Jefferson Starship Returns With New Music, Tour Dates

Jefferson Starship has always been powered by many different energies. Now, they're showing off a brand new power source, thanks to their latest single, "Jetpack," which you can listen to below.

The band has been playing the new song this summer while touring with Deep Purple and Kansas and it's also been a part of their own headlining dates. Even in the midst of all of the busy road work, they wanted to give fans a preview of their upcoming album, which they're hoping to release in 2027.

The energetic anthem offers an appropriate soundtrack that feels ready for the concert stage -- and perfectly wired to add to your summertime road trip playlist. It's also a song that mixes in a good amount of history for the group, which first formed in San Francisco in 1974.

The Early Days of Jefferson Starship

The roots of the band, of course, begin with the more psychedelic-tinged Jefferson Airplane, which came together nearly a decade prior to that. From the earliest moments, the sound of the Airplane would continue to evolve as members came and went, so it's always been a fluid experience listening to the group's music.

Guitarist David Freiberg had been a longtime fixture in the San Francisco area, playing with groups like Quicksilver Messenger Service (as a cofounding member) prior to joining the Airplane in 1972 at the invitation of Paul Kantner.

He followed Kantner, vocalist Grace Slick and others into the next chapter as the Airplane became Jefferson Starship in early 1974. By June of that year, bassist Pete Sears had also joined the ranks.

Jefferson Starship - Jetpack — Primary Wave Music

How 'Jetpack' Came Together

More than 50 years later, Freiberg is still playing with Jefferson Starship and making new music with the current lineup of the band, which also features longtime Jefferson Starship/Starship drummer Donny Baldwin.

The group's roster is stuffed with the additional talents of guitarist Jude Gold, Cathy Richardson on vocals and rhythm guitar, plus keyboardist and bassist Chris Smith.

As a bonus, they're also joined on "Jetpack" by Sears.

"I thought it was great and recalled old times - having Pete there, playing his amazing driving bass with Donny," Freiberg tells UCR, noting that things came together fairly quickly working on "Jetpack" in the studio. "[Things were really productive], getting almost all the vocals done -- not even mentioning all the great guitar and keyboard work! What a great day and night that proved to be!"

The new song is their latest offering and the first since 2020's Mother of the Sun, which featured "It's About Time," a cowrite with Grace Slick.

Adding to the historical feel, they recorded "Jetpack" at 2200 Studios in Sausalito -- once the Record Plant, where Jefferson Starship had worked on albums like Freedom at Point Zero and Modern Times. It wasn't lost on Gold, the legends who had passed through the hallways back then. "Fleetwood Mac? Prince? So many great bands recorded there back in the day," he points out. "It's a long list!"

Watch Jefferson Starship's 'Jetpack' Lyric Video

'Jetpack' Takes Music Fans 'Into the Cosmos'

Gold had a song idea that he felt good about, which eventually became "Jetpack." He shared the initial pieces with Richardson, knowing she would dig what he was working on and have additional ideas.

"Jude had written a song around the chorus that was kind of a love song about wanting to disappear with someone into the cosmos," she recalls. "He asked me to take a stab at some different lyrics. I loved the music and the 'Jetpack' hook was really strong."

"I thought about why I would want to strap on a rocket and blast off the planet, and the words just came spilling out," Richardson continues. "We recorded it a while ago with a different ending, but then I had an idea for an outro, and I really wanted to hear the band jam out over that chord progression and go to space musically."

The Inspiration Behind the Song

As it turns out, the space vibes -- and searing guitar work from Gold -- perhaps not surprisingly, came inspirationally from a familiar place. One which also helped to honor another old friend who plays an important part in the legacy of the band.

"I was craving a fast, upbeat, hard rocking song that paid respects to the whole Paul Kantner sci-fi vibe that is such a part of Jefferson Starship," Gold explains. "Paul [who died in 2016] always dreamed of going to the stars, as is obvious by great songs of his, like 'I Want to See Another World' and 'Have You Seen the Stars Tonight.'"

"So, with that inspiration, I wrote a fast rock tune with a fun guitar riff about grabbing a jetpack, getting the hell off this frustrating planet and “watching the ground fade to gray.”

"I sent it to Cathy, and she dug it. She kept the 'Jetpack' line for the choruses but wrote all new lyrics for everything else and sang the hell out of them," he shares. "I love her lines, like, 'There’s this place I’m dreaming of where there’s no rat race to rise above.' And yes, she also came up with the epic space jam ending. That was her concept—that it should sound like a band blasting off full-throttle into the cosmos."

Where You Can See Jefferson Starship Live

Speaking of blasting off, fans can expect to take quite a trip when they come out to a Jefferson Starship concert. It's one which travels throughout the entire history of the legendary group, featuring songs like "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" from the Airplane days.

There's plenty of earworms from the Jefferson Starship and Starship eras that followed as well, from "Find Your Way Back" to "Sara," Stranger," "Volunteers," deeper cuts like "Runaway," from 1977's Earth album and yes indeed, they play "We Built This City" too!

Though their time with Deep Purple and Kansas will wind down in early September, they've got plenty of shows coming up this fall, which you can see below. Richardson and Gold are very enthused about the time they've spent with both bands this summer.

"We absolutely love Deep Purple. This is our third time going out with them and their whole crew is extended family to us now," Richardson says. "Ian Gillan is one of my heroes and he’s invited David and I to come out and sing some harmonies on their new song 'Diablo' every night [which you can see below thanks to Smash Machine! on YouTube]. It’s such a blast to be onstage with them, they just kick total ass."

Watch Deep Purple Perform 'Diablo' With Cathy Richardson and David Freiberg

"They absolutely crush it every night," Gold confirms. "Huge grooves and riffs, plus incredible solos from Simon McBride and Don Airey all night long. They are a very musical hard rock band."

"Fans of the Steve Morse and [Ritchie] Blackmore eras will love Deep Purple 2026. Kansas is killin’ it too — badass musicians, incredible arrangements," he adds. "It’s a fun triple bill and the best summer 'band camp' you could dream of!"

Jefferson Starship, 'Runaway Again' 2026-2027 Tour Dates

Aug. 27 – Bremerton, WA – Kitsap Fair and Stampede Association
Aug. 29 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
Aug. 31 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
Sept. 02 – Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Centre
Sept. 04 – Lincoln, CA – Thunder Valley Casino Resort
Sept. 05 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Sept. 10 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center
Sept. 11 – Des Moines, IA – Hoyt Sherman Place
Sept. 12 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
Sept. 19 – Pittsburg, KS – Kansas Crossing Casino + Hotel
Sept. 24 – La Vista, NE – The Astro
Sept. 25 – Cedar Rapids, IA – McGrath Amphitheatre
Sept. 26 – Saint Charles, MO – The Family Arena
Sept. 27 – Jefferson City, MO – Capital Region MU Health Care Amphitheater
Oct. 03 – Gail, TX – Coyote Country Store
Oct. 06 – Oxford, AL – Oxford Performing Arts Center
Oct. 09 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Lillian S. Wells Hall at The Parker
Oct. 10 – Miramar Beach, FL – Rockin’ in Paradise with Styx + Friends 2026
Oct. 17 – Fernandina Beach, FL – Mocama Beer Company
Oct. 22 - Mesa, AZ – Mesa Amphitheatre
Oct. 24 – Waukegan, IL – Genesee Theatre
Nov. 14 – New Town, ND – 4 Bears Casino and Lodge
Nov. 19 – Newton, NJ – The Newton Theatre
Nov. 20 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena

Jan. 29 – Rancho Mirage, CA – Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa
Jan. 30 – Cerritos, CA – Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
Mar. 13 – Vero Beach, FL – The Emerson Center
Mar. 16–20 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – 70’s Rock & Romance Cruise 2027
Mar. 20–27 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Flower Power Cruise 2027