MEAT LOAF has announced the first round of dates for his upcoming Mad, Mad World tour, in connection with his newly released album, Hell In A Handbasket (Sony/Legacy). The trek kicks off in the city of Austin, TX on June 22nd and runs through August 2nd, including stops in Los Angeles, Boston and Atlantic City, with more dates expected to be announced.

Says Meat Loaf: “People who come to Meat Loaf shows know what to expect. They know they're going to get full-on energy with the best rock 'n' roll band in the world. That's not an opinion. That's the truth.”

Asked specifically what makes for a good show, he says, “Well, a great play can be done with a table, a light, and four chairs. Great shows are about people. You don't want to put up a wall with laser lights, production, and dancers. It's really about going out there and putting on the show of these people's lives without all of the bells and whistles.”

Tour dates:

June

22 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at the Moody Theater
24 - Del. Benito Juarez, Mexico - Pepsi Center
27 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
30 - Snoqualmie, WA - Snoqualmie Casino (Mountain View Plaza)

July

2 - Eagle, ID - Eagle River Pavilion
7 - Valley Center, CA - Harrah's Rincon - Open Sky
17 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
19 - New Brunswick, NJ - State Theatre
21 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Perf. Arts Ctr.
23 - Englewood, NJ - Bergen Performing Arts Center
25 - Bethlehem, PA - Sands Bethlehem Event Center
27 - Atlantic City, NJ - Showboat Atlantic City - House of Blues
29 - Salamanca, NY - Seneca Allegany Casino Events Center
31 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion

August

2 - Upper Darby, PA - Tower Theatre
4 - North Bay, ON - North Bay Summer in the Park Festival - Waterfront Park

Hell In A Handbasket was released in North America on March 13th, and in the UK and Europe on February 27th.

Performing with Meat Loaf on Hell In A Handbasket is THE NEVERLAND EXPRESS, his long-time backing ensemble, featuring John Miceli (drums, percussion), Patti Russo (lead and backing vocals), Paul Crook (electric and acoustic guitars), Randy Flowers (electric and acoustic guitars, vocals), David Luther (saxophone, vocals), Justin Avery (piano, organ, keyboard, vocals) and Danny Miranda (electric and upright bass).

Hell In A Handbasket tracklisting:

'All Of Me'

'The Giving Tree'

'Live Or Die'

'Blue Sky/Mad Mad World/The Good God Is A Woman And She Don't Like Ugly' (special appearance by Chuck D)

'California Dreamin'' (duet with Patti Russo)

'Party Of One'

'Another Day'

'40 Days'

'Our Love And Our Souls' (duet with Patti Russo)

'Stand In The Storm' (special guest appearances from Trace Adkins, Lil Jon and Mark McGrath)

'Blue Sky'

'Fall From Grace'

"Hell In A Handbasket is the most personal record I've ever made," said Meat Loaf. "It's really the first record I've ever put out about how I feel about life and how I feel about what's going on at the moment."

The album, produced by Paul Crook, is an expression of life’s metaphors, driven by excellent musicianship, and of course, the passionate vocals of Meat Loaf.

"Making this album was a great experience," said Meat Loaf, "and I hope my fans enjoy hearing it as much as I did making it."