El Dorado Hills, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Serge Entertainment PR) - Acclaimed American progressive rock legends Rocket Scientists returned to their home turf after touring
Europe and concluding with a colossal final concert at USA's RoSFest. The tour kicked off on Saturday, April 7th in Rotherham, England sponsored by the Classic Rock Society and concluded on April 28th at the Rites of
Spring Festival in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. The Rotherham, England show commemorated Rocket Scientists' first live concert on European ground in 10 years. Additional tour dates were held in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany where Rocket Scientists were welcomed by very receptive audiences.
"I really had a fantastic time touring with Rocket Scientists again", states Erik Norlander, keyboardist, songwriter and one of the core members of Rocket Scientists. "Over the last several years I have been playing in Europe, Japan, the USA and basically all over the world with Lana Lane and my solo project, but to take Rocket Scientists out on the road again after so much time has gone by was really a special event. Rocket Scientists has played some one-off shows occasionally, but this was the first real 'Rocket Scientists Tour' in 10 years! The Rotherham UK show was particularly memorable as that was where Rocket Scientists played our first - ever concert way back in 1997. So we had a little anniversary celebration there. For the musicians themselves, I have known Mark McCrite and Don Schiff for over 20 years now, and it's so easy to play with them. Guitarist Peer Verschuren and drummer Ernst Van Ee completed the picture as our Dutch "secret weapon", and after touring with these guys for so many years with my solo project, it was simply a natural evolution to bring them into the Rocket Scientists universe. And of course Lana made the shows extra special with her guest appearance on the last songs of the set. I hope this will be a new beginning of more great RS concert tours for the future."
The musician lineup for the Rocket Scientists Tour in both Europe and the USA included Erik Norlander - keyboards, Mark McCrite - vocals, guitar and Don Schiff - NS/Stick joined by guest musicians Peer Verschuren on guitar and Ernst Van Ee on drums. Symphonic rock diva Lana Lane also made a special guest appearance on the tour performing several songs at the end of each Rocket Scientists set.
ROCKET SCIENTISTS was formed in the late 1980s by keyboardist Erik Norlander and vocalist / guitarist Mark McCrite. The two released their first CD Earthbound in 1993 joined by then - session bassist Don Schiff. Schiff quickly became a part of the band for their second release in 1995 Brutal Architecture, and the three toured in the US and Europe in 1997 along with drummer Tommy Amato culminating in the live CD Earth Below and Sky Above: Live in Europe and America. In 1999, Rocket Scientists released Oblivion Days, raising the bar on already high expectations. At the turn of the century, Norlander, Schiff and McCrite all worked on solo projects in addition to backing symphonic rock vocal icon Lana Lane on several tours around the world. The latest release is the band's fourth studio album Revolution Road, a double CD released in the fall of 2006, their strongest and most successful title to date.
LANA LANE is an accomplished rock vocalist with a long history of albums and tours. Lana began touring in Japan in 1998 to support Garden of the Moon and the subsequent Ballad Collection and Queen of the Ocean releases. She then expanded her touring efforts to Europe in 2001 to support Secrets of Astrology with additional tours in 2003 and 2004. Lana has been dubbed as "The Queen of Symphonic Rock" by her fans and the press, and yet she remains a very versatile artist able to move from intimate jazz pieces to bone crushing progressive metal. But in the end it is Lana's love of melody and artistry that reigns over all. Lana is a dedicated artist who approaches her craft with grace and integrity. She celebrated the 10 year anniversary of her first album in 2005 with the stunning concept album, Lady Macbeth, and has recently released a live DVD of her 10th Anniversary Concert Tour. Lana's newest release is Gemini, an album of classic rock covers recorded with an all-star band.
