MAMMOTH WVH, the brainchild of former VAN HALEN bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, has announced headline tour dates for 2024 in support of the band’s sophomore album “Mammoth II”.
The first leg, scheduled for February 21, 2024 to March 10, 2024, will mark the return of special guest Nita Strauss. The second leg, scheduled for May 4, 2024 to May 17, 2024, will welcome rockers INTERVALS as special guests. All headline shows go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 8 at 10 a.m. local time.
Wolfgang says: “2023 has been an amazing year and 2024 is shaping up to be even busier. To be able to headline more shows with Nita Strauss and then having INTERVALS join us later is so exciting. I am honored that I get to return to that incredible METALLICA stage as well as reunite with Dave Grohl and the guys in the FOO FIGHTERS. I can’t wait to see everyone next year.”
Newly announced tour dates:
Feb. 21 – St. Louis, MO – Red Flag ^
Feb. 23 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman ^
Feb. 24 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee ^
Feb. 27 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre ^
Feb. 28 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall ^
Mar. 01 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s ^
Mar. 02 – Joliet, IL – The Forge ^
Mar. 05 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place ^
Mar. 06 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount ^
Mar. 08 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Roxian Theatre ^
Mar. 09 – Charles Town, WV – The Event Center at Hollywood Casino ^
Mar. 10 – Albany, NY – Empire Live ^
May 04 – Bethlehem, PA – Wind Creek Event Center *
May 05 – Portland, ME – Aura *
May 07 – Wilmington, DE – The Queen *
May 08 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa *
May 10 – Cherokee, NC- Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Event Center *
May 12 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live *
May 14 – Chattanooga, TN – The Signal *
May 16 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl *
May 17 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom *
^ Headline show; special guest Nita Strauss
* Headline show; special guest INTERVALS
“Mammoth II” was released in August via BMG. The 10-track record was recorded at the legendary 5150 studio and was produced by Wolfgang‘s friend and collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette.
Continuing the tradition of writing all of the songs and performing all of the instrumentation and vocals himself, Wolfgang set out to challenge himself to expand his sound beyond what people had already come to know him for. From the rocking opener “Right?” to BEATLES-esque fade on closer “Better Than You”, “Mammoth II” showcases the growth of Wolfgang as a songwriter, musician and especially vocalist. Songs like “Like A Pastime”, “Take A Bow” and “Waiting” are all sonically different from each other but unique to what mastermind Wolfgang Van Halen and MAMMOTH WVH is.
Earlier this year, Wolfgang was asked in an interview with Planet Rock‘s Wyatt Wendels if he sees MAMMOTH WVH as a solo project or as a band, especially since he plays all instruments and handles lead vocals on MAMMOTH WVH‘s albums. “What would you call NINE INCH NAILS?” the ex-bassist of the band VAN HALEN and son of the late guitarist Eddie Van Halen asked Wyatt, to which Wendels replied, “A band.” Van Halen continued: “Then, yeah, I call it a band. Trent [Reznor, NINE INCH NAILS mastermind] kind of goes in, does his thing, has a band [playing with him live]… I guess I see it as a band, even though I guess some could argue it’s a solo thing. I don’t know. It’s kind of both. [Laughs]”
In December 2022, Wolfgang defended his decision to once again play all instruments on MAMMOTH WVH‘s second album, “II”, telling Ireland’s Overdrive: “I know it may come across as selfish [laughs], but that’s just the way that it works for me. I like to completely immersive myself in the music — in all aspects of it. I think a lot of people have tried to turn it into something else, saying things like, ‘Oh it’s because he doesn’t want to pay other musicians,’ and it’s not that at all. This is just something for me. It’s a sacred experience for me. It’s my project, and an artistic outlet for me and my mental well-being. I’m so luck that I have this incredible live band that just slays live, so I get to bring this creation to life on stage. I suppose, it’s kind of like NINE INCH NAILS, in the way that Trent Reznor creates all the music, records it, produces it, et cetera, and then he has this band that can bring it to life when needed. I’m not comparing myself to Trent, but it’s more the interesting duality to this approach, which is so much fun, and deeply satisfying.”
Wolfgang made similar comments in March in an interview with U.K.’s Total Guitar magazine. “Some people try to turn me playing everything into a negative thing, which surprises me,” he said. “It’s like they think I won’t let other people play on it or something like that. But really this is what MAMMOTH is and always has been; it’s my artistic expression.
“I’ve been in bands before where you collaborate and that’s not what this is,” he explained. “I have a live band, but in the studio I do everything and have a fun time doing it. I enjoy being able to express myself musically in every avenue.”
The debut single from “Mammoth II” was the upbeat rocker “Another Celebration At The End Of The World”. The accompanying music video is an 8:25 introduction to the MAMMOTH WVH live band. Picking up where the No. 1 single “Don’t Back Down” music video left off, the new video showcases a frustrated Wolfgang firing the other Wolfgangs from that video and replacing them with his live band featuring Frank Sidoris (guitars),Jon Jourdan (guitars),Ronnie Ficarro (bass) and Garrett Whitlock (drums). The video was directed by Gordy De St. Jeor.
In November 2020, Wolfgang confirmed that he asked his father for permission to use the MAMMOTH WVH band name for his solo project. MAMMOTH WVH is a nod to family history — Eddie and Alex Van Halen‘s band was called MAMMOTH when singer David Lee Roth first joined it in 1974.
Photo credit: Travis Shinn