Time on the road for veteran rock icons Angel is drawing to a close. Founding members Frank DiMino and Punky Meadows will lead the band on a farewell tour beginning this summer, marking the final chapter for the influential ’70s hard rock outfit. The tour is expected to continue into 2027 and will include a special appearance at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, on August 7.
The current incarnation of Angel features longtime collaborators Danny Farrow on rhythm guitar, Charlie Calv on keyboards, and Billy Orrico on drums, all of whom have been part of the lineup since 2018. Bassist Tommy “T-Bone” Caradonna, who joined in 2024, completes the touring band.
Emerging during the height of arena rock, Angel carved out a unique identity through a theatrical blend of glam rock, hard rock, and progressive influences. Their striking all-white aesthetic and elaborate live performances set them apart in an era dominated by darker imagery, creating a visual counterpoint to many of their contemporaries. That contrast played a key role in the band’s early rise after being discovered in a nightclub by Gene Simmons of Kiss, who helped bring them to Casablanca Records.
The band’s self-titled debut, Angel (1975), leaned heavily into progressive rock, featuring extended compositions and fan favorites such as “Tower”. Later releases shifted toward more melodic and accessible territory, including On Earth As It Is In Heaven (1977) and Sinful (1979). Across five studio albums and one live release, Angel developed a devoted following despite never achieving the commercial heights of some labelmates.
Throughout the late 1970s, the classic lineup of DiMino, Meadows, Gregg Giuffria, Mickie Jones, and Barry Brandt delivered a run of records that blended soaring vocals, keyboard-driven arrangements, and fist-pumping choruses. Songs such as “Rock & Rollers”, “Tower”, “The Winter Song”, and “20th Century Foxes” became enduring staples for fans of melodic hard rock.
By the early 1980s, shifting industry priorities and declining sales led Casablanca Records to part ways with the band. Internal changes followed, and Angel ultimately disbanded in 1981. Decades later, the group officially reformed in 2019 around DiMino and Meadows, returning with Risen and later Once Upon A Time, reestablishing their presence for longtime fans and new listeners alike.
The band’s legacy was further cemented in 2018 with the release of Angel: The Casablanca Years, a comprehensive seven-disc box set that compiled the group’s complete studio and live output from the label, along with rare material and extensive liner notes.
