In many ways, Limp Bizkit's upcoming Gold Cobra album is about coming full circle. It's their first studio album to feature the full lineup in more than 10 years, not to mention a return to the band's big, Billboard-dominating sound of the late '90s. So, somewhat fittingly, they're promoting it with a full summer tour, the group's first stretch of U.S. dates in nine-plus years.
In keeping with the familiar Bizkit vibe, they're bringing some old friends along for the ride. Ice Cube will join them for the majority of the dates (replacing Snoop Dogg, who was announced for the tour but has since dropped off) and, according to frontman Fred Durst, Cube's not the only special guest Limp Bizkit will have on hand.
"This is our first U.S. tour in — obviously — many, many years, so we wanted it to be big," he told MTV News last week. "Method Man and Redman [will be on] on some dates ... some other bands too. We're excited. We're just going to keep rocking."
Bizkit fans might remember that Ice Cube starred in "The Longshots," the 2008 film directed by Durst. Meth and Red have worked with the band in the past: Both rappers appeared on the song "Rollin' (Urban Assault Vehicle)," from 2000's Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water,) and Meth famously collaborated with the band on "N 2 Gether Now," a hit single from LB's Significant Other album.
And though Limp Bizkit have begun touring in earnest in support of the album, they're most looking forward to the summer jaunt. Because with that tour — kicking off on July 3 in Holmdel, New Jersey — and the acts they're taking on the road with them, Durst and Co. hope to hammer home the fact that they're back and better than ever — and so are their friends.
"Personally, I feel like a lot of rockers don't necessarily go see the urban artists they like at urban concerts," Durst said. "I think it'd be nice to bring the urban artist to the rock place, so they can be in their comfort zone and see some other type of acts."
Limp Bizkit's Gold Cobra tour dates, according to the band's label:
» 7/3 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
» 7/5 - Cleveland, OH @ Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City
» 7/7 - Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center
» 7/8 - Charlotte, NC @ Uptown Amphitheater
» 7/10 - Biloxi, MS @ Mississippi Coast Coliseum
» 7/11 - Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
» 7/13 - Washington, DC @ Jiffy Lube Live
» 7/15 - Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
» 7/17 - Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
» 7/18 - Cadott, WI @ Chippewa Valley Rock Fest
» 7/20 - Pittsburgh, PA @ First Niagara Pavilion
» 7/21 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
» 7/23 - Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Center
» 7/24 - Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
» 7/25 - Boston, MA @ Comcast Center
» 7/27 - Philadelphia, PA @ Susquehanna Bank Center
» 7/28 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
» 7/30 - Hartford, CT @ Comcast Theatre
» 7/31 - Syracuse, NY @ New York State Fair
» 8/2 - St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
» 8/3 - Kansas City, MO @ Sandstone Amphitheatre
» 8/5 - Denver, CO @ Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
» 8/7 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
» 8/8 - San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
» 8/10 - Albuquerque, NM @ Hard Rock Casino Pavilion
» 8/12 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
» 8/13 - Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
» 8/15 - Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre