John Legend tour takes ‘Evolver’ to U.S. amphitheaters this summer

After heating up the winter of 2008-2009 with two rounds of North American concerts, R&B crooner John Legend will add some extra heat to the summer nights. The performer has slowly unveiled plans for a new tour leg that will hit amphitheaters from coast-to-coast.

The 18-city tour kicks off with two festival appearances on June 27 at Muskegon Summer Celebration in Muskegon, MI, and July 3 at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, LA. More dates follow on the nationwide trek through a September 1 performance at Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

Concerts are scheduled along the way for July 5 at Chastain Park Amphitheater in Atlanta, GA; July 17 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD; and August 7 at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, MA, among other dates. Legend is currently scheduled to make just one stop north of the border for a July 25 concert at The Colosseum at Caesars in Windsor, ON.

Legend is touring behind his October 2008 release “Evolver,” his third studio album. The disc, featuring an all-star cast of guest performers from rapper Kanye West to R&B up-and-comer Estelle, hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and topped the R&B/hip-hop albums chart.

The singer has already completed two legs of North American concerts to support the release. The tour launched on November 19 in Minneapolis, MN, and visited more than 10 North American cities by mid-December. After breaking for the holidays, Legend hit the road again in mid-January, wrapping the winter 2009 run in early February.

John Legend itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)