Cheech & Chong, WAR and Tower of Power will be heating up the stage this summer with the “Up in Smoke” tour. The concert series is set to officially kick-off in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 25, 2013 at the historic Greek Theatre, featuring three great acts and one amazing show.
The iconic comedy duo Cheech & Chong defined an era with their hilariously irreverent, satirical and counter-culture routines. Highlights for Grammy-winning Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong include 9 hit comedy albums and shattering record sales, along with 8 hit feature films which they co-wrote and starred in. All films were directed by Chong. Their first film, Up In Smoke, the highest grossing comedy of 1978, topped $100 million at the box office. In 2008, the duo made history when comedy partners Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong announced their first reunion tour in over 25 years, selling out shows from coast to coast. This April, Cheech & Chong’s Animated Movie will come out theatrically and on DVD, showcasing the legendary toker jokers in animation as they bring to life their outrageous routines and laugh-out-loud lines from their historic albums.
According to Tommy Chong, this year’s tour will celebrate history making of a different kind. “The ‘Up in Smoke’ gig with WAR and Tower of Power will be a celebration of the legalization of our right to party all night long,” he says.
Multi-platinum-selling WAR, the original street band, has been sharing its timeless music and message of brotherhood and harmony for over 4 decades before millions across the globe. Hits include “The World Is A Ghetto,” “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” “The Cisco Kid,” and “Low Rider.” WAR performs more than 150 shows a year. The phenomenal group and has been honored twice by its hometown of Los Angeles for making positive contributions to the betterment of the community with its powerful music.
“Bring plenty of water; the stage is going sizzling hot as it’s going up in smoke. Tower of Power and Cheech & Chong’s red hot comedy and California funk. To share the stage with them is a dream come true. This is a family reunion. Lots of jamming together and surprises in store. What goes around comes around. They introduced “Low Rider” to the movie culture. It was our first song in a movie. We are all joining together to take the fans up in smoke. It’s going to be the high of a lifetime,” says WAR’s Lonnie Jordan.
Celebrating more than 40 years of success and original "Oakland style" soul music, Tower of Power’s hits include "You're Still A Young Man,” "So Very Hard To Go,” "Soul With a Capital S,” "Soul Vaccination,” "What Is Hip?” and "Don't Change Horses (In The Middle Of A Stream)." Known for its world famous horns, Tower of Power’s sound is in a class of its own. The group has teamed with some of music’s biggest names including Elton John, Sam Moore, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Dionne Warwick, Aaron Neville, Aerosmith, Michael Bolton, Rod Stewart and more. The internationally acclaimed act has released over 20 albums and continues to generate packed concert crowds and rave reviews from all over the world.
Bandleader Emilio Castillo says the upcoming tour will be one for the record books, "WAR and Tower of Power is always a great show but add Cheech & Chong to the mix and it's gonna be a smokin' good time."
For more information, please visit: www.warmusic.com, www.towerofpower.com and www.cheechandchong.com.
