Santana Plots Euro Conquest

Guess all those shows Santana did for its Las Vegas residency made ol’ Carlos a bit itchy to hit the road. With a North American tour taking up most of the summer, the band now eyes Europe for the fall.

Santana has been performing at the Joint at the Hard Rock in Lost Wages since last May and still has a few dates to go – April 28-May 2 – before playing Portugal May 25 and Morocco’s Mawazine Festival May 28. The band’s North American tour begins June 30 in Saint Paul, Minn., and runs through Aug. 1 in Tampa at the Ford Amphitheatre.

One month later the Santana touring machine cranks up for the European run beginning in Dublin at the O2 Sept. 29. Other dates include London at the O2 Oct. 1; Arnhem, Netherlands, at the Gelredome Oct. 10; Zurich at Hallenstadion Oct. 9; Paris at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy Oct. 12 and Prague at the O2 Arena Oct. 15 before wrapping it all up in Hamburg at the O2 World Oct. 23.

Photo: Alan Poulin

The Joint/Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nev.

While Santana’s Vegas residency was more like a retrospective of the band’s accomplishments, the upcoming world tour will feature songs from a new studio album. Sounds like Carlos & Company are back in the touring groove.

Fan club ticket presales for the European tour began April 20. For more information on Santana’s tour, click here for the Santana website and here for SantanaFanClub.com.