Taste Of Chaos Featuring Jimmy Eat World, The Used, And The All American Rejects

I certainly wouldn’t mind living on the west coast this October. The weather is beautiful, the people are much more laid back, and there is a great little concert taking place in San Bernardino on October 3rd. The Used, Jimmy Eat World, All American Rejects, Mark Hoppus, and Story Of The Year along with several other bands playing an all day festival. This sounds like my kind of day! If you live in the area, or plan to be in the area, I implore you to check out the concert for yourself.Visit www.tasteofchaos.com for more information.

New Fall Music Releases - 2011

Like it or not, autumn has arrived. And while the weather may not be warm and enjoyable, and the cold grip of winter may be closer than we would like, autumn does bring some enjoyable moments. There’s the changing color of the leaves, football, and of course, new music releases. Listed below are some of this autumn’s upcoming albums that I am most excited about.

September

Pearl Jam – 20 Soundtrack – September 20th
While not really a new release, Pearl Jam is going to put out an album in September that coincides with the Cameron Crowe documentary being released in theaters that same month. The album contains notable live tracks recorded during Pearl Jam’s twenty year history. Rare tracks and B-sides are also included. This two disc set will be available on September 20th and is highly recommended for die-hard fans and newcomers alike.

Superheavy – Superheavy – September 20th
Mick Jagger. Dave Stewart. Joss Stone. One great super group. Their debut album drops on September 20th and fans can expect an incredible collection of beautiful sound. What started in 2009 as a bunch of friends jamming in the studio, eventually led to this debut release. Dave Stewart and Mick Jagger have worked together before and have great chemistry. With the addition of other famous band members, expectations are high. The world will know in September if Superheavy can live up to the hype. My money says that they can.

Blink 182 – Neighborhoods – September 27th
With their first release of new music in over eight years, Blink 182 is marking their triumphant comeback. After a long reunion tour last year, the band got together and went into the studio to record Neighborhoods. First single, “Up All Night,” has been gotten a lot of airplay in anticipation of the disc. The song is all right, but I am hopeful that the rest of the record will have more of that classic Blink 182 sound that made me fall in love with the band.

Nirvana – Nevermind 20th Anniversary Edition – September 27th
Getting the much deserved anniversary treatment is Nirvana’s smash success, Nevermind. With unreleased tracks and a boatload of extras, the Anniversary Edition of Nevermind promises to be a real treat for Nirvana fans. I was surprised to hear about the inclusion of unreleased tracks. I thought they had all been picked clean and added to the box set With The Light’s Out. Apparently there were still a few more treats in the Nirvana vault.

Wilco – The Whole Love – September 27th
As the follow up to one of Wilco’s strongest releases (Wilco (the album)), Wilco will be releasing The Whole Love on September 27th. Anytime a new Wilco album is released, it’s an exciting time for music. Wilco is one of those prolific bands that never quite pushed into the upper stratosphere of fame, yet continually release exceptional albums that music fans will love. If The Whole Love is even half as good as Wilco (The Album) was, then the music world will have a real treat on their hands.

ChickenFoot – ChickenFoot III – September 27th
Another super group has a major release in September. However, this one is the band’s second release. Chickenfoot (consisting of members Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani, and Chad Smith) will be releasing their sophomore effort and the rock world is excited to hear what this excellent band has come up with. Their debut album went Gold, and if they continue to build off the success of their debut, Chickenfoot III has a great chance to go platinum. I personally cannot wait to hear this record. I am sure that it will be amazing.

October

Feist – Metals – October 4th
Feist is a band (singer) that I don’t pay enough attention to. It’s not because they aren’t good, it’s just that some bands slip through the cracks, and Feist is one of them. Their new disc, Metals, will be available on October 4th and I hope to be able to spend some time with it and post a review. Metals will be Feist’s first release since 2007’s The Reminder, which contained the huge hit “1,2,3,4.” Hopefully the new disc will continue in that superb trend and have some exceptional music for all of us to enjoy.

Jane’s Addiction – The Great Escape Artist – October 4th
For their first album in eight years, Jane’s Addiction went through several bass players before finally meshing with Dave Stiek. The Great Escape Artist is an album that fans have waited a while to hear. After the tour behind 2003’s Strays, Jane’s Addiction broke up again and reunited in 2008 with no new record to support. Instead, they went on tour with Nine Inch Nails, to the delight of fans. At the end of that tour, original bassist, Eric Avery, decided that the reunion was enough for him and it was time to move on. Jane’s subsequently drafted Duff McKagan to join the band, but after a few recording sessions, there was a mutual breakup. It will be interesting to hear what this new music from Jane’s Addiction is all about. With Perry Farrell at the helm, you know it’s going to be good.

Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire – October 11th
After announcing his retirement from music, Ryan Adams took some time off and everyone thought that it may be the last he was ever heard from. Fortunately, music lovers everywhere can rejoice, because Ryan Adams ventured into the studio and will be releasing his first solo album in years, Ashes & Fire. While it’s only been four years since the release of his last Cardinals record (Cardinology), it has been quite a long time since the last solo Adams record was released. It will be interesting to learn what direction his music has moved toward.

Evanescence - Evanescence – October 11th
Evanescence is another band that I enjoy but do not pay nearly enough attention to. Their self titled latest release hits stores on October 11th and if it’s anywhere near as good as their last album (2006’s The Open Door) then fans can rejoice. Evanescence has been silent for a while and I’m curious to know if that time off has helped or hurt the band. Five years is a long time between releases, but sometimes that helps a band come back stronger than ever.

November

The Beach Boys – The SMILE Sessions – November 1st
Still around after many years of making music, The Beach Boys are releasing a highly anticipated box set of unreleased material, The Smile Sessions. This set includes tracks that were recorded between 1966 and 1967, when the band was at their peak. This set contains the songs that were meant to be the original Smile album as well as unreleased demos, mixes, and more. This is an album that fans have been eager to hear for more than 40 years, and on November 1st, their patience will finally be rewarded. The only question that remains is whether a 50 year anniversary reunion tour will happen.

Lou Reed and Metallica – LuLu – November 1st
Lou Reed. Metallica. Together they recorded an album. It will be released on November 1st. Do I really need to say anymore? I am extremely curious to see what fruit this collaboration will bear. Metallica has done some ground breaking and risky things during their career, but this latest move is the strangest, yet most alluring, of them all. This could be the most anticipated and interesting record of all the fall releases.

New autumn releases…You rock!

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Baseball Edition

Last night, for my birthday, Mrs. Vie got me one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received in my life --- Ken Burns’ box set documentary on baseball. It’s the updated edition that includes two bonus discs covering the modern era. Long time readers know how much I love the game of baseball. This gift made me as excited as a child. I can’t wait to start watching it. I almost called in sick to work so I could stay home to watch the entire thing in one setting. Well, maybe after I start watching it….

Here’s what rocked this week:

The Wheatley Chronicle Talks About The Caravan
Over at The Wheatley Chronicle, I stumbled across an excellent article discussing the upcoming Dave Matthews Band Caravan. Greg Hermann does a great job of discussing the band, the upcoming festival, and most importantly the fans. And since he counts himself amongst them, he knows how great they are from a first-hand experience. I think the four Caravan dates are going to be some of the best things to ever occur in Dave Matthews Band history.

A Man, His Ukulele, And An Unruly Critic
Eddie Vedder has released his second solo album, this one titled Ukulele Songs. It’s, you guessed it, and album with nothing but songs played on the Ukulele. According to Jaymie Baxley at Slant Magazine, that’s not so good. However, what I really love about this is the comments section. Personally, I may have to get a copy of this and review it myself.

Blink 182 On Tour With My Chemical Romance
Teaming up for The Honda Civic Tour, it’s Blink 182 and My Chemical Romance. No word yet on when the new Blink album is coming, or if there even is a new Blink album, but tickets for their tour go on sale tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM.

Every Album Challenge Update
Albums Listened To: 103
Albums Remaining: 1950

For more news, reviews, rants, raves, taunts, chuckles, and some other useless trivia, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Your Next Record With Travis Barker

GUITAR CENTER PRESENTS YOUR NEXT RECORD WITH TRAVIS BARKER: ONE UNSIGNED ARTIST'S CHANCE TO RECORD WITH THE ACCLAIMED DRUMMER & PRODUCER



Westlake Village, CA - March 1st 2011 - Continuing its support of aspiring artists, Guitar Center (http://www.guitarcenter.com/), the world's largest musical instrument retailer, today announced an all-new installment of their groundbreaking unsigned artist discovery program - Guitar Center Presents Your Next Record with Travis Barker. The retailer and Barker are teaming up to give the one undiscovered artist the unprecedented opportunity to record with the acclaimed drummer and producer at Red Bull Studios in Los Angeles. Starting today through April 30th, 2011, unsigned artists (including hip-hop, punk, rock and R&B genres) across the United States are invited to submit their music at YourNextRecord.com for a chance to win a thrilling prize package that includes:
A 3-song EP produced by Travis Barker at Red Bull Studios in Los Angeles • Travis Barker to appear on a the winning artists single • $10,000 in new gear from Guitar Center • Worldwide distribution of the winners music through TuneCore "It is harder than ever to get noticed as a musician, even if you are producing really great material," said Barker. "That's what Guitar Center and I hope to change for one talented artist or group that's ready to go to the next level."

"Guitar Center is incredibly committed to developing programming that provides emerging artists with unparalleled, career-altering opportunities," said Dustin Hinz, Guitar Center's Director of Music and Entertainment Marketing. "We're honored to work closely with so many like-minded artists, like Travis, who share our passion to provide today's most talented artists what they need most -Opportunity."

Guitar Center has commissioned the leading online music company for unsigned bands, OurStage.com, adopting its proprietary competition management technology, to collect and present each music artist's submissions and allow music fans to rank them using OurStage.com's fan judging software, ensuring that the best artists rise to the top. In addition, all artists will be armed with digital tools to help encourage their fans to judge their submissions as well as other great, unsigned artists. As an added bonus to promote their music, TuneCore will be giving all entrants free distribution of a single into iTunes and other music stores. After the submission and judging period, Travis Barker will personally evaluate the top 100 artists and select the winner. For a Guitar Center Presents Your Next Record with Travis Barker teaser, visit http://www.yournextrecord.com/.

Travis Barker is an iconic drummer, producer and entrepreneur whose hits with Blink 182 helped shape a generation of musicians and fans. His anticipated new solo album, "Give the Drummer Some", is scheduled to release on March 15th, and tickets for "I Am Still Music Tour" featuring Travis Barker, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj are on sale now.

Guitar Center Presents Your Next Record is just one of many Guitar Center initiatives created to foster growth and success within the music community. In addition to the first edition of this competition, Your Next Record with Slash, Guitar Center also provides its annual King of the Blues, Drum-Off and On-Stage competitions to emerging musicians, among others.

Ryo's Highly Anticipated New Releases For 2011

As 2011 continues to march forward, it’s time to start thinking about the highly anticipated releases of 2011. The music that is yet to come has me hopeful for another great year of rock and roll. While not a comprehensive list by any means, below are the albums that I am most anxious to hear in 2011. Note: all release dates are subject to change without any rhyme, reason, or notice.

Pop Evil – War Of Angels – Release Date February 8th
Discovered with my friend Bobby (may God rest his soul) as an opening act for Theory of a Deadman, Pop Evil’s debut disc has become one of my favorite albums in recent memory. These guys flat out rock! After seeing them open for Theory, I was able to catch them in a headlining set, which only made me fall in love with the band more. Having played Lipstick On The Mirror many, many times, I am really looking forward to some new songs from Pop Evil. The band is more than happy to oblige and their latest set, War Of Angels hits stores on February 8th. Expect to see me in line with this album in my hand.

REM - Collapse Into Now – Release Date March 8th
Having heard the first single from this album, Mine Smell Like Honey, it’s nice to know that REM is still making relevant music. While the lead single wasn’t anything Earth shattering or life changing, it was a solid REM song, which is what we’ve come to know and love from this band for the last 25-plus years. REM continues making good records, producing good tours, and releasing good music. There is nothing wrong with that formula, and I have no doubt that Collapse Into Now is going to be another solid REM album worth adding to my collection. I for one am looking forward to March 8th.

My Morning Jacket – Title TBD – Release Date: May, 2011
The follow up to 2008’s Evil Urges has My Morning Jacket fans a little anxious. A lot of fans weren’t pleased with the band’s last album. Other fans felt it was the weakest of all My Morning Jacket’s releases. No matter how you add it up, it equals the same thing – the fans want to hear something different. The good news is that bassist Tom Blankenship told SPIN.com that this record is going to sound more like their first three albums. To the worried fans, that’s a sigh of relief. Evil Urges was the first (and only) My Morning Jacket that I bought. While I’m curious to hear their new record, I should probably check out their back catalog to compare that sound to Evil Urges. As for the firmness of the May release date, don’t count any chickens. The band has been slow to record as of late, so that may delay the new album to a fall release.

Blink 182 – Title TBD – Release Date May, 2011
Here’s what we know. Blink 182 is scheduled to tour Europe and the UK this summer. They have supposedly been working on new material for the last couple of months. Blink 182 would like to see a new record out in May of this year (which would be right before their summer tour of Europe). They would return to the states in time for a fall tour. The math adds up and I hope the formula was written correctly. I would LOVE a new Blink 182 album. The band has always entertained me and I was always been a little disappointed that their self titled album was the last record they left their fans. This provides the perfect opportunity for the band to make amends for that.

O.A.R. – Title TBD – Release Date Spring 2011
Rumor has it that OAR has been hard at work on their next studio release. All I can say is that I hope this is true. Getting some new OAR in my hands this spring would be a wonderful treat. The band really took their sound to a whole new level on 2008’s All Sides. Factor in that’s it been over two and a half years since that studio release, and you can just imagine what the anticipation is for some new music. While OAR performed some new songs on last summer’s tour, there is no way of knowing whether those songs will ever be recorded in the studio. What that equates to is a desire to know what the latest sounds like. With a little luck, we’ll all know this spring.

U2 – Songs Of Ascent – Release Date Spring 2011
Much can be made about U2’s latest album. Some reports claim the songs are all leftover from the No Line On The Horizon sessions that are being reworked. Other reports claim that the band has recorded with Danger Mouse. Other reports show that the Danger Mouse is only producing the new CD. Apparently, the air is still being cleared of all these rumors to bring us fact. While their official website does not mention the new disc, we know that the band has been touring and will continue to do so in 2011. Some new songs have been performed on tour, and those new songs may or may not end up on the next album. What I do know is that the last three U2 albums have been fantastic. From All That You Can’t Leave Behind to How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb and the latest No Line On The Horizon, U2 has released some high quality records over the last 10 years. The questions is – can the new album stand up?

Black Stone Cherry – Title TBA – Release Date TBA
While I own (and thoroughly enjoy) Black Stone Cherry’s debut album, for some reason I never picked up their sophomore effort Folklore and Superstitions. I’m not really sure why it was never added to my collection, because I love the singles that I have heard from that record. Perhaps when their new album comes out, I’ll have to pick up both. Black Stone Cherry has been hard at work on their third album for a long time, and early reports all lead to this being an amazing record. Knowing what this band can do, that makes me hopeful for some great songs.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Title TBA – Release Date TBA
It has been almost five years since we’ve heard any new music from The Red Hot Chili Peppers. In that time, the band has taken a hiatus, worked on side projects, dabbled in solo stuff, and otherwise enjoyed their time off. Now they are back in the studio, putting the finishing touches on what I hope is another amazing effort. While Stadium Arcadium was a terrific effort, it came with the limitations that most double albums face. The new Peppers disc is only going to be a single album, which means the band has culled the best songs from these sessions to include on the record. With the amount of time the Red Hot Chili Peppers have had to rest and focus on making great music, my expectation level is through the roof. I only hope that I am not setting myself up for disappointment.

Van Halen – Title TBA – Release Date TBA
Rumors, rumors, rumors. That’s all we have when it comes to a new Van Halen record with David Lee Roth behind the microphone. There are plenty of rumors running rampant all over the World Wide Web, but nothing has been confirmed. However, if the band is going on tour this summer, it would make sense that they would want a new album to support. One can only hope that there is some truth to this rumor and the band has been working in secret to put out a brand new record. I would love to get my hands on that. I guess only time will tell.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Almost Alice - The Soundtrack to Alice In Wonderland

Everyone knows that Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland is out in theaters starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. From what I hear, Depp gives a brilliant performance and the movie is a fantastic one. I have yet to see it, but it is on my list along with Clash of the Titans.

Hailing from that movie is the soundtrack, Almost Alice, which contains 16 songs from the hottest artists around, both well known and new. The Almost Alice soundtrack is a collection of exceptional music that compliments the film. Filled with memorable music that will get multiple listens Almost Alice is a record worth getting your hands on.

Loaded with songs from great artists, Almost Alice includes music from All American Rejects, Owl City, Shinedown, All Time Low, 3OH!3 and Kerli amongst others. 15 of the 16 songs are brand new recordings just for this album. The lone exception is The Technicolor Phase by Owl City.

The disc opens with Alice by Avril Lavigne, and while I’m not her biggest fan, this song is decent and memorable. A solid opening number that sets up the rest of the soundtrack nicely, Alice is a song that you will enjoy regardless of your feelings for Lavigne.

All American Rejects check in next with The Poison. I am a huge fan of AAR, so to hear a brand new song from them was reason enough for me to want this disc. I’m not sure if The Poison is a leftover track from their recording sessions on When The World Comes Down, or if they went into the studio specifically with this movie in mind, but either way, The Poison is not their strongest work. That’s not to say it’s awful, it’s just that I’ve heard better form the band and I was disappointed in The Poison.

Shinedown’s new track, Her Name Is Alice, is one of their best songs to date. Keeping up with all of the masterpieces that were included on their latest disc, The Sound Of Madness, Shinedown hits a home run with this hard rocking heavy hitter. Short in duration, but long in quality, this could be the best song on the soundtrack.

Hip-Hop artists 3OH!3 team up with Neon Hitch to put together the fabulous Follow Me Down. With an upbeat dance rhythm, and fun lyrics that promote happiness and good times, Follow Me Down is an excellent track. The dance beat makes you want to jump up and down and I’m sure this will be a big hit in the clubs and on the radio. Follow Me Down is a wonderful contribution to Almost Alice.

Kerli’s Tea Party is included on this compilation. The funky tech beat and guilty pleasure rhythms make this a song worth listening to over and over again. Kerli is a hot new artist worth keeping your eye on. Tea Party may not be the best song from Almost Alice, but it has such a groove that it gets stuck in your head and never goes away. Kerli has talent and you should be hearing more from her in the future.

The coolest collaboration on Almost Alice is Mark Hoppus (Blink 182) and Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy). Friends for a long time, hearing these two team up for a song was a music newsworthy moment. In Transit is their contribution for this collection and it’s a solid track that makes you wonder if they have any plans for future recordings. With Fall Out Boy on indefinite hiatus (in other words, history) and Blink 182 making no announcements for new music after their reunion tour, this pairing should consider going into the studio together for an entire disc. If In Transit is any indicator, it would be a worthwhile effort and the fans would love it.

Whether you’ve seen the movie, or still have it on your wish list, Almost Alice is the perfect companion piece and a worthwhile addition to your musical collection. Filled with tracks from today’s hottest artists, Almost Alice sings with greatness. Featured music from long time favorites as well as hot new stars that are going to be long time favorites makes it a worthy investment. Almost Alice is available online, at major retailers, and at your local music shop.

Ryo’s Rating: 8 (out of 10).

The Summer Concert Wrap Up: Part One

With Memorial Day arriving early this year (May 25th) and Labor Day arriving later than normal (September 7th), this was one of the longest summer concert seasons in a while. Those 15 weeks of concert bliss certainly did not disappoint. While I missed out on some great tours this summer (DMB – saw them in April, Blink 182 – work got in the way, and Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick – cost too much), I was able to see my fair share of great shows.

This summer my concert list was short and sweet. I hit Bruce Springsteen on Memorial Day weekend, Nickelback (with Saving Able, Papa Roach, and Hinder) in July, AC/DC in late July, and Incubus in August. Not a bad set for the summer.

This summer provided many excellent tours and some great bands hit the road.

Blink 182 made a surprise announcement earlier in the year that they were reuniting and going on tour. They did their best to keep ticket prices low and took some great bands out with them including Weezer, Panic at the Disco, and Taking Back Sunday.

Staind unleashed their Stimulate This! tour in an effort to give fans great live music for a low price. Taking Shinedown, Cheville, and Haelstorm on the road with them was a move that certainly helped and delighted hard rock fans nationwide.

Nine Inch Nails said goodbye while Jane’s Addiction said hello. The recently re-reunited Jane’s Addiction teamed up with NIN for a double dose of WOW! Unfortunately, I missed this concert due to family obligations, otherwise I would have been there. Nine Inch Nails declared halfway through the tour that this was the end for them, and there were huge bets on whether Jane’s Addiction would make it to the end (they did). That was a great pairing for an excellent summer tour.

Incubus was without a doubt the biggest surprise of the summer for me. I went to see them on a last minute whim and had no real expectations of what they’d be like. I’ve always enjoyed their music, but never went crazy for the band. After seeing them live, that all changed. Their performance was top notch. Brandon Boyd is an incredible showman and he has an amazing voice. As a front man and lead singer, his was amazing in concert.

AC/DC stormed through the Northeast this summer. While I got to witness them at Giants Stadium, I would not have been able to do so if a special ticket offer did not turn up. Their performance was incredible (as always) and I’m glad that I went to see them, but they need to rethink their ticket prices if they want sellout crowds. $100 for nosebleeds is not a bargain in anyone’s book.

Dave Matthews Band was out on tour in support of their latest release Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King. A consummate touring band, DMB is always on the road every year, and even with the passing of one of their leaders (LeRoi Moore) last summer, they still are out on an extended tour this year. Always a great band to watch, DMB is an enjoyable summer experience, and for some fans, it’s not summer without them.

Phish reunited and went on tour to the delight of millions (as obvious by how quick the tickets sold out). While there were issues getting tickets at first, things eventually worked out when Live Nation decided to stagger the on sale dates of their future shows. The Phish-heads rejoiced and from what I’ve heard, the band is in top form. The band even gave away free downloads to their first three reunion shows.

Judas Priest hit the road taking hard rock veterans Whitesnake with them. They also offered the opening slot to a hot new band, Pop Evil. If you haven’t already checked out their debut album, cousin Ryo highly recommends it. While Whitesnake had to leave the tour at the tail end due to David Coverdale’s throat problems, the reports from people who got to see the full act were nothing but raves. Judas Priest played British Steel in its entirety and Whitesnake hauled out all the expected classics with one or two new songs.

Other notable tours this summer included OAR, Green Day, Nickelback (with Saving Able, Papa Roach, and Hinder), Billy Squire, Toad the Wet Sprocket, the newly reunited Creed, Bob Dylan with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp, and Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band.

Some concerts this summer were not so great, or met with a very unfortunate ending.

Aerosmith was forced to cancel a tour that started late, was plagued with issues and injuries from the beginning, and had ticket prices that were way too high. Initially, this tour was supposed to be supporting a new record that Aerosmith never got around to finishing. Fans were disappointed, band members were disappointed, and supposedly Steven Tyler fell off the wagon again. He debates that saying he is still clean and sober, but there’s no debating this, the Aerosmith tour did not happen and they are nowhere close to finishing the new album. If you’re not touring, and you’re not recording, just what the hell are you doing?

Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick went out on tour together to the delight of many. The news of this unlikely band pairing sent a lot of fans searching for tickets, only to find that the prices were out of control. On top of that, Poison played their standard tired setlist and the reports were that Def Leppard just sucked. Supposedly Joe Elliot can’t sing anymore and as mighty as Def Leppard once was, it may be time for them to think about hanging it up.

So, what concerts did you get to take in this summer? What concerts were you shut out of? Which concerts do you think were overpriced? Which concerts gave you the most bang for your buck? The guru would love to hear from everyone and get their thoughts on the 2009 summer concert season. And be sure to check in on Wednesday (9/9) when I recap the summer festivals.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Blink 182 Setlist - Opening Night 2009

If you’ve had the privilege of seeing Blink 182 live in the past, or if you own a copy of the limited edition Mark, Tom, and Travis Show, then you know what Blink 182 is like in concert – sophomoric humor, potty talk, and a whole lot of fun for the young. Blink 182 kicked off their highly anticipated reunion tour last week in Las Vegas to a delighted crowd at the Hard Rock Casino. The complete setlist and a video from the concert are below.

I think it’s superb that Blink is back together again. I never liked the way things ended with the band the first time, and I’m hopeful that after this tour, they’ll get into the studio to record a new CD. It would really help to eradicate their eponymous disc as being the last of original material (it was their weakest) and help to re-solidify their career as excellent, enjoyable musicians. Blink 182 will be on tour through the summer, wrapping up on October 3rd at the Borgota in Atlantic City, New Jersey. For complete tour dates visit http://www.blink182.com/.

SetList
Dumpweed
Feeling This
The Rock Show
Easy Target
What’s My Age Again?
Obvious
I Miss You
Stay Together for the Kids
Down
Always
Stockholm Syndrome
First Date
Man Overboard
Going Away to College
Not Now
All the Small Things
Adam’s Song
Reckless Abandon
Josie
Anthem Part Two
Carousel
Dammit (Growing Up)

And here is a video of Feeling This from the show. The boys sound good. Real good.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Seeing Concerts for a Discounted Price

Regular readers of The Rock and Roll Guru know that cousin Ryo is a frugal music lover. I like to have as much fun as the next headbanger, but I also like to be careful with my money and maximize the enjoyment I get for every dollar spent.

With the economy still on shaky ground at best, and everyone’s job status in a questionable state (mine included), it pays to be careful with your hard earned money. Summer is here, which means summer concert season is here, and concerts are my favorite live event past time; even more so than a baseball game, which if you know me well, says a lot.

We all want to enjoy a summer concert when we can, but some of us don’t want to spend a ton of money to see the show. Well, if you’re not picky about where your seats are (RE: you don’t mind nosebleeds or grass blades) then there are several ways that you can enjoy concerts this summer without breaking the bank.

Live Nation
Live Nation is doing their part to help sell out the amphitheater concerts they are promoting. While some fans argue that this only helps those people who “kind of sort of” want to see the show, I disagree. This helps people on a budget have a great concert experience. Every Wednesday (so far this summer) Live Nation offers a new discount on lawn seats with no service fees to pay. The first offered any lawn seat with no fees at all. The latest was a ticket, a hot dog, and a soda for $29.99 with no service fees. All of their promotions have been good offers that would save the average attendee money.

Perhaps you don’t have online availability on a Wednesday. Well fear not, you can always buy a 4-pack of lawn seats anytime and save money that way. Usually the prices break down so that a 4-pack of lawn tickets is the same as a buy 3, get 1 free. Find 3 friends and split the cost of the discounted 4-pack.

Citi Cards
Do you have a Citi credit card? Here’s another way to get cheap(er) tickets through Citi card.For select concerts, basically concerts that were not selling as well as expected, Citi Cards is offering discounted ticket prices when you purchase the tickets with your Citi card. I was able to score dirt cheap AC/DC tickets this way, and there are other concerts being promoted through Citi as well. Blink 182 and the Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick concert come to mind immediately.

They’ve also just started offering $5 lawn seats for select concerts. If you purchase with your Citi card, you can get lawn seats to some pretty good shows for $5. Most notably Cruefest 2.

Bands on Tour
Blink 182 is doing their part to keep concert tickets inexpensive. Working with Live Nation, Blink 182 (touring with Weezer, Taking Back Sunday, and a rotating opening act) made sure that the lawn seats for all of their concerts were not expensive at all (and with no fees). They billed it an “all-inclusive” price and it was under $30. For those three bands, that’s a great price and looks like it will be a FUN concert.

Staind is also doing their part to keep ticket prices low. On tour with Shinedown, Chevelle, and Haelstorm, Staind is charging no more than $40 a ticket for their current tour. With a slam dunk lineup, it’s a great price that will definitely get bang for your buck.

Wait It Out
Sometimes it pays to procrastinate. For certain concerts, usually the big name acts that sell out almost immediately, premium seats go on sale just before the live event date (approximately one week out in most cases). This is usually due to left over band tickets that promoters couldn’t use, or the performers holding back on the great seats in the hopes of thwarting scalpers. These seats are always face value, and while they may not be dirt cheap depending on the performer, they are the best seats in the house, which means there is some serious value for your dollar.

You can also wait until the day before or the day of the concert and try to find someone online that is looking to unload the tickets without taking a hit. If you can purchase these for face value, then you can get tickets without paying all of the extra fees. I was able to attend a Bruce Springsteen concert at Giants Stadium this way once. I waited until about a week before the show and saw two tickets at face value with no extra fees through one of the online scalping sites. I scooped them up immediately and it actually ended up saving me $30 (in fees)

I Heard It on the Radio
As a last resort, there are always radio contests, stations giving away tickets to the hot show in your area. While this is the least effective way to get tickets, if you do win, the tickets won’t cost a dime and the seats will be phenomenal. Radio stations always get seats on the floor, usually in the first 15 rows. My friend Special Ed won Meatloaf tickets for a concert back in 1994 and took me with him. We sat in the third row and had the time of our lives. So, while it is rare, you can win tickets on the radio. Tune in to your local radio station and see what they’re giving away.

Everyone wants to enjoy their summer concerts and everyone wants to be careful with how their dollars are spent. Your cousin Ryo hopes that these tips will help you out and get you at a concert for a discounted (or even free) ticket price.

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Blink 182 Reunion Tour

Three cheers for Blink 182 – touring done right! The first cheer is because they announced they decided to reunite. The second cheer is because tour dates have been announced (which means the tour is real). The third cheer is for the fact they are combating high ticket prices. What? A band working as hard as they can to lower ticket prices? That’s unheard of! Well, hear it now.

As reported on livedaily.com and Rolling Stone, Blink 182 will be launching a summer tour with lawn seat prices at $20, all inclusive. Which means, for once, $20 = $20. No extra fees, no hidden parking charge, no venue charge, no convenience fee, no you bought your ticket on a day of the week that ends in “Y” fee, just $20. No word on what the theater seats will cost, but I’m sure that the boys are doing all they can to keep those prices low too.

Opening acts for this tour include, The All American Rejects, Taking Back Sunday, Panic At The Disco, Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Chester French, and Asher Roth. With the exception of those last two bands (never heard of them until now), these are great opening acts. The openers rotate throughout the tour and no word on which band will open which shows. I’m hoping with crossed fingers for either The All American Rejects or Taking Back Sunday to play New Jersey. One of those bands with Blink for $20 all inclusive? SOLD!

The tour kicks off on July 24th in Las Vegas and runs through October 3rd in Atlantic City. Hmmm, should they call this the Gambling Across America tour?

Want to know more about the Blink 182 reunion or the happenings with the band? Check their website here: www.blink182.com.

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