SoCal band the BellRays release a new single on Friday; set for summer North American tour with Social Distortion

The BellRays, a long-running punk rock/R&B band from Riverside, Calif., will release its new 7" vinyl single - a new take on Motown classic "Ball of Confusion" backed with original song "I Fall Down" - this Friday via I-94 Records out of Detroit.

Formed in 1990 and still led by singer Lisa Kekaula and guitarist Bob Vennum, with bassist Mark Cisneros and drummer Ron Miller, the Southern California group has been doing live internet performances for the past few years and regular touring. The band's take on The Temptations' socially conscious 1970 hit written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong (British alt-rocker Love and Rockets also did a very popular version in 1985) is the eighth selection in I-94 Records' Detroit covers series.

"We were amazed at how timely and current this song still was," Kekaula said, in a press release. "So much of the original lyric content was unfortunately still relevant in America, like racial tensions and political ineptitude."

Musically and conceptually, "We wanted to bring it into a little more modern focus with the mention of the housing crisis, opioids, gas prices and active shooters. It is our way of building a bridge back to the original intent of the song."

Starting in late June, the BellRays will join Orange County, Calif. punk legends Social Distortion on tour through North America. See below for full routing. The BellRays will do a hometown record release party on Saturday at Romano's Concert Lounge (a new location in the Mission Grove area of town).

The new version of "Ball of Confusion" finds the BellRays giving the classic tune a compelling, fast-paced treatment, complete with dirty, driving guitar lines from Vennum. There's a palpable sense of desperation to Kekaula's soulful singing on the updated lyrics about the frequently bleak state of society today. The band also takes the intensity level up a notch with its backing vocals. "I Fall Down" is an equally appealing wiry mid-tempo rocker where Kekaula sings with vulnerability about a relationship. Highly recommended.

Tour Dates:

6/3/2023 Riverside CA Concert Lounge*

6/28/2023 Oakland CA Thee Stork Club*
6/30/2023 Canby OR Clackamas County Fairgrounds
7/1/2023 Seattle WA The Showbox
7/2/2023 Seattle WA The Showbox
7/3/2023 Seattle WA The Showbox
7/5/2023 Vancouver BC Commodore Ballroom
7/6/2023 Vancouver BC Commodore Ballroom
7/8/2023 Edmonton AB Midway Music Hall
7/9/2023 Edmonton AB Midway Music Hall
7/10/2023 Calgary AB MacEwan Hall
7/12/2023 Winnipeg MB The Burton Cummings Theatre
7/13/2023 Minneapolis MN Palmer's Bar*
7/14/2023 Green Bay WI Badger State Brewing Company*
7/15/2023 Chicago IL Livewire Lounge*
7/16/2023 Cleveland OH Beachland Tavern*
7/18/2023 Buffalo NY The Town Ballroom
7/19/2023 Buffalo NY The Town Ballroom
7/20/2023 Detroit MI Lager House*
7/21/2023 Guelph ON Guelph Concert Theatre
7/22/2023 Toronto ON History
7/23/2023 Montreal QC Mtellus
7/25/2023 Hampton Beach NH Hampton Beach Casino
7/26/2023 New Haven CT College Street Music Hall
7/27/2023 Brooklyn NY Kingsland*
7/28/2023 Huntington NY The Paramount
7/29/2023 Stroudsburg PA Sherman Theater
7/30/2023 Sayerville NJ Starland Ballroom (Philadelphia media)
8/1/2023 Norfolk VA Norva Theater
8/2/2023 Charlotte NC Fillmore Charlotte
8/3/2023 Raleigh NC The Ritz
8/4/2023 Asheville NC AVL Festival*
8/5/2023 Memphis TN Mingelwood Hall
8/6/2023 Tulsa OK Cain’s Ballroom
8/8/2023 Albequerque NM Revel Entertainment Center
8/9/2023 Tucson AZ Rialto Theater

All dates with Social Distortion except *

To order the single and for more information, go to i-94recordings.com or thebellrays.com.

To buy tickets to the Riverside show, go to theconcertlounge.eventbrite.com.