BALTIMORE (CelebrityAccess) Thomas Dolby is taking a break from his gig as a college professor to go on tour, promoting his greatest hits compilation – but the tour appears to be more of a lecture with music interspersed.
Dolby will present songs from his 30-year musical history in intimate, solo performances, with members of the audience picking which songs to play. Dolby is expected to introduce those songs with stories about their creation, deconstructing their musical parts, synth sounds and lyrics. The music will be output from his laptop and keyboards and projected on a screen behind him, along with personal photos and memorabilia.
Dolby completed his 12-year role as musical director of the TED Conferences in 2012 and has been teaching music at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. This fall he will launch a new undergraduate degree course at the Peabody Institute, focusing on music composition and 3D sound design.
Apart from hits like “She Blinded Me With Science” and “Hyperactive,” Dolby is known as a synthesist and producer for the likes of David Bowie, Roger Waters, Stevie Wonder and Def Lepperd. His memoir The Speed of Sound was the 2016 NPR Book of the Year.
Not mentioned in the press release: Dolby is also the pioneer of the ringtone and is responsible for the iconic polyphonic “Nokia Waltz.”
Tour dates:
Wed. July 25 LOS ANGELES, CA Largo at the Coronet
Fri., July 27 LOS ANGELES, CA Microsoft Theater (supporting Blondie)
Mon. July 30 ALEXANDRIA, VA (DC)The Birchmere
Tues. July 31 ANNAPOLIS, MDRam’s Head
Wed. Aug 1 SELLERSVILLE, PA (PHILADELPHIA)Sellersville Theater
Fri. Aug 3 NEW YORK, NYThe Cutting Room
Sat. Aug 4 NATICK, MANatick TCAN Center for the Arts
Sun. Aug 5 NEW HAVEN, CTState House
Mon. Aug 6 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Dante Theater
Wed. Aug 8 BALTIMORE, MDCenter Stage
