The Hold Steady, Prince and The Wonder Years / Fireworks Tour

What’s that? You say you can’t wait for April when The Hold Steady returns to the U.S. after playing Europe and Australia? Then you’ll want to be in New York City at the end of this month when the band plays a couple of tour warmup gigs.

The band launches its U.K. tour in Southampton, England, Feb. 4 and heads Downunder for a run of shows in March. Up until now the only U.S. dates for The Hold Steady have been scheduled for April, so the newly added NYC dates – Jan. 30-31 at Brooklyn’s Music Hall Of Williamsburg – are a welcome sight indeed.

After playing Australia, The Hold Steady returns to New York but at a different venue, playing Terminal 5 April 8.

Tickets for the Music Hall Of Williamsburg shows as well as the Terminal 5 gig go on sale Friday, Jan. 14 at high noon NYC time. For more information, click here for the Music Hall Of Williamsburg website and here for Terminal 5’s web home.

The Wonder Years, Fireworks, Hook Up For Tour

The newest co-headlining tour on the block is the spring outing called “The Man Scout Jamboree” featuring The Wonder Years and Fireworks.

Playing nightclubs, the bands will be joined by Such Gold, Make Do And Mend and Living With Lions. First date is April 8 in Lansing, Mich., at The Loft followed by April 10 in Covington, Ky., at Mad Hatter and April 12 in Dekalb, Ill., at The House Café. Expect the tour bus to stop in places like Des Moines, Wichita, Omaha, Colorado Springs, Bakersfield, Tucson, Nashville, Pensacola and Augusta before wrapping up in Raleigh, N.C., at the Brewery May 7.

Such Gold, Make Do And Mend and Living With Lions appear on all dates.

Albumwise, The Wonder Years is working on a follow up to the band’s 2010 album, The Upsides, to be released to coincide with the group’s appearance on this year’s Vans Warped Tour. Meanwhile, Fireworks is wrapping up work on its second album, which is scheduled to drop in Spring. For more info, click here for The Wonder Years’ website and here for Fireworks’ Internet residence.

Prince & Kings

Stops on Prince’s Welcome 2 America tour have featured special guests performing with the Purple One and the Jan. 18 show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden will be no exception when Sharon Jones And The Dap Kings appear on stage with TAFKAS (The Artist Formerly Known As A Symbol).

There’s still no word as to who will appear with Prince on the Feb. 7 MSG gig. Past guests on the Welcome 2 America tour include Sheila E., Mint Condition, Janelle Monae and Larry Graham with Graham Central Station.