By Best Classic Bands
Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings have cancelled the 2021 U.S. leg of their reunion tour, citing travel issues in and out of Canada. The Guess Who mainstays had formally announced the “Together Again” North American tour on February 24, 2020, just prior to the lockdown, for that summer.
The U.S. dates had previously been pushed to September 2021. The Canadian shows were all scheduled for June/July 2021 but postponed to 2022 due to the COVID restrictions on large gatherings. Rescheduled dates will be dependent on when all the provinces open up for large gatherings.
Things went so well at several reunion performances over the summer of 2019 that Guess Who fans were eager to see the legends finally share the stage again. A 2020 tour, first teased and then formally announced early that year, was another victim of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The pair issued a statement on August 5, 2021. “It is with regret Bachman Cummings announce the cancellation of the US leg of their highly anticipated tour ‘Together Again – Live In Concert,’ scheduled to occur this September.
“While Randy and Burton have been looking forward to reuniting for their fans throughout the United States, they extend their love and appreciation to all of the fans that were planning to come to these shows, and they cannot wait to see you all again when things are more predictable in terms of travel in and out of Canada.”
Cummings’ Facebook page had frequently indicated, “More dates will be added.” Now, however, the tour is postponed.
“We’re the two guys who wrote and sang these songs and I think people know that and want to hear the real thing. Bachman Cummings are out there delivering that,” said Cummings, in a statement in February 2020. “Not all artists are lucky enough to have this kind of staying power. Randy and I are able to touch Guess Who, BTO and Cummings solo stuff. We still have an audience that wants to hear those songs done by the original guys.”
Though there are no plans to record new music, the pair have organized what has been described as a 7-disc box set, The Bachman Cummings Collection, which will gather Guess Who albums plus other material from the pair. Though there’s no official date, the pair have indicated it’s coming “shortly” from Sony. That’s also now likely to be delayed.
On Jan. 12, 2020, Cummings made a series of posts on his Facebook page. The first teased: “YIKES!!! This guy’s lookin’ awfully happy about somethin’… almost TOO happy if there’s such a thing…” Moments later, he wrote, “Watch for these guys comin’ to your area in 2020…” The post was accompanied by a photo of him and Bachman performing.
Several more posts followed, included a photo of the two of them captioned, “THESE GUYS…,” a reference to the Guess Who’s 1969 hit, “These Eyes.”
On Feb. 4, 2020, Cummings wrote, “Currently mulling over what our setlist is going to look like for the Bachman Cummings dates…tell ya this much…a lotta hit records that people have heard on the radio for years…should be a pretty solid couple of hours…”
Cummings initially fueled the rumour on Dec. 8, 2019, when he wrote on his Facebook page, “‘Rumour has it’ that this might be a sight many people will see in 2020…” The comment accompanied a photo of the classic rock pair celebrating onstage with their arms around each other.
On Dec. 17, Cummings wrote, “Looking MORE and MORE likely now that this will occur in 2020. I’m already mentally formulating a setlist in my head, and it sure does look impressive. A two-hour show composed of MANY familiar radio songs. Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours, I must say.”
As the new year began, Cummings continued to provide hope that the reunion would take place. On Jan. 4, he wrote: “Looks more and more every day like this will happen in 2020.”
The next day, he added, “Seems that ‘both parties’ want this, so now it’s just a matter of timing and logistics. No one lives forever, and methinks ‘it’s time.’”
The pair performed at a Toronto charity event on July 18, 2019, to support Canada’s Walk of Fame. But before that, it had been a decade – 2009 – since the two Canadian-born musicians had last performed together.
On August 16, 2019, at Cummings’ concert at the CNE Bandshell in Toronto, his longtime bandmate surprised the audience when he showed up on stage to perform three songs.
“I found out that an old friend of mine would be in the neighbourhood,” said Cummings to the audience towards the end of his set. “So I asked him would he like to come down and join in.”
And with that, the guitarist joined Cummings on stage, first for a fist pump, then an embrace. “What are we going to do,” teased Bachman. After a brief conference among the musicians, Bachman joked: “I’m trying to learn this song. Does it go like this?” And then came the unmistakable guitar riff that introduces the Guess Who’s 1970 classic rock smash, “American Woman.”
The audience roared its approval. “Seeing as how he’s up here,” said Cummings, “there’s a song he did that has become an anthem in arenas. The song is in the DNA of everyone in the free world.”
Bachman then led Cummings’ band on an electrifying version of Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s 1974 hit, “Takin’ Care of Business,” singing lead with Cummings switching over to keys.
Bachman Cummings 2021 Tour Dates – Postponed (Tickets will be available here and here)
Aug 28 – Winnipeg, MB – Manitoba Unite 150 (Free outdoor concert)
Sep 01 – Fort Wayne, IN – Foellinger Theatre
Sep 02 – Akron, OH – Goodyear Theater at East End
Sep 04 – Prior Lake, MN – Mystic Lake Casino Hotel
Sep 05 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theater
Sep 07 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion
Sep 08 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center
Sep 10 – Rosemont, IL – Rosemont Theater
Sep 11 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center Theater
Sep 13 – Kansas City, MO – Kauffman Center for the Perf. Arts*
Sep 15 – Omaha, NE – Orpheum Theatre
Sep 16 – St. Charles, MO – The Family Arena
Sep 18 – Deadwood, SD – Deadwood Jam
Sep 19 – Colorado Springs, CO – Pikes Peak Center
Sep 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center
Sep 22 – Boise, ID – Morrison Center for the Perf. Arts
Sep 24 – Las Vegas, NV – The Smith Center
Sep 25 – Phoenix, AZ – Celebrity Theatre
TBA – Tama, IA – Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel
Mar 11, 2022 – Windsor, ON – The Colosseum, Caesar’s Windsor
Canadian Dates – Postponed
Jun 14 – Victoria, BC – Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
Jun 15 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Jun 17 – Medicine Hat, AB – Co-Op Place
Jun 19 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
Jun 22 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centre
Jun 23 – Regina, SK – Brandt Centre
Jun 29 – St. Catharines, ON – Meridian Centre
Jun 30 – London, ON – Budweiser Gardens
Jul 04 – Montreal, QC – Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts
Jul 05 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Jul 08 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre
Jul 09 – Summerside, PEI – Credit Union Place
Jul 12 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre
Jul 15 – St. John’s, NL – Mile One Centre
