February 15, 2008

Kanye West's Glow In The Dark Tour Dates Announced

By Jayson Rodriguez (MTV.com)

Two weeks after Kanye West put a concert poster on his blog for the upcoming Glow in the Dark Tour, featuring Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco and N.E.R.D., his label, Def Jam, announced the dates Thursday (February 14).

The two-month trek kicks off April 16 in Seattle and swings through California, making stops in Sacramento, San Jose and San Diego before landing in Los Angeles on April 21. In May, the tour is scheduled to make stops in Texas and then make a run through the South, playing in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.

West and company are slated to headline Madison Square Garden in New York on May 13. The Chicago rapper will then appear in his hometown on May 23 at the United Center.

Labelmate Rihanna is scheduled to miss three dates of the tour, from April 24-26, according to a statement sent out by Def Jam. No information was given regarding the singer's absence during those dates.

West, Rihanna and Fiasco are fresh off Grammy wins this past weekend. West took home multiple awards, including Best Rap Album for his Graduation.

During the telecast, West performed "Stronger" followed by "Hey Mama," billed as a tribute to his mother, Donda West, who died late last year.

The performance also served as a preview of his Glow in the Dark Tour, which had a successful run overseas. West was decked out in a flashing LED jacket and light-up shades, as neon lights flashed all over the stage.

After the show, West premiered his latest video, for "Flashing Lights," co-directed by Spike Jonze, at an Entertainment Weekly party. The almost three-minute clip features a West bound-and-gagged in the trunk of a car as a female temptress presumably has her way with him in a violent manner.

Glow in the Dark Tour dates, according to West's label:

· 4/16 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
· 4/18 - Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
· 4/19 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion
· 4/20 - San Diego, CA @ Sports Arena
· 4/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theatre
· 4/25 - * Las Vegas, NV @ Red Rock Casino Resort Spa
· 4/26 - * Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
· 4/27 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
· 4/29 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Ford Center
· 4/30 - Austin, TX @ Frank Irwin Center
· 5/1 - Dallas, TX @ SuperPages.com Center
· 5/2 - Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
· 5/4 - Atlanta, GA @ Gwinette Arena
· 5/5 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
· 5/6 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
· 5/8 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
· 5/9 - Raleigh, NC @ Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
· 5/10 - Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion
· 5/11 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
· 5/13 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
· 5/15 - Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center
· 5/16 - Hartford, CT @ North East Dodge Music Center
· 5/17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Susquehana Bank Center
· 5/18 - Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion
· 5/20 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
· 5/21 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Centre
· 5/22 - Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
· 5/23 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
· 5/24 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
· 5/27 - Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
· 5/29 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Palace
· 5/30 - Calgary, AB @ Saddledome

* indicates dates that do not include Rihanna.