The Reverend Horton Heat tour plans extensive dates for 2009

The Reverend Horton Heat is getting a head start on the 2009 touring season, with three U.S. tour legs already announced. The psycobilly trio, led by Jim “Reverend Horton” Heath, has more than 50 total concerts booked for the winter, spring and summer months.

A 19-city winter jaunt across the western states will kick off January 30 at Ogden Theatre in Denver, CO, and conclude February 22 at the House of Blues in Hollywood, CA, followed by 15 coast-to-coast spring dates scheduled from April 23 at Launchpad in Albuquerque, NM, through May 9 at the Texas Rockabilly Revival in Austin, TX. Nearly 20 more dates comprise the month-long July outing, which runs from a July 3 gig at Club Congress in Tuscon, AZ, through a July 25 show at Granada Theatre in Dallas, TX.

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, Throw Rag and Manic Hispanic will also perform on select dates of the winter tour, and Nekromantix will open for most of the summer concerts. Support has not yet been confirmed for the spring jaunt.

Formed in Texas in 1985, the Reverend Horton Heat has helped popularize the musical genre of psychobilly, characterized by a blend of punk rock and rockabilly, in the United States. In the years since, the rockers have recorded nearly 10 studio albums and appeared on a number of compilations, soundtracks and “best of” collections.

“I think it’s cool we’ve lasted this long,” Heath explained on the band’s Web site. “People still come out to see us play after all these years and all the shows and tours. It’s amazing. I mean, I get to sing songs about cars I love, drinking and chasing girls. Beats the hell out of the alternative.”

The Reverend Horton Heat was recently announced as a headliner for the three-day Musink Tattoo & Music Festival in February. The group’s next performance is tonight (December 30) at the House of Blues in Houston, TX.

Reverend Horton Heat itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)