Marking the Rock Bottom Remainders 20th anniversary, the all author rock band has decided its 20 year run will mark the end and will host their final public concert at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles on Friday, June 22.
The show is part of the band’s final two city concert tour — The Past Our Bedtime Tour — which also includes an appearance not open to the public at the American Library Association convention in Anaheim.
Confirmed for the concert are Stephen King, who hasn’t performed with the band since 2007; Amy Tan, Dave Barry, Mitch Albom, Scott Turow, Matt Groening, James McBride, Greg Iles, Ridley Pearson, Roy Blount, Jr, Kathi Goldmark and Sam Barry.
Roger McGuinn of The Byrds joins them as musical guest. The El Rey show features a meet and greet reception prior to the show and an 8:30pm concert.
On the upcoming concert Stephen King, who plays rhythm guitar says, “A few years ago, Bruce Springsteen told us we weren’t bad, but not to try to get any better otherwise we’d just be another lousy band. After 20 years, we still meet his stringent requirements. For instance, while we all know what ‘stringent’ means, none of us have yet mastered an F chord.”
King adds, “I’m looking forward to reuniting with all my bandmates. We’re older but not dead. Some of us can remember all of the words; all of us can remember some of the words; but NONE of us can remember all of the music. That’s why they call it rock and roll.”
Dave Barry, co-lead guitarist, chimes in, “It’s not that we had a ‘creative differences’ issue, or some in the band wanted to launch solo music careers, but the fact is that we can no longer play an entire set without having to pee.” Barry adds, “We realize the Rolling stones are celebrating 50 years this year, but we don’t want to reach the point where our stage moves involve motorized scooters.”
Since the band’s founding in Anaheim in 1992 — at a book convention — they have raised over $2 Million for various literacy causes. Proceeds from the El Rey show will benefit First Book, the Los Angeles Downtown Women’s Center and the launch of an Emerging Author Series at Live Talks Los Angeles.
