Sunday, November 01, 2009

Bon Jovi Set To Launch 2-Year World Tour

Rock band Bon Jovi is set to launch a two-year world tour to support their new album The Circle. This is the band's 11th studio album and it's scheduled to drop Nov. 12.

Bon Jovi's mammoth world tour gets underway Feb. 19 in Seattle and ends 135 shows and 30 countries later. Highlights of the tour include being the first band to perform at the new Meadowlands football stadium and an extended stay at London's O2 arena.

Bon Jovi will rock concerts in Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Dallas (sorry that concert won't be held at the new Cowboys Stadium). The band will also venture to the Great White North for a pair of Bon Jovi shows in Montreal.

This is exciting news for rock fans as Bon Jovi is one of the world's great live bands. They are also extremely popular as fans find them easy to relate too, accessible, and unpretentious. Basically, Bon Jovi is one of us.

However, that standing might be in jeopardy.
Bon Jovi has recently made a deal with the devil and in this case the devil is NBC.

Bon Jovi has signed a promotional deal with NBC Universal that will feature them, as well as their music, on NBC and their family of cable networks.

We understand the need to promote their new album and sell Bon Jovi concert tickets, but we worry that this is nothing more than insidious corporate synergy.

If it means an appearance on the Jay Leno Show, and songs from The Circle used as background music in Heroes, than that's fine. But if the band suddenly starts working for Dunder Mifflin we'll be upset.

The question still remains how exactly will Bon Jovi be integrated into NBC Universal programming?

Will Richie Sambora be a suspect on Law and Order?

Will Tico Torres be Liz Lemon's love interest on 30 Rock?

Will Jon Bon Jovi break down Iran's nuclear program on MSNBC?

Obviously this one business arrangement won't turn fans, or this blogger, against Bon Jovi, but it is disconcerting and disappointing. While it seems natural to mix rock music with network television such a union must be organic. If it's forced, and/or lawyers are involved, than it's never a good thing.

There is one saving grace though. No one watches NBC. More people will see Bon Jovi on "The Circle World Tour" than on the Peacock Network.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Lady Gaga's The Monster Ball Tour Begins Nov. 27

Lady Gaga's The Monster Ball Tour Begins Nov. 27 in Montreal. From there, the 23-year-old pop singer from New York City will perform in Toronto and Ottawa before coming to America.

She will return to the Great White North on Dec. 9 and 10 for a couple of Lady Gaga concerts at Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

The Diva is billing The Monster Ball Tour as a "pop-electro opera," whatever that means. The Monster Ball was thrown together after a planned outing with Kanye West was canceled in early October.

"I wanted to really put together a show that would be the most beautiful, expensive-looking, delicious show, but that my fans wouldn't have to pay a ton of money to come see.," Gaga told Rolling Stone magazine. "I've got super loyal fans, so I feel this tremendous obligation to take care of them."

A "beautiful, expensive-looking, delicious show" that fans won't "have to pay a ton of money to come see" is code for "cheap." However, Gaga is a consummate professional. She'll more than make up for any short comings in production with her energetic and captivating stage presence.

On Nov. 24 Lady Gaga is releasing a new album... kinda. This new opus is called The Fame Monster. It's a repackaging of her tremendously successful The Fame with an additional eight new songs.

We're not sure if this is laziness, greed, or a real treat for her fans.

On one hand, if you don't already own the album the eight extra songs are a great incentive to finally buy it.

If you already own the album are eight songs enough to make you want to buy it again (assuming you're not going to download the new tracks)?

And couldn't Gaga just add a few more songs to the eight and release an entirely new album?

Regardless, the newly repackaged album is being incorporated into her tour. "Monsters" will be a theme for some of her show's visuals. In particular, personal demons or the wrongs we've committed as flawed and fragile human beings.

"I believe, that innately we're all born with the monsters already inside of us — I guess in Christianity they call it original sin — the prospect that we will, at some point, sin in our lives, and we will, at some point, have to face our own demons, and they're already inside of us," preached Gaga.

The idea of original sin eventually developed into another source of inspiration for Gaga's upcoming tour, evolution.

"We started talking about evolution and the evolution of humanity and how we begin as one thing, and we become another,” Gaga waxed.

Fans will be able to see what the heck she's talking about when Lady Gaga performs in Los Angeles and San Francisco this fall. Lady Gaga is also selling tickets for a concert in Miami.

The Monster Ball Tour wraps up Jan. 21, 2010 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. In March, Gaga launches a tour of Australia.

Thanks to her on-line success—20 million downloads sold—Gaga is one of the biggest-selling artists of 2009. She just completed her first headlining trek, The Fame Ball Tour, at the end of September. Prior to that, Gaga opened for New Kids On The Block and The Pussycat Dolls.

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

The 2009 MLB Playoffs

The 2009 MLB playoffs has shaped up to be a fantastic post season. From the Boston Red Sox playing the Angels in the playoffs, to Yankees to the Twins in the American League. Or from the Cardinals and Dodgers playoffs to the Rockies vs. the Phillies in the playoffs, this post season has some excellent match-ups.

How will the world champ Phillies do? Will the Yankees meet the Red Sox in the playoffs? Who's going to win the 2009 World Series?

Watch the MLB playoffs to find out! I know I will be!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Megadeth: Loads Of Fun

It’s the tour metal fans have been waiting to see for years. The “Big Four” of thrash metal, Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer, together on tour.

It would be “The Mount Rushmore” of thrash performing in the same city, in the same arena, on the same night, and on the same bill. This would be such an important event that metal fans would even wear white t-shirts to make it happen.

Happily for metalheads this dream has never been closer to coming true than it is right now. Metallica bassist, Robert Trukilo, recently confirmed that his band to trying to make this happen.

"I think it's great. We've had a few different conversations on the subject. . . . There's a lot of history there. I think it'd be great for metal. I don't think all four bands have played together at the same time," said Trukilo.

Stay tuned for that historic announcement. Of course it won’t really need to be announced. Instead, the skies will open up and angels will blow trumpets heralding the greatest tour in the history of the universe. You won’t even need the internet to know it’s coming to a town near you.

Until then you can just listen to Endgame. Released on Sept. 15, Endgame is the 12th studio album for one of the “Big Four,” Megadeth.

For the uninitiated, Megadeth’s front man Dave Mustaine was an original member of Metallic. That’s partly why these four bands have not embarked on a tour before.

The lead single from Endgame is the rocking “Headcrusher.”

While the band is getting up there in years, their latest offering indicates that they have no intention of letting up.

"This is a Megadeth album for the fans, and if you don’t love it after playing it once, give it a second or third try and you’ll rediscover everything you originally loved about the band and the metal god known as Dave Mustaine," wrote album reviewer Shawn Loeffler of Craveonline.

Tickets for Megadeth’s Endgame Tour are on sale now. It launches Nov. 14 in Grand Rapids and is scheduled to conclude Dec. 13 in Las Vegas.

Megadeth is set to visit Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and San Antonio as well as other cities in the Midwest. A Megadeth concert in Dallas is also on the itinerary.

Joining the boys are Machine Head, Suicide Silence and Arcanium. Warbringer replaces Machine Head starting Dec. 5 for the Kansas City concert.

The big four may not be playing together any time soon, but two of the four are, Slayer will join Megadeth (as well as Machine Head and Suicide Silence) for some shows in Canada. Starting Nov. 8, you can catch the pair of thrash bands all over the Great White North including a concert in Toronto.

The duo will also play some shows in early October in New Zealand and Australia.

Recently, Megadeth promoted Endgame with an appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.

There’s also plenty of reading material for Megadeth fans to consume. The band has been interviewed by the following publications: RollingStone.com, Decibel, Revolver, Guitar World, AOL, Noisecreep, and Thrasher.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Mavericks Aren’t Old, They’re Just Experienced

The Dallas Mavericks have a huge problem entering the 2009-2010 season—they’re not the Los Angeles Lakers.

Then again you can pretty much say that about any team in the Western Conference.

With the addition of Ron Artest, Lamar Odom resigning, and Kobe Bryant still on the team, the Lakers can win 62 regular season games without breaking a sweat. They are the consensus pick to win the West.

Despite getting another year older, NBA experts still list Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs as the second best team in the conference. You can even find a few pundits that think the Spurs have made enough positive offseason moves to sneak past the Lakers.

So where does that leave the Mavs?

This off season the Mavericks, in a complicated four team deal, sent forwards Devean George and Antoine Wright to the Toronto Raptors and Jerry Stackhouse to the Memphis Grizzlies. In return, the Mavs received small forward Shawn Marion, power forward Kris Humphries, center Nathan Jawai and guard Greg Buckner.

Marion will start, Jawai will back up Erick Dampier, and Humphries and Buckner are long shots to make the team.

The Mavs’ other big offseason move was resigning future hall of fame point guard Jason Kidd to a 3-year, $24 million deal.

The team also signed power forwards Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas for size and depth.

Fans with Mavs tickets are likely to see a starting five comprised of Kidd, Josh Howard, Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Dampier.

The youngest member of that starting five is Howard and even he's 29. Combined, the Mavs’ starters are 161-years-old. Meanwhile, the starting five of the Portland Trail Blazers are just 119-years-old.

Entering training camp, the Mavs have on their roster 7 players with 10 or more years of NBA experience.

The Mavs’ wisdom and talent should be enough to win 50 to 52 games. Unfortunately in the West that will earn a team just a 5th or 6th place finish. Last year’s team finished 50-32—good enough for the 6th seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.

The trick for the Mavs in 2009-2010 is playing small ball as much as they can and keeping those old bones fresh. That might be easier said than done in a season in which they play 19 back-to-back games.

If the Mavs can stay healthy and somehow garner home court advantage for the first round of the playoffs, they might be able to to knock off the Lakers or the Spurs and reach the NBA Finals.

However, such a contingency would more than likely involve Bryant or Duncan sitting on the sidelines in street clothes… next to either Pau Gasol or Tony Parker.

For the Mavs to be real contenders in the West, owner Mark Cuban needs to make at least one more significant roster move.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Wicked the Musical on Another U.S. Tour

If you haven't heard of Wicked the musical then you may be living in a entertainment bubble. It's a sort of prequel to the very first color motion picture: The Wizard of Oz.

Wicked is a Tony Award-winning Broadway and West End musical, with songs and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman.

It's been running on Broadway in NYC for years now. In fact, The musical debuted on Broadway on October 30, 2003.

One of the things that shows what hugely popular musical is that it has also been on numerous national tours as well. It's been in large cities across the U.S. such as Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, and Philadelphia. And it has also visited smaller markets.

This fall, winter and spring of '10 there's another Wicked tour visiting much smaller cities. For example, if you live in Ohio you'll be able to see Wicked in Dayton and Toledo, Columbus and you'll be able to see Wicked in the larger city of Cleveland.

Wicked Tours Down South in 2010

People who live in Kansas will be able to see Wicked in Wichita, KS at the Century II Convention Center and Wicked in Kansas City showing at the Music Hall. Folks in Virginia will be able to see Wicked in Richmond at the Landmark Theater. Other southern states included the tour include Wicked Louisville and Wicked Nashville at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center - Andrew Jackson Hall. And people in North Carolina can see Wicked in Charlotte at the Ovens Auditorium.

Other cities in which you can expect to see Wicked include Miami, FL at the Ziff Opera House and Durham at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

If you live in any of these cities I strongly urge you to consider going to see Wicked the musical. Maybe take a date and make a night of it. It's very enjoyable for men and woman, young and old alike.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

KISS Alive 35: 2009 North American Tour

That's right! KISS Is back! They are going on the road for their KISS Alive 35: 2009 North American Tour.

As they celebrate 35 years of rockin', KISS today announced the dates of the KISS Alive 35 North American tour. The tour kicks off with a rapidly selling, special multiple-show engagement in Detroit beginning September 25, where KISS will be playing the classic album that started it all: "Alive!" The tour leg will then hit more than 40 additional cities before concluding in December.

This incredible show will feature a new stage set, pyro effects that only the "hottest band in the world" could deliver, and all-new costumes. Fans will be treated to a two-and-a-half-hour set of some of rock's greatest hits, including "Rock and Roll All Nite", "I Was Made for Lovin' You", "Detroit Rock City", "God Gave Rock & Roll to You" and "Shout It Out Loud", as well as songs from the band's new album "Sonic Boom". BUCKCHERRY will be main support on all of the KISS Alive 35 North American dates.

Said Gene Simmons, "For 35 years, KISS raised the bar for what a rock concert should really be. This year is no different -- all new, all killer... all KISS! The master's class in rock is in session! KISS rules. Oh yeah!"

After completing their biggest tour ever of South America, selling out stadiums once again in Europe, and leaving fans clamoring for more in Australia, KISS is excited to give North America its due. KISS Alive 35 North America marks the first leg of the world's first fan-routed tour -- more than 10,000 individual cities across Canada and the U.S. mounted their own unique campaigns to bring KISS to their towns. The fans have spoken, the votes have been tabulated, and the waiting is over as KISS unveils the first markets.

"Modern Day Delilah", a brand new song from KISS, is available for streaming in its entirety below (courtesy of KissOnline.com). The track comes off KISS' first new studio album in over a decade, called "Sonic Boom", which will be released on October 6 exclusively at Wal-Mart properties.

Here are some of the big cities Kiss will be visiting on their KISS Alive/35 Tour:

Entertainment and Tickets Information