Colin Hay

With opener Chris Trapper

Colin Hay may be best known as the lead singer for Men At Work and he's justifiably proud of his place in pop history, but since moving to the US over 20 years ago, he's made 11 solo albums and re-introduced himself to a new generation of fans. TV and film have embraced the timeless appeal of his songs -- quizzical, curious, cynical yet openhearted -- and he's continually sold out shows with nonstop touring. But with all the ongoing success, he reckons that Gathering Mercury may be the best album of the lot. "These are some of the strongest songs I've ever written," Hay says about the album released in April. "The loss of my father last year brought an extra emotional contingent to them. I don't have an idea of an afterlife, but I do feel like I had his help when I was writing this album."

Hay's spring run for the new album boasted a string of sellouts on the eastern seaboard -- including three sold out shows in Manhattan. And he's returning to the States after successful touring overseas. The forthcoming US lineup includes August stops in New England and Pennsylvania before heading west in September to California, Oregon, Seattle, Colorado, Washington state and more.

The tunes on Gathering Mercury are deeply affecting, but never maudlin. Despite the often-serious subject matter, the are full of Hay's usual optimism. "It's not a conscious thing and may have to do with the Scottish mentality. We deal with darkness by making light of it."