Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul have announced a concert at Vicar Street on August 23, which follows the release of their upcoming album Summer of Sorcery.

Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul have announced the release of their eagerly awaited new album. Summer of Sorcery, the legendary rock ‘n’ rollers first album of new material, arrives May 3 via Wicked Cool/UMe. The album is available for pre-order now. The album will be released on CD, digitally and on vinyl as double LP on 180-gram black vinyl. A limited edition version will be available as a double LP on 180-gram psychedelic swirl vinyl exclusively via uDiscover. All digital pre-orders will be joined by an instant grat download of the LP’s jet-fuelled first track release, 'Superfly Terraplane', which premiered today via Rolling Stone.

“My first five albums in the ‘80s were both very personal, and very political,” explains Little Steven, aka Steven Van Zandt. “I wanted the new material to be more fictionalised. The way records were when I grew up. Before it was an art form. The concept was capturing and communicating that first rush of summer. The electricity of that feeling of unlimited possibilities. Of falling in love with the world for the first time. Obviously, there are occasional personal references, and a bit of what’s going on socially scattered throughout, but I achieved what I set out to do. I created a collection of fictional movies scenes that feel like summer. I’m quite proud of it.”

Summer of Sorcery – which arrives just two years after Little Steven’s acclaimed 2017’s solo return, Soulfire, and its 2018 live follow-up, Soulfire Live – was written, arranged, and produced by Van Zandt at his own Renegade Studios in New York City; the album was co-produced and recorded by Grammy Award-winner Geoff Sanoff and co-produced by Disciples of Soul musical director and guitarist Marc Ribler. Summer of Sorcery was mixed and mastered respectively by Van Zandt’s career-long collaborators and friends Bob Clearmountain (Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Who, Bryan Adams), and Bob Ludwig (Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, The Band, Sly and the Family Stone). The album – which features an exclusive introduction written by Van Zandt – is adorned with Frank Frazetta-inspired cover art by Van Zandt’s longtime art director, Louis Arzonico.

Little Steven is joined on this thrilling musical journey with his all-star band the Disciples of Soul, a 14-strong ensemble made up of some of the best studio and live musicians in the business. Leading the charge alongside Van Zandt is musical director and guitarist Marc Ribler (Darlene Love, Roger McGuinn, Carole King) who conducts the band consisting of Lowell “Banana” Levinger of The Youngbloods on piano and Wurlitzer, bassist Jack Daley (Lenny Kravitz, Boz Scaggs, Darryl Hall), drummer Rich Mercurio (Ben E King, Sara Bareilles, Idina Menzel), percussionist Anthony Almonte (King Creole and The Coconuts), Andy Burton on B3 organ, piano, synthesisers (Cyndi Lauper, John Mayer, Ian Hunter), the dynamite horn section of horn director Eddie Manion on baritone saxophone (Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny), Stan Harrison on tenor saxophone and flute (David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Duran Duran), Ron Tooley on trumpet (James Brown, John Lennon, Maceo Parker), Ravi Best on trumpet (Aretha Franklin, Stevie, Wonder, Kool and The Gang) and Clark Gayton on trombone (Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Joss Stone, Rhianna). The band is rounded out with the soulful, synchronised dancing backup singers Jessie Wagner (Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, Chic ), Sara Devine (Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige) and Tania Jones (Disciples of Soul).

Tickets for the Vicar Street gig go on sale April 17 at 10 a.m.