The Offspring, one of rock’s most exciting and enduring bands, have announced they will hit the road this May for their first full North American tour in nearly 4 years. The announcement came via the band’s just unveiled “S*** Is F***ed Up” tour widget featuring a mock “presidential address” by Dexter Holland (vocals, guitar). View the widget now on www.offspring.com.

Dexter along with Noodles (guitar), Greg K (bass) and Pete Parada (drums) will kick things off May 15 in Nashville, TN. The tour will feature different openers on each leg and will be highlighted by a hometown show June 5 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, CA.

Following the success of the single “Hammerhead” and its follow-up “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid,” The Offspring remain a favorite on the airwaves with “Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?,” the band’s third radio hit from their latest Columbia Records release Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace.

Produced by the legendary Bob Rock [futureusgalleryMetallica, The Cult], the new album has forged new territory while staying true to the Offspring’s vision. Every song on their eighth studio release delivers, lengthening the list of accomplishments from a band that has performed over 1000 shows and has sold more than 34 million albums worldwide. Fifteen years after its release, their 1994 release Smash remains the highest-selling album of all time on an independent label.

Initial tour dates are listed below with the latest information continually updated online at www.offspring.com.

DATE: CITY/STATE: VENUE: ON SALE:

05/15/09 Nashville, TN Riverfront Park (Merrell Crawfish Boil Festival) 3/28/09 @ 12:00 Noon

05/17/09 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center (The 2009 MMR*B*Q festival) 3/27/09 @ 10:00 AM

05/19/09 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall 3/28/09 @ 10:00 AM

05/20/09 Dallas, TX Nokia Theatre 4/3/09 (time tbd)

05/22/09 Kansas City, MO City Market (Buzz Under The Stars festival) on sale now

05/25/09 Sioux City, IA Gateway Arena 4/4/09 @ 10:30 AM

05/26/09 Rapid City, SD Rushmore Plaza Civic Center 4/3/09 @ 10:00 AM

05/28/09 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Punk Rocks festival) 3/27/09 @ 10:00 AM

05/30/09 Las Vegas, NV Pearl Concert Theater 3/28/09 @ 12:00 Noon

06/01/09 Phoenix, AZ Mesa Amphitheatre 4/3/09 @ 10:00 AM

06/03/09 San Diego, CA Open Air Theatre 3/27/09 @ 12:00 Noon

06/05/09 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 3/28/09 @ 12:00 Noon

06/09/09 Seattle, WA WaMu Theater 4/18/09 @ 10:00 AM

06/10/09 Vancouver, BC UBC Thunderbird Arena tbd

06/12/09 Calgary, AB The Stampede Corral 3/27/09 (time tbd)

06/13/09 Edmonton, AB Northlands – Hall D 3/27/09 (time tbd)

06/15/09 Saskatoon, SK Prairieland Park tbd

06/17/09 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre tbd

06/19/09 St. Paul, MN Roy Wilkins Auditorium tbd

06/20/09 Chicago, IL Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island 4/11/09 @ 10:00 AM

06/21/09 Cleveland, OH Time Warner Amphitheater at Tower City 4/10/09 @ 10:00 AM

06/23/09 Columbus, OH The LC Pavilion 4/4/09 @ 10:00 AM

06/24/09 Cincinnati, OH PNC Pavilion at Riverbend 4/18/09 @ 10:00 AM

06/26/09 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest on sale now

06/27/09 Indianapolis, IN The Lawn tbd

06/28/09 Detroit, MI Freedom Hill 4/3/09 @ 10:00 AM

06/30/09 Canandaigua, NY CMAC tbd

07/02/09 Toronto, ON The Molson Amphitheater 4/10/09 @ 10:00 AM

07/03/09 St-Ephrem de Tring, QC Woodstock en Beauce Festival tbd

07/07/09 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom tbd

07/08/09 New York, NY Roseland tbd

07/10/09 Boston, MA Tsongas Arena tbd

07/11/09 Gilford, NH Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion tbd

07/14/09 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Boutique Amphitheatre at The Music Factory tbd

07/16/09 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live tbd

07/17/09 St. Augustine, FL The St. Augustine Amphitheatre tbd

07/18/09 Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach Amp tbd

Alkaline Trio & Street Dogs will support 5/19/09-6/9/09 on headlining dates.

Shiny Toy Guns & Street Dogs will support 6/10/09-6/17/09.

Dropkick Murphys will support 6/19/09-6/30/09.

Pennywise will support 7/2/09.

Sum 41 will support 7/10/09-7/18/09.

Corporate line:
“Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace,” the eighth studio album from the OC punksters, is an impressive new set of songs from one of rock’s most exciting and enduring bands. The Offspring entered the studio with legendary producer Bob Rock (Metallica, The Cult) to record 12 new songs culled from the most productive songwriting period in the band’s history. This is the band’s first full-length studio release in four and a half years, the longest gap between The Offspring’s studio albums to date. ‘Hammerhead’ the 1st single from “Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace” debuted at #5 on the U.S Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and #18 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks respectively. The Offspring has performed over 1000 shows and they have sold more than 34 million albums worldwide, including their 1994 release “Smash,” which more than a decade after its release remains the highest-selling album of all time on an independent label.

The hits:
“Half-Truism” – A long missing, and desired, Offspring song. This is their core strength–pop/punk. The chorus is easy to remember and sing-a-long to. Could it be a comeback?
“Trust In You” – This sounds like a retread, but it still holds up to most of their hits. It’s a fun pop/punk track. They still have it.
“You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” – It’s a bit wacky: “dance, f**ker dance, you never had a chance.” But wacky or not its catchy as hell.

The rest:
“Hammerhead” – The typical big chorus and harmony–just not as strong of a chorus as previous iterations of Offspring songs.
“Takes Me Nowhere” – An average filler track.
“Kristy, Are You Doing Ok?” – A song about sexual molestation isn’t anything to take lightly. I just wish the song matched the sentiment.
“Lets Hear It From Rock Bottom” – This song could have been left off the album.

Frankly:
There are a few songs that left me unsure on how to react. “Fix You” doesn’t really sound like The Offspring. It’s a ballad that sounds like it could have been sung by Fuel or a similar band. But its not corny nor does it diminish the punk flavor of The Offspring. After a few listens its obvious its an lovely song; the question how do feel about The Offspring singing it? I don’t have an answer.

Frankly, I’m extremely surprised by this new Offspring offering. “Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace” is good from beginning to end. There are a few songs that could have been left behind but the songs aren’t terrible they just don’t hold up to the better songs. The Offspring have proven themselves to be as good as advertised.