It’s Memorial Day here in the USA. The unofficial start of summer, regardless of what the calendar says. And of course the holiday is punctuated by a long weekend. Backyard barbecues, parades, and spending time with friends and family are all highlights of a good Memorial Day weekend. I’ve got all three jamming my schedule this weekend, with 2 BBQs on Saturday, a trip to the shore with old friends on Sunday, and a parade and another BBQ on Monday. No wonder I’m so stressed lately. Even my downtime is a whirlwind of activity!
Memorial Day is more than just beer, beaches, and babes in bikinis, it’s also a time to reflect. The holiday is a way to remind us of all the soldiers (past and present) that fought for our freedoms. Take a moment this weekend to remember them in some small way. Thank a veteran. Shake hands with a member of the armed forces. Say thank you to a member of the military, past or present. They fought for us, so that we would not have to. To me, that’s an invaluable debt that can never be repaid.
Here’s what rocked this week:
KISS TOURING THE US THIS SUMMER
We kick things off with the hottest band in the land making an announcement that they will be on tour in the USA this summer. The tour kicks off on July 23rd and ends on September 24th. Word over the internet is that the lords of rock will be playing the same songs that they just performed on their European tour. That means Crazy, Crazy Nights, I’m An Animal, and Say Yeah will all be played. That will make up for me not seeing those songs last October. I am so in for this show. Pre-sale tickets start June 4th. Prices are still TBD.
RUSHCON CELEBRATING 10 YEARS
I didn’t even know that there was a RUSH con. I know all about the KISS cons (and I’ve been to several of them), but I had no clue on the RUSH con. I’ll bet this will be a fun gathering, especially since it’s planned to coincide with a live RUSH date in each city. Interesting.
REMEMBERING JAY BENNETT
The Jay Bennett Foundation launched this week, on the one year anniversary of Jay’s untimely passing. Also released is the last album that he was working on at the time of his death. Kicking At The Perfumed Air is available at no cost through the foundation. Donations are recommended, but not required. It’s a nice way to remember such an excellent musician.
A RETROSPECTIVE LOOK AT BILLY JOEL’S THE STRANGER
Over at 3 Minutes, 49 Seconds, I stumbled across a damn good review of The Stranger, Billy Joel’s masterpieces album. I’ve always thought The Stranger was one of those extremely rare perfect albums. This review helped me to realize that I am correct in my thinking.
PAPA ROACH TALKS NEW ALBUM
Papa Roach is releasing a new album this summer. Pulling a Poison (and Kiss waaaaaaay before that), Papa Roach’s new album will be part live, part studio. As much as I love Papa Roach, they make it sound like they were the first band to ever offer new songs on a live album. I can’t wait to hear the album regardless. Look for it in stores this August.
For more rock, roll, tour dates, updates, shout outs, record reviews, and general celebrations, you should follow me on Twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie
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