Oct. 4-6 and 11-13 at Zilker Park in Austin, TX Dua Lipa, Blink-182, Chris Stapleton, Teddy Swims, Tyler The Creator |
Sturgill Simpson set list
Most recently, Simpson hit the road on his own was when he wrapped his 2020 ‘A Good Look’n Tour’ in March 2020.
Here’s what he took to the stage at his March 7, 2020 gig at Duluth, GA’s Infinite Energy Arena, according to Set List FM.
01.) “Ronin”
02.) “Remember to Breathe”
03.) “Sing Along”
04.) “A Good Look”
05.) “Make Art Not Friends”
06.) “Best Clockmaker on Mars”
07.) “All Said and Done”
08.) “Last Man Standing”
09.) “Mercury in Retrograde”
10.) “Fastest Horse in Town”
11.) “I’d Have to Be Crazy” (Steven Fromholz cover)
12.) “Oh Sarah”
13.) “Brace for Impact (Live a Little)”
14.) “The Promise” (When in Rome cover)
15.) “Welcome to Earth (Pollywog)”
16.) “It Ain’t All Flowers”
17.) “Some Days”
18.) “Long White Line” (Moore & Napier cover)
19.) “Turtles All the Way Down”
20.) “You Don’t Miss Your Water” (William Bell cover)
21.) “Just Let Go”
22.) “Call to Arms”
Sturgill Simpson new music
While doing PR for his 2021 album “The Ballad of Dood & Juanita,” Simpson told Rolling Stone he only wanted to release five albums of original material.
This led to the Johnny Blue Skies loophole and the upcoming “Passage du Desir” album. You can find the track list here:
01.) Swamp of Sadness
02.) If the Sun Never Rises Again
03.) Scooter Blues
04.) Jupiter’s Faerie
05.) Who I Am
06.) Right Kind of Dream
07.) Mint Tea
08.) One for the Road
As of now, the only existing Blue Skies material is the 2023 single “Use Me (Brutal Hearts)” he recorded with Diplo.
Country rockers on tour in 2024
Many acts that straddle the line between country and rock are taking their raw sounds on the road this year.
Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live these next few months.
•Chris Stapleton
•Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
• Zach Bryan
• Charley Crockett
•Tyler Childers
Who else is on the road? Take a look at our list of the 50 biggest concert tours in 2024 to find out.
Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed Bruce Springsteen and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
