Chuck Prophet is an artist who needs no introduction to AUK readers. The legendary San Francisco based songwriter, guitarist, singer and producer has just announced a new collaborative album with Cumbia group ¿Qiensave? The record, titled “Wake The Dead” will be released on 25th October 2024 on Yep Roc Records. Prophet has also announced a run of fifteen UK shows, his biggest tour in several years, in early 2025, joined by members of ¿Qiensave? and James DePrato and Vicente Rodriguez from the Mission Express.
Prophet’s fascination with Cumbia music began after experiencing a weekly Cumbia night at a local haunt of his in San Francisco’s Mission district. After he was diagnosed with lymphoma, he had a lot of time to just sit and listen as he went through treatments. “I was going through a tunnel,” he recalls. “It was dark. But I had music: music to play, music to listen to, music to get me out of my head. Music was my saviour.”
Once he was finally feeling better, Prophet started driving out to Salinas on a regular basis to jam with a group he’d fallen in love with called ¿Qiensave?, a band of brothers from the Central Coast farming community. Jamming led to gigging and then to recording as Prophet, the Mission Express and ¿Qiensave? proceeded to work through the sessions that led to “Wake The Dead”. You can pre-save / pre order the album here.
Prophet and ¿Qiensave? have put out the album’s lead single and title track ‘Wake The Dead’, an anthem that reckons with forces beyond our control while learning to let go, a recurring theme at the core of the album. The video is available to watch below.
The UK tour starts In Oxford late February 2025 before wrapping up at one of Prophet’s regular gigs, The Garage in North London on 5th March 2025. Tickets can be accessed via Prophet’s tour page.
The 2025 UK tour dates are as follows:
February 19 – Oxford – The Bullingdon
February 20 – Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
February 21 – Manchester – Yes Pink Room
February 22 – Newcastle – The Cluny
February 23 – Glasgow – St Lukes
February 24 – Sheffield – Greystones
February 25 – Leicester – The International
February 26 – Nottingham – Metronome
February 27 – Cambridge – Portland Arms
February 28 – Norwich – Arts Centre
March 1 – Hassocks – Mid Sussex Music Hall
March 2 – Bristol – Lantern
March 3 – Birmingham – Hare & Hounds
March 4 – Southampton – 1865
March 5 – London – The Garage
