My 5 Favorite Concert Performances of 2010

With 2010 having just ended, I thought this would be a good time to reflect on some of the great concerts I saw this past year. The grandness of these live performances has me hopeful for 2011. Below are my five favorite shows from 2010. Note – these are in no particular order. You can read the entire review of each concert by clicking on the active links.

Halestorm at the Starland Ballroom
Opening for Theory of a Deadman at a small club in New Jersey (The Starland Ballroom), I had zero expectations when Halestorm took the stage. I had heard of them, and may have heard a song of theirs on the radio (or the internet). What I knew for sure was that they were a band that everyone in rock journalism was talking about. After seeing them perform, I can understand why. I immediately went out and got their debut CD and jumped on the fan bandwagon. Halestorm gave a magnificent performance and won me over that night. It was one of the nicest surprises of 2010.

Dave Matthews Band at Citi Field
One of my favorite bands ever gave one of their greatest performances ever (so great, in fact, that it was released as a double live CD) on a hot summer’s night in New York City. With ingredients like that, how could this not be one of the best shows of 2010? The energy that DMB brought to the concert that night was magnified by the intensity of the crowd. The band played a show that was over the top and much more juice filled than other performances they gave that year. It must be something about New York City, it always brings the best out of the Dave Matthews Band.

Kix at M3
Another sweet surprise for me in 2010. I had never seen Kix live, but was curious about their performance. I made sure to witness them at M3 and I am so thankful that I did. They were the best band to perform at the festival, outshining Cinderella, Warrant, and even the headliners of the night, The Scorpions. Kix proved that they know how to put on a kick ass rock and roll show. They were so great that I would end up seeing them again later in the year. Surprises like that performance are what continue to make me attend live concerts.

From Good Homes – Wellmont Theatre
It’s hard to see a concert in December and have it make your top performance of the year list. In order for that to happen, it must be one incredible show. Well, in the case of From Good Homes, it was. Rivaling DMB for the greatest concert of the year, From Good Homes blew their audience away and performed with a passion that’s rarely seen anymore. You would have thought they were performing in front of 250,000 fans, not 2500. What an incredible gift they gave us with that evening.

OAR – at PNC
Always great in concert, this summer’s OAR performance at the PNC Bank Arts Center was no different. The band always gives an amazing performance. Perhaps it was the close seats we had, perhaps it was hearing such great music on a warm summer’s night, or perhaps it was a combination of those things – either way, OAR was one of the best shows I saw in 2010. They just get better every time I see them live.

And there they are – my favorite concerts from this past year. What were your favorite shows? Comments are opens, feel free to post some.

A Fond Farewell To 2010

This is a guest post from Metal Eddie. Previously the metal one shared his experience at the Nickelback/Three Days Grace/Buckcherry concert.

With 2010 coming to an end I am done attending shows this year. I have to admit I missed a lot of bands on tour. I didn’t go to that many shows. Two missed shows that stick out are Iron Maiden and Alice in Chains. From what I am told by my dear friend Cousin Ryo, Maiden was outstanding and put on a wonderful performance. I heard from a few friends at work that Alice in Chains didn’t miss it beat. They mentioned that it was kind of creepy to hear them because William DuVall sounds just like Layne Staley. So I missed the boat on these shows but we always have 2011 right?

I want to share a few things on some of the shows I did see in 2010. The three most surprising acts were Three Days Grace, Five Finger Death Punch and Shinedown. I was blown away by all three. They are stupendous and a must see live! The most disappointing bands that I saw this year were Buckcherry, Godsmack and the Scorpions. Now I have already reviewed Buckcherry, so let me speak about Godsmack. They are my second favorite band with Kiss still holding the number one spot (more to come on that). Godsmack has been around for over a decade and I have seen them dozens of times. I thought they sounded great. The only problem is that they had way too may fillers. What I mean is guitar solos and just jamming that, to me, was a waste of time. The band has a big enough catalog to play for ninety minutes.

Let me move on to the Scorpions for a farewell tour it was weak at best. They sounded awful and played too many ballads however the drum solo was aces! Now to defend Klaus and the boys, Klaus was sick and didn’t want to cancel the show so I commend him on that.

I would like to speak about Ryo’s post about DMB possibly moving to his number one spot and overthrowing Kiss. My take on it goes something like this. I love Kiss. I have since the first grade and I’m now 41 years old. Do I listen to Kiss every day. No, I do not. Do I have to listen to Kiss everyday for them to be my favorite band? I think not!

We all go through phases of bands that we are into. For example I have been playing Five Finger Death Punch day in and day out for over a month now and I love that band but that doesn’t mean I love Kiss any less. I just saw Shinedown this past Friday (11/19/10), so guess what? I have been playing them more and more. So what I’m saying is your favorite band usually will always be your favorite band no matter what. Just keep rocking out and share your love and knowledge of Rock N Roll to the youth so when we are gone the music will still be here.

I would also like to personally thank Ryo for allowing me to post on The Rock And Roll Guru this year. It was a huge honor for me. I would also like to wish everyone a safe and health holiday season! I will post again soon.

Ryo’s Note: I personally don’t think The Scorpions played enough ballads, but that’s just me! And I would have gotten rid of the drum solo for one or two songs to be performed instead.

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Family Reunion Edition

This weekend my sister and her son are visiting us from Florida. It’s going to be her first time to New Jersey in more than 13 years. With most of my family up here in the Northeast, I don’t get to see my sister as much as I would like to. The fact that she’s coming up with her son to visit for a week means a lot to me. I am very excited to see her and my nephew. She will be visiting with my other brothers and staying some of the week at my oldest brother’s house, then the rest of the week at my house. It’s going to be nice to have most of the family together in one house. All we need is my brother who lives in Atlanta and it would be all the kids together again (something we haven’t done since we were children). I am going to thoroughly enjoy my time with family this week.

And while I was preparing the guest quarters and deciding how much extra food to stock up on, here’s what rocked this week:

U2 Has Added More Dates
As expected, U2 has added more dates to their 2011 North American Tour. Recently added stops include Baltimore, St. Louis, and Nashville, all in July. These shows are in addition to the makeup shows the band already has scheduled for the eastern seaboard. I expect that we will see even more shows added before the year is over. 2011 should be a good year for U2fans.

Prince Is Heading Out On Tour
2 nights at Madison Square Garden. 3 nights at the IZOD center in New Jersey. So far, these are the only five shows announced, and with Prince, you never know what’s going to happen. Tickets are on sale now.

Fathead® Does Music
Recently Fathead, the king of sports decorations for your wall, has moved into the music arena. Now they offering lifelike wall hangings of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ozzy Osbourne, and Kid Rock (just to name a few). They also have band logos, an action shot of some bands in concert, and album covers. These are available in different sizes (with the smaller being known as Fathead junior). Click the link to check out some of these pretty cool products. I wonder if I can talk Mrs. Vie into letting me get a KISS logo for the bedroom. Hmmmm…

For more news, views, thoughts, and might musings, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

The Triple Threat of Buckcherry, Three Days Grace, and Nickleback

This is a guest post from Metal Eddie. Previously the metal one posted about Sully Erna’s solo CD.

We were hanging on to the last days of summer getting pumped to see a killer show of Buckcherry, Three Days Grace and Nickelback. I planned to leave work early so I could pick up my son and bring him to my In-Laws for a few hours till my wife got out of work. I went to get my buddy, Jay, in Rochelle Park and then we were headed to the local gin mill until his friend Mike and Mike’s girlfriend got out of work.

While hanging out of the bar drinking a few beers we ordered Irish Nachos. What are Irish Nachos you say? They are your standard Nachos with the addition of potatoes and they rock! So, the beer was flowing and time was ticking away. The bar was in Maywood, New Jersey and we needed to get to Newark, NJ, which is a decent ride away. We met up with Mike and headed out to the Prudential Center. The ticket read that the doors open at 6:15 and we estimated getting there around 6:45 thinking that the show would start at seven.

We found parking right by the building at 6:40 which left us thirty dollars lighter, but we were off. Here comes the fun! Immediately, we noticed a long line to get in. We heard security yelling to put all chains away, get the keys and cell phones out, guys on the right ladies on the left. I was thinking “What the hell? Where are the good old days of one line in a fast pat down and that’s it?”

As we made our way up the escalator to the first level I heard Buckcherry performing. I turned to Jay and said that there was no way they were on already. It was 6:45 as we made our way to the seats. Buckcherry were finishing “Lit Up”. We were all kind of puzzled about what was going on. Why were we hearing “Lit Up” at 6:45. I’ll tell you why. It’s because Buckcherry came on at 6:15 when the doors opened. How sad is that boys and girls? We missed most of the set list, but we did catch four songs from them.

The stage was a regular stage with a long runway attached to it and a space for bands to rock out at the end of it. For some reason, Buckcherry nor Three Days Grace took advantage of this space. Could it be that they were not allowed to use it?

Here is the set list for Buckcherry who went on first to my surprise:

Talk to Me
Rescue Me
All Night Long
Everything
Next 2 You
Lit Up
These Things
It's a Party
Dead
Sorry
Crazy Bitch

I have to say that Buckcherry were weak at best. They looked burnt out and tired with no energy at all. Is it that they are tired of being a supporting band? Why aren’t they a headline act? Things better change or I think they will lose a huge following.

On to a band that I love and have never seen before – Three Days Grace I don’t really hear much about this band and it’s a shame. They too were not going up and down the cat walk. Why? But they gave one hell of a show for a four piece band. Every song was rocking! They kicked it off with “I Hate Everything About You”. The crowd went nuts singing along to every note. The energy picked up from the lack of showmanship from Buckcherry.

Lead singer Adam Gontier’s voice was on key without any flaws. It was very impressive as was the band. It was like listing to one of their CDs. Adam worked the crowd like a pro. He reminded me of Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden. He was running all over the stage singing his heart out. I hope that these guys hit it big someday and headline their own tour, they deserve it. My only regret is that they didn’t play longer. Here is their setlist:

I Hate Everything About You
Break
The Good Life
World So Cold
Pain
Home
Last To Know
Never Too Late
Riot
Animal I Have Become

Now up to that point I was telling everyone that I didn’t care if I saw Nickelback or not. I saw them open for Bon Jovi a few years back and they were good. I have to admit that I was wrong for having that kind of attitude toward Nickelback. They rocked the house down with a solid sound and strong setlist. The boys were joking with the crowd having a few beers and paying homage to some of their rock heroes such as Journey and Bon Jovi. They also strummed along to Garth Brooks. You can find the setlist below. Like I said they are a great band but there is something about them that I just can’t put my finger on.

Nickelback’s Setlist:
Burn It to the Ground
Flat On The Floor
Photograph
Savin' Me
Shakin' Hands
Something in Your Mouth
This Afternoon
Friends In Low Places (Garth Brooks cover)
If Today Was Your Last Day
Don't Stop Believing (Journey cover)
Rockstar
Animals
How You Remind Me
Too Bad
Encore:
Gotta Be Somebody
Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi cover)
Someday
Figured You Out

Ryo’s Note: I wonder if Nickelback performed Wanted Dead or Alive in honor of playing in Bon Jovi’s home state. What I can’t believe is that Buckcherry went on first and that they started right at 6:15. That last part is most shocking to me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a concert start at the exact time listed on the ticket – not even an opening act. What a surprise that must have been for everyone!

Rush - September 3, 2010

With the threat of a hurricane looming overhead, we witnessed one of the greatest classic rock bands perform Moving Pictures in its entirety with a slew of other hits thrown into the mix. That night, Rush gave a dazzling performance, chock full of great music and funny moments. It was the perfect end to the summer concert season.

Last week, I got to enjoy an evening with my uncle and cousin seeing Rush perform live at the PNC Bank Arts Center, in Holmdel, New Jersey. There was the threat of a hurricane all day and we had tracked that storm for a week, wondering if hurricane Earl was going to wreak havoc on our concert experience, or possibly shut it down entirely.

Driving to the Arts Center, a quick rain squall burst onto my car, and made me nervous that this would set the tone for the evening. It’s not that I mind watching a concert in the rain, I’ve done it enough over the years, it’s just that I would prefer not to see a live show in a torrential downpour.

I also played one of my favorite Rush games while driving to the parking lot. It’s a game called “count the women,” which is a long running joke for Rush fans. Rush is just one of those bands that guys love, but women are not very attracted to their music. It’s geek rock. Rush at the Arts Center was no different – Sausage fest 2010.

Walking through the entrance gates, my uncle, cousin, and I speculated about the weather. We then wondered what time Rush would take the stage. The tickets listed 7:30, but we knew that they wouldn’t take the stage then. My cousin guessed 8 and I was pretty confident in 8:15. So, after picking a spot on the lawn, we made a bathroom/beer/food run. At 7:50, while standing on line for beer, Rush took the stage. I was surprised to see them come on that early.

I grabbed the food and beer and high-tailed it back to my seat. Rush showed a comical movie as their intro, which led into the first song, The Spirit Of The Radio. I was floored. What a great opener! The crowd loved it too and showed their appreciation by roaring at the start of the song. As for sound, the band was impeccable. Geddy’s voice was a well oiled machine, and of course the guitar, bass, and drums were spot on perfect.

Time Stands Still and Presto were the next two songs, and at the end of Presto I turned to my cousin and commented how this was an excellent setlist so far. I love Presto and it has a special place in my heart as being the first Rush album that I bought new. I really got into the band the year Presto was released. Any songs played from that album were going to be a highlight of the evening for me. Unfortunately, the title cut would be all the band would play.



After Presto, Geddy greeted the crowd, “Hello, New Jersey!” He asked where the hurricane was, which drew a laugh and then commented “fuck the Hurricane!” That, of course, got a roar of applause. And once again the hype of the weather was much more disastrous than the actual weather.

One of the highlights from the first set was a new Rush song called BU2B. I had heard that they were playing two new songs on this tour, for an album that is rumored to come out next spring. BU2B was a great song and had me hopeful for a new Rush album. The song sounded like the band is advancing, but not straying too far away from their roots. And it’s definitely not the experimental rock of the mid-80s.

The second set started with another goofy little movie, filmed in the same fashion as the first one. This movie led us into Tom Sawyer and the performance of Moving Pictures had begun. It was an excellent idea to open the second set with Moving Pictures. The crowd was warmed up from the first set, and to come back and launch into the over familiar beats of Tom Sawyer was magnificent!

Moving Pictures was the first Rush album I owned, having purchased a vinyl copy at a yard sale when I was 10 or 11 years old. That album spoke to me and side one was particularly enjoyable. Red Barchetta, YYZ, and Limelight are all spectacular songs, and they sounded brilliant in their live setting. The real treat, however, would come with the performance of side two.

The Camera Eye is a song that Rush supposedly hasn’t performed live in 28 years. I don’t know if that’s 100% true or not, but man did the band nail it. Their performance was a note for note translation of the album version and the crowd was blown away. Witch Hunt was next, and I’ve never been a huge fan of that song, so I sat through it waiting for the big album closer, Vital Signs. It came next, and was superb live. And with that, Rush had given us Moving Pictures.

The rest of the night would continue to be fun, but couldn’t compare to that moment of hearing the album in its entirety. A new song, Caravan, would come next and then Neil Peart’s drum solo (which was as mesmerizing as ever). The night though, belonged to Moving Pictures.



Rush closed the second set with Far Cry, from Snakes and Arrows, which I found to be an odd choice for a closer. I would think they would choose a more well known song, but what do I know? The encore came in the form of La Villa Strangiato (which took me a minute to recognize) and the show closer of Working Man.

Working Man started in a slow, reggae sounding style, and my uncle, cousin, and I all looked at each other with curiosity. What the heck was going on here? Was this the Bob Marley version of Working Man? After the first verse, the song picked up the rhythm and kicked into its correct rock and roll style. Experimenting with a much loved classic is always a bit of a risk, and for Rush it was no different. As this was the last song of the night, I would have played Working Man straight up.

The band took their bows and left the stage, but the night was not over. A third and final film appeared on the screen. The guys from I Love You Man revised their roles as die hard Rush fans and they got backstage at the current Rush concert. Geddy, Alex, and Neil all have a part in the short film and it was funny to watch.

We dodged the Hurricane, we saw live Rush, and we brought the summer to a close, all on the same evening. My second time seeing Rush was an exhilarating experience, and should the band decide a tour is in order for next year, sign me up for tickets.

Setlist
First Set
The Spirit Of The Radio
Time Stands Still
Presto
Stick It Out
Working Them Angels
Leave That Thing Alone
Faithless
BU2B*
Freewill
Marathon
Subdivisions
Second Set
Tom Sawyer
Red Barchetta
YYZ
Limelight
The Camera Eye
Witch Hunt
Vital Signs
Caravan*
Drum Solo
Closer To The Heart
2112: Overture
2112: Temple of Syrinx
Far Cry
Encore
La Villa Strangiato
Working Man

OAR - August 6, 2010

A HUGE thank you to the woman that gave us the free upgrades! Sitting approximately 20 rows from the stage as opposed to being on the lawn for the night was an exceptional experience. It also made me question why I didn’t buy the good seats to begin with.

A warm New Jersey night on the eve of my family vacation was the setting for my third OAR concert. After Live Nation announced a $10 lawn seat sale, Cathy and I purchased them. The price was so good, how could we say no? $10 per ticket with no additional fees, that’s my kind of price.

One of the first things that we noticed upon entering the lawn was how young all of the fans were. I know that OAR is loved by college kids across America, but I have to admit, seeing them all surround us made me feel old – like the creepy guy that’s still trying to be hip. I also felt a little out of place. It was the first time I ever felt that way attending a concert. It wasn’t the type of feeling that would ruin my evening, just the strangeness of being too old to be part of the crowd. However, I guess the old adage is true, you’re as old as you feel, and for the rest of the night, I felt young.

I also noticed how poorly the actual seats had sold. While the lawn was filling up nicely, the theater seats were so empty it was almost a morgue. That was disappointing, because OAR is such an amazing band. However, I reminded myself that I did not buy a regular seat either. $55 just seemed a little too high for me. Apparently I wasn’t the only one to voice this opinion with my wallet.

As we sat on the lawn, drinking our overpriced beer and discussing the average age of the concert crowd (Cathy guessed 22, I was guessing 16), we were approached by a couple that seemed closer to our age. The woman spoke to my wife first and asked if we were together.

“Yes,” was the reply.

“Is there anyone else with you?” the woman asked.

I found this line of questioning a little odd, so I inquired if she was hitting on my wife. The woman laughed and asked if we would like better seats. At this point, my skepticism kicked in, and I was wondering how much she wanted for them. She must have noticed the quizzical glances that Cathy and I gave each other, because she said “Take them, they’re yours. No charge.”

I was overwhelmed. That was extremely gracious. Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I did not inquire as to why she no longer wanted the tickets, I just thanked her, took the two that she gave us, and Cathy and I made our way to the much better seats. My wife guessed that the woman and the man she was with were fans of the opening act and didn’t care to see OAR, and while that makes complete sense, I have a hard time believing that entirely. Either way, it was a touching gesture that I hope to pay forward some day.

The seats we ended up in were amazing – about 20 rows from the stage, almost dead center. Fantastic! A clock appeared over the stage as we settled into our new seats and waited for OAR to come on. The countdown had begun. The huge digital clock started at 10:00 minutes and counted backwards until the band took the stage.

When OAR stepped out for the night’s performance, everyone was on their feet. The lawn was jam packed, and the amphitheater seats had filled in nicely, not sold out, but about ¾ full, which was better than I thought it was going to be.

The band kicked off with The Wanderer and I listened to the roar of the crowd. Definitely not one of my favorite OAR songs, I patiently waited it out and anticipated what was going to come next. When Here’s To You was performed, I started to get worried. That was another song I wasn’t crazy about. I know they are classics and the crowd loved them, but they definitely weren’t my thing.

About An Hour Ago followed, and that’s when the night took off for me. One of my all time favorite OAR songs, About An Hour Ago was one of three songs that I was desperately hoping they would play that night. It sounded stupendous! The band was tight and in fine form.



The hits kept on coming after that. Dareh Meyod, This Town, and an exceptional version of The Fallout (the second of three songs that I desperately wanted to hear that night). The Fallout was performed so well that it had to be the best song of the night. I was a big fan of that song prior to this concert, but after seeing it live, it is now probably my favorite OAR song.



Light Switch Sky came a little later in the set, and it was the first time I ever heard that song. I loved it! A magnificent rocker that the band had recently released as a single, I am now going to have to purchase this tune. It’s a fun song that OAR performed well.

That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker followed, and of course the crowd went nuts. Always a crowd pleaser, Poker was loved by everyone. It was at that point in the night that the youthful antics started to catch up with certain members of the crowd. The younger partiers in front of us had one of their group vomit in the aisle. Then another drunk was escorted out of the theater by security. This was the whole reason that tailgating was forbidden from this show. Some people cannot drink responsibly. We were also only allowed to buy one beer at a time, which was strange to me, but understandable given the crowd.

Mr. Moon was the surprise of the evening for me. One of my favorite OAR songs, I was overjoyed to hear it live. Although I wouldn’t get to hear the third song I desperately wanted (Revisted) hearing Mr. Moon just about made up for it.

The encore is where the band really cut loose, and where my wife fell in love with Jerry DePizzo and became a cemented fan of OAR. Prior to this show, she was on the fence. She loved their music, but hadn’t enjoyed them in concert when we saw them at Madison Square Garden. This night would change everything.

The first song of the encore featured Marc Roberge on vocals and Michael Paris on keys, with no other band members. The song was called Over And Over and it was my first time hearing it. Amazing. That’s the best word to sum it up. An incredible, slow moving song that had a lot of emotion behind it, Over And Over is a song that I really hope ends up on the next OAR record.

Shattered followed, and it’s one of the newer songs that Cathy loves. We both enjoyed that live performance and Marc gave a powerful rendition that really made me feel the song, not just hear it.

Lay Down was next, and during the middle of the song, OAR took their performance to new heights. Perhaps they had recently gone to see Halestorm in concert – I’m not sure what inspired this. Chris started the drum solo for Lay Down, Jerry joined in with a snare drum of his own, and then Mike joined in with his bongos. The three of them played an excellent solo (solos?) for the middle of Lay Down. It was quite an experience!

The moment of the night, however, was still to come, in the form of the final song of the evening, City On Down. As a closer City On Down is an excellent choice. Two out of the three times I’ve seen OAR in concert, they’ve closed with this song. On this night, though, there was a surprise in the air.

City On Down was performed flawlessly, but when it came time for Jerry DePizzo’s saxophone solo, he decided to take it to the next level. He walked off the stage and into the crowd. Needless to say, the crowd went nuts. Surrounded by security, Jerry played his solo while walking the crowd and getting a large following trailing him back toward the stage. His solo was spot on. Even with the crowd at his back, people reaching out and touching him, and security engulfing him, Jerry did not miss a note. Now that’s a saxophone player! It also makes me rethink my decision to list him as a late round pick in Draft Your Fantasy Band. That solo would score him major points.

Once again, as they always do, OAR put on a stunning concert. From our upgraded seats, both my wife and I were extremely pleased. She fell in love with Jerry’s playing ability and I fell in love with the new songs. Not bad for a night’s work. We drove home happy, talking about the show all the way back, and mentally preparing for our week long vacation that would kick off the next morning.

Setlist
The Wanderer
Here’s To You
About An Hour Ago
Dareh Meyod
This Town
The Fallout
Hey Girl
Toy Store
Untitled
Fool In The Rain
Light Switch Sky
That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker
Mr. Moon
About Mr. Brown
Encore
Over And Over
Shattered (Turn The Car Around)
Lay Down
City On Down

Iron Maiden - July 11, 2010

The drunk in the men’s room said it best, “This is serious rock and roll!” And while I don’t feel he needed to repeat that phrase as many times as he did, I totally agree with his sentiment. Iron Maiden is serious rock and roll. And on a hot July night in Holmdel, New Jersey, the band set out to prove it yet again.

Iron Maiden never seems to get the credit they deserve. They are a touring force to be reckoned with. They still record relevant new music. They have a legion of devoted fans. Yet, radio ignores them, music critics don’t take them seriously, and retail record stores barely stock their albums.

But once again, at a sold out concert, Iron Maiden ruled the night. For this tour, known as The Final Frontier Tour (named after their forthcoming album), Iron Maiden were playing a lot of songs from their past 3 records. This initially did not go over well with fans, as message boards were peppered with negative comments. However, as Iron Maiden performed these songs live, every fan in attendance was singing, clapping their hands, and doing whatever Bruce Dickinson demanded of them.

As for the songs themselves, they were played with the power and energy that we’ve come to expect from this magnificent group. Opening song, The Wicker Man, found the amphitheater crowd screaming their lungs out and singing along with every word. The follow up, Ghost of the Navigator, was also well received. These fans were in all their glory witnessing one of the greatest live heavy metal bands of all time.



Maiden threw us all a curveball next. They deleted Brighter Than A Thousand Suns from the setlist and opted to perform Wrathchild instead. It received a huge roar of approval. The song sounded great live and the fans loved the inclusion of the early classic.

The night belonged to the modern classics though. Dance of Death, These Colours Don’t Run, Wildest Dreams, Brave New World, No More Lies, Blood Brothers, and The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg were all performed before another “classic” track would be played. And for all the negativity on the internet, the New Jersey crowd didn’t seem to mind the setlist one bit. Everyone sang the modern hits as Iron Maiden celebrated their last decade of music. There was also the inclusion of one new song (from their forthcoming album), El Dorado. A decent song that has me yearning for the new album to be released.



Bruce made mention of the fact that this show was sold out as well as the next night’s show at Madison Square Garden. He was proud that the band sold out these concerts. I’ve always thought that Maiden feels that have something to prove in the US, ever since the nasty comments Sharon Osbourne made about the band’s ability to tour in the states (back in 2005). It’s that chip on their shoulder that keeps them coming back strong.

We had lawn seats for this concert, and as the night wore on, my personal space got more and more invaded. At one point, I was practically hugging the guys in front of me due to having nowhere else to go. If I were surrounded by gorgeous women, this may have been less of a problem. Unfortunately, my section of the lawn contained nothing but big, sweaty dudes. And when you’re in tight quarters, big sweaty dudes suck.

We persevered and rocked on with Maiden in spite of the heat and sweat. Bruce Dickinson continued to rule the stage and the night. After the new hits were played through, it was time for some older Maiden. Fear of the Dark started a string of classic cuts, and the crowd went bezerk! It’s hard to believe that they had that much energy stored in them.

Fear of the Dark was performed Maiden perfect and led into the big moment of the night, Iron Maiden. By that point, the sing along was intense, and I was feeling the heat and the sweat and the tightness on the lawn. A sea of warm bodies wrapped together on a hot summer’s night is not the best condition to see a concert in. We pushed on though – and Maiden delivered.

Toward the end of the song Iron Maiden we were rewarded with a visit from Eddie. On this tour he was dressed as space creature Eddie and he did the usual walk across the stage, fight with Janick, and then walk back across the stage. There was a new edition, however. Eddie was handed a guitar that he actually played. That had to be the coolest moment in live Maiden history. Eddie played a guitar solo. I was floored.



The encore consisted of three more mega-hits: Number of the Beast, Hallowed Be Thy Name, and Running Free. All were excellent and all were fun. By the end of the night, I was exhausted, but happy. Iron Maiden had come in and kicked all of our asses with some fun, new classics, and old cherished songs. They were worth the price of the ticket.

Setlist
The Wicker Man
Ghost of the Navigator
Wrathchild
El Dorado
Dance of Death
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
These Colours Don’t Run
Blood Brothers
Wildest Dreams
No More Lies
Brave New World
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
Encore
The Number of the Beast
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Running Free

Doug Keith Announces Summer Tour

Great news out of the Doug Keith Camp! Doug is kicking off a summer tour starting tonight in New York City. If you get the chance, you should definitely check him out. And if you haven't done so already, pick up a copy of The Lucky Ones. Information on the tour can be found below.

http://www.dougkeith.com/

NYC-based singer/songwriter Doug Keith will be kicking off a summer long tour today in support of both the newly remixed and remastered re-release of his critically acclaimed 2009 debut album Here's To Outliving Me (in-stores today, and complete with two new bonus tracks, "The Last Time I Was Punched" and "Plenty Of Reason To Worry"), and his recently released sophomore full-length The Lucky Ones (both on Doug's co-owned imprint The Village Label).

DOUG KEITH SUMMER 2010 TOUR
7/13/10 New York, NY / Mercury Lounge
7/14/10 Pittsburgh, PA / Howlers
7/15/10 Rochester. NY / Havana Moe's
7/16/10 Columbus, OH / The Treehouse
7/17/10 Kalamazoo, MI / WIDR
7/17/10 Frankenmuth, MI / The Harvest Coffeehouse
7/20/10 Indianapolis, IN / Birdy's Bar & Grill
7/21/10 Champaign, IL / Aroma Cafe
7/22/10 Chicago, IL / Uncommon Ground
7/23/10 Lexinton, KY / Common Grounds Coffee House
7/28/10 Chapel Hill, NC / The Cave
7/29/10 Charlotte, NC / Common Market
7/30/10 Decatur, GA / Kavarna
WEST COAST DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!

From Good Homes Announces Show In Atlantic City

Some excellent news popped up in my in-box yesterday! From Good Homes is playing a show in Atlantic City on Saturday, September 4th. Labor Day Weekend in Atlantic City? Road trip anyone? Tickets go on sale this Friday (July 9th) at 10AM. The full press release is below.

July 6, 2010- Sparta, NJ- The members of From Good Homes have announced today that the band will perform a headline show at The Music Box, located within the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, NJ on Saturday, September 4, 2010.

The show will be the band’s first headline show since their successful reunion in December 2009 at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ over 2 sold out nights. The band performed as part of The Mighty Music Festival in May. Prior to December, the band had not performed together since August of 1999.

The genesis of From Good Homes dates back to a high school band, when childhood friends Todd Sheaffer, Brady Rymer, and Patrick Fitzsimmons came together in rural, Northwestern New Jersey. Originally called “Old Crow”, and later evolving into “The Dogs”, the core line-up remained. With the addition of Dan Myers in 1988, and Jamie Coan in 1990, the band From Good Homes was fully formed.

The band’s upbeat approach, solid songwriting, and unique sound allowed them to quickly develop a dedicated following on the touring circuit. Bringing together rock, jazz, folk, celtic and jam-band influences under one umbrella, rooted in Todd Sheaffer’s inspired songwriting, From Good Homes forged their own, instantly lovable music. Their unique style prompted one critic to affectionately label the band’s blend of influences as “Hick-Pop”.

From Good Homes released 5 albums during their career- 3 on RCA Records- and performed over 1,500 shows across North America, including two tours with Dave Matthews Band and shows with Bob Dylan, Ratdog featuring Bob Weir, Widespread Panic, Hootie & The Blowfish, Blues Traveler and many more. In 1998, From Good Homes received an achievement award from Billboard Magazine and Irving Plaza for the most consecutive sold-out performances ever (12) at the New York City venue.

Tickets for the show are $35. They go on sale on Friday, July 9th at 10am ET and can be purchased at http://www.theborgata.com or by calling 866-900-4TIX (4849). More information can be found at http://www.fromgoodhomes.com or www.facebook.com/fromgoodhomes

From Good Homes is:
Todd Sheaffer – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Brady Rymer – bass, vocals
Patrick Fitzsimmons – drums
Dan Myers – saxophones, melodica, vocals
Jamie Coan – acoustic guitar, violin, mandolin, vocals

M3 Festival Initial Reactions

As I'm sure you are aware, the M3 Rock Festival was this past weekend in Columbia, Maryland. In the coming weeks, I will be posting full, in-depth, analytical concert reviews of all of the acts that I saw full sets for at the M3 Festival. However, as I prepare for copious amounts of review writing, I wanted to put down my initial reaction and showcase some of the highlights from this year’s festival.

The Shirts
Obviously, a LOT of T-Shirts were worn and seen throughout the day. Wondering what the number one shirt worn at the festival was? Cinderella. Second place went to Kix. There were quite a few Kiss shirts as well, including a couple of button down shirts with the four solo album faces on both the front and the back. Those shirts were cool.

The Food
Kudos to the Merriweather Post Pavilion. The food was excellent. The cheeseburger I had for lunch was one of the best cheeseburgers I ever ate. And yes, I know how bizarre that sounds. My cheese steak for dinner was exceptional as well. I also noticed several food and drink options throughout the pavilion and although the lines were long, the workers moved quickly to keep the lines moving. Well done. My one complaint? The ice cream machine was broken (and there was only one on the entire premises). No ice cream on the hottest day of the year? That sucked.

Best Tent At The Festival
This is a tie between Shiprocked, who was there helping to raise money to prevent cancer and the Gentleman’s Gold Club. Shiprocked was fighting for a noble cause, but the Gold Club had half naked hot women sliding down makeshift poles. That can be very hard to top.

Best Performance of the Festival
Hands down, Kix was the best performance of the day. The energy that they brought to the stage was incredible and Steve Whiteman’s ability to work the crowd shows how a real frontman handles an audience. I am a newly minted huge fan of Kix after seeing them perform. I want to see their full set now and I am making plans to see them as soon as they perform again.

Worst Performance of the Festival
Vince Neil. Someone (perhaps more than one person) actually tweeted that they were leaving Vince Neil to see Nelson perform. I had done the same thing, but I had planned to do that. A full explanation of why Vince was so horrendous will be posted soon.

Overall Rating
Overall, I am extremely glad that I attended M3. I got to hang out with my good friends from Hard Rock Hideout, I got to see some exceptional bands perform (some which I’ve never seen before, others not in a long time) and it was an enjoyable day. Would I do it again? Absolutely.

Check back soon for full concert reviews of Kix, L.A. Guns, Trixter, Jetboy, Cinderella, and The Scorpions as well as a complete recap of my festival day.

Live Nation Announces No Fee June

Live Nation has announced No Service Fee Tickets for the month June. Log onto www.livenation.com and select tickets for certain bands (which is most of them) and get your tickets with no additional fees. Cousin Ryo bought his KISS tickets this way, and there was no extra charge!

If you were thinking about seeing a show this summer, whether it's Dave Matthews Band, Iron Maiden, Kiss, or any other concert that Live Nation is supporting, now is the time to get your tickets! No Service Fee will be available during the entire month of June, but only while ticket supplies last. Log on, log in, and grab your tickets!

No fees means a happier Cousin Ryo. What do you think?

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Memorial Day Concert Setlists

This past Memorial Day Weekend saw some pretty excellent concerts performed here in the Northeast. And although I did not attend any of them, I was planning on going to two until family plans got in the way.

Originally, I wanted to travel to Hartford, Connecticut, with my cousin to see two nights of Dave Matthews Band as they launched their 2010 summer tour. Unfortunately, his parents decided to schedule his college graduation party right in the middle of that two day concert blast, thus rendering it near impossible for us to go. Even if we went to the Friday night show, it was questionable if we would be back in time for his party on Saturday. Thus, no DMB for me.

After viewing the setlist, I am severely disappointed with myself. Check out the two nights they did in Hartford! If this is any indication of how this summer tour is going to be, well, then cousin Ryo has to get to a couple of these shows.

May 28, 2010
JTR
Seven
Hello Again
Spaceman
Proudest Monkey
Satellite
Funny The Way It Is
Rye Whiskey
Shake Me Like a Monkey
Busted Stuff
Kit Kat Jam
#41
Grey Street
You and Me
Dancing Nancies
Too Much
Ants Marching
Encore
Break For It
You Might Die Trying

May 29, 2010
Big Eyed Fish
Bartender
Why I Am
So Damn Lucky
Lying In the Hands of God
So Right
Everyday
Sweet Up and Down
Jimi Thing
Crash (Into Me)
Corn Bread
Stand Up
Needle And The Damage Done
Don’t Drink the Water
Shake Me Like a Monkey
Two Step
Encore
Baby Blue
All Along The Watchtower

The second concert that I was going to attend was at the New Meadowlands Stadium, featuring New Jersey’s other son, Bon Jovi. I really wanted to see the new stadium and I really wanted to hear songs from the new album performed live. However, my friend Mark was throwing his annual Memorial Day BBQ bash on Saturday (yes, I had to do two parties in one day). So back in March when he confirmed that it was happening on that date, I nixed any plans to see Bon Jovi. Once again, I am a tad disappointed in myself. Look at the setlist Bon Jovi performed on Saturday night in New Jersey. Wow!

May 29, 2010
Who Says You Can’t Go Home
We Weren’t Born To Follow
You Give Love A Bad Name
In These Arms
Born To Be My Baby
Just Older
We Got It Goin On
Raise Your Hands
When We Were Beautiful
Superman Tonight
Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen From Mars
Bad Medicine
It’s My Life
Love’s The Only Rule
Lay Your Hands On Me
Living In Sin
I’ll Be There For You
Something For The Pain
Diamond Ring
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
I’d Die For You
Work For The Working Man
Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night
Keep The Faith
Encore
Dry County
Wanted Dead Or Alive
Livin’ On A Prayer

Now don’t get me wrong, I am very thankful for the time that I had with friends and family. Family is always a priority for me, and it was great to see Mark’s family and his young son. That along with all the memory-laning we did when we got together made it a fantastic evening. But, that was some setilist! I’ll need to remember that in July when Bon Jovi returns.

What concerts did you enjoy over the Memorial Day weekend? What concerts are you set to enjoy this summer? Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Upcoming Tours You May Not Have Known About

There are some hot concerts coming around that may not be getting that much attention. We all know that Iron Maiden is going tour. We all know that Bon Jovi will be coming to a city near you. However, there are some bands out there that you may not have realized are on tour this summer. Cousin Ryo is here to help remedy that. Here are three bands that are going on tour very soon that you may not have known about.

Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull is going on a mini-US tour in June, kicking off June 4th in Boca Raton, Florida. I’ve never seen Jethro Tull in concert before and I think it’s something that I’d like to experience. Unfortunately, I will be travelling when Tull is in my area (PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ) so I will not be able to catch them on tour this time around. Here’s the tour dates:

JUNE
4 Boca Raton, FL Mizner Park Amphitheater
6 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Amphitheater
8 Vienna, VA The Filene Center
10 Ledyard, CT Foxwoods Resort Casino
11 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach
12 Atlantic City, NJ Caesar’s
13 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
15 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavillion
17 Canandaigua, NY Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
18 Toronto, Canada Molson Amphitheater
19 Windsor, Canada Caesars Windsor – The Colosseum
20 Highland Park, IL Ravinia Pavilion

Jackyl






Jackyl’s out on the road in support of their latest album, When Moonshine and Dynamite Collide. This is another band that I am going to miss due to travel. They hit my neck of the woods on June 10th, but I’ll be down south. One day I’ll get to see these guys in a full headlining set.

5/26/2010 Monteagle, TN
5/29/2010 St. Louis, MO
6/3/2010 Wichita, KS
6/5/2010 Kansas City, MO
6/10/2010 Allentown, PA
6/12/2010 Comstock Park, MI
6/18/2010 Sioux City, IA
6/19/2010 Lincoln, NE
6/20/2010 Springfield, MO
6/25/2010 Evansville, WI
6/26/2010 LaCrosse, WI
6/29/2010 Houston, TX
6/30/2010 San Antonio, TX
7/2/2010 Lubbock, TX
7/4/2010 Tucson, AZ
7/16/2010 Gering, NE
7/17/2010 Roberts, MT
7/23/2010 West Bend, WI
7/24/2010 Peoria, IL
7/30/2010 Toledo, OH
7/31/2010 Pontiac, MI
8/1/2010 Frederick, MD
8/6/2010 Denver, CO
8/16/2010 West Valley City, UT
8/21/2010 Louisville, KY
9/3/2010 West Allis, WI
9/4/2010 Indianapolis, IN
9/5/2010 Montpelier, IN
9/6/2010 Syracuse, NY


The Offspring



The Offspring are heading out on the road starting in June. No news on if their latest album will be available by then, but the tour dates are below. They will be on tour with 311 this summer.

6/19/10 Reno, NV
6/22/10 Seattle, WA
6/23/10 Vancouver, BC, Canada
6/25/10 Dawson Creek, BC, Canada
6/26/10 Gibbons, AB, Canada
6/29/10 Chicago, IL
7/1/10 Milwaukee, WI (Summerfest)
7/2/10 Maryland Heights, MO
7/3/10 Bonner Springs, KS
7/5/10 St. Paul, MN
7/7/10 Clarkston, MI
7/9/10 Wantagh, NY
7/10/10 Holmdel, NJ
7/11/10 Mansfield, MA
7/13/10 Philadelphia, PA
7/14/10 Virginia Beach, VA
7/16/10 Bristow, VA
7/17/10 Atlanta, GA
7/18/10 Memphis, TN
7/20/10 Morrison, CO
7/21/10 West Valley City, UT
7/23/10 Paso Robles, CA
7/24/10 Irvine, CA

Iron Maiden The Final Frontier Tour - Setlist Predictions

Ah, it’s that time of the year again. The summer concert season is almost upon us. With some great bands going out on the road, I know this summer will be a hot one for the concert industry. One of the bands that I am going to see (for the 4th time) is Iron Maiden. They will be touring in support of a new album, The Final Frontier, which won’t be released until after the show. So, I’m curious. What will Iron Maiden’s set list consist of for this tour?

The last tour the band went on was the Somewhere Back In Time Tour where they played nothing but the classic hits from 1980 – 1989 (with the exception of 1991’s Fear Of The Dark). The tour before that was The Matter of Life and Death Tour which featured the band performing A Matter of Life and Death in its entirety and 5 classic Maiden tunes.

What will The Final Frontier Tour bring us? Let’s speculate, shall we?

It’s almost a given that Fear of the Dark will be performed. The fans love that song and Maiden seems to love performing it. There has to be some new songs in there, even if the album isn’t released when they hit the states. I’m going to say three new songs get performed from The Final Frontier. It’s painfully obvious that Iron Maiden will be performed. Run to the Hills is a safe bet. As is Number of the Beast.

I would like to see Seventh Son of a Seventh Son performed, but that’s just wishful thinking on my part. I don’t think Maiden will perform that song. I also wouldn’t mind seeing that album in its entirety, but I think Maiden is done performing entire albums.

It would be superb to see some 30 year anniversary classics that haven’t been played in a long time. I would wet my pants if I heard Women In Uniform.

So without further adieu, here’s my prediction on what this year’s set list will look like. I have no inside information, just my gut instincts. After the tour kicks off, it will be nice to revisit this and see how many songs I got correct.

These are not in order, just the songs that I think the band will perform on this year’s tour.

Ryo’s Setlist Prediction
Run To The Hills
Iron Maiden
Number Of The Beast
New Song 1 (from The Final Frontier)
New Song 2 (from The Final Frontier)
New Song 3 (from The Final Frontier)
Fear of the Dark
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Brave New World
Wildest Dreams
A Different World
Running Free
Infinite Dreams
The Trooper
Can I Play With Madness
The Evil That Men Do

What are your thoughts? Think you can predict what Maiden will perform for us this year? Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Black Robot To Tour This Spring

Black Robot will be hitting the road this May in what is expected to be the first of several "mini tours" across the US in support of their forthcoming debut album due June 8, 2010 (Formosa Records/Rocket Science Ventures). The band just completed their first video for the single Cocaine, which will debut online in early May.

Confirmed tour dates include:

May 6, 2010 The Key Club, West Hollywood, California (w/ The Head Cat)
May 14, 2010 The Voodoo Lounge, San Jose, California
May 15, 2010 Chowchilla-Madera County Fair, Chowchilla, California
May 21, 2010 Jake’s Sports Cafe, Lubbock, Texas
May 23, 2010 Scout Bar, Houston, Texas
May 24, 2010 Headhunters, Austin, Texas
May 25, 2010 Scout Bar, San Antonio, Texas
May 26, 2010 Midnight Rodeo 3, Abilene, Texas
May 28, 2010 Double Wide, Dallas, Texas

Black Robot founder Jonathan "JB" Brightman was recently interviewed by Greg Maki of Live-Metal.net where he addressed questions about Black Robot's immediate plans as well as his departure from his previous band Buckcherry. The interview can be found at http://www.live-metal.net/interviews_black-robot.html

For more information, visit http://www.blackrobotmusic.com/

M3 Festival

It’s festival week here at The Rock and Roll Guru! This week I’ll be discussing the upcoming summer festivals and highlighting the highs, lows, and all the in-betweens of each. I’ve selected five festivals and will post daily on each. Enjoy!



M3
http://m3rock.webs.com/

Taking place in Columbia, Maryland, at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, the M3 Festival is hard rock and heavy metal at its finest. With old school metal, hair metal, and nostalgic hard rock acts all on the bill, M3 looks to be one of the best festivals of the summer. Taking place over the course of just one day, M3 packs more metal into a short period of time than your old high school metal shop class. M3 is a rocker’s delight.

Ticketing
Tickets are available through Ticketfly, a new ticketing service that is standing up to Ticketmaster. The ordering process is painless and simple, the fees are low and transparent, and the entire ordering process is quick and simple.

Tickets are available in a tiered pricing system from $175 for the best seats, $75, $55, and $35 for lawn seats (all before fees). On the lower end ($55 and $35) these are the best festival prices I have seen for 2010. When you factor in the lineup for this day, it’s almost a no-brainer to attend this show.

Lineup
Going out on what they proclaim to be their farewell tour, The Scorpions are the big headliners of the night. Supporting acts include Cinderella, Vince Neil, Winger, Warrant, Kix, Nelson, and some other 80s metal favorites. For the price of the ticket, this festival would be worth going to just to see The Scorpions and Cinderella. When you add the other top name acts into this lineup, it’s a fantastic day of hard rocking fun.

History
This festival is relatively new to the scene. M3 began last year by bringing top name acts such as Twisted Sister, Extreme, Ratt, Dokken, Slaughter, and others. Fan polls and media reviews show that it was a professional experience, easy to get to, and well maintained. M3 plans to continue the great service in 2010 for year number two. If all goes well, M3 should be back for many more years.

Places To Stay
Since this is a one day festival, there is no camping available at the Post Pavilion. There are plenty of nearby hotels though. The Hilton, Courtyard by Marriott, Staybridge Suites and the Hampton Inn are all within a five mile radius of the Pavilion. Hotel rooms, like tickets for this show, are going fast, so make your reservations now if you plan on attending. A full list of hotels can be found on the M3 web.

Overall
This is the festival that cousin Ryo is attending in 2010. With an amazing lineup of old school glam metal acts crammed into one rocking day, low ticket prices, and an experience that can’t be repeated, M3 is the ultimate hard rock festival. Entering into its second year, the future looks very bright for this rock and roll extravaganza.

Rocklahoma 2010

It’s festival week here at The Rock and Roll Guru! This week I’ll be discussing the upcoming summer festivals and highlighting the highs, lows, and all the in-betweens of each. I’ve selected five festivals and will post daily on each. Enjoy!

Rocklahoma
http://www.rocklahoma.com/

Originally launched as the hair metal lover’s fantasy, Rocklahoma has totally revamped their format and lineup for 2010. Whether that takes away from the experience remains to be seen, but early indications show that fans are not happy about the lineup decisions being made by Rocklahoma and their new promoter, AEG.

AEG took what was a glam metal dream and tried to modernize it in an attempt to increase ticket sales and make Rocklahoma a better draw. The plan may have backfired on them, but only time (and ticket sales) will tell.

Taking place over Memorial Day weekend (May 28-30), Rocklahoma, located in Pryor Oklahoma, hopes to draw a lot of music lovers to travel to middle American and enjoy the festival.

Ticketing
Ticket prices are average for this year’s festivals. The General Admission tickets are $110 for the three day event (before fees). Camping, which is offered on the festival grounds, is not included in that price.

If you are looking for a more lavish experience, Rocklahoma offers a special VIP packages ranging from $290 - $749. VIP packages include PIT access which is located right in front of the stage, a backstage lounge tent (no word on whether the performers hang out there, but food service is included), and special seating in Rows 1 or 2. Packages vary with extra amenities depending on the level of VIP access purchased.

Lineup
The lineup for Rocklahoma is what causes this festival to suffer. While it had the potential to be an incredible festival that everyone would want to attend, the bands selected to play are crippling Rocklahoma 2010. After the major headliners of ZZ Top, Godsmack, Buckcherry, Tesla, Cinderella, Theory of a Deadman, Saliva, and Fuel, there are several bands that you’ve probably never heard of. Rocklahoma is banking on a lot of new, up and coming bands to be a huge selling point to fans. I have to think that it’s not. It’s hard to believe that people would travel from all over the country to see a plethora of unknown bands perform over three days. It was poor selection on the part of AEG.

History
Rocklahoma started in 2007 as a place for all hair metal acts and their followers to gather and celebrate 80s metal. For three years, this was the hair metal festival of choice, held in July. The hot weather did not go over well with fans, and the biggest complaint of Rocklahoma’s past was that the festival was held during the month of July.

Now in their fourth year, Rocklahoma has experience and they know how to run the festival and the adjacent campgrounds. All rookie mistakes have been ironed out and the experience is a professional one. However, with the lineup being totally revamped for 2010, and the festival moving to Memorial Day weekend, it’s hard to say what this year’s festival will be like. One thing is certain; the weather will be much nicer.

Places To Stay
If you are interested in the great outdoors, campsites are available right at the festival grounds starting at $50. The campgrounds include shower facilities, parking for one vehicle per campsite purchased, 24-hour security and night lighting.

Not an outdoorsman? There are nearby hotels where you can stay. Days Inn, Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn, and Econolodge are all within a few miles of the festival grounds. However, with this rock fest happening on Memorial Day weekend, early reservations (as in now) are highly recommended.

Overall
Rocklahoma has to be considered one of the weakest festivals for 2010. While there are some great bands headlining, there aren’t enough solid supporting acts to make this a festival of choice. When compared to M3, Rock on the Range, and other festivals, Rocklahoma doesn’t match up. If you live in the Oklahoma area, this may be a festival worth visiting, but even then, it’s only a maybe.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Bonnaroo 2010

It’s festival week here at The Rock and Roll Guru! This week I’ll be discussing the upcoming summer festivals and highlighting the highs, lows, and all the in-betweens of each. I’ve selected five festivals and will post daily on each. Enjoy!

Bonnaroo
http://www.bonnaroo.com/


Affectionately referred to as the “hippie-fest” by some, Bonnaroo is a four-day jam festival that features multiple acts from every walk of music. Taking place in Manchester Tennessee every June, Bonnaroo is the festival for the music lover. Whether you love metal, hard rock, jam bands, country, hip-hop, or pop, Bonnaroo has had those performers on their stage.

Ticketing
Tickets for Bonnaroo are not cheap, but considering this is a four day event that includes some major name acts, there is a lot of value for the cost. General admission tickets are $235. This gets you a four day pass to the show and includes camping and parking.

Fans wanting a more personalized experience can purchase the VIP package costing $1,350. This package includes 2 VIP tickets, preferred parking and camping near the venue, special shower facilities, a pre-dinner party on Thursday night and other VIP amenities.

If that’s still not enough of an experience, Bonnaroo offers the Total Access Package which includes 8 tickets to the show with special access throughout the site. A private tour bus with sleeping beds, on-site catering, a special on-stage viewing area, and private ground transportation to and from the show are all included. The price of this package was not available, so if you are interested, contact Bonnaroo directly.

Lineup
Bonnaroo’s lineup has always been one of the strongest around, and this year is no different. Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, The Flaming Lips, Weezer, John Fogerty, Jeff Beck, and GWAR are all performing, and that only names a few of the acts on the bill. The lineup over the course of four days is virtually endless. Well known bands, up and coming acts and established groups are all performing at Bonnaroo in 2010. If music isn’t enough for you, there is also comedy performed by some well known entertainers including Conan O’Brien in the comedy tent.

History
Beginning in 2002, Bonnaroo has been hosting this four-day extravaganza for years. Held on a 700 acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, Bonnaroo literally translates into “a really good time.” The festival started out as primarily a jam band lover’s dream, but over the years has diversified in the type of acts that have been added to the lineup. In recent years, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Wilco, B.B. King, Nine Inch Nails, Pearl Jam, and The Police have all graced the stage at Bonnaroo.

Places to Stay
To get the full experience, camping is available right on site and is included in the price of your ticket. A list of camping rules and regulations is available on the website. If camping is not for you, there are hotels available, but not close. Police checkpoints are set up on the way into and out of Bonnaroo and parking each day would be a nightmare. While a hotel can be done, it is not recommended. With entertainment going on all night and this being a festival of friends with some of the nicest people you will ever meet, the camping experience is highly recommended and encouraged.

Overall
Packed with incredible musical acts, comedians, films, and a slew of other entertainment, Bonnaroo really is the festival of choice. While the ticket price may seem a little high, it’s a four-day event of a lifetime. I think it’s worth the price and the trip, and it’s an experience that you will never forget.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Rock On The Range 2010

It’s festival week here at The Rock and Roll Guru! This week I’ll be discussing the upcoming summer festivals and highlighting the highs, lows, and all the in-betweens of each. I’ve selected five festivals and will post daily on each. Enjoy!

Rock On The Range
http://www.rockontherange.com/


Rock on the Range is a lesser known festival that is gaining in popularity and status with each passing year. Taking place at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, this 2-day festival brings out some of modern rock’s best talent. This year is no exception. With Papa Roach, Slash, Theory of a Deadman, Rob Zombie, Puddle of Mudd, Three Days Grace, and Seether all performing over the course of two days, Rock on the Range has some major musical acts to bring the masses.

Ticketing
Tickets for the 2-day event are modestly priced at $100 - $120 (before fees). That isn’t a bad price for the amount of hard rocking bands that are performing. Single day tickets are also available and cost $60 - $70 (before fees).

Lineup
Day one performers include Godsmack, Three Days Grace, Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd and Drowning Pool (just to name a few) on the main stage, also known as the Monster Energy stage. The kicker stage includes Skilllet, Halestorm, and Adelita’s Way amongst others. The Jagermeister stage has some local talent and a couple of bands that are making the festival circuit this year including Helmet and Like A Storm.

Day two performers are just as solid with Rob Zombie, Seether, Slash, Theory of a Deadman, and Limp Bizkit on the main stage. The second stage includes Airbourne, Mastodon, and Coheed and Cambria. The Jagermeister stage has Mushroomhead and Year Long Disaster amongst others.

For the price of the tickets, Rock on the Range appears to be an exceptional festival to attend. With all of that talent, the tickets are a worthy investment. And, if you’re not interested in seeing both days, there is the option for a single day ticket. That’s a great deal!

History
Rock On The Range is a relatively new festival that started in 2007. The first year it was held, the festival was a one day only affair. The next year (2008), the lineup was expanded and the festival grew to a two-day event. In 2009, Rock On The Range expanded even more with the addition of a Canadian version, Rock On The Range Canada, which takes place later in the summer.

Bands that have performed at Rock On The Range in the past include Staind, Motley Crue, ZZ Top, Kid Rock, and Stone Temple Pilots, just to name a few. Growing in size and popularity every year, Rock On The Range is a solid festival for modern rock lovers.

Places To Stay
Rock on the Range offers camping and nearby hotel packages. The ticket and hotel package deals are sold out for this year, but there is still availability at nearby hotels for a discounted price. The Hyatt on Capitol Square, The Crown Plaza Hotel, and The Hilton Columbus. Visit http://www.rockontherange.com/ for details.

Overall
If you’re a fan of a hard rocking stadium show, and if you love the modern rock acts, Rock On The Range may be the festival of choice for you. With affordable tickets, great bands on the bill, and history without complaint, Rock on the Range is a solid festival worth attending in 2010.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

The Summer Tours 2010

Ahhhh! Spring has finally (officially) arrived and everyone is gearing up for the most wonderful time of the year. No, not baseball season (although that is close), but the spring/summer concert season. Yes, another year of concerts is upon us and there are some great bands going out on tour for 2010.

Your cousin Ryo has the scoop on the confirmed tours, some rumored tours, and of course the tour dates and prices for all. Please note, the ticket prices are all before fees. Read on, music lovers, read on.

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
Supporting Acts: Multiple, including My Morning Jacket, Buddy Guy, and Crosby, Stills and Nash
Tour Page: http://www.tompetty.com/tour
Ticket Prices: $50 - $125

Going out on tour in support of their brand new album, Mojo, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers will be on the road for most of the summer. The tour kicks off May 6th in North Carolina and is currently scheduled to end August 27th in Saratoga Springs, New York. The prices are a little higher than I would have expected, but $50 for the upper level seats isn’t too bad, especially when you see some of the support acts that are touring with Petty. With a new album to perform, it remains to be seen how many classic Petty tunes will get their time in the spotlight, but if you’ve never seen Petty live before, then this is a great time to start.

Iron Maiden
Supporting Act: Dream Theater
Tour Page: http://www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=15
Ticket Prices: $26.50 - $125

The announcement of a brand new album (The Final Frontier) came last week coupled with announcing a North American tour this summer. Both announcements made cousin Ryo extremely giddy. I love Iron Maiden and their concert performances are legendary. While it’s going to be difficult to top their Somewhere Back In Time tour, I’m looking forward to new songs and I’m curious what the setlist will be. No matter what, this is going to be one of the must see concerts of the summer. Up the Irons!

Dave Matthews Band
Supporting Act: Multiple, including Yonder Mountain String Band, Zac Brown Band, and Govt Mule
Tour Page: http://www.davematthewsband.com/#/tour
Ticket Prices: $40 - $90

Launching on May 28th in Connecticut and wrapping on September 15th in Minnesota, Dave Matthews Band is hitting the road again for their annual summer tour. While this is always a great show, what concerns me most this year are the ticket prices. Usually the tickets are in the somewhat affordable range, but this year the prices seem to have gone up dramatically. Tickets start in the $40 range and go up to $100 depending on location. The average price is $75. I can’t recall paying that much to see the band in the past. It’s frustrating, because this is the year that I wanted to see them at several locations.

Nickelback
Supporting Act: Breaking Benjamin, Sick Puppies
Tour Page: http://www.nickelback.com/index2.html
Ticket Prices: $43 – 83

Still touring behind the incredible Dark Horse, Nickelback will be on the road this spring, hitting many of the spots that they missed over the past year. I’ve seen Nickleback in concert three times and each time was an incredible experience. They really know how to interact with their fans and provide an evening of excellent entertainment. A Nickelback concert is guaranteed fun and if you have the chance to catch them this spring, you really should.

U2
Supporting Act: Multiple, including Lenny Kravits, The Fray, and a lot of TBD
Tour Page: http://www.u2.com/tour/index
Ticket Prices: $30 - $250

U2 is still out in support of their latest disc No Line On The Horizon. Playing in stadiums with a unique 360 stage setting, this is one of their most ambitious tours yet. U2 have given many memorable concerts and if you have never seen them in concert, it’s worth the price. However, it’s hard to justify paying $250 to see anyone and that includes U2. Personally, I am going to miss this tour, because the cheaper tickets sold in a matter of seconds, and all that are left (in my area) are the $95 and above. That’s just too much money for a band that I have seen several times.

Bon Jovi
Supporting Act: TBD
Tour Page: http://www.bonjovi.com/tour
Ticket Prices: $36.50 - $150

Another band that used to not charge a lot for their concerts but lately have jacked up the ticket prices is Bon Jovi. I love this band (growing up in New Jersey, you almost have to be a fan), but I am not willing to shell out the kind of money that they are asking. Once again, the cheaper tickets were gone in a heartbeat and all that were left were the 3 digit priced tickets. The new Bon Jovi album is excellent, and I am sure the new songs sound great live, but I’ve heard there are no deep cuts on this tour, and since I’ve seen these guys live more than once, I can miss out on this one.

Papa Roach
Supporting Act: TBD
Tour Page: http://www.paparoach.com/events
Ticket Prices: $25

Papa Roach is a great live band with affordable ticket prices. What more needs to be said? These guys rock like many bands wish they could. Every time I’ve seen Papa Roach, it’s been a concert experience. If they are coming to your town, go see them.

The Eagles
Supporting Act: The Dixie Chicks, Keith Urban
Tour Page: http://www.eaglesband.com/tour.php
Ticket Prices: $55 - $180

Still out in support of Long Road Out Of Eden The Eagles will be bringing two big acts with them, The Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban. Seeing as I am not a fan of either of those bands, nor am I fan of their new album, I will be missing this concert. However, The Eagles are one of those legendary bands and the one time I saw them in concert, it was amazing. If you like the new album and/or the supporting acts, you should think about attending this show.

The Scorpions
Supporting Act: TBD
Tour Page: http://www.the-scorpions.com/english
Ticket Prices: TBD

Touring in support of a new album which is supposed to be their last, The Scorpions are heading out on their farewell tour. While I will be seeing them at M3 this year, the Scorpions will be touring everywhere. As of this writing, tour details are still being worked out, so there is no information on the ticket prices or the support acts yet. However, keep checking their webpage, as information is going to be up soon.

Cinderella
Supporting Act: TBD
Tour Page: Coming Soon
Ticket Prices: TBD

According to their webpage, Cinderella will be touring in 2010. They are already scheduled to appear at the M3 Festival in Columbia, Maryland. An announcement regarding other tour dates is expected in the coming weeks. I’m hopeful that they will team up with other great metal acts of the 80s (Winger, Trixter, or Poison would be nice), but details remain to be seen.

And there you have it. The hot, anticipated tours for this coming summer. Are you going to see any of them? Looking forward to certain ones? Drop a line and let the Guru know.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Labels: Tickets, ticket prices, concerts, Iron Maiden, The Eagles, Cinderella, The Scorpions, Tom Petty, Dave Matthews Band, Papa Roach, U2, Nickelback, Bon Jovi