Former Beastie Boy Mike D is making some solo moves for the first time, dropping a debut single and announcing several shows. After MCA died in 2012, the remaining Beastie Boys retired the group. There’s been no new music since the trio’s final album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, in 2011.
But Mike D broke out some old Beastie hits in April when he joined his sons on stage for a gig. Davis and Skylar Diamond’s indie-dance band Very Nice Person announced a show at the Ojai Valley Women’s Club on April 11. The “very special guest” they mentioned turned out to be their dad, who performed “So What’cha Want” from Check Your Head and “Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun” from Paul’s Boutique.
Mike D Returns After Decades with Debut Solo Single and Live Gigs
Mike has previously joined his sons for a couple of gigs, but hasn’t done any actual touring or performing in almost two decades. The last time the Beastie Boys performed together was at Bonnaroo in 2009. So longtime fans have been pleasantly surprised to see Mike D back in the saddle.
Shortly after his April appearance with Very Nice Person, Mike D announced a run of gigs in the U.S. The first two shows have since passed, taking place on May 7 in Los Angeles and May 10 in Pasadena. But there are two more shows planned for May 22 and 23 in Brooklyn.
“Los Angeles and Brooklyn. It’s happening. Shows. New music. Switch Up. Let’s Go,” he wrote on Instagram. On May 8, he released the single “Switch Up”, which came about during “carefree, low-pressure” studio experiments at home with his sons. Additionally, he created a zine with Can Can Press for the LA Art Book Fair, coinciding with his May 10 Pasadena show.
The latest news, meanwhile, should be exciting for U.K. and European fans. Mike D announced a short run of international solo shows for the first time. But he’s not selling out stadiums or big theaters. Apparently, he’s playing small, unconventional venues instead.
These shows kick off with two dates in London, June 5 and 6, at 26 Leake St. From there, he hits Berlin and Barcelona, then Kortrijk and Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. He’s also playing a few festivals as well. On June 13, he’ll be in Porto for Primavera Sound, then Wicklow for Beyond the Pale on June 14. The short tour concludes on June 20 in Paris for the Beyond the Streets Festival.
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