Ian Anderson Announces Jethro Tull Rock Opera Performances

In 1967 Ian Anderson helped found Jethro Tull, naming the progressive folk rock outfit after an 18th century English farming innovator. Anderson has announced performances of his Jethro Tull Rock Opera based on the life the namesake agricultural pioneer. Joining Anderson is a band composed of bassist David Goodier, drummer Scott Hammond, keyboardist John O’Hara and guitarist Florian Opahle, as well as “surprise virtual guests.” New songs like “Heavy Horses,” “Farm On The Freeway” and “Songs From The Wood” will be played along with classic Jethro Tull tunes with slightly altered lyrics, including “Aqualung,” “Living In The Past,” “Wind-Up,” “A New Day Yesterday,” “The Witch’s Promise” and “Locomotive Breath.”

[Photo by Carl Glover]
Here’s how the announcement described the rock opera’s structure:

The shows tell the story of the original Jethro Tull’s life, reimagined as if in the near future and illustrated with Anderson’s best-known songs from the rock band Jethro Tull repertoire. The performance is in a quasi-operatic structure with virtual guests on video and some  additional newly-written songs to round off the elements of the story. 

Ian Anderson Jethro Tull Rock Opera Tour Dates:

11/1 –Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
11/3 –Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre 
11/5 –Boston, MA @ CITI Performing Arts Center
11/6 –Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre 
11/7 –Philadelphia, PA @ Academy of Music
11/8 –Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Resort Casino
11/10 –Port Chester, NY @ Capitol Theatre 
11/11 –Newark, NJ @ New Jersey Performing Arts Center