By Brent Thompson

“In the past I’ve asked myself things like, ‘What would it sound like if Thin Lizzy cut a disco record? It’s something I’ve been fascinated with for a very long time, so I finally decided to really go for it,” Neal Francis says in a press release regarding his latest album, Return To Zero (ATO Records). On Friday, October 16, the singer/keyboardist returns to Birmingham for a performance at Saturn. And there is perhaps no better summation of Francis’s sound and vision than his quote offers. Throughout his recording career, Francis has pushed creative boundaries while keeping one foot rooted in ‘7os rock and funk – in other words, he is relevant and reverent at the same time. Like-minded funk and soulsters The Psycodelics will open the 8 p.m. show.

On Friday, October 16, Neal Francis will perform at Saturn. Advance tickets to the 18+ show can be purchased at www.saturnbirmingham.com.