An Evening with the Pretenders

Saturday, July 13, 2024 @ 8:00pm

Count Basie Center for the Arts
99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701

Rock & Roll Hall Of Famers PRETENDERS will headline the 2024 Count Basie Center Summer Gala on Saturday, July 13^th at the Basie Center’s Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre, 99 Monmouth Street in Red Bank.

Tickets, starting at $50 + fees, go on sale to the general public Friday, March 22 at 10am through theBASIE.org, the Basie Center box office, charge by phone at 732-842-9000 and Ticketmaster. Count Basie Center members will receive a presale opportunity starting tomorrow, while sponsorships in support of the fundraising concert are available now at www.thebasie.org/gala.

The Pretenders’ epic live schedule follows last year’s release of the legendary band’s acclaimed new studio album, Relentless, available now via Rhino Records on standard black vinyl, limited edition baby pink vinyl, CD, and digital download. Produced by multiple Grammy Award-nominee David Wrench (Courtney Barnett, David Byrne) at the famed Battery Studios in Willesden, North West London, Relentless marks the second consecutive full-length songwriting collaboration by founder Chrissie Hynde and Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne following 2020’s acclaimed Hate For Sale. The album includes such energized tracks as “Losing My Sense Of Taste,” “A Love,” “Let The Sun Come In“ and the beautiful closing track, “I Think About You Daily,” the latter featuring composer Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead, The Smile), who provides the string arrangement and conducted the 12 Ensemble for the recording. Hailed by Stereogum as a “grand…regretful ballad,” “I Think About You Daily” is joined by a deeply moving official video, streaming now on YouTube HERE.

Relentless was met by critical praise around the world, with MOJO hailing its “persistently brilliant songwriting…surely how Chrissie Hynde always wanted The Pretenders to sound.” “The new prime of Chrissie Hynde,” declared Uncut while Record Collector affirmed the collection in a five-star rave as quite simply “the best Pretenders album in 20 years.”

This year’s gala is presented by blockchain technology company Ripple (www.ripple.com). Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Count Basie Center’s nonprofit mission and student scholarships.

For more information on the 2024 Count Basie Center summer gala, the Basie Center’s nonprofit mission or other events, visit www.thebasie.org.