American Aquarium Celebrate Chart Success for “Things Change” On The Road
BJ Barham and American Aquarium have pulled off quite a feat with their latest album Things Change. Not only was Barham able to reconstitute a brand new lineup for the band after everybody left but him, he then wrote and recorded what has been the band’s most well-received and critically-acclaimed album to date. Now the initial sales numbers have been tabulated, and it has sold through better than any of the band’s records previously.
Those who believed BJ Barham and whomever he could con to hop in the van with him would never be delivered from the ashes of the previous version of American Aquarium are now having to eat those words. Things Change debuted at #6 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, #3 on the Folk/Americana chart, and #24 on the all genre Top Album Sales Chart (doesn’t count streaming) by shifting 5,200 pure copies into the hands of fans during its first week. This is double any previous debut album sales from the band, and better than most Americana bands are doing in the charts at the moment now that streaming counts so heavily in the tabulations.
Oklahoma songwriter and Grammy nominee John Fullbright produced the new album, as well as played and sang in various places. The new American Aquarium lineup also includes Shane Boeker on lead guitar, Joey Bybee on drums, Ben Hussey on bass, and Adam Kurtz on pedal steel and electric guitar. Though BJ Barham is from North Carolina originally, American Aquarium has acquired a Texas flavor in recent years. Booking is handled by Austin-based firm Red 11, Joey Bybee is known previously for his work with the Texas band the Crooks, and bass player Ben Hussey is from The Damn Quails.
American Aquarium is not sitting on their laurels after the success of Things Change, they’re busting their humps on on the road at the moment behind the release. They left on tour in May, and their latest leg will take the band through the South, through Texas, then through the interior west and out to the West Coast before all is said and done. And don’t worry if they’re not rolling through your town at the moment. BJ Barham and American Aquarium are known for touring hard, and there will be many more dates upcoming, especially after the momentum of Things Change.
Travis Meadows, Susto, Dalton Domino, and Jaime Wyatt open select dates.
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AMERICAN AQUARIUM TOUR DATES:
June 20 – Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle %
June 21 – Charlotte, NC – Visulite Theatre %
June 22 – Greensboro, NC – Blind Tiger %
June 23 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
June 25 – Orlando, FL – Will’s Pub %
June 26 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Pour House %
June 27 – Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits %
June 28 – Greenville, SC – The Radio Room %
June 29 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn %
June 30 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre %
July 26 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theatre @
July 27 – New Braunfels, TX – Gruene Hall @
July 28 – Dallas, TX – Statler Ballroom @
July 29 – Lubbock, TX – Cactus Theater
July 30 – Roswell, NM – The Liberty ^
August 1 – Taos, NM – Taos Mesa Brewing ^
August 2 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater ^
August 3 – Laramie, WY – The Cowboy Saloon & Dance Hall ^
August 4 – Miles City, MT – Rock’n MC BrewFest
August 5 – Helena, MT – Lewis & Clark Brewery ^
August 6 – Bozeman, MT – Live from the Divide
August 8 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room ^
August 9 – Challis, ID – Braun Brothers Reunion Festival
August 10 – Post Falls, ID – Nashville North
August 11 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern ^
August 13 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios ^
August 14 – San Francisco, CA – Slim’s ^
August 15 – West Hollywood, CA – Troubadour ^
August 16 – San Diego, CA – Casbah ^
August 17 – Las Vegas, NV – Beauty Bar ^
August 18 – Phoenix, AZ – The Rebel Lounge ^
August 25 – Fayetteville, AR – Fayetteville Roots Festival
$ – with Susto
@ – with Dalton Domino
^ – with Jaime Wyatt
June 19, 2018 @ 8:23 am
Theyre musik will never be gooder than Kane Browns’ss musik. This shit isnt even on BobbyBones radio show so it ca’nt be even fukkin lit
June 19, 2018 @ 8:26 am
AA is best appreciated live. BJ has a hell of a stage presence and has a furnace fire of passion with his found sobriety. You can really tell that he enjoys the hell out of playing his music for folks. Good for them
June 19, 2018 @ 8:31 am
The new band seems to have injected an extra shot of energy into him as well.
June 19, 2018 @ 8:36 am
Travis Meadows should be with them Saturday in Raleigh too. This show is going to be a bit odd. When I bought tickets it was supposed to be a block party outside of the Lincoln Theater. They got moved over to Red Hat as openers for the Bands Together event being headlined by Walk the Moon. They are supposed to still get a full set, but it’s going to be strange going from Travis Meadows to American Aquarium to Walk the Moon. Not sure if we’ll stick around for Walk the Moon or not. It kind of sucked going from a general admission concert to a reserved seating show but they hooked us up with pretty good seats that were probably double the admission price so it’s hard to complain.
June 19, 2018 @ 11:39 am
So they are gonna get a full set? I forgot to ask BJ when I saw him in DC this past weekend. I wasn’t thrilled when I heard of the venue change in Raleigh.
June 19, 2018 @ 12:35 pm
My reply comment failed and when I submitted again it didn’t make it a reply to you. Supposed to be a full set. See my comment below.
June 19, 2018 @ 8:40 am
Glad to see good music get recognized.
June 19, 2018 @ 9:43 am
It’s a great album possibly the years best so far thank goodness BJ ain’t no quitter.I saw what might have been the old bands last gig in Edinburgh Scotland and there was no sign what was about to happen once they got back to the States.The greatest comeback since Lazarus
June 19, 2018 @ 10:23 am
I was wondering if sticking with the name American Aquarium was the right choice.
Really is a brand new band.
Sometime when a band is so many albums in, you either have your audience, and tough to get new ones because of whatever notions they have of your music up to that point.
Then to put together what could be your best work, I was thinking a fresh start would’ve made sense.
It seems good choice was made and things are looking up for them.
It is a great listen..
I like this along with the live albums as my favorites..
June 19, 2018 @ 12:34 pm
I believe BJ or Bands Together said they were getting a full set. I think I read 90 minute set somewhere. Bands Together said they would be playing the entire new album since it’s sort of a hometown album release party.
June 19, 2018 @ 2:28 pm
Saw the new lineup in DC on Friday night and was really impressed…REALLY impressed. They put on a great show. The steel guitar player is amazing. Definitely worth the price of admission. Although I’ve been waiting 2 weeks-plus on a shirt I ordered from the website.
June 19, 2018 @ 2:51 pm
Who was playing steel? Was it Adam Kurtz?
I think he has been touring with Sarah Shook as well.
June 19, 2018 @ 3:24 pm
Yeah…I just re-read the write-up and picked up that little tidbit. That guy brings it.
June 19, 2018 @ 4:49 pm
I was about to be happy but then I remembered “your” fake news. Per the horrendous grammar can’t put a thought together Facebook group.
Seriously though, good news!
June 20, 2018 @ 7:27 am
I don’t get it.