The “Arena Rock Spectacular” has announced world renowned guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal will be a special guest performer April 17th at the Mason City Arena.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The band, “The Trip,” based in Orange County, California and one of two bands featured for the “Arena Rock Spectacular” has announced world renowned guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal will be a special guest performer April 17th at the Mason City Arena. “Bumblefoot” is currently a member of the national touring band, “Asia,” also “Sons of Apollo,” and former member of the world famous “Guns and Roses.” Check out his bio below.

Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal is an award-winning vocalist, songwriter, producer, and world-renowned guitar virtuoso, with over 25 years of releasing music, playing international festivals and headlining tours, and gracing magazine covers as a solo artist.

Bumblefoot is lead singer and guitarist of the legendary progressive rock band Asia (with Geoff Downes, Carl Palmer and Billy Sherwood), and guitarist of progressive rock band Sons Of Apollo (with Mike Portnoy, Derek Sherinian, Billy Sheehan and Jeff Scott Soto. Formerly lead guitarist of rock groups Art Of Anarchy (2011 – 2017, including STP/Velvet Revolver vocalist Scott Weiland, Creed vocalist Scott Stapp and Disturbed bassist John Moyer) and Guns N’ Roses (2006 – 2014), Bumblefoot toured sold-out shows all over the world, headlining festivals with crowds up to 150,000. Bumblefoot’s unique ‘fretless guitar’ can be heard throughout Guns N’ Roses’ 2008 Chinese Democracy album.

Bumblefoot’s recent Little Brother Is Watching album is an eccentric, upbeat collection of epic rock with haunting melodies, huge choruses and witty lyrics about life in the digital age and beyond. The album was composed, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Bumblefoot at his own studio, and includes a crowd of 100 fans stomping, chanting and singing backing vocals recorded at a listening party in New York. The album peaked at #4 on Amazon.com Rock charts globally. The album is released on David Ellefson’s (Megadeth bassist) EMP Record Label, now available in retail on CD and vinyl. Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/album/6n4bDYcL2joc9QsbHNgw33

Bumblefoot is also an accomplished composer whose music is often heard in TV, film and video games, including the theme song to VH1’s “That Metal Show”. Bumblefoot is an Adjunct Professor at SUNY Purchase College teaching music production, runs international “Bumblefoot Music Camps”, works with U.S. Embassies around the world on cross-cultural music programs, has his own line of award-winning hot sauces, and works with dozens of international charities visiting orphanages and children’s hospitals around the world with guitar in hand.

*Voted #1 in “100 Greatest Hard Rock/Metal Guitarists” (JUL 2005 – Digital Dreamdoor)

*Voted “2005 Guitarist Of The Year” (JAN 2006 – Guitar Part magazine France)

*Voted #4 in “The 20 greatest shred guitarists of all time” (JUN 2011 – MusicRadar / Total Guitar magazine)

*Listed in “The 16 best rock guitarists in the world right now” (DEC 2017 – MusicRadar)

*Voted “Best Guitarist Of 2017” (MAY 2018 – Sounds Like New magazine)

*Listed in “The 11 best prog guitarists in the world right now” (DEC 2018 – MusicRadar)

*Voted in 2020 Readers’ Poll “Top 10 Best Guitarists” (JAN 2021 – PROG magazine)