311 tour announces Summer Unity dates for 2009 with Ziggy Marley

After wrapping a series of spring concerts across the U.S., rock-reggae crew 311 will launch its annual Summer Unity Tour with support from reggae artist Ziggy Marley and an unnamed special guest.

The 25-city jaunt kicks off with a June 5 show at Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, CA, and closes out July 12 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, CA. During the coast-to-coast circuit, the group will complete a June 12 concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO, a June 25 performance in Central Park in New York, NY, and a July 4 show at Lakewood Amphitheatre in Atlanta, GA, among other dates.

Presales for the summer amphitheater tour will open in select markets on March 23, with public on-sales following a few days later. Date-specific on-sale dates can be found on the official 311 Web site.

The band has also announced a release date for its ninth studio album, “Uplifter.” The effort is slated to hit U.S. stores on June 2, preceded by the mid-April radio debut of the first single, “Hey You.” In addition to the regular record, a deluxe version will be released, featuring an additional 80-minute DVD documentary.

This is the fourth year for 311’s genre-combining Summer Unity Tour, which was founded in 2006. The inaugural event visited comprised nearly 40 concerts and included sets from Pepper and legendary reggae group The Wailers. Last year’s event featured Snoop Dogg and special guest Fiction Plane.

The tour season launches for 311 with a nearly 20-city run of the U.S., which is scheduled to begin April 15 at Rialto Theatre in Tucson, AZ, and end May 15 at Shrine Mosque in Springfield, MO.

Summer Unity Tour itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)