Sturgill Simpson Plots Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds Tour
Johnny Blue Skies (Sturgill Simpson) & the Dark Clouds, photo by Edwin Keeble
Sturgill Simpson has announced a new North American tour as Johnny Blue Skies, backed by his road-hardened Dark Clouds band. From Sept. 4 to Oct. 30, the alt-country firestarter will burn through 28 performances across the US and a lone Canadian stand. The group’s next ride will support Mutiny After Midnight, Simpson’s second album under his new moniker, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 after an unconventional (mostly) physical-exclusive release in early March.
Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds will embark on their Mutiny for the Masses tour with a kickoff from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center, then cross the Southwest to a seven-stop West Coast leg through Sept. 21, including appearances at Inglewood, Calif.’s Kia Forum, Berkeley, Calif.’s Greek Theatre, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena and Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum. While passing back to the East Coast, they’ll hit Midwest venues like St. Paul, Minn.’s Grand Casino Arena, Chicago’s United Center, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Columbus, Ohio’s Nationwide Arena and Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 10. The outfit’s last sweep down the coast will begin with an Oct. 13 show at Boston’s TD Garden, then wind through bookings including Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena, Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, New Orleans’ Lakefront Arena and finally Lexington, Ky.’s Rupp Arena.
Mutiny After Midnight is another radical departure in Simpson’s career of consistent left turns, veering from the melodic Americana of 2024’s Passage Du Desir to produce “a dance record… The dance of all creation.” The nine-track cycle balances sharp social commentary with slick grooves inspired by ‘70s fusion supergroup Stuff, Marvin Gaye’s In Our Lifetime and other fixations the band latched to while touring behind Simpson’s last albums. Given the follow-up’s roots on the road, you can bet they’re raring to get out there again.
“Touring behind ‘Mutiny’ is something we greatly look forward to,” Simpson wrote in a note to his fans. “Something we will cherish. Just as I have come to see and harness my own neurodivergence and the weaponized autism of our collective members as a superpower in the studio—the same is true live. We’re going out to play arenas and theaters with a vengeance. No opening act. We’re going to take every minute the venue gives us. We’re gonna rock this Mutiny as hard as humanly possible. It is our privilege and our honor because our fans deserve it.”
Tickets for Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds’ Mutiny for the Masses tour will open to presales on Wednesday, April 8 at 10 a.m. local, with general onsale following on Friday, April 10 at 10 a.m. local. Find more information at johnnyblueskiestour.com, and see the full list of dates below.
Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds’ Mutiny For The Masses 2026 Tour:
Sep 4 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
Sep 6 – Rio Rancho, NM – Rio Rancho Events Center
Sep 8 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
Sep 9 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
Sep 11 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum
Sep 13 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena
Sep 15 – Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre
Sep 18 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Sep 19 – Vancouver, BC – Pacific Coliseum
Sep 21 – Eugene, OR – Matthew Knight Arena
Sep 23 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Sep 26 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
Sep 27 – St. Paul, MN – Grand Casino Arena
Sep 29 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Oct 2 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Oct 3 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Oct 6 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
Oct 7 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Oct 9 – Pittsburgh, PA – Petersen Events Center
Oct 10 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Oct 13 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Oct 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
Oct 16 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Oct 18 – Washington DC – Capital One Arena
Oct 21 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
Oct 23 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium
Oct 25 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Oct 27 – New Orleans, LA – Lakefront Arena
Oct 30 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
