SANTA MONICA, Calif., (Interscope Records) - On her first solo tour, dubbed Harajuku Lovers 2005, propelled by her smash hit debut solo album "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." (Interscope Records),
Gwen Stefani is filling arenas and wowing the critics. The tour kicked off on October 16 in Phoenix, AZ and runs through the end of the year (upcoming dates and venues follow).
"We don't deserve Gwen Stefani... For her second solo arena show ever Tuesday night at HP Pavilion in San Jose, (she) didn't mess around. There were pirates, break-dancers, marching bands, magic mushrooms, wind-up toys and more sequins onstage than in Beyonce's sewing drawer. Stefani... opened the show by rising from a double-layered platform and sitting on a huge throne... She threw off her cape and crown and it was on - a full hour of madhouse electro-funk, louche R&B and android rock. It sounded exactly like what 2005 is supposed to sound like." (Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. 20, 2005)
"Love. Angel. Music. Baby." has sold more than 6,000,000 copies worldwide and is currently RIAA-certified triple platinum in the U.S. The single "Hollaback Girl" is 5X platinum, "Rich Girl" is double platinum and "What Are You Waiting For?" is platinum. "Hollaback Girl" hit No 1 on the Billboard Pop chart and Top 10 R&B/Hip-Hop and made music history in October when it became the first commercial digital single to be downloaded 1,000,000 times.
"The biggest female rock star of the last decade... To the many girls and young women who adore her... Stefani embodies the ideal modern woman... she's a rock star - not just a pretty face being exploited by men but a singer-songwriter who's proven her ability to hold her own with the boys in the band and in the executive conference room." (Randy Lewis, Los Angeles Times, Oct. 24, 2005)
Stefani's band has also been receiving kudos. Unusual for any backing band, the members are stellar performers as well as accomplished musicians. Gabriel McNair (keyboards) arrives via No Doubt's touring ensemble, the rhythm section of Gail Ann Dorsey (bass/backing vocals) and Zach Alford (drums) are renowned for their work with David Bowie, Warren Fitzgerald (guitar) was a member of the legendary New Wave cult band Oingo Boingo and Kristopher Pooley (keyboards) has played with Jane's Addiction, Liz Phair and Siouxsie & The Banshees.
Harajuku Lovers 2005 (Upcoming U.S. dates only):
Date City Venue
November 5 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center
November 6 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
November 8 Duluth, GA Gwinnett Center
November 10 Houston, TX Toyota Center
November 11 Dallas, TX Reunion Center
November 13 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
November 14 St. Paul, MN XCEL Energy Center
November 21 Seattle, WA Key Arena
November 23 Portland, OR Memorial Coliseum
November 25 Fresno, CA Save Mart Center
November 26 Anaheim, CA Arrowhead Pond
November 28 Anaheim, CA Arrowhead Pond
November 29 Bakersfield, CA Rabobank Arena
December 1 Oakland, CA Oakland Arena
December 3 Las Vegas, NV Aladdin Theater
December 4 San Diego, CA Cox Arena
December 8 Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center
December 12 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino
December 14 Verona, NY Turning Stone Casino
December 15 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
December 17 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
December 18 Nashville, TN Gaylord Entertainment Center
December 20 Orlando, FL TD Waterhouse Centre
December 21 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center
