Summer Concert Season Is Heating Up This Winter

It may be winter according to the calendar and the weather, but judging by all the ticket sales announcements, it is definitely time for summer! The major festivals have announced their lineups, the major acts have announced their tours, and the tickets have gone on sale. So what tours are the best ones to check out this summer? Let’s take a walk through some of the upcoming summer tours and find out.  

Billy Joel

Technically it’s not a tour. Billy Joel will continue his residency at Madison Square Garden giving his monthly performance that constantly sells out. When he started this residency, Joel stated that he would perform a monthly show as long as the tickets sell. Well, sell they have. All of his performances at the Garden have sold out, although there are a smattering of seats left for the May and June shows as of this writing. He is bound to add July and August dates, so if you plan to visit NYC this summer, this is a show worth checking out.

Ticket Prices: $66 - $129

Tour Dates: June, July, August (1 show per month, July and August have yet to be confirmed)

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds

While The Dave Matthews Band announced a hiatus for this year, that apparently doesn’t apply to Dave Matthews himself. He and Tim Reynolds are heading out for a full blown Dave and Tim tour. The Dave and Tim tour is just that---Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds on stage each with an acoustic guitar playing a multitude of songs. A lot of songs from Dave’s solo album are played during these shows. Tim Reynolds also gets to perform a couple of instrumentals. And while I’ve seen the Dave Matthews Band live 20 times, I’ve never seen Dave and Tim. That’s going to change this summer.

Ticket Prices: $50 - $100

Tour Dates: May 3^rd – June 17^th

Def Leppard, Poison, Tesla

Most fans thought they would never see Poison live again after their last tour. There was a lot of band fighting, Bret Michaels went solo for a couple of years, and the band members didn’t speak to each other. It was pretty evident that the band was done and their performances would only live on in our memories and on the internet. Then Def Leppard announced they were touring again and bringing Poison out on the road with them. Since they are the middle act (Tesla opens the night) I imagine they will have a limited set, but they should perform for almost an hour. And then Def Leppard comes out to close out the night. Tesla, Poison, and Def Leppard. It’s an 80s metal head dream line up!

Ticket Prices: $28 - $138

Tour Dates: April 8^th – June 25^th

Iron Maiden

Up the irons! Iron Maiden is returning to the United States this summer in continued support of their latest masterpiece, The Book Of Souls. If you have never seen the band in concert, I urge you to do so. Iron Maiden is one of the best live bands I’ve ever witnessed and their 2008 concert at the IZOD center (LINK) will most likely be in my top 10 concerts of all time (if I ever get around to writing that post). Their showmanship, dedication to their craft, and overall awesomeness of their music practically makes them a must see.

Ticket Prices: $40 - $125

Tour Dates: June 3^rd – July 21^st

Queen with Adam Lambert

Queen has toured with Adam Lambert before and from what I’ve heard the shows were spectacular. Not many performers can hit the range of Freddy Mercury, but Lambert can and does from what I’ve heard. This summer they will be back on tour again playing arenas all over the U.S. And while John Deacon will not be on tour with the band (due to his retirement), Brian May and Roger Taylor will be. This is the first time the three have toured together since 2014. On their last tour they played nothing but the mega-hits of Queen and there is no reason to expect anything different this time around.

Ticket Prices: $50 - $175

Tour Dates: June 23^rd – August 5^th

Train with O.A.R.

Train has a new album out and it’s pretty good. (LINK) This summer they will be on tour supporting their latest record and they are bringing two well-known acts with them to get the night started. Natasha Bedingfeld and O.A.R. will be the opening acts for Train. The tour consists of mostly amphitheaters and tickets are reasonably priced for an actual seat. Lawn seats are dirt cheap, but you know, you’d have to be on the lawn. I’ve never seen Train live, but I know how great O.A.R. is in concert. This could definitely be a show worth checking out this summer.

Ticket Prices: $33 - $80

Tour Dates: May 12^th – July 15^th

U2

U2 will be embarking on a stadium tour this summer, but they aren’t going out on just any old tour. This summer the band will be performing their signature album The Joshua Tree in its entirety. It will be their first tour in two years, and their first stadium tour in six years. And while I do enjoy seeing the band in an arena setting, they can also perform stadiums with the best of them. Tickets for most shows have already sold out, but depending on where you live, there are tickets available for the second night on the 2 night stands.

Ticket Prices: $35 - $280

Tour Dates: May 12^th – Aug 1^st

What concerts are you looking forward to this summer?

Will There Ever Be Another Rolling Stones?

For nearly 50 years they have graced us with some of the greatest music ever performed. With amazing artists such as Keith Richards and Mick Jagger in the band, it’s easy to understand why The Rolling Stones really are the greatest rock and roll band in the world. It’s hard to imagine a band being together, performing, and producing relevant music for as long as the Rolling Stones have. Sure, Neil Diamond and Willie Nelson come close, but they are solo artists, making all of the decisions. The Rolling Stones are a band, which is akin to marriage. 50 years is an eternity for any band to be together, especially when they still frequently tour and record.

Whether you love or hate them, there is no denying that The Rolling Stones are living legends. They have more gold and platinum albums than any band you can name (except for maybe the Beatles and Kiss). Their music is timeless, their talent is iconic, and the band is still relevant and fun. How many other bands out there can claim that? How many bands currently in existence will be able to hit that mark? Will there ever be another band like the Rolling Stones?

I often wonder if Queen could have been that band. Having formed in 1973, Queen was very prolific until Freddie Mercury’s death (in 1992). They were still recording music that people cared about, but that was only after 18 years. Queen would have needed an additional 30+ years to get near what The Rolling Stones have accomplished. In the end, I’m not so sure that would have happened. Freddie Mercury could be difficult to work with at times, and he and Brian May did not always see eye to eye.

Iron Maiden is another band that comes into my mind. They’ve been touring and releasing great records since 1980. They are 30 years in and still going strong. Iron Maiden shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, and they have a world wide appeal as strong as The Rolling Stones. While they may not get much radio airplay, there is no denying the strength of their fan base. The band has the drive to last another 20 years as well, especially if they scale back touring to only one out of every five years (similar to the way the Stones have toured as of late).

Pearl Jam has a shot at making a run at The Rolling Stones and hitting the mark. Although only celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, they are another band that continues to make music fans care about, frequently tour, and are still considered highly entertaining by all those who see them in concert. And with band members only in their 40s, they are young enough to play for another 30 years, provided that they don’t want to hang it up for a quieter life.

Not many bands can do what the Rolling Stones have done. That mostly revolves around the true love that the band has for music. When The Rolling Stones first started out, all they cared about was being the best blues band in London. Brian Jones and Keith Richards practiced guitar and learned the latest blues songs for hours upon hours, daily. Drummer Charlie Watts only wanted to make enough money to support his family, which meant the band had to perform three to four gigs a week. Other than that, The Rolling Stones were happy. And it’s that passion that makes a band truly great.

Will there ever be another Rolling Stones? I doubt it. I can’t see any band plugging along for as long as they have, not even the two mentioned above. It’s hard to make lasting music and complete relevant tours for that many years. It’s even harder when you’re in your 70s. The Rolling Stones are the rarest of rare breeds, a one of a kind, first class act that will never be repeated. They truly are, the world’s greatest rock and roll band.


Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Queen - A Night At The Opera

Perhaps best known for the massive single that was released from A Night At The Opera (Bohemian Rhapsody), how many people truly know the entire album? Released in 1975, A Night At The Opera was Queen’s opus to rock and roll, classical, and of course, the opera. Is it worth seeking out on CD and owning? Let’s spin the disc and find out.

A Night At The Opera opens with a calm piano twill that builds into Brian May’s ripping guitar intro. Death On Two Legs is introduced with Freddie Mercury’s tough, clenching vocals and a pounding chorus that draws the listener in right away. A solid opening track, Death On Two Legs puts this album off to a strong start.

Two odd (but beautiful) songs follow in the form of Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon, sung in a broadway-esque falsetto, and I’m In Love With My Car, man’s sonnet to his automobile. The automobile sound effect at the end of the song is classic.

The mystifying Love Of My Life is often overlooked on this record and unfortunately has a tendency to slip off the radar. Love Of My Life is a powerful love ballad sung by Mercury and accompanied by a gorgeous piano performance, sweet violins, and a lot of class. This is a Queen song that should get a lot more attention than it does.

Of course, Queen’s magnum opus, Bohemian Rhapsody comes in as the second to last song on the album. A flawless, incredible song that is loved by generations, Bohemian Rhapsody is not only the best song on the disc, it is also the best song in Queen’s catalog. With bridge changes that have never been seen before or since, Queen was as cutting edge as could be with the release of this mini-opera. Brilliant guitar solos combined with Freddie’s magnificent vocals complete the song and provide the structure for this timeless masterpiece.

Overshadowed by the amazing vocals Mercury contributed to this work of art is Brian May’s excellent guitar skills. His blistering rock and roll guitar work stands out on tracks like Sweet Lady and Death On Two Legs. The solos are incredible, the chords are never the same, and May helped to compose some solid songs for A Night At The Opera. Almost never getting the credit he deserves, Brian May is an amazing guitarist and that shines through on this disc.

Overall, A Night At The Opera is fantastic from start to finish. While it does contain some quirky songs that take a few listens to really get into, it also has Queen’s best work (Bohemian Rhapsody), the amazing hit You’re My Best Friend and the gorgeous Love Of My Life. If you’re seeking one Queen album to own that isn’t a greatest hits collection, A Night At The Opera is highly recommended to be that album. Brilliant from beginning to end, this is Queen at their best.

Ryo’s Rating: 9 out of 10

Track List
Death On Two Legs
Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon
I’m In Love With My Car
You’re My Best Friend
‘39
Sweet Lady
Good Company
The Prophet’s Song
Seaside Rendezvous
Bohemian Rhapsody
God Save The Queen