Alternative rock band 10000 Maniacs formed in 1981 in New York and saw the height of their success from 1987 and 1993, alongside the albums 'In My Tribe,' 'Blind Man's Zoo' and 'Our Time in Eden.' The band prepare for their American tour, after their last release 'Live at the Belly Up,' a live album.

Emo rock legends Hawthorne Heights hit the road across North America with their Behind The Tears: Acoustic Tour! The influential band from Ohio were at the forefront of the mid 2000s emotional post-hardcore movement, with their perfect mix of aggression and vulnerability resonating with a generation of fans seeking music that was both cathartic and relatable.

Rufus Wainwright's lush, theatrical pop harks back to the traditions of Tin Pan Alley, cabaret and even opera. Son of Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, brother to musical siblings Martha and Wainwright, songwriting is in his blood. He remains firmly out of their shadows though, with a folk legacy of his own that includes seven studio albums and a fully-fledged opera.

John Hiatt's legacy reaches far and wide across the Great American Songwriter's landscape. The Indiana native has long been respected as one of the most respected and gifted songwriters of our time, yet his tendency to shy away from celebrity means his music has often flown under the radar, enjoying a steady cult following instead.

Hitting the road in North America this year is Leonid and Friends, the YouTube sensation tribute band to Chicago, Earth Wind & Fire and others, from Eastern Europe! Despite never having seen Chicago live (they never toured to band leader Leonid Vorobyev's home country of Russia), the group became a global hit for their stunning recreation of the music of the legendary American soft-rockers.