YNGWIE MALMSTEEN: More U.S. Dates Announced, Rockwalk Induction

Legendary Swedish guitarist YNGWIE MALMSTEEN has scheduled the following U.S. dates:
Sep. 28 - San Juan, PR - Centro de Bellas Artes
Oct. 04 - San Antonio, TX - Scoutbar
Oct. 05 - Dallas, TX - House Of Blues
Oct. 08 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues
Oct. 09 - Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues
Oct. 10 - Las Vegas, NV - House Of Blues
Oct. 11 - Ventura, CA - Majestic Ventura Theater
Oct. 12 - Los Angeles, CA - Avalon
Oct. 17 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Theater
Oct. 18 - Cleveland, OH - Agora
Oct. 19 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
Oct. 21 - Williamsville, NY - Club Infinity
Oct. 23 - Wantagh, NY - Mulcahy's
Oct. 24 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
Oct. 26 - New York, NY - Blender Theater
Oct. 29 - Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom
Nov. 02 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Landing
YNGWIE MALMSTEEN will be inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk on Monday, October 13 at noon in front of the Guitar Center at 7425 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California.Hollywood's RockWalk is the only sidewalk gallery dedicated to honoring those artists who have made a significant impact and lasting contribution to the growth and evolution of rock 'n' roll, blues and R&B. Yngwie Malmsteen's handprints will reside alongside the handprints, signatures, and faces of other equally accomplished musicians and innovators such as Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Bonnie Raitt, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, John Lee Hooker and EARTH WIND & FIRE, among numerous others.The cover artwork for YNGWIE MALMSTEEN's new studio album, "Perpetual Flame", can be viewed below. Due on October 14, the CD will be the first-ever Yngwie effort to be released via Rising Force Records (distributed via Koch) and it will mark the debut of Malmsteen's new singer, ex-JUDAS PRIEST/ICED EARTH frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens. Featuring twelve tracks of "pure six-string metallic bliss" (which stretches to almost 70 minutes total), the album was produced and engineered by Yngwie himself, and mixed by Roy Z (who has previously worked with JUDAS PRIEST and BRUCE DICKINSON, among others). Joining Yngwie and Ripper on the album are keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Patrick Johansson (Yngwie contributed bass, additional keyboards, and vocals, as well), but on tour, Michael Troy will supply keyboards, and Bjorn Englen will be laying down the bass. A supporting tour of the U.S. and Canada is slated to run through all of October.
In addition to the arrival of "Perpetual Flame" in October, a new Fender/Yngwie Malmsteen custom shop guitar will also be unveiled on November 28 (with a limited run of 100 instruments) and there will be a slew of CD reissues of Yngwie classics to soon be announced.

PRESTO BALLET To Perform At CALPROG Festival

PRESTO BALLET, the project led by METAL CHURCH guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, will perform at the CalProg 2008 festival, set to take place October 11 at Center Stage Theater in Whittier, California. Also scheduled to appear are ECHOLYN, IZZ and SYLVAN.

PRESTO BALLET released its second album, "The Lost Art of Time Travel", in the U.S. through ProgRock Records. The follow-up to 2005's "Peace among the Ruins" includes the following tracks: "The Mind Machine", "Thieves", "I'm Not Blind", "One Tragedy at a Time", "You Are Here", "Easy Tomorrow" and "That You're Alive".

PRESTO BALLET features Vanderhoof alongside Scott Albright (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Bill Raymond (drums and percussion), Ryan McPherson (Hammond organ, piano, synths, lead and backing vocals) and Izzy Rehaume (bass, backing vocals).

PRESTO BALLET's music was previously described as "a mixture of first-class melodic and progressive rock with some heavy moments." All of the tracks on "Peace among the Ruins" were recorded using an analog tape machine, which was another nod to the sounds of the Seventies. Vanderhoof explained, "Digital recording techniques are annoying! For rock music it's absolutely fatal when you always rely on samples, sequencers and drum machines. It destroys the live feel of the music. With PRESTO BALLET, it was our aim to return to a more 'natural' feel while keeping as melodic and musical as possible."

For more information, visit www.calprog.com

Thieves' Kitchen Announce UK/European Tour Dates

Thieves' Kitchen have just announced their Autumn 2008 UK and European tour dates in support of the latest CD 'The Water Road' which was released in March. These will be the first live shows for the band since July 2004 and the first to feature new keyboard player Thomas Johnson, formerly of Anglagard.
DATES:

Sunday September 28th - Summer's End festival, Lydney Town Hall, High Street, Lydney, Gloucestershire, UK
www.summersend.co.uk
TK will be on stage at around 1:40pm. Other bands playing on this day of the festival include The Tangent and Frost*. There are only a few tickets still available, so move quickly!
Wednesday October 22nd - riff's bar, 26 greatfield, swindon, wiltshire, SN4 8EQ, UK
www.riffsbar.biz
Riff's has become a legendary venue for prog! No support and so a full set - TK will be onstage at around 9pm.
Friday October 24th - Chipping Warden Village Hall, Culworth Road, Chipping Warden, Northants, OX17 1LB, UK
The hall at Chipping Warden has been our rehearsal home over recent months, so what better place for a central UK show? This is a double header gig with Whimwise, featuring Nick May (ex The Enid). It will all kick off at about 7:30pm. Cheap admission and cheap bar!
Saturday November 1st - Freakparade festival, Bockshorn Theatre, Veitshoechheimerstrasse, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
http://artrock-festival.de/2008/09/07/freakparade-festival-2008-english-information/
Our first ever show in mainland Europe will be at the renowned Freakparade Festival - we are second on the bill on the Saturday and will appear at around 7pm, immediately prior to Magma.
Sunday November 2nd - Spirit of '66, Place du Martyr 16, B4800 Verviers, Belgium
www.spiritof66.be
We will be playing the famed Spirit of '66 as a double header along with our fellow Brits Sphere3. The fun is due to start at around 7pm.
Monday November 3rd - L'Olympia Bruno Coquatrix, Boulevard des Capucines 28, Paris, France
www.olympiahall.com
The sort of place you only ever really dream about playing - the Olympia is a massive, famous theatre which in its time has hosted artists like The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. TK will be supporting French Canadian Genesis tribute band The Musical Box and we will be onstage at around 8pm.

If you require any further information on any of the shows or any general information on the band, www.thieveskitchen.co.uk or at their email address, thieveskitchen@aol.com

Sieges Even Breaks Up

With regret we have to announce the following official statement from the band:
Due to internal differences the band decided to split up. Thanks to everybody who helped the band over the years.
Arno and Markus will pursue their new band SUBSIGNAL
www.myspace.com/subsignalbandwww.subsignal.com
Alex and Oliver will also attend to their new projects
www.myspace.com/alexholzwarthwww.myspace.com/oliverholzwarth
Sieges Even, September 2008
Alex Holzwarth, Oliver Holzwarth, Arno Menses, Markus Steffen