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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Rock News for Wednesday 11th August, 2010

ROCK BAND KANSAS TO LAUNCH '2010 COLLEGIATE SYMPHONY TOUR' TO RAISE FUNDS FOR COLLEGE MUSIC PROGRAMS

Inspired by the success of their 2009 StarCity Recording DVD/CD release 'There's Know Place Like Home' - which saw the veteran classic rock band KANSAS team up for a special night with the Washburn University Orchestra - the group decided to take this idea on the road. The feedback that KANSAS drummer Phil Ehart received from prospective universities has been overwhelmingly supportive in their desire to bring the concept to their campuses.

"We started by cold-calling schools all over the country to find out if there was interest in us coming to play with their orchestras. We immediately discovered that most schools have no money for their music programs. We then thought of performing the shows as fundraisers, helping to raise funding for the school's music programs. As we started talking to the schools, we found out that many of them don't even have a place on campus for a school symphony concert...but they do have an 80,000 seat football stadium! I had one school music director actually break down emotionally on the phone with me - he was very distraught that this might be his school's last year with a music program. He thought this concert might actually save the music program for another year!

The result is the 'KANSAS Collegiate Symphony Tour.' With performances booked throughout September and October, the group will be joined by each respective college's symphony, conducted by Larry Baird, for what promises to be a truly unforgettable evening of powerful rock music. "These will be full-blown concerts with pro lights and sound," adds Ehart. "KANSAS prides itself in performing first class shows no matter what the venue. Our college tour will showcase KANSAS and each school's orchestra in the best possible manner."

As the presenting sponsor, D'Addario & Company, Inc., is joining KANSAS in their objective to raise funds for college and university music programs. D'Addario, the world's largest musical products accessory manufacturer, brings products to market under the brand names D'Addario; Planet Waves; Rico Reeds; and Evans/PureSound/HQ percussion products.

"Receiving the support of D'Addario seemed like such a natural tie-in," comments Ehart. "Most of us in the band use their gear, and I know you'll find their products on college campuses across the country."

"We are so excited to be part of 'KANSAS Collegiate Symphony Tour," offers David Via, VP of D'Addario & Company. "The experience and memories that these schools and their students will have from these concerts will last a lifetime. Financially, the D'Addario Foundation will be providing music scholarships to each school's music department, while D'Addario & Company will be providing complimentary product support to each institution," concludes Via.

With their self-titled first album released in 1974, KANSAS went on to become one of the decade's most popular rock acts - issuing classic rock albums such as 1976's 'Leftoverture' and 1977's 'Point of Know Return,' along with the hit singles "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind", and "Point of Know Return." The band - which in addition to Ehart, is comprised of singer/keyboardist Steve Walsh, guitarist Rich Williams, bassist Billy Greer, and violinist David Ragsdale - continue to tour in front of large and enthusiastic audiences and to this day remain a fixture on classic rock radio. Additionally, they have reached an entirely new audience through their unmistakable presence on the popular video games Guitar Hero and Rock Band.

In closing, Ehart hints that the 'KANSAS Collegiate Symphony Tour' may point to the band's future.
"This is going so well that other schools are contacting us for 2011 and 2012. City orchestras are even calling us about doing the same for them. KANSAS has always been a symphonic rock band; we may have found a whole new niche!"

Confirmed 'KANSAS Collegiate Symphony Tour' dates and venues, with more to be added:

September 9 & 10, 2010 - University of Alabama (Moody Concert Hall - Tuscaloosa, AL)
September 17, 2010 - University of Texas - San Antonio (Laurie Auditorium -San Antonio, TX)
September 18, 2010 - Wichita State University (Hartman Arena - Park City, KS)
September 23 & 24, 2010 - Oklahoma State University (Stillwater High School Performing Arts Center - Stillwater, OK)
September 25, 2010 - Hardin-Simmons University (Behrens Chapel Auditorium - Abilene, TX)
October 9, 2010 - Truman State University (The Family Arena - St. Charles, MO)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:

T.S.O. Winter Tour 2010 Announced


To All Our Friends,

The Winter Tour stage is being built as we speak and the entire band is counting the days till we get to fire up the new show. As always we are determined to take the show to another level. Can't wait to see you on the road.
Sincerely From New York City (Nocturnal Division),

Paul O'Neill & Everyone in the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA WINTER TOUR 2010

Visit http://www.tsotickets.com/ for more details and updates about on-sale dates or http://www.trans-siberianexpress.com/ TSO's fan club community site, for access to this year's exclusive Winter Tour pre-sale!
(All dates and venues are subject to change)

Side note here: I have held off posting the dates that are shown at the site or in the bands newsletter, as there are conflicts. i.e. Two different cities are being shown in many cases down the list, on the same date!
This is including the 2 shows that they are typically doing per day. Afternoon matinee and evening performances, just the same if you go to the link below here you WILL see the cities they plan on playing!

UFO tour news update and rumours denied

It seems UFO are being singled out for a little rumour mongering, regarding a line up change!
This statement has just been posted over at the bands website:

"Just a quick update to address the rumour that has been circulating recently that a line-up comprising of Phil Mogg, Pete Way, Michael Schenker and Herman Rarebell is expected to tour next year. This is not the case and is pure nonsense!"

Interesting one that, makes you wonder where that came from ...?!

Anyway, the band still have a few more shows lined up for the rest of the year and plan to add more, so keep checking in for more details.
Current remaining dates for the year:

2010
September 201019th September - USA - Chicago - Loopfest (With Kenny Wayne Shepherd Ratt, Dokken, Fuel and more!). Details: www.wlup.com/music/concertcalendar/Details.aspx?ID=125860

October 2010
11th October - Germany - Bremen - Meisenfrei
12th October - Germany - Melle - Hohnerkamps Ballsaal
13th October - Germany - Lorsch - Musiktheater Rex
15th October - Germany - Obermarchtal - Gemeindehaus
19th October - Germany - Freiburg - Jazzhaus
22nd October - Germany/Norway - Kiel to Oslo - Classic Rock Cruise

December 2010
2nd December - England - Birmingham - HMV Institute
3rd December - Wales - Prestatyn - Hard Rock Hell IV
4th December - England - Holmfirth - Picturedrome
More dates to be added soon.

The UFO website can be found here: www.ufo-music.info/

The huge Soundwave festival will be hitting Oz in 2011!

SOUNDWAVE RETURNS, BIGGER, BETTER & GOING WHERE NO FESTIVAL HAS GONE BEFORE.

There used to be a saying at Soundwave that no one band is bigger than the festival ...
That saying will be tested in 2011 as we proudly announce a rare chance to see rock legends IRON MAIDEN as the headline artist for next years festival. Maiden are one of the few artists that inspire loyalty and worship by a constantly growing army that spans several generations of not only fans, but other rock musicians ranging from todays biggest metal bands to pop icons.

What makes Iron Maiden unique amongst their peers is that the band has never lost their creative touch and their ability to deliver album after album of greatness. Just when you would think there cannot be another hitherto undiscovered original yet amazing guitar riff; Maiden turn up with another album full of new classics to add to metal and rocks greatest back catalogue.

Only a fool would bet against the bands upcoming album, The Final Frontier, being anything less than a masterpiece. Only a fool would bet against Iron Maiden, period.

Maiden will be bringing with them the full stage production that featured in their hugely successful recent tour of North America, where they played to almost 400,000 fans over the 25 shows. And of course that includes Eddies latest incarnation..!!

Joining our gargantuan headliners is a cast of rock, punk and metal luminaries, headed by the regal guitar rock of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, metal gods SLAYER, indie pioneers PRIMUS, the incomparable SLASH and fifty or so other international artists who form the who is who of cutting edge music for the coming decade.

And that is just the 1st announcement...
IRON MAIDEN ARENA SHOWS
Iron Maidens appearances at Soundwave are part of their Final Frontier World Tour and the band will also play two extra arena shows in Melbourne (Feb 23) and Sydney (Feb 24) prior to the start of Soundwave. For more details please see below -

'We promised our Australian fans in 2008 that it would not take too long to return and we are delighted to have not only kept our promise but also to be headlining Australias greatest Metal Festival, Soundwave, along with a couple of arena shows beforehand to rev up the batteries!! To say that we are greatly looking forward to this is a major understatement, with so many great bands in the Soundwave line up this promises to be one hell of an event!!' - Bruce Dickinson

WEDNESDAY 23 FEBRUARY
MELBOURNE, HISENSE ARENA

THURSDAY 24 FEBRUARY
SYDNEY, ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
Special presales will be available to Maiden fan club members from Tuesday
10 August Midday to Wednesday 11 August 5pm go to http://www.ironmaiden.com/ for more details.
General Public on sale: Thursday 12 August, 9am.

SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL VENUES AND DATES

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2011
SATURDAY 26 BRISBANE, RNA SHOWGROUNDS
SUNDAY 27 SYDNEY, EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY
FRIDAY 4 MELBOURNE, SHOWGROUNDS
SATURDAY 5 ADELAIDE, BONYTHON PARK
MONDAY 7 PERTH, STEEL BLUE OVAL

To be eligible for the Soundwave Festival members pre sale you must be registered as a member on the Festival website http://www.soundwavefestival.com/
•Tuesday 17 August 9am, Brisbane

•Wednesday 18 August 9am, Sydney

•Thursday 19 August 9am, Melbourne

•Friday 20 August 9am, Adelaide and Perth

General Public on sale: Thursday 26 August, 9am

*All shows are licensed and all ages
*Venue and lineup subject to change
For more information head to www.soundwavefestival.com/

For the full line up go here:
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