Saturday, February 27, 2010

Rock News for Saturday 27th February, 2010

The Neal Schon Band Solo Tour 2010

Yes, Journey's guitarist Neal Schon has made this announcement at his MySpace page, but don't get too excited ..., as this is it!
The Neal Schon Band Live!

When: Saturday, March 20, 2010 8:00 PM - 11:30 PM PDT
Where: The State Theater, 1307 J St.,
Modesto, CA 95354

Lineup:
Neal Schon
Miles Schon
Marco Mendoza
Praire Prince
Keith St. John
John Harjo

... And that's all he's sharing ...
It would be cool if Neal Schon does some other dates, many people would be very happy!

Meat Loaf Hanging Cool with his Teddy!

What?! You might well ask, am I talking about?
Well, Meat Loaf is soon to release in April, a new album, using the absolutely ridiculous title of, yes,
'Hang Cool Teddy Bear!' I kid you not and the man will apparently unleash a new website on the world at: http://www.meatloaf.net/

The album cover should look something like this ....

What else I can tell you about it, is he's got plenty of guest artists performing on it, apparently, including - According to UK magazine, Classic Rock - Brain May (Queen), Steve Vai (David Lee Roth, Alcatraz, G3, etc), Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) and Jack Black to name just a few.

The album track listing is given as:
1. Peace On Earth (with strings arranged and conducted by Dave Campbell)
2. Living On The Outside
3. Los Angeloser
4. If I Can’t Have You (duet with American Idol presenter Kara Dioguardi, Hugh Laurie on piano)
5. Love Is Not Real (featuring Brian May and Steve Vai, Justin Hawkins on backing vocals and guitar)
6. Like A Rose’(duet with Jack Black)
7. Song Of Madness (featuring Brian May and Steve Vai)
8. Did You Ever Love Somebody
9. California Isn’t Big Enough
10. Running Away From Me
11. Let’s Be In Love (duet with Patti Russo)
12. If It Rains
13. Elvis In Vegas (written by Jon Bon Jovi, Desmond Child and Billy Falcon.)

The website really has nothing on it right now, besides the artwork, oh and his website store is open for business, nice!
So that's all I can tell you right now ...
 
JONNY LANG TAKES CENTER STAGE ON FIRST-EVER LIVE ALBUM

'Live at the Ryman' captures blues guitarist Jonny Lang in an electrifying performance in Nashville, Tennessee on sale April 20, 2010
While still in his teens in the mid 1990s, Jonny Lang exploded onto the national scene with a combination of highly developed blues guitar chops and a powerful voice that rivaled some musicians more than twice his age. And that was just the beginning. Fifteen years and a half-dozen studio albums later, he has evolved into a seasoned musician and a road-savvy showman capable of delivering powerful live performances on his home soil and just about every other continent on the globe.

On April 20, 2010 Concord Records captures that passion and energy with the release of Live at the Ryman, Lang’s first record since 2006’s 'Turn Around,' which earned him a Grammy® Award for Best Gospel Album. Recorded at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, in the summer of 2008, Live at the Ryman, Lang’s first-ever live recording, offers a compelling glimpse of a young guitarist at the height of his creative powers, yet still open to exploring the depth and range of the blues and its relationship to R&B, soul, rock, gospel, funk and so may other emotionally riveting forms of music.

Backed by the five-man crew of guitarist/vocalist Sonny Thompson, keyboardist Tommy Barbarella, bassist Jim Anton, drummer Barry Alexander and percussionist/vocalist Jason Eskridge, Lang burns through a dozen songs first heard on studio albums dating back to 1997. This time, though, the songs heat up in the kind of pressure-cooker setting that can only take shape in the vibrant Nashville club scene.

The Ryman says Lang, is “one of those magical places where you just can’t help but be inspired. I think a lot of that magic and inspiration makes it way onto this recording. It’s a collection of some of the best songs from our studio recordings – only more energized, thanks to a great group of musicians and a very receptive live audience.”

The set opens with the triple punch of “One Person at a Time,” “Bump in the Road” and “Turn Around” – songs that reflect Lang’s ever-evolving spiritual side. “In my own life, music has been such a powerful force, and I know that’s the case for a lot of people,” he says. “I’ve seen how music can give people the strength to change. After years of witnessing that, it’s become more of a focus for me to write songs that really count.”

Later, Lang and company churn their way through “A Quitter Never Wins,” a song by veteran bluesman Tinsley Ellis that’s been a consistent entry in Lang’s live show for many years.

The set reaches its coda with “Breakin’ Me,” a melancholy ballad that segues into a burning rendition of “Lie to Me” – Lang’s very first hit in 1997, and a song that continues to define him as a lead figure in the blues for a new century.

In many respects, Live at the Ryman is the record that Lang wanted to make all along – one that paints a vivid picture of a performer and a band who understand the significance of the blues as not only an art form unto itself, but as the wellspring for every meaningful and enduring form of music to follow.

“I’ve wanted to do a live record for a long time, because I feel like our band is strongest in the live setting,” says Lang. “I think this record is a good representation of our live show, and an accurate reference for people who haven’t seen us yet. Hopefully it will be an inspiration for them to come out and see us.”

You can catch Jonny beginning in early March on the fourth edition of the upcoming Experience Hendrix Tour, featuring an all-star line up of music greats paying homage to the music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix including: Jonny along with Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and Kenny Wayne Shepherd among many others.
March 2010
4 - Santa Barbara, CA - Arlington Theater
5 - Los Angeles, CA - Gibson Amphitheater
6 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint @ Hard Rock
7 - Mesa, AZ - Ikeda Theater
9 - Fresno, CA - Table Mountain
10/11 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theater
12 - Reno, NV - Silver Legacy
14 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
15 – Salina, KS – Steifel Theatre
16 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
17 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theater
18 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theater
20 - St. Louis, MO - Fox Theatre
21 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
23 - Akron, OH - Civic Theatre
24 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
25 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theater
27- Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre
28 – Durham, NC - - Durham Performing Arts Center

Bret Michaels ... What’s he thinking?!

Well, this really kind of stinks to me, if you're a fan of new music ... Poison frontman Bret Michaels, is releasing his new solo single and at first it read as interesting. 5 Track Maxi-Single, cool.
Then not so cool is the details behind it, 5 different versions, of the same song, 3 of which feature teen idol Miley Cyrus ...?! Sorry, but this is just sad ...

'Nothing to Lose' Now Available in the Store!
Get your CD of the "Nothing to Lose" maxi-single featuring 5 versions of the song. Get it Now!

Nothing to Lose Maxi Single CD
Five versions of the new single:
1. Nothing to Lose (featuring Miley Cyrus)
2. Nothing to Lose (Bret only)
3. Nothing to Lose (featuring Miley Cyrus - country)
4. Nothing to Lose (featuring Miley Cyrus - acoustic)
5. Nothing to Lose (Bret only - acoustic)

Follow Bret Michaels here:

Saxon news on new album and DVD

News from Saxon frontman Biff Byford, this from their MySpace page:
Short info about the 'Heavy Metal Thunder' bonus DVD

'Hi all out there in ROCKTOPIA!

Just a quick blog. We have been working on the 'Heavy Metal Thunder' album this week and we've decided to include a short film of Download 2008.
We feel this was such an important event in our recent career that it has to be included.
This means the release to those of you who have pre ordered it there will be a delay for a while.
After all it's all about quality not quantity.
After seeing all of the DVD last night I think you will love it, so don't blame Cool head, it's my fault wanting to give you the best documentary that we possibly can.

On another matter we have just finished rehearsing for the tour and we will be playing 'Requiem We Will Remember' in memory of our good friend Mick Cox guitarist for Rose Tattoo who went on to the other side recently.
To Absent Friends,

Biff Byford.'

Friday, February 26, 2010

Rock News for Friday 26th February, 2010

Toto to reform briefly to honour Mike Porcaro

Former kings of AOR, Toto who called an end to all things Toto at the end of their 'Falling In Between' tour in 2008, will briefly reunite for some European Summer tour dates, to honour their Toto brother Mike Porcaro.

The band made this brief statement today through their website:

TOTO reforming in July 2010 — TOTO Band statement

'Former members of Toto are reforming for a brief tour this summer in Europe to honor their brother Mike Porcaro who is living with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).
The line-up will include David Paich, Steve Lukather, Steve Porcaro, Simon Phillips, Joseph Williams and special guest, Nathan East.'

The exact tour schedule will be announced as soon as it is confirmed.

Foreigner to hit the road for dates with Styx and Kansas!

This was just announced today on Foreigner's website, in support of their latest album, 'Can't Slow Down.':

Foreigner and Styx Spring Tour!

We are pleased to announce that this spring Foreigner will be joined by Styx for a co-headlined tour with special guest, Kansas! Beginning in Mid-May, the tour is scheduled to run through early July, before Foreigner heads off for the 2010 European summer tour. The full details and dates of the tour are currently being finalized and more details are on the way! Below is a list of confirmed dates that will be going on sale shortly. For the full list of Foreigner's tour, check out the Tour Page.

Date City Venue On Sale
May 2010
05/14/10 Oklahoma City, OK Zoo Amphitheatre 03/06/10
05/23/10 Jackpot, NV Cactus Petes Casino 02/27/10
June 2010
06/03/10 Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre 02/27/10
06/04/10 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St. Louis 02/27/10

More dates to be announced, keep up at:
http://www.foreigneronline.com/

Tom Petty with an interesting tour plan

Pollstar has posted  a story with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers announcing a North American tour featuring guest appearances by Crosby, Stills & Nash, My Morning Jacket, Joe Cocker, ZZ Top and Drive-By Truckers.

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers band will be hitting the road in support of their first studio album in 8 years – 'Mojo' – which is scheduled for an early Spring release.
Fans who purchase tickets online will be e-mailed special codes entitling them to download two tracks from the new album, those tracks being: “First Flash Of Freedom” and “Good Enough” and will also receive a download of the entire album upon its release.
You can also get a taste of Mojo by listening to the stream of “Good Enough” available on the group’s Web site: http://www.tompetty.com/

Tour dates lined up so far:
May 2010
Thu 05/06/10 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena
Fri 05/07/10 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Sun 05/09/10 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum
Sat 05/15/10 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center
Sun 05/16/10 The Woodlands, TX The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Tue 05/18/10 Phoenix, AZ US Airways Center
Sat 05/22/10 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl

June 2010Wed 06/02/10 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Thu 06/03/10 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Sat 06/05/10 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
Tue 06/08/10 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
Fri 06/11/10 Quincy, WA Gorge Amphitheatre
Sat 06/12/10 Quincy, WA Gorge Amphitheatre
Tue 06/15/10 Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome
Wed 06/16/10 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
Sat 06/19/10 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
Tue 06/22/10 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
Wed 06/23/10 Omaha, NE Qwest Center Omaha
Fri 06/25/10 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheater (Appearing at "Summerfest" )

July 2010
Sat 07/10/10 Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
Tue 07/13/10 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
Thu 07/15/10 Cincinnati, OH PNC Pavilion At Riverbend
Sat 07/17/10 Chicago, IL United Center
Tue 07/20/10 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
Thu 07/22/10 Auburn Hills, MI The Palace Of Auburn Hills
Sat 07/24/10 Burgettstown, PA First Niagara Pavilion
Wed 07/28/10 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Arena
Sat 07/31/10 Philadelphia, PA The Wachovia Center

August 2010
Wed 08/11/10 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
Thu 08/12/10 Nashville, TN Sommet Center
Sat 08/14/10 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
Sun 08/15/10 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
Tue 08/17/10 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre
Thu 08/19/10 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center
Sat 08/21/10 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center
Tue 08/24/10 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center
Wed 08/25/10 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Fri 08/27/10 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center

REO Speedwagon Plot Tour With Pat Benatar


Pat Benatar and REO Speedwagon, together again? If it seems like an odd marriage, learn your history: the two paired up in 1995 for a cross-country co-headlining tour that was, by all accounts, a hit. In their quest to prove that lightning may indeed strike twice, the two acts have partnered up again for "Love on the Run" an extended summer tour that will take them to arenas, amphitheaters and, yes, casinos across the country. There's even one date at a California winery.

"Pat Benatar remains one of a select few great female rock voices and Neil Giraldo one of the most underrated rock guitar slingers," REO's Kevin Cronin tells Spinner. "Listen to any of their records and you hear Pat's amazing vocal with Neil's powerful yet artistic guitar work as a perfect compliment."

We're pretty sure Benatar's camp feels the same way about REO Speedwagon. In a release about the upcoming tour, Benatar says that "it should be a blast for us as well as the audience." If they're having fun, everybody's having fun.

Tour Dates 2010
February 2010
February 26, 2010 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY (with STYX & 38 Special)
February 28, 2010 Lucas County arena Toledo,OH (with Styx & 38 Special)
March 2010
March 03, 2010 National Auditorium Paseo de la Reforma No 50 Bosque de Chapultepec Mexico City (With STYX)
March 04, 2010 Arena Monterrey Conchello Esq. Madero Monterry, Mexico (With STYX)
March 11, 2010 Florida Strawberry Festival Plant City, FL
March 12, 2010 House of Blues North Myrtle Beach, SC
March 13, 2010 Mercer Theatre Savannah, GA
March 26, 2010 Genesse Theatre Waukegan, IL
March 27, 2010 Rialto Square Theatre Joliet, IL
April 2010
April 10, 2010 Crystal Grand Music Theatre Lake Delton, WI
April 16, 2010 - IP Casino Resort and Spa Biloxi, MS
April 17, 2010 - Wild Adventures Theme Park Valdosta, GA
April 22, 2010 - Fillmore Auditorium Denver, CO
April 23, 2010 - Peppermill Concert Hall Wendover, NV
May 2010
May 28, 2010 - Riverwind Casino Norman, OK
May 29, 2010 - Farmers Branch Memorial Day Celebration/Gussie Field Watterworth Park Farmers Branch, TX
May 30, 2010 - Winstar Casino Thackerville , OK
June 2010
June 19, 2010 - Freedom Fest - La Crosse Municipal Airport La Crosse, WI
July 2010
July 30, 2010 - Agua Caliente Casino Hope Drive Rancho Mirage, CA
October 2010
October 01, 2010 - Gretna Heritage Festival Gretna, LA

LOVE ON THE RUN Tour Dates:
June 2010
Jun 24, 2010 - Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena On Sale 3/19
Jun 25, 2010 - Rutland, VT Vermont State Fairgrounds On Sale TBD
Jun 26, 2010 - Atlantic City, NJ Caesar’s Atlantic City On Sale 3/6
Jun 29, 2010 - Vienna, VA The Filen Center On Sale TBD

July 2010
Jul 1, 2010 - Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Amphitheater On Sale 3/7
Jul 2, 2010 - St. Augustine, FL St. Augustine Amphitheatre On Sale TBD
Jul 3, 2010 - Orlando, FL Universal Studios Florida On Sale TBD
Jul 8, 2010 - Lampe, MO Black Oak Mountain Amphitheatre On Sale TBD
Jul 9, 2010 - Memphis, TN Memphis Botanic Gardens On Sale TBD
Jul 11, 2010 - Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre On Sale TBD
Jul 15, 2010 - Council Bluffs, IA Harrah’s Council Bluffs On Sale 4/15
Jul 16, 2010 - Walker, MN Moondance Jam Fairgrounds On Sale TBD
Jul 17, 2010 - Red Wing, MN Treasure Island Resort & Casino On Sale TBD
Jul 18, 2010 - Chicago, IL Charter One Pavilion On Sale TBD
Jul 21, 2010 - Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheater On Sale TBD
Jul 23, 2010 - Las Vegas, NV Thomas & Mack Center On Sale TBD
Jul 24, 2010 - Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre On Sale TBD
Jul 27, 2010 - Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery On Sale TBD
Jul 31, 2010 - Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theatre On Sale TBD

August 2010
Aug 27, 2010 - Gilford, NH US Cellular Pavilion On Sale 3/5

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Rock News for Thursday 25th February, 2010


"STONE TEMPLE PILOTS" COMING MAY 25TH!

Grunge rockers Stone Temple Pilots, have finally broken the silence after reforming and so far having done a few select dates. They have announced details on their site: 
that there's a new album coming and tour to back it up. This announced just yesterday:

STP fans, brace yourselves for the brand new Stone Temple Pilots album, set to release on May 25th!
Here's an exclusive, first look at the track listing from the self-titled album:
Stone Temple Pilots - 'Stone Temple Pilots'

Between the Lines
Take a load off
Huckleberry Crumble
Hickory Dichotomy
Dare if You Dare
Cinnamon
Hazy Daze
Bagman
Peacoat
Fast as I can
First Kiss on Mars
Maver 

Oh and those tour dates:

Date City Country Venue
March 2010
March 18, 2010 Austin, TX US Austin Music Hall - SXSW
March 19, 2010 Bossier city, LA US Horseshoe Casino
March 20, 2010 Thackerville, OK US WinStar Casino
March 22, 2010 Kansas city, MO US Midland Theatre
March 24, 2010 Sioux city, IA US Tyson Events Centre
March 26, 2010 Milwaukee, WI US Eagles Ballroom
March 27, 2010 Chicago, IL US Riviera Theatre
March 30, 2010 Louisville, KY US Palace Theater
March 31, 2010 Detroit, MI US Fillmore
April 2010
April 02, 2010 Indianapolis, IN US White River State Park
May 2010
May 22, 2010 Washington, DC US RFK Stadium
May 23, 2010 Camden, NJ US Susquehanna Bank Center
June 2010
June 11, 2010 Nickelsdorf, Burgenland AT Nova Rock Festival
June 13, 2010 Derbyshire, GB Download Festival
June 14, 2010 Dublin, Dublin IE Olympia Theater
June 16, 2010 London, Eng. GB Brixton Academy
June 19, 2010 Scheessel, Bremen DE Hurricane Festival
June 20, 2010 Neuhausen, Baden Wurttemberg DE Southside Festival
June 22, 2010 Paris, FR La Cigale
June 23, 2010 Nijmegen, Holland NL Nijmegen
June 25, 2010 Kastelsedijk, BE Graspop Festival

AEROSMITH BACK ON THE ROAD WITH 'COCKED, LOCKED, READY TO ROCK TOUR!'

Well, I guess this is Aerosmith saying, 'Split, what split?!' to all of the critics out there!
Let's hope that Steven Tyler really has got it all together and is ready to rock 'n' roll once again!
This was just announced at their site yesterday, in a blaze of ..., well silence really! No big press release or nothing ...
 
AMERICA'S GREATEST ROCK BAND ANNOUNCES RUN OF SHOWS IN EUROPE
 
First European Show - June l0th in Sweden - Tickets on Sale March 5th
Aerosmith - the biggest, most enduring and thrilling band in rock history will make a spectacular return to the UK and Europe this summer with the 'COCKED, LOCKED, READY TO ROCK TOUR!' spawning what will be the ultimate music event of the new decade.

"Back by popular demand with more spit and fire than ever before, we're coming across the pond and parting the waters as we go," says Steven Tyler.
"Aerosmith is going to be rocking in the UK and Europe this summer," adds Joe Perry. "Enough BS - we're coming and everything is going to be set at eleven."

Band members Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer will hit Europe for the first time in three years to deliver a fistful of knockout, heart pounding, headline summer rock shows:

June 2010
Sweden - Rock Festival – June 10th
UK - Download Festival – June 13th
UK - London 02 Arena – June 15th
Romania – Bucharest – June 18th
Greece – Athens Olympic Stadium – June 20th
Holland – Nijmegen Goeffert Park – June 23rd
Belgium - Graspop Festival – June 25th
Spain – Barcelona St Jordi Arena – June 27th
France – Paris Bercy Arena – June 29th

July 2010
Czech Republic – Prague 02 Arena - July 1st
Italy - Venice Festival – July 3rd

Check out their plugs through You Tube too:
and

For all your Aerosmith updates, stay tuned to: http://www.aeroforceone.com/index.cfm

Asia new album 'Omega' Artwork Revealed 

In preparation for the release of Asia's latest album, due for release in April 2010 this was announced and images revealed through their official site today.

We are happy at last to unveil the artwork for the new Asia album, "Omega". Below you will find the cover artwork, tour poster, inside sleeve artwork and a close-up of the inside sleeve artwork.

The tour poster - I announced their tour dates for you yesterday :-)

and that inside sleeve

Can't wait for the new album! Stay tuned to Asia at their site: http://originalasia.com/

Classic AOR band 707 announce '30 Years of Classic Rock' with new MySpace page set up
707 the band started by Kevin Russell have just posted an updated MySpace page with a little history behind the band and it's more than just 'that' song, 'I Could Be Good For You,' as good as it is!
My only hope, is probably the same as many other great fans of this once great band, that they'll give us something more than this in 2010!
Read on:

About 707 "30 YEARS OF CLASSIC ROCK"
707 bio / 30 years of Classic Rock!! The original members included Kevin Russell (guitars, vocals), Phil Bryant (bass & vocals), Jim McClarty (drums) and Duke McFadden (piano & vocals.) Initially signed to Casablanca Records, they achieved significant rock radio airplay with "I Could Be Good for You," which peaked at 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was featured on the first album, simply entitled 707.

McFadden left the band before 707's The Second Album. "Strings Around My Heart" was the band's second single hitting the charts, peaking at 20 . Recording began for a third album, 'The Bridge,' featuring new member Tod Howarth (keyboards, guitar & vocals). While being musically inventive and clearly demonstrating Howarth's influence, the recordings languished unreleased for 18 years due to contract disputes. During this period 707 toured the states extensively for a couple of years. Most notably with REO Speedwagon on their highly successful “Hi-In Fidelity Tour.” The REO/707 show was the hottest ticket that year! 707 inked a new deal with Boardwalk Records and decided it was time to search for a lead vocalist/front man.

Kevin Chalfant joined the new 707 lineup. The result was the band's most successful record to date 'Megaforce.' The title track originally recorded as the theme to the motion picture Megaforce, repeated the success of their first hit reaching 12 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock charts and rising to 25 on the Hot 100. The band played to stadium crowds and enjoyed the opening act position for several successful acts at their commercial peak, including Ted Nugent, Loverboy, The Scorpions, Rainbow , John Mellencamp, 38. Special. Judas Priest and more... and it continues..................

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Rock News for Wednesday 24th February, 2010

Hi all, it seems right now there's not a great deal of new product news, just loads of bands and artists unleashing tour information for spring and summer, so read on!

Melodic Rock Fest 2 Adds Pride of Lions to line up
Andrew McNiece (Mr. http://www.melodicrock.com/) has today made the following announcement:

'I am very excited to announce another frontline act for MelodicRockFest 2 in Elgin, IL, May 1 and 2.
Joining the line-up and performing on Saturday May 1 is the wonderful Pride Of Lions, featuring vocalist Toby Hitchcock and the legendary Jim Peterik (Survivor, Ides Of March, World Stage).

The band will add event more prestige to the event and boosts the great value of the Saturday line-up, which is headlined by Y&T and Danger Danger.

And joining the ever expanding list of guests for the Friday April 30 VIP and Meet & Greet Night (part of the VIP ticket package) for an exclusive performance is Goodbye Thrill, who impressed many at MRF1 in 2007. Friday's event is headlined by Alias (Freddy Curci & Steve DeMarchi) and Mecca.

Tickets are on sale via PayPal right here, right now - http://www.melodicrock.com/ - and an agent for phone sales is being set up for those without PayPal or a preference for that method of payment. Stay tuned for details. Any questions - as always - let me know.
Full updated show details at: http://www.melodicrockfest.com/

Deep Purple add Australian dates to 2010 World Tour
Classic rockers Deep Purple have just announced a bunch of Australian dates to their already confirmed global dates.
Here are their complete dates at this time:

Date Location
April 2010
Tue 4.27.10 Brisbane, Australia
Wed 4.28.10 Sydney, Australia
Thu 4.29.10 Newcastle, Australia

May 2010
Sat 5.1.10 Canberra, Australia
Sun 5.2.10 Melbourne, Australia
Mon 5.3.10 Adelaide, Australia
Wed 5.5.10 Perth, Australia
Mon 5.8.10 Taipei City, Taiwan
Mon 5.10.10 Hong Kong, China
Wed 5.12.10 Singapore
Fri 5.14.10 Bangkok, Thailand
Sun 5.16.10 Genting Highlands, Malaysia
Fri 5.21.10 Vladivostock, Russia
Sat 5.22.10 Khabarovsk, Russia
Tue 5.25.10 Yerevan, Armenia
Fri 5.28.10 Johannesburg, South Africa
Fri 5.30.10 Durban, South Africa

June 2010
Tue 6.1.10 Cape Town, South Africa
Sat 6.5.10 Zagreb, Croatia
Wed 6.9.10 Celigny, Switzerland
Mon 6.28.10 Belfast, Ireland
Wed 6.30.10 Cork, Ireland

October 2010
Wed 10.27.10 Olomouc, Czech Republic
Thu 10.28.10 Rzeszow, Poland
Sat 10.30.10 Katowice, Poland
Sun 10.31.10 Wroclaw, Poland

November 2010Sat 11.13.10 Trier, Germany
Sun 11.14.10 Freiburg, Germany
Tue 11.16.10 Mannheim, Germany
Thu 11.18.10 Memmingen, Germany
Fri 11.19.10 München, Germany
Sat 11.20.10 Nürnberg, Germany
Mon 11.22.10 Berlin, Germany
Tue 11.23.10 Rostock, Germany
Wed 11.24.10 Braunschweig,, Germany
Fri 11.26.10 Oldenburg, Germany
Sat 11.27.10 Hamburg, Germany
Sun 11.28.10 Essen, Germany
Tue 11.30.10 Stuttgart, Germany

Frontiers Artists various Tour Dates coming up ...

ASIA Tour Dates

April 2010
Apr. 21 - Helsinki, Finland - House of Culture
Apr. 22 - Moscow, Russia - B1 Club
Apr. 24 - Rome, Italy - Auditorium
Apr. 26 - Prague, Czech Republic - Lidovy dum Kbely
Apr. 27 - Winterthur, Switzerland - Salzhaus
Apr. 28 - Graz, Austria - Orpheum
Apr. 30 - Paris, France - Casino De Paris
May 2010
May 1 - Uden, Netherlands - de Pul
May 2 - Asschaffenburg, Germany
May 3 - Nuremburg, Germany - Hirsch
May 4 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
May 6 - Reichenbach, Germany - Die Halle
May 7 - Bochum, Germany - Zeche Prinz-Regent-Strasse 50-60
May 8 - Osnabruck, Germany - Rosenhof Rosenplatz 23
May 9 - Bonn, Germany - Bruckenforum

TREAT Tour Dates
March 2010
20.03.2010 Rock The Boat - Oslo Norway, Oslo
April 2010
24.04.2010 Sa ES-Madrid Penelope
25.04.2010 So ES-Barcelona Salamandra
27.04.2010 Di D-München Backstage
28.04.2010 Mi D-Ludwigsburg Rockfabrik
29.04.2010 Do CH-Pratteln Z7
30.04.2010 Fr D-Burglengenfeld VA-Zentrum
May 2010
01.05.2010 Sa BEL-Vosselaar Biebob
02.05.2010 So ITA-Bologna Sottotetto Sound Club
04.05.2010 Di D-Hamburg Markthalle
June 2010
06.05.2010 Do SWE-Gothenburg Sticky Fingers
July 2010
07.05.2010 Fr SWE-Stockholm Silja Cruise

PRIMAL FEAR tour dates
March 2010
06.03.2010 GER - Esslingen - Komma / Rock For One World
26.03.2010 LUX - Moutfort - Kulturzentrum
April 2010
07.04.2010 SWE - Gävle - Maxim
08.04.2010 SWE - Sweden Rock Cruise
May 2010
20.05.2010 USA - New York, NY @ Gramercy
21.05.2010 USA - Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
22.05.2010 USA - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
23.05.2010 CAN - Quebec City, QC @ Imperial
24.05.2010 CAN - Toronto @ Opera House
26.05.2010 USA - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's
27.05.2010 USA - Detroit, MI @ Blondie's
28.05.2010 USA - Louisville, KY @ Phoenix Hill Tavern
29.05.2010 USA - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
30.05.2010 USA - St Paul, MN @ Station 4
June 2010
01.06.2010 USA - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
03.06.2010 USA - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
04.06.2010 USA - Portland, OR @ Peter's Room
05.06.2010 USA - San Francisco, CA @ Slim's
06.06.2010 USA - Santa Ana, Ca @ Galaxy Theatre
08.06.2010 USA - West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
09.06.2010 USA - Mesa, AZ @ U.B.'s
10.06.2010 USA - Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
12.06.2010 USA - Houston, TX @ Meridian
13.06.2010 USA - Austin, TX @ Emo's
19.06.2010 F - Clisson - Hellfest Open Air
July 2010
16.07.2009 t.b.a.
17.07.2010 CZ - Vizovice - Masters Of Rock
06/07.08.2010 GER - Wacken - Open Air

WINGER Tour dates
March 2010
19 mar 2010 Lekneshallen (Lofothallen) Leknes, Norway
20 mar 2010 Rock The Boat - Oslo Norway, Oslo
22 mar 2010 Bristol O2 Academy 2 - Bristol, UK
23 mar 2010 Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms - Portsmouth, UK
24 mar 2010 Manchester Academy 3 - Manchester, UK
26 mar 2010 Dudley JB’s - Dudley, UK
27 mar 2010 Belfast Spring & Airbrake - Belfast, UK
28 mar 2010 Glasgow Cathouse - Glasgow, UK
30 mar 2010 Newcastle O2 Academy2 - Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
31 mar 2010 Leeds Rio’s - Leeds, UK
April 2010
2 apr 2010 Sheffield Corporation - Sheffield, UK
3 apr 2010 Nottingham Rock City - Nottingham, UK
4 apr 2010 London Islington O2 Academy - London, UK
6 apr 2010 Matrix - Bochum, Germany
7 apr 2010 Columbia Club - Berlin, Germany
8 apr 2010 Backstage - Munich, Germany
10 apr 2010 Colos Saal - Aschaffenburg, Germany
May 2010
2 may 2010 Roadhouse - MelodicRockFest Two - Elgin, Illinois
June 2010
16 jun 2010 Fate Lounge - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
18 jun 2010 Penn’s Peak Concert Hall - Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
19 jun 2010 M3 Rock Festival - Columbia, Maryland
20 jun 2010 B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill - New York, New York
24 jun 2010 Cowboys Concert Hall - Colorado Springs, Colorado
25 jun 2010 Grizzly Rose - Denver, Colorado
July 2010
24 jul 2010 Midwest Rockfest - Wichita, Kansas
August 2010
7 aug 2010 Kiwanis Park - Sheboygan, Wisconsin
9 aug 2010 Ocean City Music Pier - Ocean City, New Jersey

RICK SPRINGFIELD tour dates
US Dates
March 2010 
Sat 03/06/10 Stateline, NV Harrah's Lake Tahoe
Fri 03/26/10 Harris, MI Island Resort & Casino
Sat 03/27/10 Harris, MI Island Resort & Casino
May 2010
Sat 05/15/10 Fort Worth, TX Billy Bob's Texas
Fri 05/21/10 Detroit, MI Sound Board @ MotorCity Casino
Sat 05/22/10 Riverside, IA Riverside Casino & Golf Resort

European Dates
June 2010
June 11 Sweden Rock Festival - Solvesborg, Sweden
June 12 Rockefeller Music Hall - Oslo, Norway
June 13 Weingarten Open Air Festival - Weingarten, Germany

Anna Rose Debut EP CD Review

Anna Rose Debut EP

Anna Rose, perhaps a name you’ve not heard before, but then again maybe you will soon …

This EP was released late last year and is I’m sure a little taster of bigger things to come. Anna cites her influences as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix to name a few, but her mentor is Arlen Roth who has performed alongside Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and others. Anna describes him as ‘the best living guitarist on the planet.’

OK, enough of that, let’s get onto the music and who playing here.
Anna plays guitar and obviously handles all lead vocals. She is backed here by, Adam Stoler – Guitars, Tyler McDiarmid – Guitars, Jamie Bishop – Bass, Jordan Perlson – Drums / percussion as well as Arlen Roth – Guitars and Leon Pendarvis – Piano / Synths / Organ.

Yes I know, this isn’t a rocking release, more thoughtful folk rock with some soul to be honest, but I do like it. It makes a change for me.

Opening with mid-paced track ‘The Four Corners,’ which starts with some acoustic before a little electric guitar kicks in and then her voice is instantly beautiful, clear and very good!
Sure she may sounds similar to others, but musically she’s making her own way.
There’s some nice guitar here too interspersing the verses and choruses.

The haunting ‘Picture’ picks up and drops a little here and there and also has a nice electric lead break or two – Not many on here! There’s almost a hint of towards Janis Joplin in her vocal too.

Harmony vocals become more apparent on, ‘In The Morning View’ and some eerie guitar wail at times, but a slightly upbeat track where Anna almost reminds us of Joni Mitchell a little.

Soulful best describes the ballad ‘Wiltshire Blvd’ with its distinct organ and atmospheric ivory tinkling here and there. Some nice laid back blues guitar too. Very nice.

Final track here is, ‘You Got It For Free,’ which perhaps hints at a Dylan type tune, but in my mind better – I never got into Bob Dylan. Perhaps there’s a little nod to Heart’s lighter songs, with a little steel guitar thrown in at the end here. Sounds good!

Overall there’s not a lot of music here to weigh up, but a very respectable debut. It will be interesting to see how far Anna Rose will stretch her wings on a complete album.
If you’d like to check out more about Anna Rose go to:
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Rock News for Tuesday 23rd February, 2010

Kiss playing Classic Rock London Club gig!
UK Classic Rock magazine has secured the services of mega rockers Kiss for one night, for a low key club show! Imagine the ticket rush!!!
After the global success of their latest album 'Sonic Boom,' Classic rock has made the following announcement.

You wanted the best, and now you'll get the best, The hottest band in the world…at the O2 Academy Islington in London!

Seriously, this is not a wind-up (check the calendar, it ain't April 1!), but KISS are playing the 800-capacity club in North London on Tuesday, March 2. And it's sponsored by Classic Rock! The most intimate venue the legends have played in the UK since the opening of the Marquee Club in Charing Cross Road more than two decades back – remember, they're doing an arena tour in May!

Tickets for this special event – and, that is no hype, this is special! – will go on sale from noon (GMT) on Wednesday, February 24, and you may get them ONLY from HERE:
Remember though, you MUST use the promo code 'sonic'.

UFO added to play at London's High Voltage festival
Legendary UK rockers UFO have confirmed at their site that they will be playing the HIGH VOLTAGE FESTIVAL in London in July.
They are also currently lining up shows in South America with 1 confirmed date in Sao Paulo, Brasil at the
Carioca Club: http://cariocaclub.com.br/ and their tour dates page also shows other dates between 28th and 30th May in Brasil too.

Their current full list of tour dates is as follows:
April 2010
14th April - Germany - Hannover - Bluesgarage
16th April - Greece - Athens - Fuzz Live Music Club
17th April - Greece - Thessaloniki - Block 33
19th April - Germany - Nuremberg - Hirsch
20th April - Germany - Oberhausen - Zentrum Altenberg
22nd April - England - Workington - Carnegie Theatre
23rd April - England - Middlesbrough - Town Hall
24th April - Scotland - Edinburgh - Picture House
25th April - Scotland - Inverness - Ironworks
27th April - England - Sheffield - Academy
28th April - England - Leamington Spa - The Assembly
29th April - Wales - Cardiff - Millennium Music Hall

May 2010
1st May - Belgium - Charleroi - Le Coliseum
2nd May - Holland - Zoetermeer - Boerderij
4th May - France - Paris - La Trabendo
6th May - Germany - Osnabrück - Rodenhof
7th May - Germany - Berlin - Parkbühne Biesdorf
8th May - Germany - Dresden - Tante Ju
26th May - Brasil - São Paulo - Carioca Club
28th to 30th May - Brasil - TBA

July 2010
25th July - England - London - Victoria Park - High Voltage Festival
http://www.highvoltagefestival.com/
http://www.ufo-music.info/tour.htm

Robin Trower announces European dates but no US dates for 2010

Blues rocker Robin Trower, who pretty much every year has played a USA tour is this year planning to try and play a few more European dates, so no US tour dates are planned for 2010.

His site announced, 'Head to the Tours page for Robin's European tour dates in 2010.
Sorry to dissapoint the US fans, but there will be no US tour in 2010.'
Tour dates announced so far that won't start until September are:

September 2010 
Holland
03 Holland Boerderij Zootermeer
04 Holland Tegelen Festival
UK
08 Cardiff The Globe
09 Bilston Robin 2
10 Birkenhead Pacific Arts Centre
11 Glasgow Academy
12 Holmfirth Picturedrome
15 Norwich Waterfront
16 Newcastle Academy
17 Derby Assembly Rooms
18 London Shepherds Bush Empire
22 Bath Komedia
23 St. Ives Cornwall Festival
24 Barnstaple Queens Hall
25 Sevenoaks Stag Theatre
26 Brighton Komedia
Belgium
29 Verviers, Belgium Spirit of 66

October 2010
France
08 Lefrinchouke France La Poudriere
09 Paris Bobino, with Hot Tuna
10 Terville France 112 Club
Head to Robin's site for all other things Trower related -  http://www.trowerpower.com/index.asp

Stryper gets busy preparing for new album

Christian rock / metal act, Stryper have had an interesting start to the New Year. Lead man Michael Sweet got married on January 8th to Lisa (Belated congrats!), their very good 2009 release 'Murder by Pride' in their 25th Anniversary was in the Top 20 CMSpin albums of 2009 and received many great reviews and in 2010, Michael Sweet has said the band will release ..., wait for it, a covers album!
http://www.stryper.com/News/news.htm

This was announced on February 15th, 2010:

 Hey Everyone, Just as promised, I wanted to outline some more details regarding the new Stryper record. We grew up listening to many different styles of music and there is a list of bands that influenced us throughout our musical education. Bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Van Halen, UFO, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Kansas and many others, helped to shape our sound and make us who we are today, musically speaking.
We grew up on the streets of LA playing every club in town from Gazzari's to The Whisky to The Troubadour to you name it. We played covers from all the bands mentioned above and we shaped our own sound from listening and performing songs from these classic bands.


We wanted to step outside the box and record a record that shows you, the fans, where we come from - our historical, musical roots so to speak. It's a side to Stryper that no one has really seen or heard before, or at least quite like this. We performed "On Fire" by Van Halen on a few tours and we also performed "Breaking The Law" by Priest on this last tour. The response was far beyond our expectations each time we performed these songs. People seemed genuinely surprised to hear Stryper cover these songs and even more surprised to hear Stryper perform these songs relatively well. This will be an opportunity for Robert Sweet, Oz Fox, Tim Gaines and myself to loosen up and have some fun.
For those of you who may think that we're walking away from our faith - your wrong. We've never been more serious about our faith at any point in our lives. It is however important to enjoy what you do and lighten up from time to time. That's what we plan to do. This will be a fun record to make and we hope that this comes through, as well as the chance to showcase the abilities that we've been blessed with. More details to come and a specific song list and sequence to follow.
We're looking forward to getting back into the studio and more important, to seeing all of you on the road again this year!
Be well, be blessed and let the games begin,
Michael

He also goes on to say that he will release, gradually, the songs they are covering through his Twitter page: http://twitter.com/michaelhsweet he's already listed the following songs as on the list to be included - I'm impressed, as these will be a challenge:

'Breaking the Law' - Judas Priest
'The Trooper' - Iron Maiden
'Blackout' - Scorpions
'Over the Mountain' - Ozzy Osbourne
'Set Me Free' - The Sweet
'On Fire' - Van Halen'
That's all so far, but follow Michael through his Twitter site for the latest updates on the albums progress and the song titles!
Also through:
http://www.michaelsweet.com/

Monday, February 22, 2010

Rock News for Monday 22nd February, 2010

Gruesome Twosome Tour to hit the road

Well, this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but following on from my posting yesterday regarding Alice Cooper's upcoming 'Theatre of Death tour,' it seems he's hooked up with another horror showman, Rob Zombie for a double header. Prepare for the, 'Gruesome Twosome tour!'

  Horror Rock Icons Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper to Share Stage for the Gruesome Twosome Tour

(New York, NY) – It’s a bill that fans of horror and hard rock could only dream of until now: Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper sharing the stage for a night of theatrical rock n’ roll madness. For the first time ever, the “gruesome twosome” will play an exclusive limited run of North American tour dates beginning April 26th at the MTS Center in Winnipeg, MB. Rob Zombie commented, “The dream or the nightmare comes true! Me and The Coop have been talking about touring together for the last 15 years and finally the moment is here. This will be without a doubt a Rock ‘N’ Roll Spooktacular for all the Cool Ghouls.” Alice Cooper added, “I’m looking forward to theses concerts with Rob. It’s sort of like Dracula Vs. Frankenstein. We’re like this generation’s classic monsters. When we’re not onstage frightening audiences, we’ll be backstage trying to scare each other.”
Following the dates with Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie and longtime bandmates guitarist John 5, bassist Piggy D and drummer Tommy Clufetos will hit the road for an extensive North American trek to co-headline this year’s Mayhem Festival (visit: http://www.robzombie.com/ or www.myspace.com/robzombie or please see below for all tour dates).

It’s been a busy year for multi-platinum hard rock artist and filmmaker Rob Zombie. Zombie’s brand new album HELLBILLY DELUXE 2 just debuted at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart, marking his second Top Ten debut in 6 months. The Zombie-helmed Halloween 2 landed at #3 at the box office in August, 2009 and went on to become one of the biggest horror movies of the year, grossing more than $37 million to date. Zombie will make his television directorial debut with an episode of CBS’ highly-rated show CSI: Miami set to air on Monday, March 1st at 10:00PM, EST.

With more than 15 million albums sold, 7 Grammy nominations, the helming of 5 major motion pictures and dozens of music videos under his belt, Rob Zombie is a force to be reckoned with in today’s entertainment landscape. Zombie’s unique meld of horror and hard rock has influenced his sound as a musician, and more recently his vision as a director and writer.

Alice Cooper, the rock innovator generally credited with pioneering theatrics and bringing stagecraft to the rock idiom, has been a huge influence on successive generations of artists. On tour with Rob Zombie, he will be performing his Theatre of Death production that he will subsequently take it on the road in North America and Europe throughout 2010. He is backed in concert by longtime band members Damon Johnson and Keri Kelli (guitars), bassist Chuck Garric, and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso. Alice is preparing to release a live Theatre of Death DVD, filmed in London late last year, and is currently in pre-production on a new album.

Alice Cooper is the host of Nights with Alice Cooper, produced and distributed by the United Stations Radio Networks. Alice anchors 30 hours per week of original Classic Rock programming. Alice's time slot reaches 1.1 million listeners (12+) each week, and his affiliates have a weekly reach of over 6 million listeners.
For more facts, figures, fans, features and fun go to http://www.nightswithalicecooper.com/

'Gruesome Twosome Tour dates:'
April 2010

Mon 04/26/10 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
Tue 04/27/10 Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre
Wed 04/28/10 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
Thu 04/29/10 Calgary, AB Stampede Corral
May 2010
Sat 05/01/10 Vancouver, BC P.N.E. Pacific Coliseum
Sun 05/02/10 Kennewick, WA Toyota Arena
Tue 05/04/10 Casper, WY Casper Events Center

Uriah Heep's Mick Box continues his 'Appy Days column

Original Uriah Heep man, Mick Box continues to contribute his very entertaining and interesting weekly blog of life on the road and beyond with the Uriah Heep man, to UK magazine, Classic Rock.
He's just back from a Russian jaunt, so to read more on that and his support of his Premier League football team Spurs (Tottenham Hotspur) and much more, go to:  

Also, for those that missed it previously, Uriah Heep have lined up their first tour in the USA since 2002, albeit a little brief.
Those US dates are as follows:
June 2010
Fri 06/18/10 Chattanooga, TN Riverbend Festival Grounds
Sat 06/19/10 Annapolis, MD Rams Head On Stage
Sun 06/20/10 Wilkes-Barre, PA F.M. Kirby Center For Perf. Arts
Tue 06/22/10 New York, NY B.B. King Blues Club
Thu 06/24/10 Saint Charles, MO Ameristar Casino St. Charles
Fri 06/25/10 Kansas City, MO Ameristar Hotel & Casino
July 2010
Fri 07/02/10 Algona, IA Freedom Park

Scorpions Sting in the Tail first USA tour date leaked ...
German rockers the Scorpions have not yet announced their full North American tour yet, in support of their forthcoming new album, 'Sting in the Tail,' but one date late in June has popped up on their tour dates page.
That date is Saturday June 19th, where they will headline the M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, MD.
They top a very impressive bill ..., but more on that in my next news item.
'Sting in the Tail' has the following release dates:
March 19th 2010 (North America March 23rd, Japan End of March)
 
It certainly looks like the US tour then will start around late June and run through July and possibly August too, as their next date showing on their tour dates page is not until September.
 
'M3 Rock Festival' - Impressive line up
 
On Saturday June 19th, Columbia, MD will host an impressive line up of rock talent featuring some bands they have not toured in a few years and well as some that are summer festival favourites.
Check this out:
With the Scorpions headlining the festival with their first announced date in the USA on their farewell world tour, in support of their forthcoming new album, 'Sting in the Tail.'
Other acts confirmed are:
Vince Neil as the guy heads out without Mötley Crüe, for one of his famous summer solo runs.
Kix who reformed back in 2004 and are making their name again on the road.
Winger, who last year released the excellent 'Karma' album, to many great reviews.
L.A. Guns join who are constantly on the road.
Warrant, who seem to go back and forth on lead vocalists in recent years.
Then there's Nelson with a first major live appearance away from their Scrap Metal all star project in more than a few years. They are also due to release a new album, 'Lightning Strikes Twice,' later this year through the Frontiers label.
The festival line up is completed by Trixter, Jetboy, Ozzy Reed, Bang Tango, ZO2 and Black Mambooza.
More details can be found right here:
Looks like a great day for rock fans, if you can make it!