The Winery Dogs are taking all of next year off to focus on their own individual projects, drummer Mike Portnoy confirms.
The trio featuring the former Dream Theater drummer, along with Mr Big men Billy Sheehan and Richie Kotzen, recently wrapped up their tour in support of their second album Hot Streak.
Portnoy tells Eddie Trunk on Sirius XM (via Blabbermouth): “We’re basically going to take 2017 off. Richie’s going to do his solo band stuff, and I think Billy says he might be doing some Mr Big activity.
“I’m going to spend 2017 with The Neal Morse Band for the first several months, then possibly a new Flying Colors album and a new Metal Allegiance album.
“Billy, Richie and I have pencilled in tentatively reconvening after next year – and hopefully at the start of 2018.”
In summer, Portnoy said he’d play the Twelve-Step Suite on his 50th birthday Cruise To The Edge which sets sail from Tampa, Florida, on February 7, and he later confirmed he’ll also perform the set at Atlanta’s ProgPower event in Georgia on the weekend September 8-9 next year.
Now he says he’ll take the show to further events and festivals under the banner Shattered Fortress throughout next year.
Portnoy also confirms he’s putting the finishing touches on a live release package for The Winery Dogs which was recorded in Santiago, Chile, which is due to launch in early 2017.
Further release details will be revealed in due course.
Portnoy and The Neal Morse Band will release album The Similitude Of A Dream on November 11.
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The Neal Morse Band 2017 tour dates
Jan 15: Nashville TBA, TN
Jan 17: Seattle Triple Door, WA
Jan 18: San Francisco Regency Ballroom, CA
Jan 21: Whittier Center Theater, CA
Jan 22: Phoenix Nesbitt-Elliott Playhouse Theater, AZ
Jan 24: Denver Oriental Theater, CO
Jan 25: Dallas Curtain Club, TX
Jan 27: St Charles Arcada Theater, IL
Jan 28: Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
Jan 29: Toronto Mod Room, ON
Jan 31: Montreal Club Soda, QC
Feb 01: Quebec City Salle Jean Paul Tardif, QC
Feb 02: New York Highline Ballroom, NY
Feb 03: Washington State Theater, DC
Feb 07-11: Cruise To the Edge, FL
Mar 22: Barcelona Apolo, Spain
Mar 23: Milan TBA, Italy
Mar 24: Pratteln Z7, Switzerland
Mar 25: Aschaffenburg Colo-Saal, Germany
Mar 26: Berlin Lido, Germany
Mar 28: Warsaw Progresja Music Zone, Poland
Mar 29: Hamburg Markthalle, Germany
Mar 30: Verviers Spirit of 66, Belgium
Mar 31: Cologne Stollwerck, Germany
Apr 01: Malmo KB, Sweden
Apr 02: Tilburg 013, Netherlands
Apr 04: Luxembourg Rockhal, Luxembourg
Apr 05: Paris Divan Du Monde, France
Apr 06: Birmingham O2 Academy 2, UK
Apr 07: Glasgow O2 ABC, UK
Apr 08: Manchester O2 Ritz, UK
Apr 09: London O2 Islington Academy, UK
Apr 12 Tel Aviv Havana Club, Israel
May 06: Gettysburg RosFest, PA
