New Music Monday Featuring Nickelback, Factory Edge, and Alan Getto

Welcome to another edition of New Music Monday. This week we have the latest from Nickelback, great alternative rock from Factory Edge, and a bluesy number from Alan Getto. Check them out!

Nickelback – Song On Fire

Nickelback released their brand-new album, Feed The Machine on Friday. The video for the lead single, “Song On Fire” is below. This is another great Nickelback song from another great Nickelback album. Not much else needs to be said. When it comes to Nickelback, the band just keeps churning out the hits.

Factory Edge – Hold On Tight

Next up is Brooklyn-based alternative rockers, Factory Edge with “Hold On Tight.” This song is from their second album, Sunset Park which is due out on August 4^th. This is a terrific song with a great beat that you are bound to love. Check it out below.

Alan Getto – Change

Last up for this edition of New Music Monday is “Change” by Alan Getto. This is a perfectly pessimistic song about perseverance. Getto sings about how the mundane needs to be done every day and somehow we find a way to survive it and wake up for another day. “Change” is a great song that everyone should sing along with during their Monday morning commute.

Concert Review: Nickelback - February 14, 2015

Prior to Valentine’s Day, I had never been to the PPL Arena in Allentown, Pennsylvania. My first visit was definitely a memorable one. As my wife and I made the long drive down quiet secondary roads, we kept an eye on the weather, as snow was in the forecast. It wasn’t a major storm, nor a blizzard, but dangerous winds and up to 3 inches of snow was being forecasted for the ride home from the concert. 3 inches of snow didn’t really bother me, and I figured that our ride home would be slower than usual, but ultimately no big deal.

We got to the arena early. Since we had never been there before, we wanted to allow for time to park and walk around the arena, taking in the sights, and of course find which beer stands were the best to visit. After making our way to the floor and locating our seats, Cathy and I headed out to the halls on a beer run. After a quick lap around, I settled on a Labatt’s stand. We were quickly greeted by a hard rocking dude and his leather clad girlfriend. The dude was clearly tanked, and I wonder if he even remembered a moment of the concert, let alone talking to us in line. His girlfriend/wife/significant other was very sweet, and while I entertained the drinking man, making sure he didn’t fall over, Cathy and the woman carried on a nice conversation. And the dude was nice enough to buy our beers, after we promised to pay it forward at some point in time, and not to spill a drop. With both promises made, we made a polite departure to the merchandise stand for price checking and people watching.

FYI: T-shirts are up to $40 now. I remember when they were half that price, but I’m old, I know. Hoodie sweatshirts were going for $70 and much to my disappointment there were no beanies or winter hats on sale. How you go out on tour in the Northeast in the middle of winter and do not offer warm hats for sale is beyond me, but I am not the merchandise manager for Nickelback. However, in the event that he/she is reading this, sell some winter hats! You would have made a killing that night.

We were back on the floor and in our seats with plenty of time to see The Pretty Reckless open the show. Cathy hated them from the opening note. They were too hard and too metal for her liking. I, on the other hand, was absorbing their set and reserving judgment until it was over. I did not know much about this band prior to their opening slot, but I had heard of them. Turns out they’ve been around for 6 years and have released 2 albums and 1 EP. Not a bad little career launch.

Their stage show was dark and gloomy by design. Deep purple and crimson lighting was used for the stage and rarely did the white lights illuminate the area in front of lead singer, Taylor Mosmen. She is a good lead singer and was working the crowd as best she could during their limited 30 minute set. For the most part, The Pretty Reckless had to let the music do their talking, and while my wife would disagree, I would say that it did. By the end of their set, the arena was full and everyone was on their feet applauding their appreciation for the opening act---a rare occurrence in the world of rock and roll. After seeing their live performance, I decided that I would definitely have to check out more of their music in the near future.

After a longer than usual wait time between bands, the house lights went dark at 9:18. It was time for the main event! It had been five years since we last saw them in concert, so Cathy and I were extra amped for this particular show. Nickelback took the stage with a roar and ripped into their opening song, “A Million Miles An Hour.” It was a great selection to open the tour, as it is the first song on their latest record. The band performed it with a ferocity and intensity that told the crowd it felt great to be back on the road.

If you’ve never seen Nickelback’s live show, I implore you to check them out for this tour. They are performing in just about every inch of North America, so there is bound to be a show near you, and they are absolutely amazing in concert. Even though five years had passed since the last time I saw them, they haven’t lost any of their charisma or ability at all. If anything, they’ve only gotten that much better. Chad Kroeger was his usual engaging self, addressing the raucous crowd in between each song. He acknowledged that the band had not been in Allentown for a long time and they were making that up to the town by performing the opening night of their world tour there. In the usual rockstar fashion, he told us several times that there was no place else he would rather be at and that he hadn’t heard a crowd this great in a long time. That line has to be in the rockstar handbook under page one.

Even though it was the first show of a long tour, the band was in mid-season form. Some minor hitches could be spotted by the trained eye, but they were few and far between. As seasoned veterans of the stage, Nickelback knows how to entertain and work their way through any glitches so they appeared planned and go unnoticed by almost all. And the Allentown crowd was primed for a hard rocking Saturday night, which was just what they got.

“Hero” was played for the first time in 10 years as noted by Chad. The song was performed flawlessly, and it was great to hear it live. I had forgotten about that gem (available on the first Spider-Man soundtrack) he recorded with Josey Scott from Saliva. Other highlights included a fantastic cover of the Foo Fighters “Everlong,” with lead vocals from guitarist Ryan Peake. I figured Nickelback would perform at least one cover, but never would have predicted a Foo Fighters song. Fan favorites “Gotta Be Somebody,” “Far Away,” and “RockStar” were also played without error, sounding like the masterpieces they are.

The infamous beer toss returned with a twist. Normally during the beer toss (where the band literally tosses cups of beer into the crowd) the road crew tosses out the beer while the band performs an instrumental accompaniment. On this night however, Chad wanted to partake in the tossing festivities. While the rest of the band performed Metallica as the backdrop, Chad and some road crew members tossed cups of beer into the crowd, cheering them on when they were actually caught (which was rare). It was an extremely enjoyable moment, even though Cathy and I were not close enough to catch any cups ourselves.

The show continued with a stupendous performance of the megahit “Someday” followed by an impromptu performance of The Eagles “Take It Easy” (first verse) and “Hotel California” where a man in the front row sang lead vocals while the band plowed through the first verse of that song. Mr. Front Row knew most of the words and the crowd filled in where they could before the song ultimately fell apart just prior to the hook. That is one of the things that is so cool about Nickelback, they are not afraid to take those kind of chances. It was clear that the band was having a great time on stage and it resonated with the crowd.

And while overall, the show was amazing, there were a few downsides, although not many. The main thing that disappointed me was the band’s decision to only perform 3 songs from “No Fixed Address.” Their latest album is chock full of hits, but the band limited their performance selection to “Million Miles An Hour,” “Edge Of A Revolution,” and “She Keeps Me Up.” They avoided the ballads of the album and did not perform the best song of the record “Sister Sin.”

It may be the curse of a band with so many hits, but they also didn’t perform some of their biggest hits, including “Figured You Out.” I know that when you have as many blockbuster songs as Nickleback does that it is hard to perform them all, but I really thought that “Figured You Out” would be played that night. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. Perhaps as the tour goes on, Nickelback will mix up the set and add in additional new songs. Only time will tell.

As for our ride home, it was absolutely horrendous. It’s hard to believe that 3 inches of snow can wreck so much havoc on the roads, but that was the case. None of the roads we travelled were treated and it took us almost 3 hours to get home, for what would normally be a 1 hour ride. There were points on the journey that I thought we were sleeping in the car for the night; the roads were that bad. Yet, the journey was worth it, because we got to see Nickelback live for the 4^th time.

All in all, it was another wonderful night of live Nickelback. The band conquered Allentown and are well prepared to rip through North America for the next few months. They are scheduled t return this summer and after seeing them live on Valentine’s Day, you can count me in for their August performance at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. I’m already counting down the days.

Setlist

Million Miles An Hour

Something In Your Mouth

Photograph

Everlong (Foo Fighters cover)

Hero

Gotta Be Somebody

Far Away

Edge Of A Revolution

Master of Puppets/Creeping Death (beer toss)

Someday

Too Bad

Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin cover)/Drum Solo

She Keeps Me Up (first time ever performed live)

When We Stand Together

Take It Easy/Hotel California (impromptu Eagles cover)

Rockstar

How You Remind Me

Encore

Animals

Burn It To The Ground

Upcoming Concerts I Plan To Attend

Typically, I will not attend my first concert of the year until the weather is much warmer and there is zero chance for snow in the forecast. This year however, concert season is coming a little earlier for me. The reason for the early arrival is that Mrs. Vie and I have tickets to see one of our favorite live acts, Nickleback, on Valentine’s Day. We felt it was the perfect way to celebrate the day. And with that show right around the corner, I thought it would be a good time for me to figure out which other performances I will be attending this year.

 Caveat – I am trying to attend less concerts this year than I have in years past, due to financial constraints. But as the days wear on and more and more concerts are announced, I see myself bending that self imposed rule rather quickly. I’ll be sure to provide an update to this post as additional shows are added to my 2015 list. Here’s what I have, or expect to have for now.

Nickleback at PPL Center in Allentown, PA

As mentioned above, my wife and I will be attending this show. This will be the 4^th time that I am seeing Nickleback in concert and the first since they toured behind Dark Horse. From the first time I saw this band in concert I have loved them live and I have never been disappointed by their performance. I suspect that Valentine’s Day will be no exception.

Sixx: AM at Starland Ballroom, NJ

Metal Eddie caught me via text recently and inquired if I wanted to see this show. I haven’t seen Sixx:AM since Cruefest back in 2008, so I felt that it was time to check out the band live again. Of course this means that I will have to spend money on their new CD prior to the show. Man, why can’t bands just give me everything for free at this point? I give them enough coverage!

M3 Metal Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion, MD

Kix! Europe! Quiet Riot! Warrant! Queensryche! Yes, the annual metal festival returns once again. This will be my sixth year in a row travelling to Baltimore to hang out with my good buddy Rob Rockitt and enjoy some of the greatest 80s metal music around. All over the course of 2 fabulous days in May! Horns out….rock on!

Dave Matthews Band at PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ

This is a definite must. Anytime the mighty Dave Matthews Band performs within 90 minutes of my house, I have to see them. I will be on the lawn for another wonderful summer night to enjoy one of my all time favorites in concert. Where I am torn is that the band is playing in CT two nights later. It’s a Friday night show and it is only a 3 hour drive for me to get there. I really want to go to that concert too, but I am conflicted, because the cost of the show, plus travel, plus hotel for the night adds up fast! And if I go to CT, the next night DMB plays in MA, and that’s only 90 minutes from CT… Stay tuned for updates on what I do regarding these extra shows.

Rush at Prudential Center, NJ

My uncle doesn’t own a country place, but he is a big fan of Rush. He reached out to me regarding attending this show and had the opportunity to purchase pre-sale tickets. Knowing how incredible Rush is in concert, I didn’t even need to give it a second thought. Okay, that’s a slight lie. I did ask my wife to validate that I could justify attending this concert. She did and told me I had to go, its family. I love my wife.

O.A.R. at TBD

While they haven’t yet announced tour dates for 2015, O.A.R. seems to be on the road every summer, and I would believe that this year would be no exception. And seeing as how I am a big fan of this band, I find no reason why I wouldn’t attend one of their shows, especially if it is a summer show at PNC on a Saturday night, as it has been for the past few years. So even though this is not official, due to no announcements having been made, I am pretty certain that I will be taking in another wonderful night of O.A.R.

AC/DC at TBD

The rumors are flying that AC/DC is on the verge of announcing their world tour and that Chris Slade will be their drummer for this tour. Remember him? He performed on The Razor’s Edge album and was with the band for 5 years. He was actually with the band when I attended my first concert ever (http://rockandrollguru.blogspot.com/2009/01/acdc-november-11-1990_17.html). AC/DC doesn’t come around too often, so needless to say, the second this tour is announced and a local date has been declared, I am in.

So even though I am trying to attend fewer concerts in 2015, I still have quite the slate of shows listed. However, I did skip out on U2 at The Garden, although I really wanted to see at least one of those. And, I am foregoing Billy Joel at The Garden this year, even though his last performance was amazing. I also skipped out on Extreme at the Bergen PAC, I’m skipping Kix at The Bergen PAC, and I opted to be a no for Foo Fighters at Citi Field. While 7 concerts may appear to be a lot for 2015, it could have been almost double that. I say good for me!!! And I still say bands just let me come to their shows for free…. *SIGH*

UPDATES: 
The AC/DC concert is official. They will be performing at Met Life Stadium in August, and I will be attending that show. O.A.R. will be at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. I will also be at that show. I also plan to see Guster in July in Bethlehem, PA. And I have tickets for Def Leppard/Styx/Tesla at the PNC Bank Arts Center. That brings my total concerts for the year up to 9. And I still may see Twisted Sister in June.... expect more updates as they arrive.

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!

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Dave Matthews Band Concert Edition

Tomorrow night, thanks to a friend who called me out of the blue with an extra ticket, I am going to see Dave Matthews Band live for the fourth time ever. This concert is at Citi Field, a stadium where the New York Mets play their home games. So, not only will I be able to witness DMB live in a stadium setting (something I have never done before), but I will also get to see Citi Field for the first time. What a nice bonus!

Since this is the last tour for DMB until 2012, they have been playing some rarities during their concerts that the fans have loved. I am hopeful to hear some rarities tomorrow night. I would also like to hear some deep classics that I’ve never heard live. No matter what they play though, I am going to have an amazing time. A hot, Saturday night in July, seeing DMB live in New York City – it’s just incredible! Of course, I will have a full review in the days following the concert.

And while I was singing #41 in anticipation of the show, here’s what rocked this week:

Vie’s Verses
Another edition of Vie’s Verses has posted over at Hard Rock Hideout. This time around, I defend Iron Maiden’s fantastic setilst for their current tour. And so far, it appears that a lot of fans agree with me.

Continuing On The Iron Maiden Theme
Janick Gers addresses retirement rumors. All I can say is Maiden better not retire!

Bon-Jovi Live At Madison Square Garden
Here’s a well written review of Bon-Jovi’s latest DVD, Live At Madison Square Garden. After reading this review, I think I am going to have to pick this up. The concert looks amazing and I haven’t seen Bon Jovi live since the Have A Nice Day tour. This may serve as a good fill in until I can see them live again.

Nickelback Tickets On Sale Tomorrow
And finally, Nickelback/Buckcherry/Three Days Grace tickets go on sale to the general public tomorrow for most (if not all)) tour dates. Prices range between $50 - $90. If you’ve got the money, this could be one hell of a show!

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Iron Maiden Concert Edition

This Sunday is going to be an excellent day for your cousin Ryo. I am going to be seeing Iron Maiden live for the fourth time in my life. The setlist for this current tour has been taking a lot of punishment from the US fans, but I think it’s exceptional. I love the fact that Maiden is mixing it up and not playing the same nostalgia songs every tour. That’s the beauty of Iron Maiden, they are always willing to try something different. I know that I will be singing along with every song they play, and when they do get to the classics, it will just make them that much more exciting. Iron Maiden is an incredible live act, and this concert is going to be amazing. Expect a full review of the entire show in the upcoming weeks.

Now, here’s what rocked this week:

Nickelback To Tour With Buckcherry and Three Days Grace
Wow! Nickelback, Buckcherry, and Three Days Grace. I am SO there!

Damn the Torpedoes or Full Moon Fever?
Over at 3minutes, 49 seconds, Paul has started a new column entitled rock solid. This column attempts to identify those masterpiece records. His first foray into this arena finds him debating between Damn The Torpedoes or Full Moon Fever. Personally, I think that’s unfair. Damn The Torpedoes is a Heartbreaker’s record, while Full Moon Fever is a Petty solo record. Shouldn’t they both qualify as the greatest work by those artists?

Review – Faith No More In Concert
Blogs N Roses has posted a review of Faith No More live in Philly from July 3rd. Interesting setlist and to me, quite unexpected. Still, if the band were to come a little closer to home, I’d want to check them out.

An Interview With Rudolph Schenker
Deb Rao over at Hard Rock Haven had a chance to sit down and talk with the famed Scorpions guitarist Rudolph Schenker. Note Rudolph’s quote of “of course we’ll play…Still Loving You”. What? I didn’t get that song!

Mick Jagger Reportedly Upset About Keith Richards’ Biography
Are you kidding me? Come on, Mick, what’s there to be upset about? All of your drug use and woman abusing has already been captured in Stephen Davis’ Old Gods Almost Dead. So why do you care if Keith brings it up again? Mick always has been the priss of the band. Personally, I can’t wait for Richards’ biography. I’ve got a space on my bookshelf all carved out for October!

And Finally…
I am VERY proud to announce the launch of my own bi-weekly column, Vie’s Verses. The folks at Hard Rock Hideout were gracious enough to provide me the opportunity to write a bi-weekly column and I am so excited about it. My first post went up last week, discussing the M3 festival and Vince Neil. Check it out by clicking on the link above.

For more news, reviews, and concert revelations, and torpedoes, you should follow me on Twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

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

2010 Grammy Award Predictions

Here we are again, another Grammy Awards show coming up fast. On Sunday, January 31st, CBS will be airing this year’s Grammy Awards. As I do every year, I’ll be watching and commenting on the program in the days following. I still don’t know what compels to watch every year, but I strap in and do it and will be doing it again come January 31st.

Some interesting nominees are up for awards this year. I’ve listed the major ones below with who I would like to see win and who I think will win. We’ll see how I fair, come the end of the month.

Here are Ryo’s predictions:

Record of the Year
Halo – Beyonce
I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
Poker Face – Lady Gaga
You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift

Cousin Ryo wants: The Black Eyed Peas. I’ve always liked them and I Gotta Feeling is a solid song that was (is) a monster hit for the band.

The Grammy will go to: Lady Gaga. Although Taylor Swift is a Grammy favorite, Lady Gaga gets all the buzz this year. She is 2009’s Katie Perry. That’s not meant to be a compliment.


Album of the Year
I Am…Sasha Fierce – Beyonce
The E.N.D. – The Black Eyed Peas
The Fame – Lady Gaga
Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King – Dave Matthews Band
Fearless – Taylor Swift

Cousin Ryo wants: OK, anyone who knows anything about this site knows that I want Dave Matthews Band to win this one. Not just because I am a huge fan, but also because the record was incredible (it was in my top 10 of 2009). The band worked hard on that album and Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King is one of their best records ever.

The Grammy will go to: Unfortunately, Grammy darling Taylor Swift will win here, to placate the fact that Record of the Year went to Lady Gaga. It’s all a conspiracy! I hope I’m wrong, but my gut says Taylor Swift wins.

Song of the Year
Poker Face – Lady Gaga
Pretty Wings – Maxwell
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) – Beyonce
Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift

Cousin Ryo wants: I’ve always liked this award because it recognizes the lyrics of the song rather than the performance (or performer). Here I’d like to see Beyonce win. Single Ladies was a well written song and her co-writers deserve the recognition.

The Grammy will go to: Another Lady Gaga win.

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
We Weren’t Born To Follow – Bon Jovi
Never Say Never – The Fray
Sara Smile (Live) – Hall & Oates
Kids – MGMT

Cousin Ryo wants: The Fray, although it’s a tough choice between them and Bon Jovi. Never Say Never is an amazing song though.

The Grammy will go to: The Fray. This song is too good not to win.

Best New Artist
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings

Cousin Ryo Wants: MGMT. Out of these 5, they are the band I know the most.

The Grammy will go to: The Ting Tings. They’ve gotten a lot of recognition this past year and the kids love them.

Best Hard Rock Performance
AC/DC – War Machine
Alice In Chains – Check My Brain
What I’ve Done – Linkin Park
The Unforgiven III – Metallica
Burn It To The Ground – Nickelback

Cousin Ryo Wants: AC/DC. Good song, love this band, and they deserve the recognition, even if they won’t be there to accept their award live (although this year they might be).

The Grammy will go to: Nickelback. Theirs is a great song too, though, so I’ve no complaints here.

Best Rock Song
The Fixer – Pearl Jam
I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight – U2
21 Guns – Green Day
Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
Working On A Dream – Bruce Springsteen

Cousin Ryo wants: The Fixer, hands down. One of the best songs I heard in 2009, and I love Pearl Jam.

The Grammy will go to: Bruce. Working On A Dream is a great song on an otherwise lousy album and the Grammy’s love their Bruce Springsteen.

Best Rock Album
Black Ice – AC/DC
Live From Madison Square Garden – Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
21st Century Breakdown – Green Day
Big Whiskey & The Groogrux King – Dave Matthews Band
No Line On The Horizon – U2

Cousin Ryo wants: This is a close one. I want DMB, but if they win for Record of the Year, then I would rather see this Grammy go to U2. No Line On The Horizon is another incredible CD that was in my top 10 for 2009.

The Grammy will go to: Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood, which is total BS. A live album shouldn’t even be allowed in this category. If they want a live album in there so badly, then the committee should come up with a best live album category. Recording a concert and then releasing it is nowhere near as difficult as recording a brand new album. It’s like nominating a greatest hits album for record of the year. Come on!

Those are my predictions for this year’s major categories. For a complete listing of all the Grammy categories, goo to http://www.grammy.com/nominees.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.