Guitarist, songwriter, and producer DJ Williams will hit the road again later this month for a lengthy summer 2024 tour. The summer outing, Williams’ biggest headlining tour to date, comes in continuing support of his latest EP, 2024’s By Way of RVA, an evocative tribute to Richmond, Virginia, the city that helped him refine his eclectic style.
The summer tour will continue what has already been a busy year on the road for DJ Williams. The next stretch of dates is set to begin in Colorado with gigs in Boulder (6/13) and Colorado Springs (6/15) before regrouping in New York City on June 19th to commence an extensive run through the Northeast and Southeast stretching through the rest of June and into July—including, of course, a stop in Richmond (6/30). DJ Williams and company will finally return to Colorado to close out the tour with shows in Granby (7/11) and Golden (7/13).
Joining Williams in his band for the 2024 summer tour are drummer Ben Atkind (formerly of Goose), bassist Steph Orsini, and keyboardist Macon Mann. As the guitarist/bandleader said of Atkind’s involvement in the project, “Ben’s addition has been fantastic; he brings a tremendous energy that enhances our live sound.” At the summer shows, he added, “Expect a vibrant mix of tracks from my last four records. The tours have really tightened our performance and focus. … This EP moves towards a grittier sound that I’m really loving.”
The touring band will help bring to life his latest LP, By Way of RVA, on which Williams recorded all the instruments including the drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, and synths. As he explained of the record, “I knew I wanted to lay down some ideas immediately after finishing [2023’s] Soldier of Love. The creative process really kicked in once I forced myself to start the RVA project. Suddenly, everything began to flow effortlessly. This album reflects my deep connection to Richmond. It shaped my sound and influenced my broad palette of musical styles.” By Way of RVA is out now via Projekt Records. Listen to the album here.
Related: DJ Williams Recruits Kanika Moore, Andy Frasco, More For “Light My Fire” Video [Video]
Born in Plainfield, NJ, and raised in Richmond, VA, Williams began playing piano at the age of four. “We had a dedicated room in my house growing up specifically for music, reading, and art,” he explained. His musical palette was shaped by a mix of vinyl records ranging from Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Wonder to The Beatles, James Brown, and Chaka Khan, which he listened to alongside his sister. “My older sister turned me on to Fishbone, Led Zeppelin, George Clinton, Bad Brains, stuff like that…then my adolescence brought me Nirvana, Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, Radiohead, TOOL, and Dr. Dre,” he added. As he continued to mature, his tastes to include emotion-stirring jazz greats like Miles Davis and Thelonius Monk.
Today, Williams has made a name for himself with his years of work as the lead guitarist for Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe as well as touring with his eclectic Richmond, VA funk outfit, DJ Williams Projekt. In addition to his music career, Williams dedicates his time to philanthropy through his non-profit organization, Projekt Music, which he founded seven years ago. The core mission of Projekt Music is to provide underprivileged children with access to music education and instruments. Presently, the organization has launched an ambitious campaign aimed at raising $10,000 and acquiring 50 instruments. You can donate to the ongoing Projekt Music initiative here.
Click below to view a full list of upcoming DJ Williams summer tour dates. For ticketing details and more information about DJ, head to his website here.
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