Although the season opened last night with a game between the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings, the rest of the season kicks off this Sunday with a plethora of football games for all to enjoy. As usual, I will be sitting at my local watering hole, eating hot wings, drinking beer, and watching the games. Football in September is an excellent experience of enjoyment and I am really looking forward to it this year.
Between college and the pros, there are a lot of good games to watch this weekend. This even spills into Monday night when the Jets open their season against the Baltimore Ravens. It’s going to be a great kick-off weekend and hopefully that will lead into a great season of fun football. And if not, there’s always hot wings and beer!
Here’s what rocked this week:
New Bon-Jovi Single Streaming On Their Website
Bon Jovi has a greatest hits album coming out this fall. The hits album will contain four brand new songs that were written specifically for this album. You can hear the first single, What Do You Got at their website now. Just click on the link above to be whisked away!
Aaron Lewis Is On The Road This Fall
Staind’s frontman is out on the road performing solo acoustic shows. The short tour kicks off in Massachusetts on October 7th and runs through November 2nd. No word on whether more dates will be added.
Guitar Center Announces Winner In Their 4th Annual King Of The Blues Contest
Thousands entered. One won. Congratulations to Randy Scott, who made his dream of being the King of the Blues guitarist come true.
Spears Former Bodyguard Files a Sexual Harassment Claim
What? Oh no! Britney Spears walked around me naked. Boo Hoo! Is this guy some kind of mental case? You’re her bodyguard and you can’t handle seeing her naked? This is why the world hates lawyers and their frivolous lawsuits. If this guy wins, I’m going to be sick. In the meantime, if Spears needs a new bodyguard, cousin Ryo is available.
For more insights, opinions, sarcastic wit, and true charm, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie
Showing posts with label Staind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Staind. Show all posts
Friday, September 10, 2010
Monday, September 7, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
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.
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
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.
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Staind's Economic Stimulus Tour
Finally, a band is getting it right and helping out the fans by charging less for a great concert. Staind recently announced their “Stimulate This!” tour, which includes them as the headliners, Shinedown, Cheville, and Halestorm. Ticket prices are ridiculously low at under $40 and lawn seats as low as $10 in some venues.
First, look at that lineup. Staind is a great band in their own right. Shinedown is making noise as one of the hottest hard rock bands on the scene, and Cheville is gaining a lot of attention as well. Halestorm I’ve never heard of, but as the opening act, I’d be interested in seeing what they bring to the table.
And the best part? This is a concert that we can all afford. These are club prices for a major act! Whether you like Staind is irrelevant to the fact that they are taking action to lower ticket prices. No $100 seats here, just low priced, affordable tickets.
Blink 182 is doing something similar, so hopefully this is the start of a new trend. Concert ticket prices have gotten out of hand lately, and perhaps the bands are seeing the result in low attendance and now are changing their strategy. The bands will still make a lot of money from touring, and now they will be playing to sold-out crowds instead of half-empty arenas. That’s a win-win for everyone.
Staind’s “Stimulate This!” Tour kicks off on July 1st in Peoria, Illinois. Complete tour dates can be found here: http://www.staind.com/
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
First, look at that lineup. Staind is a great band in their own right. Shinedown is making noise as one of the hottest hard rock bands on the scene, and Cheville is gaining a lot of attention as well. Halestorm I’ve never heard of, but as the opening act, I’d be interested in seeing what they bring to the table.
And the best part? This is a concert that we can all afford. These are club prices for a major act! Whether you like Staind is irrelevant to the fact that they are taking action to lower ticket prices. No $100 seats here, just low priced, affordable tickets.
Blink 182 is doing something similar, so hopefully this is the start of a new trend. Concert ticket prices have gotten out of hand lately, and perhaps the bands are seeing the result in low attendance and now are changing their strategy. The bands will still make a lot of money from touring, and now they will be playing to sold-out crowds instead of half-empty arenas. That’s a win-win for everyone.
Staind’s “Stimulate This!” Tour kicks off on July 1st in Peoria, Illinois. Complete tour dates can be found here: http://www.staind.com/
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
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