Source For Music Concerts And News

One-handed violinist helps the disabled make music

2013-03-16T09:46:00.000-04:00

Anantawan is one of the world's most accomplished young violinists. He has performed at the White House, at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, for Pope John Paul II, for Christopher Reeve and most recently for the Dalai Lama during a private recital at MIT. Anantawan played a piece by Bach, and when he finished, the Tibetan Buddhist leader approached him.

"He put my hands together, and put his hands around mine, and our foreheads touched for six or seven seconds," Anantawan said. "And I'm just thinking to myself, 'My goodness, where has this instrument and music taken me?' I feel tremendously blessed to have had experiences like that."

Anantawan's disability has been with him since birth. Doctors think the umbilical cord wrapped around his hand in the womb, cutting off the blood supply and keeping it from growing properly. To compensate, he uses a simple prosthesis called a spatula, which grips the violin bow.

Anantawan on the stage of the Camden Opera House in Camden, Maine, where he spoke at the PopTech conference.

In recent years, Anantawan has devoted his career to using adaptive technology -- from prosthetic devices like his own to sophisticated computer software -- to aid aspiring young musicians in overcoming a wide range of disabilities. By helping them make music, he believes this technology can help "reveal the inner humanity" of disabled children who struggle to express themselves through other means.

"Accessibility is not an act of charity," Adrian told an audience last summer during a TEDx talk in suburban Boston, where he is now an orchestra conductor at a charter school. "It's one of lifting the ceiling of potential development so that all children can explore this world, but also possibly create new ones."

A 'sonic fingerprint'

Born of Thai-Chinese ethnicity, Anantawan grew up in Toronto. With only one hand, many childhood milestones -- learning to tie shoes, sharpen a pencil in class, ride a bike -- were difficult for him. Classmates made him feel different.

"Growing up without an arm -- it seems trivial now, but when you're in grade one or two, kids can exclude you on many different levels," he said during an interview last fall at the annual PopTech conference in this picturesque Maine seaside town.

By the time he was 9, his parents decided he should learn a musical instrument. The recorder was out, because it's difficult to adapt for two hands. The trumpet was too loud, and so were the drums. Little Adrian didn't have much of a singing voice. So his mother decided on the violin.

His parents took the instrument to a rehabilitation center, where they adapt prosthetics to meet the needs of disabled children. A few months later, engineers there produced a customized device out of plaster, aluminum and Velcro straps. Eighteen years later, he's still wearing the same one.

"Little did my parents know that they had invited a dying cat into their home for the first six months in the form of 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,' " said Anantawan in the TEDx talk, squeaking out the melody on his violin.

For a boy with one hand, music became a great equalizer. Suddenly, he could do something the same way as his classmates.

"I had this adaptation. It did look different. But what came out, in terms of the sound from the instrument, was exactly the same as theirs. And we were all trying to make music together," Anantawan said. "Music was my way of sharing my personality with the world. I was very shy. I didn't talk very much. And the instrument, and playing music, helped me come out of my shell."brandon griggs cnn

Train Announced Summer 2013 U.S. Tour with Gavin DeGraw and The Script

2013-02-05T22:09:00.000-05:00

Californian pop rock band Train heralded summer 2013 U.S. tour dates. Co-headliners of the trek are Gavin DeGraw and The Script. The tour starts Jult 17 by concert at Cuyahoga Falls's Blossom Music Center and wraps up August 14 with show at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre. Trek schedule lists 19 cities including Clarkston (MI), Noblesville (IN), Camden (NJ), Mansfield (MA), Holmdel (NJ), Charlotte (NC), Atlanta (GA), Dallas (TX), Phoenix (AZ), Irvine (CA), and San Francisco (CA). Current Train members are Pat Monahan, Jimmy Stafford, and Scott Underwood. Latest band's studio album "California 37" was released in April 2012 via Columbia Records. Album singles are "Feels Good at First", "Drive By", "50 Ways to Say Goodbye", and "Bruises". Gavin DeGraw's latest studio work is "Sweeter" (2011). The Script is Irish alt-rock band which is known for their hits "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" and "Breakeven".

Train 2013 Tour Dates

07/17/13 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
07/18/13 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
07/19/13 - Noblesville, IN - Klipsch Music Center
07/21/13 - Tinley Park, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
07/23/13 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon At Jones Beach Theater
07/24/13 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
07/27/13 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center
07/28/13 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
07/30/13 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
07/31/13 - Atlanta, GA - Aaron's Amphitheatre At Lakewood
08/02/13 - The Woodlands, TX - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
08/03/13 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
08/06/13 - Albuquerque, NM - Hard Rock Casino Albuquerque Presents The Pavilion
08/07/13 - Phoenix, AZ - Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion
08/09/13 - Irvine, CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
08/10/13 - Wheatland, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre
08/11/13 - San Francisco, CA - America's Cup Pavilion
08/13/13 - Ridgefield, WA - Sleep Country Amphitheater
08/14/13 - Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre

Concert Calendar: Fun. comes to CMAC with Tegan and Sara

2013-02-04T14:03:00.002-05:00

Fun. has announced the dates for its Most Nights Summer Tour, which includes a trip to the Finger Lakes. The pop sensation will play Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua on Saturday, July 13 with pop duo Tegan and Sara.

The concert starts at 8 p.m. with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the show are $40 for pavilion and $25 for lawn and go on sale Friday, Feb. 15 at noon EST.

Fun. is rapidly becoming a household name, thanks to hits like "Some Nights" and "We Are Young" with Janelle Monae. This year they are nominated for six Grammys and will perform at the awards ceremony this Sunday.

Tegan and Sara released "Heartthrob," an ambitious synth-pop dance album, on Jan. 29. They performed pieces of the album Friday on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Billboard predicted the album would debut on the charts in the top 5, making it their most successful to date. by chris baker

Rob Zombie Reveals Title for Upcoming Album

2013-02-01T00:07:00.001-05:00

titled ‘Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor,’ is now on schedule for an April 23 street date courtesy of Zodiac Swan / T-Boy / Ume. Zombie worked closely with acclaimed producer Bob Marlette on the set. ‘The Lords of Salem’ film will follow in theaters April 26, though the music on the album is completely separate from the movie.

Zombie revealed of the new disc, “It’s stylistically sort of a little bit of everything. Fans of my really old stuff will love it because there’s a certain aspect of it that’s very reminiscent of that. But it is also very looking to the future. It’s hard to describe music to somebody if they haven’t heard it, but I feel like it’s the best of all the things I’ve done. I’ve finally found a perfect match between the old stuff I did and then new stuff. That’s the way it sounds to me anyway.”

The rocker added that he’s got a special feeling about the new record, explaining, “It seems to happen every couple of years or every 10 years or every five years or whatever, you have a moment when it all comes together. Not that the other records are bad, but not every record can be like the most inspired event in your life. But for some reason, this one feels like it. The songwriting, the sound of it, the vibe, the production — it’s special.” by chad childers

Van Halen’s Former Director of Security Looks Back on Insane Times

2013-01-26T13:13:00.000-05:00

former Van Halen director of security Ed Anderson must have a million stories he he’ll never tell. But that doesn’t mean he won’t share a little of what he’s seen.
“We could do no wrong. The crazier we got, the more you loved us, and the more you loved us, the bigger we got,” remembered Anderson in a recent Van Halen News Desk post. “Nobody could improve on what we’d perfected. The Stones may have been a rock ’n’ roll circus, but we were a rock ’n’ roll zoo.”

Anderson, who was with the band for what he called “the insane ’round-the-world ride” of 1980-84, had a simple job description — “Protect the band” — but, as he pointed out, taking care of the guys “not always such a simple thing to do.”

Why was it so tricky? Let Anderson count the ways: “I had to keep them safe when they were playing live. How did I know that the lunatic jumping on stage only wanted to sing along with Dave? I had to keep them out of harm’s way when they were back at the hotel, when they were partying, when they were traveling. Berserk fans. Jealous boyfriends. Sold-out shows. Drinking. Drugs. Women. I had to protect them from each other and from themselves.”

If those years weren’t a non-stop party for Van Halen, they seem to have come awfully close. For the guys behind the scenes, however, life wasn’t always glamorous,

REVEL OVATION HALL RIHANNA APRIL 26TH 2013

2013-01-24T08:49:00.003-05:00

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Friday April 26th, 2013

RIHANNA DIAMONDS WORLD TOUR makes an exclusive appearance at Ovation Hall on April 26, 2013.

As the recipient of a phenomenal 6 Grammy Awards, Rihanna has sold over 37 million albums and 146 million digital tracks worldwide, and currently holds the record for top-selling digital artist of all time. After winning the 2012 MTV VMA's Video Of The Year for "We Found Love," worldwide superstar Rihanna has opened the next chapter of her reign as this century’s Queen of the Billboard Hot 100 with the release of her single “Diamonds”.

Revel Nightlife's Exclusive Presale begins Thursday, January 24 at 10 a.m. and ends Thursday, January 24 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

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Win a Trip to See Soundgarden Live in Seattle!

2013-01-04T01:20:00.001-05:00

To celebrate the release of the band’s 2012 album, ‘King Animal,’ and the legendary grunge act’s upcoming tour, we’re going to give one lucky winner a full-on prize pack to see Soundgarden live in Seattle.
This Soundgarden prize pack includes round-trip airfare for two from the winner’s city to Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 7 – 9), two nights at a nearby hotel, a meet-and-greet with the members of Soundgarden, $500 in spending cash and, of course, two tickets to Soundgarden’s Feb. 8 concert at the Paramount Theatre. it’s 100 percent free to enter. For a chance to win our Soundgarden contest, just click the button below and sign up! This contest will end on Jan. 12, so enter now!

Enter the Soundgarden in Seattle Contest Here

Meat Loaf Announces Farewell Tour

2012-12-31T01:28:00.000-05:00

The vocalist has just announced the ‘Last at Bat’ tour of the U.K., which is intended to be his final trek in the country.
The musician has described the tour as his “final goodbye” to his U.K. fans and he’s making the shows something special as a result. The performance will be split into two parts. The first is expected to focus on hits from throughout his career, while the latter portion will be a full performance of his 1977 album ‘Bat Out of Hell‘ in its entirety.

Covering ‘Bat Out of Hell’ is an obvious choice as the disc sold over 45 million records for the singer. Meat Loaf says, “When Jim [Steinman] and I first came together, we couldn’t have dreamt the profound effect ‘Bat Out of Hell’ would have on both our lives and the lives of our fans around the world … This show promises to be an exciting event. I know the fans will enjoy the show as much as I enjoyed putting it together.” Meat Loaf will follow the U.K. shows with a trek through Germany, and it’s unclear as of this writing exactly when his last concert date will be.

Meat Loaf recently had knee surgery to make sure he would be ready for touring again. His fall North American tour, the ‘Mad Mad World’ trek, ran into scheduling difficulty when the East Coast run coincided with the arrival of Hurricane Sandy. Four New York-area shows were canceled indefinitely as a result. The singer made headlines during his summer 2011 tour by passing out on stage on two different occasions, and declared in August that he would rather die during a performance than reduce his tour schedule.chad childers

Bon Jovi announces major new Because We Can tour

2012-12-01T15:50:00.000-05:00

just announced a new tour that's going to take them to at least five continents. (See dates below). That's why his songwriting partner, Richie Sambora, just recorded another solo album and toured, and why David Bryan used his "spare time" to write the Tony-winning Broadway hit "Memphis." And the whole band gathered in a movie theater Tuesday night to take live questions from fans around the world. Plenty of bands have strong work ethics, but these guys are insane.

The new tour, Because We Can, is groundbreaking in its concept. They've tiered the ticket prices to seven different levels, partly to thwart the scalpers and partly to give fans a break. While there are some high-end VIP packages available, thousands of tickets are priced at $19.50. Tickets for 1987's "Slippery When Wet" tour were $16.50 -- which is $32.15 in today's dollars when adjusted for inflation. So it's technically cheaper to see them now than it was to see them back then.

Sambora -- whom Bon Jovi describes as "my right-hand man. He's Dean to my Frank" -- took a few minutes from his schedule to talk about the new tour.

MSN: How was your live Q&A with fans from the theater? I'm told that had never been done before.

Sambora: "It's the first time anything like that ever happened. We interacted with our fans, which we do a lot. We had a Q&A with the fans both on Twitter feed and our website. Questions were coming in from everywhere, Australia, South America, Europe. It was really cool. We've got a lot of new music to put out there, so that's what we're doing."

So those people overseas must have been up in the middle of the night to submit the questions.

"Thank God for our fans. I was just in Europe -- I just put out a solo album 'Aftermath of the Lowdown,' and I was in Europe for a solo tour. They sold out in presale! There were people who went to every show. There were people there from China, for God's sake! It's crazy."

Well you're on Twitter all the time, it seems.

"Absolutely! At least a couple of times a day. It's definitely me, man. I enjoy it. I like to hear people's opinions. Sometimes I'll just have a question of the day and put it up there because I'm curious about what people think."

You've been a band who are willing to experiment, whether it's your residencies in large stadiums or your new tour where you've gone with tickets priced as low as $19.50.

"It's a band philosophy that came from a long, long time ago, even before we had hit records. We said 'Let's play everywhere. Live, live, live. Let's tour everywhere.' We didn't have a hit record, but we played in all these countries supporting other bands or playing a club tour. What happened was the garden was seeded. The only thing missing was a hit record. Then 'Slippery' hit, and we had a bunch of hit records (laughs). It exploded worldwide. We've always taken a global stance on making music and taking the tour on the road. When the grunge era came in, in the early '90s we went out and broke 20 new markets. Our sales really didn't suffer that much, and we were able to remain ourselves artistically."

Where does that work ethic come from? When you're not touring, you're all still working.

"It's really important when you're a band that stays together all this time, that everybody does have their individual efforts that they can be an individual with. That's very, very important stuff. Lucky for us we all support each other's efforts, whatever it may be. Anytime you do something different, you bring back a whole new knowledge to the band. It's like it's brand-new again. It's a good learning process and it also freshens the relationship. A band is very much like a marriage. If you limit yourself in that relationship … that doesn't work. Here, everybody gets a chance to do their own things."by msn music

Feb. 9 Uncasville, CT
Feb. 10 Washington, DC
Feb. 13/14 Montreal, QUE
Feb. 17/18 Toronto, ONT
Feb. 20 Ottowa, ONT
Feb. 21 Pittsburgh, PA
Feb. 27 Atlanta, GA
March 1 Tampa, FL
March 2 Ft. Lauderdale, FL
March 5 Charlotte, NC
March 6 Nashville, TN
March 9 Cleveland, OH
March 10 Columbus, OH
March 13 St. Louis, MO
March 14 Louisville, KY
March 16 Oklahoma City, OK (on sale soon)
March 17 Lubbock, TX (on sale soon)
April 2 Calgary, AB
April 3 Edmonton, AB
April 5 Winnipeg, MB
April 7 St. Paul, MN
April 10 Austin, TX (on sale soon)
April 11 Dallas, TX
April 13 Kansas City, MO
April 14 Des Moines, IA
April 16 Denver, CO
April 17 Salt Lake City, UT
April 19 Los Angeles, CA
April 20 Las Vegas, NV
April 23 Glendale, AZ
April 25 San Jose, CA
July 12 Chicago, IL
July 24/25 E. Rutherford, NJ

Led Zeppelin to Play on ‘Late Show with David Letterman’

2012-12-01T10:39:00.000-05:00

Three surviving members of Led Zeppelin will be interviewed — but apparently will not perform — on Monday night’s (Dec. 3) episode of the ‘Late Show with David Letterman.’
Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones — who will be fresh off receiving the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor the night before — will turn up on Letterman’s couch to promote their newly released ‘Celebration Day’ live album, which documents their one-off 2007 reunion concert.by matthew wilkening

Paul McCartney and Wife Involved in Near-Disastrous Helicopter crash

2012-11-13T15:41:00.000-05:00

Paul McCartney and wife Nancy Shevell weren’t aware they were within two feet of a terrible helicopter accident this past spring until after the chopper was safely on the ground. The Daily Mail reports the couple were being flown home, when the pilot became disoriented by the bad weather and nearly caught the tree tops surrounding his chopper pad.
Poor weather in East Sussex lead to the May 2012 incident, which is now being investigated. The pilot realized his altimeter read two feet, meaning he was just 24 inches from a fixed object, in this case the trees. He pulled up and opted to land at the nearby Lydd Airport in Kent instead of at the McCartney compound.
The chopper was a chartered Sikorsky S-76C with nine seats, weighing over five tons. The Daily Mail writes that neither the 70-year-old singer or the 52-year-old Shevell were aware how close they came to an accident that could have took their lives, eight months after they wed.by bill dukes

49 Years Ago: The Beatles Play ‘Rattle Your Jewelry’ Concert

2012-11-05T14:03:00.001-05:00

Nov. 4, 1963, the Beatles to politely applause at London’s Prince of Wales Theatre, as the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret gazed amid the crowd. But these four charming Liverpool lads were clearly royalty themselves.
Their massively successful debut album, ‘Please Please Me,’ had been released in March of that year, cementing their superstardom and the ‘Beatlemania’ phenomenon that would soon spread like wildfire across the planet. And as those rabid teenage girls screamed, and as radio stations and record labels scrambled to keep up with the changes, the Beatles continued to churn out innovative, note-perfect singles.

Between the release of ‘Please Please Me’ and their concert at the London’s 1963 Royal Variety Show, the band released two of the most well-loved early Lennon-McCartney gems — the harmonica-laden ditty ‘From Me to You’ and the swooning anthem ‘She Loves You.’ All the while, they were recording their second studio album, the equally excellent ‘With the Beatles,’ which would be released on Nov. 22 of that year.

The quartet’s three-song set at the Royal Variety Show is shocking in retrospect. Freed from the droning teenage shrieks and general hysteria that accompanied most Beatles concerts, this set was — and is — a glimpse into the band’s respective live abilities, given that they could actually hear themselves sing and play. Opening with ‘From Me to You,’ all of the band’s boyish charm is on full-display. There are plenty of Paul McCartney head-bobs, awkward Ringo Starr smirks, and John Lennon toe-taps.

‘The next song that we’d like to sing now is — one — that’s…a — bit slower,’ McCartney fumbles, catching his breath, before diving into a gorgeous take on ‘Till There Was You’ (from the 1957 ‘The Music Man’). A longtime staple of the band’s early live sets in Hamburg, Germany, the song is built on McCartney’s booming, effortless vocal and George Harrison‘s silky guitar figures.
But the evening’s most infamous moment wasn’t of the musical variety. Before closing with a rousing version of ‘Twist and Shout,’ Lennon delivers one of the most infamous — and hilarious — bits of stage banter in music history: ‘For our last number, I’d like to ask your help. Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And for the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewelry…’ Cemented with his toothy smile and sheepish thumbs-up, it’s a time-capsule moment in pop-culture history.by ryan reed

Eddie Vedder Live From Phoenix Sunday Novemeber 4th 2012

2012-11-03T14:47:00.001-04:00

Hear Eddie Vedder perform live from the Comerica Theater in Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday, November 4th — exclusively on Pearl Jam Radio (channel 22). This is the first time ever that an Eddie Vedder concert has been broadcast live! Don't miss this exclusive concert broadcast — including a performance by special guest Glen Hansard (of The Frames and The Swell Season) — only on SiriusXM.

Vedder kicked off his much anticipated 2012 solo tour October 31 in Las Vegas, featuring songs from his latest solo album, Ukulele Songs. The tour continues until early December, ending in Clearwater, Florida on December 4th.

SiriusXM is giving away tickets to select dates on the tour. To Enter and see Official Rules, visit www.siriusxm.com/pearljamradio before Noon ET on November 9th.

Thank you for being a loyal SiriusXM listener!

KISS KRUISE 2 Rocking

2012-11-02T16:40:00.001-04:00

Kiss Kruise II set sail from Miami. As the ship left its port, fans were treated to an unmasked, acoustic show by the guests of honor on the pool deck of the Norwegian Pearl, which, for the next few days, can probably be renamed the “Dr. Love Boat.”

the band posted the above image and the following message to its Facebook page: “Here’s more than 2200 KISS fans standing on the pool deck of the Norwegian Pearl waiting for KISS to take the stage for yesterday’s acoustic set!”

During the show, Kiss played such favorites as ‘Comin’ Home,’ ‘A Million to One’ and ‘All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose.’ The band also took requests from fans, and Paul Stanley told the crowd that there will be a Kiss Kruise III.

The ship’s launch was delayed to accommodate those whose travel times to Miami were affected by Hurricane Sandy, but that didn’t delay the festivities. Fittingly, Halloween was celebrated with a costume contest, which was judged by guitarist Tommy Thayer.

Kiss Kruise II continues through Nov. 4, making a one-day stop at Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas tomorrow. In addition to Kiss, Skid Row, Adler and several cover bands and lesser known acts are on the bill.by dave lifton

Journey VIP Ticket Experience

2012-10-15T18:23:00.000-04:00

Journey

VIP Package

One ticket in the first 10 rows
Photo op with Journey band members
Backstage tour
Pre-show refreshments
Exclusive Journey gift bag
Journey VIP commemorative laminate
Crowd-free merchandise shopping
Onsite VIP host

Tour Package

One ticket in the first 20 rows
Exclusive Journey gift

Rolling Stones to tour again

2012-10-15T12:52:00.000-04:00

The legendary band said Monday it would return to the stage this year with four concerts in Britain and the U.S. The shows will take place on Nov. 25 and 29 at London's O2 Arena, followed by gigs on Dec. 13 and 15 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, just outside of New York.

The shows mark the first time in five years that the Stones have performed live, with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood all coming together once more. The band said it was the "crowning glory" of celebrations marking its 50th anniversary of its first gig.
"Everybody loves a celebration, and London and New York are two good places to do it in!" Jagger said in a statement.

The Stones have sold more than 200 million records, with hits including "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," ''Street Fighting Man" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want."
But in recent years much of their income has come from touring. Their last global tour, "A Bigger Bang," earned more than $500 million between 2005 and 2007.

Their legions of fans will hear era-defining tracks such as "Gimme Shelter," ''Jumping Jack Flash," ''Tumbling Dice," ''It's Only Rock and Roll," plus a few surprises and other classics from GRRR!, the multiformat album coming out in November.

"GRRR!" is a greatest hits collection that includes two new songs "Doom and Gloom" and "One More Shot," recorded recently in Paris -- the first new recordings since the 2005 album "A Bigger Bang."

The band promises an all-new, custom-built set design, featuring the tongue and floppy lip logo, that will "reach out into the crowd."

The tour comes despite some famously testy times.
Richards and Jagger have been creative catalysts and sparring partners -- sentiments aggravated two years ago when Richards published his autobiography "Life."

Neal Schon Proposes to Michaele Salahi On Stage

2012-10-15T12:29:00.000-04:00

Journey guitarist Neal Schon proposed to his girlfriend Michaele Salahi on stage during the band’s benefit concert in Baltimore, Md. last night (Oct. 14). The former reality show star tearfully and joyfully agreed to be his wife.

The happy couple made national headlines last fall when Salahi’s at-the-time husband reported her as kidnapped, only to find out (along with and in front of the whole world) that she had instead fallen madly in love with a rock star, and left him to join Schon on tour.

Since then, the former ‘Real Housewives of D.C.’ got divorced and her relationship with the guitar legend bloomed. The couple defended themselves against a multi-million dollar lawsuit from the ex, appeared in an eyebrow-raising Valentine’s Day Journey video together, and generally seem as happy as high school sweethearts. (If we were their parents, we’d be checking them for hickeys after every date.)

This being 2012, the whole proposal was captured on video by multiple concert goers.by: matthew wilkening

Roger Waters Added To "Love For Levon"

2012-09-29T10:45:00.001-04:00

Roger Waters of Pink Floyd has been added to an already all-star lineup for the “Love For Levon” concert in East Rutherford, NJ at IZOD Center on October 3rd. Ticket proceeds for the unbelievably stacked benefit show will be used to help save The Band’s late drummer, Levon Helm, barn and studio, home to many famous midnight rambles. The Band previously performed with Roger Waters at The Wall – Live in Berlin back in 1990, playing with Sinéad O’Connor, a concert said to have drawn over 300,000 people. The show’s lineup includes John Mayer, Greg Allman, Warren Haynes, Bruce Hornsby, My Morning Jacket, Lucinda Williams, Eric Church, Robert Randolph, Dierks Bentley, Marc Cohn, Patty Griffin, Ray LaMontagne, Joe Walsh, and more. The Levon Helm Band will be performing as well.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitarist Clarifies Comment: Confederate Flag Will Fly Onstage

2012-09-24T21:50:00.000-04:00

guitarist and founding member Gary Rossington has clarified comments he made on a recent CNN interview, and now states that the band will display the Confederate flag at their shows ‘every night.’

Rossington spoke in the original interview about the negative associations made with the flag over the years, including its adoption by such hate organizations as the Ku Klux Klan. The guitarist added that such associations had caused the band to disassociate themselves from the flag, which had been a large part of their visual image over the years.
Some fans were quite vocal in their opposition to this change on various message boards, with some stating that the flag is a symbol of Southern pride. In a poll featured on our original story, 51% of readers stated that they did not agree with this decision.
Rossington has since posted a message at the band’s website to clarify his and the band’s position. It reads:by chad childers

I wanted to clarify the discussion of the Confederate Flag in our recent CNN interview. Myself, the past members and the present members (that are from the South), are all extremely proud of our heritage and being from the South. We know what the Dixie flag represents and its heritage; the Civil War was fought over States rights.  We still utilize the Confederate (Rebel) flag on stage every night in our shows, we are and always will be a Southern American Rock band, first and foremost. We also utilize the state flag of Alabama and the American flag as well, ‘cause at the end of the day, we are all Americans. I only stated my opinion that the confederate flag, at times, was unfairly being used as a symbol by various hate groups, which is something that we don’t support the flag being used for. The Confederate flag means something more to us, Heritage not Hate

Green Day Frontman Unleashes Profanity Tirade at iHeartRadio Fest

2012-09-22T23:16:00.000-04:00

we present Billie Joe Armstrong‘s f-bomb filled tirade at the Las Vegas-based iHeartRadio Music Festival.
The group played a seven-song set, but the final track ‘Basket Case’ was cut short when Armstrong noticed a clock that was telling them how much time was left in their performance. Apparently, the group had their set cut short so that pop star Usher could have more time, and it didn’t sit well with the singer.
In mid-lyric, Armstrong belted to the audience, “I wanna play a new song. F— this s—. Gimme a f—in’ break, one minute left. One minute f—in’ left. You’re gonna give me one minute?! Look at that f—in’ sign right there, one minute! Let me tell you something … I’ve been around since f—in’ 1988 and you’re gonna give me one f—in’ minute?! You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
The singer added, “I’m not Justin f—in’ Bieber you mother—–ers! You’ve gotta be f—in’ joking. It’s a f—in’ joke. I’ve got one minute, one minute left, oh now I’ve got nothing left.”
He then proceeded to show his anger at the loss of time by smashing his guitar furiously against the stage and flipping off the officials keeping time, before telling the crowd, “God f—ing love you all.”
Before the ending, audiences were treated to six and a half quick songs, as Green Day played such favorites as ‘American Idiot,’ ‘Holiday,’ ‘Longview,’ and ‘St. Jimmy’ as well as the new songs ‘It’s F— Time’ and ‘Oh, Love’ before the shortened finale of ‘Basket Case.’by: chad childers

Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx Reflects On Tour With Kiss

2012-09-22T16:15:00.000-04:00

All-around renaissance man, Nikki Sixx.
After praising his road crew for getting the show back on the road after a gear bus accident trashed some of their stage, Sixx talked about the inspiration he’s gotten from his touring partners, the reaction to the band’s unconventionally new released single ‘Sex,’ and what would happen if Kiss and Motley Crue were to raid each other’s catalogs.
For more on Sixx’s Twitter rant against Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine and what lies ahead for his band Sixx: A.M, click on the button below to read Loudwire’s portion of the interview.

So the tour got back on track pretty quickly (after the crash), huh?

We’re really lucky that no one was playing the next night in Detroit. I know the Shinedown guys came down and hung out and they had a show tonight there. So there was a hole between our show and their show. If they still would have been there, we would have had to reschedule — which would have been really difficult — but everything worked out. Kiss’s and Motley Crue’s (road crews) worked together just perfect.
The comradery between the bands is really high, and the crew. If it wasn’t for that it could have been a real disaster because that entire truck was carrying both of our gear. We hired the same carrying company so everything was super easy. (Still), if it hadn’t been for everyone working so hard, they wouldn’t have been able to put the stuff back together because some of this stuff, I’ve never seen anything like it. When the truck flipped, it basically popped like a pimple and all the gear went out the top — the semi went over the top of a lot of the gear. So these huge bars of steel pulled all the pyro and mounted it into the rafters and stuff. That stuff was snapped like a toothpick.

You say the comradery with Kiss is good, that’s good to hear. Do you still get a friendly competitive vibe (when you perform together)?

Nikki: I mean, I’ve talked with this about Paul Stanley. We’re backstage, we’re hanging, we’re talking about everything and anything under the sun. Then we go to get ready. When we get on that stage, man, it’s all or nothing. It’s been that way since day one. It doesn’t matter who we’re on tour with. For Motley Crue, we have to give 150% and I know for sure the guys in Kiss, they’re the same way. So are we in competition with each other? Not really as much as we’re in competition with ourselves to keep pushing ourselves. Now when you have a band like Kiss playing with you, you can’t f— around and I know it’s the same for them. You know, we’re going out there and giving everything. It’s not like you have a slacker playing right after you or right before you so I think that’s like really healthy. We really didn’t discuss, as in a friendly competition, but I know that it’s there.

Inspiration, that’s a better word. But you explained it perfectly…

Definitely, you know it’s great, because I’ll be like, “Hey dude that one part of your show, I loved that” and they’ll say the same thing for us. It’s just such a nice feeling to have after all these years. We’ve seen every version of touring with bands and most of the time it’s really good, especially (with) the pros. You know, we did the co-headline with Aerosmith, with Ozzy, it was the same thing, like we just go up there and blow the audience away.

The new song ‘Sex’ is pretty cool, have you been happy with the reaction to it?

Yeah. It’s really interesting, it reminds me of when were kids. We would be playing the Whiskey-a-Go-Go and we (would have just written) this song called ‘Looks That Kill’ and (we go to) play it and people would be like “Dude! That song’s insane!” That’s the kind of thing that inspires us to write more songs. It didn’t get lost in the clutter, (instead we had) direct communication with fans. What we’d do in the future, I don’t know.
We’re going to make music. First thing you do is you write it, you record it, then you have it, then what do you do with it? Do we release EPs? Do we release albums? Do we release two songs a week? We don’t know yet and that’s kind of exciting, it’s kind of interesting to be in that place and not be going, “Well here’s the release date, the full 10 songs have to be mixed and mastered by this date.” We don’t necessarily know exactly what we’re going to do. I mean, we like what we’re doing right now, it feels good. It feels organic. We like that we have this body of work that we can pick from to play live. The band’s probably getting along better than maybe ever.

You’re known for doing things in unconventional ways. Were you happy with the reaction to your recent Vegas residency?

We just heard Guns N’ Roses is going to take a shot at the Vegas residency thing and I heard someone else, I can’t remember who… but it’s kind of cool that before we went in there, all we heard was “You’re going to fail,” “You’re going to tarnish your image,” “No one’s going to show up.” And, you know, we sold the whole thing out and everybody was really happy. We felt like, “Wow we’re kind of lucky to be the first hard rock / heavy metal band to ever go into Vegas. To see other bands going in there is really cool, because I think it’s a good opportunity. I think you have to be the right band. I think you can’t just go in there and play songs. You gotta put on more of a show, but it is a really cool thing.

So are there plans to do it again?

I guess at this point, you know, we did it and we knew we were going to do this tour. There’s a bunch of options on the table for some other opportunities and then we can make a record. So that’s kind of down the road, I’m not saying no, but we haven’t (confirmed it), it’s not on the calendar yet.

Okay last question — it’s quick and it’s a two-parter. If Motley Crue were going to cover a Kiss song, which one would it be?

Man, I tell ya, I love that song ‘War Machine,’ off of ‘Creatures of the Night.’ That would be pretty badass.

That would be good. Now, flip it around. Which one would you like to see them do of yours?

Which would they do it justice for? Um, let me think. You know, I think they can do a pretty badass version of ‘Shout at the Devil.’

I’d like to see Gene do ‘Louder than Hell‘ sometime…by: Matthew Wilkening

There you go! I can see that. That actually makes the most sense.

Vince Neil Joins Tribute Band

2012-09-16T23:55:00.000-04:00

Vince Neil provided a memory for a tribute band that they’ll likely never forget. The vocalist headed out after the band’s performance Thursday night (Sept. 13) to catch a show from Crued, a Motley Crue tribute band, and ended up joining them onstage.
The band had been chosen for Neil’s official after-party following the Kiss-Crue date at Toronto’s Molson Amphitheatre, and the singer hobbled up onstage to join in on ‘Smokin’ in the Boys Room’ and ‘Wild Side.’
Crued stated to Blabbermouth after the show, “Last night was the s—, man! Vince Neil, broken foot and all, came on stage to perform two songs with Crued, and he said we rocked and we’re a tribute who does it right and he had a great f—ing time! The club was packed, the show was awesome!!! Thank you, gods of rock and roll!”
The group’s bio states that they pay attention to detail, seeking to mirror both the costumes and backdrops straight from each of the band’s albums and tours.by chad childers

Diet Blamed for Eddie Van Halen’s Medical Issues

2012-09-08T01:02:00.000-04:00

According to the National Enquirer, the Van Halen guitarist’s recently reported emergency surgery was complicated because of some painful-sounding (and rather frightening) side effects he suffered after embarking on the Master Cleanse diet.
As Radar reports, the program “temporarily replaces food with a liquid consisting of water, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper” — a concoction that apparently didn’t sit well with Eddie’s gullet. According to the Enquirer’s sources, Eddie’s “abdominal region was a disaster area” and the diet “touched off an explosion in his intestines.”
The Enquirer went on to quote a doctor (who, we hasten to add, did not treat Van Halen) as saying, “The stress of fad diets increases pressure on the colon, and if the person has diverticulitis there may be leakage from the bowel into the abdomen.”
As previously reported, Van Halen spent three weeks in the hospital following his surgery for diverticulitis, and he’s expected to take up to six months to fully recover. Here’s hoping he watches his diet while he recuperates.by jeff giles

Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx Calls Out Dave Mustaine On Latest Comments

2012-08-19T12:05:00.000-04:00

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine received some serious backlash from his most recent remarks he recently made onstage in Singapore suggesting that the Obama administration “staged” recent tragedies like the one in Aurora, Colo. and the massacre at the Sikh temple in Milwaukee, Wis., in order to promote stricter gun laws.

Mustaine then tried to do some damage control by appearing on the show ‘Info Wars’ to clarify his statement, but fans and victims alike are not impressed with what he had to say. One of the victims who was in the Colorado theater waiting to see the ‘Dark Knight Rises’ movie when the gun spree erupted has gone on record calling the conspiracy theory “absurd” and now Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx is weighing in as well
.
Sixx on his personal Facebook page posting a link from the L.A. Times reporting what Mustaine said about President Obama. He also commented pretty candidly, saying, “Dave Mustaine is f—ing a–hole. I can’t even imagine how deep this cuts the victims’ families of these shootings.” He continued, adding, “He owes every family an apology as well as our great country.”

he added a message directed personally to Mustaine, saying, “Hey Dave if you think America is turning into ‘Nazi America’ as you are quoted saying. Then move the f— out.”
Sixx may be brutally outspoken but he’s also willing to put his money where his mouth is. It was recently reported that Motley Crue and Kiss joined forces to donate $100,000 to the Aurora Victim Relief Fund when ‘The Tour’ stopped in Englewood, Colo. last week (Aug. 9). At the time, Sixx commented, saying, “We bonded together with our tour partners and friends Kiss to donate money, but we also hope it inspires others to do the same, no matter how big or small by mary ouellette

Battle of the Blues Joe Bonamassa

2012-08-12T10:52:00.000-04:00

Guitar Center Battle Of The Blues

Guitar Center is once again searching for our Nation's top undiscovered blues guitar players. In help with their search they have asked Joe Bonamassa and Dr. John to perform after the contest at the event and don't be surprised if there are more Special guest appearances. Back in 2009, Joe was asked to perform and since then Joe has been a part of the Competition in one way or another as the performer, Judge and Emcee the last few years.
The Final competition will be held on August 18th in Los Angeles at Club Nokia. The Finalist will "battle" it out with each other before a panel of Guest Judges as they try to claim the title of "King of the Blues" for 2012. Each contestant will receive 5 minutes to set up and will perform live to an original backing track, developed by Grammy Award winning producer, Pete Anderson