Brian Setzer to reunite with Stray Cats this year

MINNEAPOLIS — After a lengthy hiatus that found him struggling with tinnitus and sticking to his suburban Twin Cities home, rockabilly stalwart Brian Setzer will return to the road in a big and loud way in 2024 on a reunion tour with his globally renowned ‘80s band the Stray Cats.

Setzer and original bandmates Slim Jim Phanton and Lee Rocker — childhood friends from Massapequa, New York — will play their first shows together in five years starting in late July on a tour that includes two outdoor dates in Minnesota.

The “Rock This Town” and “Stray Cat Strut” hit-makers are set to play Bluestem Center for the Arts in Moorhead on Aug. 8, followed by a gig near St. Cloud at the Ledge Amphitheater on Aug. 9. Tickets for both shows go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at prices not yet announced, with presale options beginning Wednesday.

A Minnesota resident for around two decades now — his wife Julie Reiten Setzer grew up here — Setzer sidelined his usual holiday tour with the Brian Setzer Orchestra in 2019 after being hit with tinnitus following the Stray Cats’ 40th anniversary run earlier that year. He took a first step back to touring last year with a new rockabilly trio supporting his solo album, “The Devil Always Collects.”

In a statement released with the Stray Cats tour announcement, Setzer said of his old bandmates, “”I’ve always said that we all grew up in the same neighborhood, so there’s an instant feeling between us when we play. It allows us to be confident and spontaneous. Man, that’s priceless.”