Brian Setzer must really like it here. He and the Stray Cats have chosen Treasure Island Casino in Red Wing as one of the nine U.S. venues for their first North American tour in more than 10 years.
And the retro-loving trio is dropping its first new album in 26 years. The record is called "40," in honor of the group's 40th anniversary.
Recorded in Nashville, the 13-track record will be released on May 24. It includes the single "Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me)."
The Stray Cats will be performing Aug. 18 at Treasure Island's 3,000-seat event center, one of the smaller spots on a tour of mostly outdoor facilities.
Singer/guitarist Setzer moved to the Twin Cities about 15 years ago after marrying Hopkins-reared Julie Reiten, a former member of the Twin Cities band the Dustbunnies and now a backup singer with the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
The BSO has been a Christmas touring machine, usually kicking off its annual trek in Minneapolis.
In 2009, in honor of Setzer's 50th birthday, Stray Cats bassist Lee Rocker and drummer Slim Jim Phantom joined him for a one-off reunion show at the Fine Line in Minneapolis.
Last year, the trio -- which disbanded in 1984 but has done occasional reunions -- did three gigs. Their last U.S. tour was in 2007, with ZZ Top and the Pretenders.
Known for the '80s rockabilly revival hits "Rock This Town" and "Stray Cat Strut," the Stray Cats will perform 17 shows in Europe, starting in June, before returning to the States for nine concerts in August.
Treasure Island tickets, priced from $69 to $91, will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster outlets and the casino box office. Every pair of tickets will include a copy of the new album, either a download or CD.
Live video of man who set himself on fire outside court proves challenging for news organizations
4/20 grew from humble roots to marijuana's high holiday
