Los Angeles power metal trio NINTH CIRCLE will be returning to the Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana, CA on August 4th, with none other than rock n' roll guitar and bass legends PAUL GILBERT and BILLY SHEEHAN, and MR. BIG.

Ninth Circle is in the midst of finalizing rehearsals for their upcoming 2011 summer tour which kicks off July 16th in San Bernardino, CA and is scheduled to run through August before the band head’s into the studio to record the follow up to The Power Of One CD.

“Our management team has really come up big this summer,” says bassist Frank Forray. “We were in a bit of dire situation back in March when Dave got injured and we had just started the spring tour and were planning to record in the beginning of summer. We weren’t quite sure what was on the horizon for us and how long things would be on hold. Our future schedules seriously got rearranged and we had to adjust. Now that we have Dave back and recovered from surgery, a boat load of new and exciting songs to play live before recording and a summer tour where we hit some major venues is a massive boost for everyone in the band! We are all excited that we get to bring out all the big guns for this summer tour and enjoy being a band on the road doing what we do best… rocking!”

Guitarist/vocalist Dennis Brown gives insight to his excitement about playing with Paul Gilbert and Mr. Big: "This sure is a highlight for me and somewhat symbolic in a sense. I discovered RACER X early on as a kid and was amazed at the over the top guitar playing and loved how it was the center of attention for that band.”

Dennis goes on to say, “I was lucky enough to meet Paul Gilbert at a charity function in my area right before the first Mr. Big album came out. He actually invited me to the ' Addicted To That Rush' video shoot but I hadn't turned 18 yet so that didn't happen. I settled for a guitar pic at the time and for me that was like gold. Two decades later I had the opportunity to get a few guitar lessons from Paul and jumped at the chance. Now Ninth Circle is supporting Mr.Big… what an honor! Paul's passion for music and his innovations are so evident and inspiring. And Billy Sheehan? What's to say what hasn't already been said! Another truly great musician and innovator. "

Drummer Dave Davis remarked, "This show will be a lot of fun... Pat Torpey and I have been acquainted for many years now, and I highly respect him as a drummer, and as a friend, and he's a great singer too! We have never had the opportunity to have both of our bands playing together at the same show. This will be a blast!"

Ninth Circle returns to one of the largest summer events in Southern California. For the second straight year, Ninth Circle return to the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa, CA on July 31st. Ninth Circle will perform at The Hangar which is the main concert venue on the grounds of the fair.

The Hanger is a 23,000-square-foot aviation-style structure featuring an incredible lineup of top-notch tribute and original bands. From classic rock and blues to pop superstars, The Hangar at the 2011 OC Fair will rock all summer long.

In 2010 Ninth Circle was selected to be part of the inaugural summer concert series at The Hangar. Ninth Circle was the first heavy metal band to perform at The Hangar. This venerable concert venue opened its doors for the first time in the summer of 2010 and Ninth Circle was selected to be part of the fair’s entertainment along with other national touring acts to perform during the 23-day event.

Attendance for this yearly event averages over million visitors with last year’s attendance figures coming in at 1,135,536 visitors.

“This is really exciting for Ninth Circle,” Frank Forray expressed when asked about the band’s return to this venue. “The Hangar is a great venue with one of the largest stages in Southern California. It has acres of space to run around on and the OC Fair is just a terrific summer event.”
“Last year was an amazing experience”, Frank goes on to say. “To be part of a select group of bands and entertainers who were the first to perform on that stage was incredible. And to be the first heavy metal band to perform at The Hangar meant a lot to us. It allowed to us to perform in front huge crowds where many of the people in attendance may not have been specifically Ninth Circle or heavy metal fans, but we were able show everyone what a great heavy metal concert is all about. Suffice to say, we converted quite a few people into fans that day. Heck, there’s a little bit of Ninth Circle in everyone!”
“The band is looking forward to being a part of this event again this year and being back on that stage performing in front of all those people. This will also be a very special event for the band given Dave has recovered from back surgery and we are now able to be on the road this summer. It is a great boost for the band!”

Ninth Circle 2011 summer tour dates:

July

16 – Marquis Lounge - San Bernardino, CA (with Chasing Ghosts, Uncle Arthur’s Funeral_
23 – The Can Club - Garden Grove, CA (with Lizzy Borden, Mandy Lion’s WWIII)
31 – The Orange County Fair – The Hangar, Costa Mesa, CA

More dates to be announced soon.