Gilbert Blacks Out Down Under, Europe, North America

"If you're gonna take it on the road, do it," Gilbert said. "If you're gonna push the music, don't be afraid to put it out there. People around the world get the idea about what we do: these songs are about living life in hard places, but standing up when you do. That's a universal thing, so let's do it."

The tour starts Nov. 11 in Amsterdam and ends April 30 in Lincoln, Neb.

Gilbert also will play Hamburg, Germany's Fabrik, Munich's Technikum and Stuttgart's Im Wizemann before heading to Glasgow's Oran Mor in Scotland and England's Manchester Academy, the Birmingham Institute Library and London's Shepard's Bush Empire

"Music is music," says the man who also wrote Jason Aldean's chart-toppers "Dirt Road Anthem" and "My Kinda Party." "I don't care what you call it, as long as you let me play it my way. I know where these songs came from, what they mean, how they played out - and that is how me and the boys try to bring 'em."

"This is why I do this," Gilbert said. "To take it to the people. I want to rock hard and tell the truth and see it in their eyes. My fans know what I'm talking about, and they come for that reason. It's not for everybody, but it's its own kind of country... and being out in some of the secondary markets, the kind of places I came up, that feels just like home."

Gilbert has six chart toppers - "Country Must Be Country Wide," "You Don't Know Her Like I Do," "Bottoms Up" and "One Hell of An Amen," as well as his two Aldean hits.

Tickets for the arena dates will be on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Nov. 6 with a special presale for members of the BG Nation.

Tour dates are:
Nov. 11 Melkweg Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nov. 12 Fabrik Hamburg, Germany
Nov. 13 Technikum Munich, Germany
Nov. 14 Im Wizemann Stuttgart, Germany
Nov. 17 Oran Mor Glasgow, Scotland
Nov. 18 Manchester Academy Manchester, England
Nov. 19 Birmingham Institute Library Birmingham, England
Nov. 20 O2 Shephard's Bush Empire London, England
Jan. 28 Dow Event Center Saginaw, MI Jan 29 Rupp Arena Lexington, KY
Jan. 30 ISU Hulman Center Terre Haute, IN
Feb. 4 James Brown Arena Augusta, GA
Feb. 5 CFE Arena - University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
Feb. 6 Donald L Tucker County Civic Ctr Tallahassee, FL
Feb. 11 Rogers K Rock Arena Kingston, Ontario
Feb. 12 GM Center Oshawa, Ontario
Feb. 13 Budweiser Gardens London, Ontario
Feb. 18 Huntington Center Toledo, OH
Feb. 19 Nutter Center Dayton, OH
Feb. 20 Turning Stone Resort & Casino Verona, NY
Feb. 24 AT&T Center Rodeo San Antonio, TX
Feb. 25 Chesapeake Energy Arena Oklahoma City, OK
Feb. 26 ASU Convention Center Jonesboro, AR
Feb. 27 BanCorp South Center Tupelo, MS
March 3 Rushmore Plaza Ice Arena Rapid City, SD
March 4 Brick Breeden Fieldhouse Bozeman, MT
March 12 CMC Rocks QLD: Willowbank Raceway Queensland, Australia
April 14 Giant Center Hershey, PA
April 15 Thompson-Boling Arena Knoxville, TN
April 16 Salem Civic Center Salem, VA
April 21 Swiftel Center Brookings, SD
April 22 Bismark Civic Center Arena Bismark, ND
April 23 Target Center Minneapolis, MN
April 28 Resch Center Green Bay, WI
April 29 US Cellular Center Cedar Rapids, IA
April 30 Pinnacle Bank Arena Lincoln, NE