MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson has announced his new “Bass Chronicles” storyteller concert series with four shows across the eastern Midwest USA. Each event will be presented as a chronological set filled with songs and stories spanning David‘s legendary career, along with some deep cuts that have rarely (or never) been performed live from his catalog of work.
The dates are as follows:
Sep. 23 – Pittsburgh, PA – Crafthouse
Sep. 24 – Akron, OH – Empire Concert Club
Sep. 25 – Marietta, OH – The Adelphia
Sep. 26 – Richmond, IN – The Firehouse
Combat Records recording artist DEAD BY WEDNESDAY will be the direct support on all dates.
Ellefson‘s “Bass Chronicles” band will be comprised of Ellefson, Andre Vanchot (Eddie Ojeda) on vocals, drummer Christian “Opus” Lawrence (DEAD BY WEDNESDAY) and guitarists Dave Sharpe (DEAD BY WEDNESDAY) and Drew Fortier (BANG TANGO), who also co-wrote “Rock Star Hitman” (Ellefson Book Co.) with Ellefson and is the writer, director, and star of “Dwellers” (Ellefson Films) which is the award-winning found-footage horror film produced by Ellefson that will be released on Blu-ray/DVD/digital on October 12 via Ellefson Films.
Says Ellefson: “I’m excited to head out and hit the stage again as we’re preparing a special list of songs, including some rarities which have never been performed live.”
VIP dinner packages will be available for each show, as well as copies of Ellefson‘s new fictional book “Rock Star Hitman” (The Sledge Chronicles) and other concert merchandise. A behind-the-scenes video and teaser screening of the upcoming “Dwellers” film is also being arranged at select events.
Ellefson continues: “People are excited about live shows again so we’re approaching these events like a traveling pop-up experience where you can catch a show, see a flick, buy some merch, and even break bread with the band at the VIP dinners. So, get ready for a full night out!”
More information on the events, including VIP Dinner purchases, can be found at www.ellefsonstore.com.
All events will adhere to local ordinances of COVID-19 safety, including the use of masks, social distancing or other mandates which could be in effect during these dates.
Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band’s inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because Mustaine suffered severe nerve damage that left him unable to play.
Mustaine reformed MEGADETH 17 years ago. Originally setting out to record a solo album, Mustaine enlisted studio musicians to play on what ultimately became MEGADETH‘s 2004 “The System Has Failed” comeback album, subsequently recruiting former ICED EARTH bassist James MacDonough to take Ellefeson‘s place for the album’s touring cycle.
In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the frontman shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.
