Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins Announce October 2025 Tour Featuring Dave Bainbridge, Sally Minnear, and Matt Dorsey

Legendary guitarist and keyboardist Mike Keneally announced that he will be touring with his band Beer For Dolphins in October 2025. Mike and his band will be accompanied on stage by special guests Dave Bainbridge and Sally Minnear, who will also perform an opening set. The tour shows will kick off with a solo set performed by Matt Dorsey. Beer For Dolphins will be performing a mix of material from across 30 years of Keneally’s solo catalog. Says Mike, “the addition of Dave and Sally to our lineup for part of our set will allow us to add several songs that are usually a bit beyond our ability to fully pull off on stage, vocally and instrumentally.”

Long acclaimed as one of the world's most creative and intense guitar and keyboard players, Mike Keneally's talents as a vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist are nearly unequalled in rock music.

Keneally has released nearly 30 albums of his original music since 1992 and has built a body of work of remarkable inventiveness and originality.

Keneally played in Frank Zappa's last touring band, performing as a vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist and appearing on many Zappa albums. Since 2019, Keneally has been a constant right-hand presence to Canadian phenom Devin Townsend, both in the studio and on the road. Keneally also performs as a member of all-star progressive collective ProgJect. His touring/recording credits include Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Dethklok, Mastodon, Robert Fripp, Wayne Kramer, Kevin Gilbert, The Loud Family, Henry Kaiser, Michael Manring, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Andy Prieboy, Mullmuzzler (James LaBrie), The Persuasions, and many others.

Keneally’s talents have been called into service for many another artist, but now it’s time for him to make some waves onstage with his own material once again. Known for his innovative, unpredictable live shows, Keneally has played extensively in the United States and Europe, in contexts ranging from solo and duo concerts to performances with large-scale orchestras.

His band Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins – a quartet which includes bassist Bryan Beller (The Aristocrats, Joe Satriani, Dethklok), drummer Joe Travers (Zappa Plays Zappa, Duran Duran, Eric Johnson), and guitarist Rick Musallam (Ben Taylor, The Roots, Byrd York) – is the molten core of the Keneally live rock band experience, and having been playing almost exclusively on the West Coast since pre-pandemic days. They very much look forward to doing what needs to be done on the other side of the US after a too-long hiatus.

Joining Keneally’s band for some of the songs in the set will be Dave Bainbridge and Sally Minnear. Dave and Sally will also perform as a duo right before Keneally takes the stage.

Award winning multi-instrumentalist Dave Bainbridge joins forces with Lord of The Dance vocalist & instrumentalist Sally Minnear to bring a spellbinding set of music that will, in equal measure, have you jigging in (or out of!) your seat or bring a tear to your eye. A compelling mix of powerful and ethereal vocal songs (including the occasional emotive Gaelic ballad), instrumental tracks (jigs / reels / slow airs / evolving soundscapes), and virtuoso improvisation on keyboards, electric guitar, bouzouki, and cowbell.

“Dave Bainbridge is a a genius of immeasurable proportions…If you are unfamiliar with him, it’s time to make amends. Trust me.” - Nick Beggs (Steve Wilson, Steve Hackett, Howard Jones...)

Up first on the bill is Matt Dorsey, bringing a set of his recently released and not-yet-released solo material.

Matt Dorsey is a California-based multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter known for his work with Sound of Contact, In Continuum, The Dave Kerzner Band, Circuline, the progressive rock “super-group” cover band ProgJect, and most recently his solo project The Matt Dorsey Band.

Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins October 2025 Tour:
October 12 – ProgStock Festival, Williams Center – Rutherford, NJ
October 14 – The Cutting Room – New York, NY
October 15 – The Allen Theater – Annville, PA
October 16 – Beachland Tavern – Cleveland, OH
October 17 – Sweetwater Performance Theater – Ft Wayne, IN
October 18 – Reggie’s Banana Shack – Chicago, IL

"Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era." – All Music Guide

“This band, with such a peculiar genius leading it, is a thing to savor." - Time Out New York

For more information: https://www.acrmanagement.com/mike-keneally-beer-for-dolphins-october-2025-tour/

Watch the announcement video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYFtskuvpzw

Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins - “Kedgeree” live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTn-Whs2fRI

Dave Bainbridge & Sally Minnear – “A Night of Iona and More”: https://youtu.be/LayO3HHNYPI?si=iqJNpFan8wqzcVwE

Matt Dorsey – “Echo”: https://youtu.be/X5oSBHauYOI?si=nrjV2NEkOt4B4a8v

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Iona’s Dave Bainbridge To Release 5th Solo Album “On the Edge (of what could be)” On July 18

Dave Bainbridge’s 5th solo album ‘On the Edge (of what could be)’ is perhaps his most ambitious yet. Bringing together all the elements that have characterised his music since he co-founded the band Iona, ‘On the Edge’ brings 83 minutes of new atmospheric, spiritual and powerful music to the listener that defies genre (a bold claim perhaps, but how else do you describe music that truly merges folk, rock, progressive, jazz and modern classical elements with vocals in both Scottish and Irish Gaelic as well as English?

‘On the Edge (of what could be)’ features a stellar cast of musicians including world renowned drum master Simon Phillips (Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Toto, The Who, Mike Oldfield, Protocol, Hiromi and many more), Uilleann pipes and whistle maestro Troy Donockley (solo artist, Nightwish, Iona, Auri, The Enid, Midge Ure, Maddy Prior etc), Sally Minnear (Lord of the Dance, Pendragon, Celestial Fire etc), Iain Hornal (solo artist, Jeff Lynne’s ELO, 10CC etc), Randy McStine (solo artist, Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree), Ebony Buckle (solo artist, Solstice), Jon Poole (Cardiacs, The Wildhearts, Lifesigns), David Fitzgerald (Iona co-founder), Frank van Essen (Iona, Martin Garrix, Within Temptation, Auri, Barbara Dickson etc), Rachel Walker (renowned singer of Scottish Gaelic folk music) and more.

Exploring themes such as the thin veil between this earthly life and the heavenly, mysterious stories of ancient Celtic saints, the wonder and glory of the natural world, Dave cleverly interweaves these with present day concerns such as climate change and deep societal divisions. However instead of pointing fingers, ‘On the Edge’ encapsulates a deep sense of the sacred and of hope. The hope of what could be in a world of turmoil and uncertainty. Possibly more now than at any point in history, the world needs the artistic community to bring us together and to show us, through great art, just how beautiful and precious this world is, and how much better the way of unity and of love and respect is.  

With the combination of this cast of uniquely talented musicians and Dave’s trademark, soaring guitar lines, expressive keyboards and evocative compositions, here we have a glimpse of what could be, in a world that is truly on the edge.

Watch the official album promo: https://youtu.be/JMiFXkID9go?si=M876WSN4PpKiZLJ5

Track list:

CD1

1.For Evermore
2.On the Slopes of Sliabh Mis
3.Colour of Time
4.That they may be One
5.On the Edge (of what could be)
6.The Whispering of the Landscape
7.Hill of the Angels

CD2

1.Farther Up and Farther In
2.Reilig Òdhrain  
3.Beyond the Plains of Earth and Time
4.Fall Away
5.When All will be Bright

On the Edge (of what could be) is available on OPEN SKY RECORDS / GONZO MULTIMEDIA as a 2CD double album and soon as a double vinyl album with a triple gatefold sleeve and digital download and stream. www.davebainbridgemusic.com

To purchase: https://www.musicglue.com/iona/products/dave-bainbridge-on-the-edge-of-what-could-be

For more information:
www.davebainbridgemusic.com
www.patreon.com/davebainbridge
https://www.facebook.com/dave.bainbridge1
https://www.facebook.com/DaveBainbridgeMusic/
https://www.youtube.com/@davebainbridge902

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Iona’s Dave Bainbridge Releases 4th Solo Album “To The Far Away”

Despite all the traumas and uncertainties of 2020, it turned out to be a very busy year for Dave Bainbridge. As well as producing the epic 17 CD “Book of Iona” box set celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Iona, Dave contributed in various degrees to new albums by Kimmo Porsti, Cronofonia, Downes Braide Association, Lifesigns, Nick Fletcher, Glass Hammer, Celtish and Strawbs. However, in between all this activity Dave was also taking time out to put together the concept and music for his 4th solo album, “To The Far Away.”

Iona fans might recognize the title as a quote from the lyrics of the song “Edge of the World” from “Beyond These Shores” and there are definitely parallels in the themes of the two albums. “Shores” recounts the ancient story of St Brendan’s epic voyage across the Atlantic ocean, whilst “To The Far Away” tells a more contemporary story of lovers on opposite sides of the Atlantic ocean, separated for many months by the global pandemic. Both albums, however, end on a note of optimism. Brendan finally returns safely home, whilst our contemporary lovers are finally reunited after an epic trip across the same ocean.

The album’s 71 plus minutes of music draws upon the Celtic, progressive, rock and classical influences that have permeated Dave’s music since he started composing at the age of eleven and which he honed during his years with Iona and through his previous solo and many collaborative releases. Featuring his usual array of keyboards, guitars and assorted acoustic instruments, Dave also assembled a fantastic group of supporting musicians to bring the project to life:
Sally Minnear (Lord of the Dance / Celestial Fire) - Vocals  
Iain Hornal (Jeff Lynn’s ELO, 10CC, Three Friends, solo artist) - Vocals
Troy Donockley (Iona / Nightwish / The Enid / Maddy Prior) - Uilleann Pipes, Whistles, Voices Jon Poole (Cardiacs / Lifesigns) - Bass Guitars
Frank van Essen (Iona / Martin Garrix) - Drums, Violins & Violas
Jonas Pap (Epica, Cronofonia) - Cello
Nigel Cameron (Celtish) - Whistles
Julie Cameron-Hall (Celtish) - Violin
Martin Nolan (Iona) - Whistles  

Dave collaborated with acclaimed Canadian/Irish poet Lynn Caldwell on the album’s lyrics. “I’d read some of Lynn’s work and immediately felt that she would be the person to help me organize and bring an emotional focus to my thematic and lyrical ideas for the project. It was a hunch that paid off and I’m absolutely thrilled with what she came up with. Lynn, her husband Martin Nolan and friend Una Ní Cheallaigh were also able to put together the haunting Irish Gaelic lyrics, sung by Sally, which I’d wanted to include on several tracks.”  

Dave continues: “As with many artists and composers I know, 2020 was a bittersweet year. The complete shutdown of venues left us without places to play and income, but also paradoxically gave us the time and space to write, record and bring to fruition projects we may not have otherwise got around to finishing. For me it was especially bittersweet as I was due to be married at the end of March 2020 to Sharon, my fiance from Baltimore, on Cruise to the Edge, with my friends Neal Morse officiating and John Young (Asia/ Scorpions/Lifesigns) as best man. Not only was that plan put on hold, the abrupt shutdown of flights into the USA meant that Sharon and I were torn apart for 8 1/2 months. The thematic ideas behind ‘To The Far Away’ encompass thoughts, feelings and ideas I experienced, largely when I was doing my daily runs and walks on the rural country lane on which I spent so much time between March and October 2020.”

“As the music for this album evolved, I realized that the main emphasis was firmly on melody. Melodic lines and riffs that will hopefully stay with the listener, reflecting the emotions and sense of place in which I was immersed, as the seasons moved through spring, to summer and finally the rich colors of autumn under the vast skies of the Lincolnshire landscape. In some ways this is probably my most personal album to date and I hope that, as well as capturing some of the heartache of the time, it also leaves the listener with a sense of hope and optimism, that in the end, love will triumph.”

Despite being released late in 2021, “To The Far Away” still sneaked into a number of Best of 2021 Polls: No. 1 Best Album, Album of the Month, Cover Feature, iO Pages Magazine (Netherlands) No. 2 Best Album of 2021 Progressive Rock Central
No. 2 Best Album of 2021 Esther’s Rock Blog
No. 2 Best Album of 2021 Scotland Rocks Radio
No. 6 Best Album of 2021 Amarok Magazine (France)
No. 13 Best Album of 2021 Sonic Perspectives
Album of the Month Radio Xymphonia
In addition, Dave was voted 3rd in Prog Magazine Readers Poll Best Guitarist of 2021

Here’s what the press has raved about Dave Bainbridge’s “To The Far Away”:

“In my opinion, this is his best work ever! I hear great, uplifting, melodies, wonderful playing and excellent singing.” - Paul Rijkens iO Pages

“Absolute sonic perfection!!!” - Chris MacIntosh WCWP Radio New York

“If you remember the band 'Iona' you will love this album. It's a masterpiece of Celtic Prog Rock.” - Nigel Cameron - Celtish

“To The Far Away, just might be, well - the best thing he’s ever done – and with his years of output that’s saying a lot… A brilliant balance of vocal and instrumental tracks, To The Far Away will thrill and delight fans of both Celtic and ‘traditional’ prog-rock, and anyone open to more adventurous realms of music in general…If you’re a fan of Iona, Dave Bainbridge’s solo work, Celtic prog, classic prog-rock – whatever!  You need this.” - Bert Saraco - tollbooth.org

“‘To the Far Away’ is a wonderful journey of the mind, full of captivating music throughout. This album is one of the best albums of 2021. It is definitely in the top ten progressive rock albums of the year…Please get this album, relax and enjoy the journey. Every song is captivating and full of the kind of music that made Iona famous.” - Professor Mark, Progressive Rock Central  

“To get straight to the point, the music is of great, if not exceptional, class…the melodies Bainbridge presents us on this album are of very great, I repeat, very great beauty…It seems as if Dave has found the balance between say Celestial Fire (the symphonic) and the Celtic influences...There are not only great guitar solos on this record, but also wonderful keyboard moments...the more you play ‘To The Far Away,’ the better it gets. I could go on and on, but I think it is clear that lovers of atmospheric symphonic music have a pearl in their hands with this album. This is hashtag #heavenly.” - Jacco Stijkel - www.progwereld.org

Dave Bainbridge “To The Far Away” was released on Dave’s Open Sky Records label & distributed by Gonzo Multimedia, the album is available in 5 formats:
*DIGITAL DOWNLOAD 24 bit wav files
*SINGLE CD
*2CD WITH BONUS DISK featuring over an hour’s worth of alternate mixes, demos and previously unreleased tracks recorded exclusively for this release
*2CD AS ABOVE, SIGNED BY DAVE
*LIMITED EDITION DELUXE PHOTO BOOK featuring the 2CD version, accompanying A4 size hardback book of 123 of Dave’s evocative landscape photos, 6 postcards of Dave’s photos & a signed and numbered certificate.

To purchase: www.musicglue.com/iona

For more information: www.davebainbridgemusic.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com