UnRated Entertainment Magazine

Pray For Death (1985)

2012-05-11T14:12:00.002-05:00

In 1981, the low budget martial arts film Enter the Ninja was a surprise hit and helped spawn a huge ninja craze in not just movies but also video games, magazines and even cartoons. I still remember thinking this one kid in our grammar school was cool because he dressed up like a ninja for Halloween. Ninjas were everywhere! While most ninja movies were not very good, we didn’t care as long as there was plenty of action and stunts. The king of the ninja films was actor Sho Kosugi. Kosugi was in every ninja movie out there and while his acting made Schwarzenegger and Norris look like Pacino and DeNiro, it didn’t matter. Kosugi kicked ass and he didn’t need a stunt man to do most of his action scenes. While Kosugi broke away from acting in the early 90′s, he had numerous ninja films under his (black) belt, all of which I had to see.
Which leads me to Pray For Death. I never saw this as a kid as it was kind of hard to find at our video stores. My review may be a bit biased as I still really enjoy 80′s action films, no matter how lousy. And Pray For Death is pretty lousy.

Kosagi plays a retired ninja named Saito who lives with his wife and two sons inJapan. His wife is half American and wants to go back toAmericawhere she grew up and take her family with her. Saito agrees and he and his wife decide to start a life inAmericaand run a small restaurant business. Unbeknownst to them, their basement was being used by some local gangsters and crooked cops by keeping a stolen necklace worth thousands. When the cops take the necklace and the gangsters come back for it, they believe Saito and his family took it for themselves. When Saito’s wife is killed, it’s revenge time as he arms himself with swords, shooting stars, you name it.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

Debauchery (1983)

2012-05-11T14:10:00.001-05:00

Ami (Ryoko Watanabe of Love Hard, Love Deep) is a dissatisfied wife. Sure, her husband is a successful doctor and provides any material need she may want but sexually speaking, she’s dissatisfied. So when she hears about the Madame Michiko Society Club her curiosity is aroused. She immediately gets a job during the days servicing clients. Things go downhill from there.

Well, Debauchery certainly tries it’s best to live up to it’s namesake. I think for the most part it falls a little short of that descriptive title. A lot of the film plays like any other eighties/nineties erotic thriller (even though this is from ’83 it feels much later to me for some reason). You’ve got some extremely overwrought melodrama involving a sexually dissatisfied wife. You’ve also got her sexually frustrated best friend and her old college friend who still holds a strange obsession with her. Of course you’ve also got the whole prostitution angle which has always lent itself rather well to melodrama. So far all this sounds fairly standard. This could be the plot of any number of bad Cinemax films or Red Shoe Diaries episodes. Not that that is particularly bad or anything, its just not all that inspiring. One strange thing though, the film feels more like a horror film than something designed to titillate.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989)

2012-05-11T14:07:00.002-05:00

Once Platoon was released in 1986, a whole slew of Vietnam films came out in the late 80′s and into the early 90′s. While some are now considered classics such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Good Morning, Vietnam there were some that were done for very low budgets that didn’t find much of an audience like Platoon Leader and the short lived TV show Tour of Duty. The Siege of Firebase Gloria falls in the later category but that isn’t to say the film is bad. In fact, I really liked the film and had a ball watching it but it was obvious that this war film wasn’t going for politics or drama, it was going for straight up action and entertainment. This shouldn’t be a shock since it was directed by Ozploitation master Brian Trenchard-Smith (Escape 2000, Dead End Drive-In).

From the very opening, The Siege of Firebase Gloria starts off with a bang. Major Hafner (R. Lee Ermey) leads his recon patrol into a peaceful village where they had been months ago to find that the entire village has been slaughtered. With severed heads on posts and a pile of dead children, the Cong mean business (and so does Trenchard-Smith who doesn’t shy away from the red stuff) and they don’t like any villages to help out the Americans in any way. When Hafner’s right hand man Di Nardo (the underrated Wings Hauser) finds one surviving child, he takes the little boy under his wing and treats him like his own child. Di Nardo is slowly losing it and due to the death of his own child, he must make amends for the child he lost.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

Tale of the Mummy (1999)

2012-05-11T14:04:00.002-05:00

What is it with the ‘90s? Why do they have to take a good thing and then just fuck it all up? You’re over thinking things 1990s. Everything is a goddamn revisionist take. Which in and of itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing I suppose. There are plenty of revisionist horror films that I really enjoy (Rosemary’s Baby, The Shining, Psycho, Burial Ground to name just a few). The problem with the ‘90s (at least as I see it) is that it combines the ‘60s and ‘70s creator driven revisionist bent with the vapidness of ‘80s commercial filmmaking. Everyone’s doing their genre revisions but no one has anything fucking useful to say. So if you were going to, say, make a new movie about mummies, you can’t just get a guy and wrap him in some dusty bandages and send him out to crush some skulls, oh no. You have to rethink the mummy. It doesn’t matter if there’s no good reason to rethink mummies, just fucking do it anyway. You see, this isn’t your daddy’s mummy film, because Russell Muchahy and Miramax think your dad is an asshole.

So how do these jerks ‘reimagine’ their mummy? Well, what’s the best thing about mummies? If you said the bandages, first of all go fuck yourself and second of all you must be Russell Mulcahy. Seriously, this movie is not about a walking corpse fulfilling an ancient curse, it’s about flying bandages that pull people into toilets. Yeah, they kill one guy by pulling him into a fucking toilet. And it’s not like it has to rip and tear him apart to get him to fit through the drain, it just squeezes him in Looney Tunes style. And of course, this being the late ‘90s, it does this with some of the worst CGI that I’ve ever seen. It really looks like a cartoon which is in complete discord with the fairly serious tone of the film. Really, the CGI is fucking awful in this. It just looks cheap. There are numerous shots of the bandages flying around the city (yeah it looks as stupid as it sounds) that look like shit. It sticks out like a sore thumb. I think what makes it look off to me is that the contrast is different from the computer generated images and the film images. I don’t think that this is a fault of the transfer as the film generally looks OK. Really, the two worst scenes are the toilet scene and Christopher Lee’s death. I won’t give it away as I don’t want to spoil the disappointment.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

Thou Shalt Not Kill…Except (1985)

2012-05-11T14:02:00.004-05:00

Long out of print, Thou Shalt Not Kill…Except has been a film I have been waiting anxiously to be re-released on DVD and/or blu ray. The great folks at Synapse do even better by releasing a DVD/blu ray package, chock full of extra features. I am thrilled to finally see this low budget, gory action film after all these years and while parts of the film seem much more hokey and silly than what I remembered, the movie still holds up and is a ton of fun to watch.

Shot in super 16, Thou Shalt Not Kill…Except was the brain child of Josh Becker, Scott Spiegel and Bruce Campbell who came up with the idea of Marines vs. the Manson Family while they were wrapping up on The Evil Dead. After directing several shorts (most of which starred Campbell, Spiegel, and Sam & Ted Raimi) Becker decided to take on his Vietnam movie idea and turn it into a short film starring Campbell. The film was Stryker’s War which was an ambitious short that was used to get funding for an actual feature length film which eventually was turned into Thou Shalt Not Kill…Except.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

Shame (2011)

2012-05-11T14:01:00.000-05:00

There are very few films in recent years that have blown me out of the water. Films that have haunted me, where I can’t stop thinking about them. I miss the sensation of seeing a great film where it almost brings tears to my eyes at how compelling or riveting or gut wrenching it can manipulate me into feeling. A film like Shame is the reason why I love films. It also gives me hope that in the world of remakes, Twilight, Jackass, CGI, and found footage movies that a film like Shame can still be made. There is still hope, movie fans! For those mature enough to be able to watch a dark and compelling drama about a controversial subject that is filled with continuous long takes that actually allows actors to act (how dare they!), Shame is your movie. In fact, Shame is a masterpiece.

Michael Fassbender gives the kind of performance that an actor only dreams about. His role of Brandonreminded me of the complicated and troubled characters that Jack Nicholson, (Five Easy Pieces) Harvey Keitel (Fingers) and Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine) have played in the past. These are characters that are neither good nor bad, men who are trying to find something meaningful in their lives but can’t seem to find happiness or what they are searching for. ForBrandon, its his feeling of emptiness. Living in the Big Apple, all alone in a small apartment, Brandon controls his self-loathing and depression with sex. Refusing to get close to anyone,Brandon feeds his addiction with pornography, prostitutes, and masturbation. To control his pain, he must feel some sort of belonging. When he climaxes, this controls it or at least cures his addiction for a small amount of time. But even at work, his hard drive is filled with pornographic websites and during the day he has the need to go to the men’s room to masturbate. Much like a drug addict needs to shoot up or an obese person needs to eat,Brandon feeds his addiction any way he can.

- Read the full review UnRatedFilm.com

Operation Nazi Zombies (2003)

2012-05-11T13:59:00.002-05:00

According to imdb.com, Operation Nazi Zombies was filmed in 1999 and released in 2003. Then why do we get the pleasure of having another re-release of this cheap, amateur piece of crap? I am unsure as to why this film is being thrown at the general public once again but dear God, this movie sucks.

I am really not so sure what the hell is going on in this “film” but its central story is about a soldier who was head of a platoon that were all killed by zombies, set up by another soldier. While he is in jail, he tells another soldier his story as what had happened. There are so many Privates, Lieutenants, Captains, Sergeants, thrown about all through this movie that I forgot whose rank certain soldiers had. But honestly, I really didn’t care. It doesn’t matter. And so, this inept platoon venture into the woods and come across this bunker where these zombies have been kept for some bizarre Nazi experiments. The rest of the movie is just a bunch of bad actors screaming and swearing at one another, shooting zombies before they themselves are used as lunch.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

True Story of a Woman In Jail: Sex Hell (1975)

2012-05-11T13:57:00.004-05:00

Now this is more like it! This is what I was craving from the Roman Porno Collection (Roman Porno is actually short for romantic pornography so you’re not going to get fucking centurions). This film is framed by a woman peeing in an open field. And it’s not just a woman squatting in some grass, oh no, you get a full on stream shooting out from between her legs. This being Japan you aren’t going to get a frontal crotch shot but still, it’s fairly graphic. It’s also fucking hilarious and perfectly sets the ridiculous and exploitive mood.

A lot of action in this revolves around toilets for some reason. Smuggled cigarettes must be smoked into the toilets so the guards can’t smell them. There are at least two scenes of girls squatting over toilets and grunting (one faked, the other I don’t know what was going on). There is a lot of graphic peeing in this. One of the girls is peed on in her sleep and she licks her lips. I don’t get any of this really. Is it supposed to be sexy? I know it’s not doing anything for me. It seems awfully specific for a film. I’m used to sex films kind of throwing a wide net, trying to grab the largest audience as possible. And you do that by filming the most vanilla sex as possible. The most kink you will get is maybe a lesbian scene (shot in soft focus with candles). It just seems to me that the pee and poop crowd is a fairly small minority. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it’s a big thing in Japanese culture. Anyway, if peeing doesn’t turn you on, there are a couple of hot lesbian scenes to satiate your lust.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

Three Bad Sisters (1959)

2012-05-11T13:54:00.002-05:00

With a title like Three Bad Sisters you would expect some ridiculous, melodramatic trash. And you won’t be disappointed. Things start out ridiculous right off the bat with a title sequence ripped right off of a dime store crime novel and what sounds almost like a parody of noirish jazz. After that we are introduced to the three Craig sisters (no relation to your reviewer) one after the other on the day of their father’s death. Valerie Craig (Kathleen Hughes of Cult of the Cobra) hears the news over the radio while with some sleazy boat hand. You can see the perverse wheels spinning into motion as she hears the details. Her father was in a plane crash. The only survivor being pilot Jim Norton (John Bromfield of Revenge of the Creature). Valerie hatches a plan to use Jim to try to gain control of her rich father’s estate. Somehow this involves forged contracts and Jim seducing the good sister Lorna (Sara Shane of Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure). The plot isn’t really all that important I suppose. It’s just an excuse to get Jim in the house with Valerie, Lorna and sex-pot Vicki (Marla English of The She-Creature). Also along for the fun is crazy aunt Martha (Madge Kennedy of The Day of the Locust).

- Read the review at UnRatedFilm.com

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)

2012-05-11T13:52:00.001-05:00

If you love comedy with a bit of slasher gore, then Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is the movie for you. This movie had me rolling with laughter. However, it did take me a while before I decided to watch it (like a year). I did not know anything about this flick and the cover did not spark my interest, a hillbilly with a chainsaw. Finally I took a chance to find out what the hell this is about… so glad I did. The film is a riot from beginning to end. I loved it. It’s about hillbillies and college students, always a perfect match for a horror movie.

The two main characters are Tucker (Alan Tydyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) your typical backwoods hillbilly stereotypes. What come to mind immediately are scenes from the movie “The Deliverance.” In reality, two regular guys doing nothing more than hanging out, wearing coveralls and ball caps. So what makes them look so frightful? It’s a horror movie! They are dressed like off the farm, kind of regular “Joe” in looks, if you think about it, kind of like the rest of us (when we are not at work or out on the town). Not every person from the hills has the looks of the Duke Boys (Dukes of Hazzard). If our hillbilly duo looked like Bo and Luke Duke, then this movie would have been a teenage romance flick. The beauty of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, is that most of us look like this dynamic duo. Don’t think you don’t, be honest.

- Read more at UnRatedFilm.com

Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Wisin Y Yandel: More Dates Added for 2012 Tour

2012-05-10T12:49:00.001-05:00

Summer’s hottest tour keeps getting hotter! ENRIQUE IGLESIAS, JENNIFER LOPEZ and WISIN Y YANDEL are at it again. Due to overwhelming demand and sold out shows, including a sold out opening night in Montreal, the music superstars are adding more dates. New dates include second nights in Los Angeles, Anaheim, New Jersey, Toronto and Montreal and new cities such as Minneapolis and Uncasville. Tickets and VIP packages for the State Farm® presented tour, promoted by AEG Live are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com with on-sales for the added shows beginning next week.

With combined album sales of almost 125 million, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Wisin Y Yandel are more than just superstars, they are some of the most dominant powerhouses in music today tallying countless chart-topping hits, sold out tours, and accolades from around the world. Known for their spectacular and engaging stage shows, each artist plans to give fans the ultimate summer concert experience. Jennifer Lopez will give fans a sneak peak at what they can expect from her sizzling summer show when she performs tonight on American Idol! Tune in to American Idol TONIGHT to catch Jennifer’s hot performance of her latest single “Dance Again,” which was written co-written by Enrique Iglesias.

Fans can also get special VIP packages that will include amazing seats, VIP pre-show parties, autographed memorabilia and exclusive merchandise. Check www.ticketmaster.com for more information about ticketing and VIP package offers.

“I’m so excited to be spending this summer out on the road. There is no better feeling than being out on stage in front of all my fans,” said Enrique Iglesias.

"This tour is one of those rare triumphs of great entertainment and selfless camaraderie that could only be possible when three superstars join forces to create the ultimate, must-see package. Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, and Wisin y Yandel on the same stage is a dream for their fans and a milestone of AEG Live," said Randy Phillips, President and CEO of AEG Live.

"We are beyond excited for this tour to take off so we can light up the stage alongside our friends and colleagues Enrique and Jennifer. We are more than ready to give the fans our all and help make this the very best show they have ever experienced," Wisin Y Yandel

“State Farm is proud to present one of the hottest music tickets of the summer. Just as fans are passionate about their music, State Farm is passionate about being there for them,” Tim Van Hoof, Assistant Vice President Marking, State Farm. This concert lineup of Latin superstars is just the ticket for a summer to remember. We’ll be helping fans experience the tour’s excitement on our State Farm Latino Facebook page.”

About Jennifer Lopez
International icon, Jennifer Lopez is an entertainer, recording artist, film actress, producer, fashion designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Lopez has sold over 55 million records worldwide and has starred in multiple # 1 box office films including The Wedding Planner and Monster-In-Law.   She has achieved global landmark success and broken records when it come to her music. Last year, "On The Floor" became the Most Watched Music Video by a female artist in the History of YouTube, with a staggering 1/2 billion views!     JLO's music has impacted every continent in the world, transcending borders and languages.   The music and her celebrity has struck a common thread with all generations and all "walks of life."   With #1 singles, #1 albums, #1 music videos, #1 TV series, #1 box-office smashes, Jennifer Lopez is the definition of an icon.   The Wedding Planner was the nation's top grossing film, in 2001, while her album, JLO, was #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart.    The two simultaneous #1 honors made Lopez the first woman in history to have a #1 movie and album in the same week. Lopez set the standard for celebrity branding in fragrance, apparel and accessories.    She has launched world-wide campaigns as the ambassador of L'Oreal and Venus Gillette and many more.    In 2011, the successful launch of an exclusive fashion collection with Kohl's was another milestone.   Her new fragrance, Glowing, marks the 18th successful launch of a string of fragrances with combined sales exceeding $1 billion. Jennifer founded her "Maribel Foundation" along with her sister, Lynda and for years has been dedicated to improving the health and well-being of women and children and raising the level of medical care available to them.    Coming full circle, Jennifer has been named the spokeswoman of the Boys & Girls Club of America, the same organization where she enjoyed the benefits as a girl growing up in the Bronx.   2012 will mark another first, embarking on the most extensive concert tour of her career.

About Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias has sold more than 70 million albums worldwide, released nine studio albums plus two greatest hits compilations, and is a multiplatinum artist in almost every country around the world.   Enrique has headlined eight world tours throughout his career having performed in literally every corner of the world including New York, Mexico, Madrid, London, Sydney, as well as going to cities such as Cairo, Latvia, Minsk, Morocco, Istanbul and Cape Town. Undeniably the biggest Latin recording artist in music history, Enrique has 22 #1 singles on the Billboard Latin Songs Chart as well as having multiple #1’s across the Billboard charts with a combined total of 68 #1 charted positions. Enrique’s 11th #1 Dance Club Song, “Tonight (I’m Loving You),” made him the king of the chart beating out Michael Jackson for the most #1’s in Billboard history. Enrique’s last album Euphoria boasts six #1 hit singles and has sold more than 18 million songs. In 2011, Enrique sold out arenas in 58 major cities around the world spanning across five continents selling over 650,000 tickets.   His sold-out, 20-night “Euphoria Tour” last Fall in the US, sold over 240,000 tickets including three sold-out nights in the New York area (two shows at Madison Square Garden), and landed the “Euphoria Tour” at #1, twice, on Billboard’s Hot Tours list. Enrique has been celebrated with just about every award an artist can receive including, multiple Grammy’s for his recordings, Billboard awards for sales, and ASCAP honors for writing. Enrique Iglesias continues to be one of the most successful artists in modern music and is currently in the studio working on his next release. For more information: www.enriqueiglesias.com

About Wisin Y Yandel
Worldwide top-selling Latin urban music artists, Wisin Y Yandel have been hugely successful during their 13 year career as a duo. They have garnered numerous multi-platinum certifications in the United States and Latin America and dozens of prestigious awards including a Grammy and two Latin Grammys. On tour, Wisin Y Yandel have proven to be a force to be reckoned with, becoming the only artists in the Urban Latin Music genre to sell out both the The Staples Center and Madison Square Garden in the US. Wisin Y Yandel’s shows are nothing short of exhilarating. The duo travels with their 10 piece band, 8 dancers, and a state-of-the art audiovisual show; but the true stars, absolutely are Wisin Y Yandel and their unique brand of Latin urban music, a fusion of genres and styles delivered with a power and passion that no one in their musical genre can match. The duo's next album "Lideres" will be released in June and features collaborations with superstars Jennifer Lopez, Chris Brown, T-Pain and Timberland.
For updated information on Wisin & Yandel, visit: www.wisinyandelpr.com,
www.facebook.com/wisinyyandel, or www.twitter.com/wisinyyandel.

Tour Itinerary:

Saturday, July 14 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Sunday, July 15 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Tuesday, July 17 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Wednesday, July 18 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Friday, July 20 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
Saturday, July 21 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
Wednesday, July 25 Boston, MA TD Garden
Thursday, July 26 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena(Iglesias/Lopez only)
Saturday, July 28 Washington DC Verizon Center
Sunday, July 29 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
Wednesday, August 1 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Friday, August 3 Chicago, IL United Center
Wednesday, August 8 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion at San Jose
Saturday, August 11 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
Sunday, August 12 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
Thursday, August 16 Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center
Friday, August 17 Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center
Saturday, August 18 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Resort
Thursday, August 23 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
Saturday, August 25 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
Sunday, August 26 Houston, TX Toyota Center
Wednesday, August 29 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
Friday, August 31 Miami, FL AmericanAirlines Arena

About AEG Live
AEG Live, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance. AEG Live is comprised of touring, festival, exhibition, broadcast, merchandise and special event divisions, fifteen regional offices and owns, operates or exclusively books thirty-five state-of-the-art venues. The current and recent concert tour roster includes artists such as Taylor Swift, American Idol, Bon Jovi, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Justin Bieber, Leonard Cohen, Wisin & Yandel, Kenny Chesney, P!nk, Enrique Iglesias and Paul McCartney. The company is also currently producing residency shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas including Celine Dion, Rod Stewart and Shania Twain opening in December and is the exclusive promoter at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. Our exhibition at portfolio boasts the most successful exhibition of all time, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, which has attracted more than 8 million visitors since 2005. AEG Live is also the largest producer of music festivals in North America from the critically acclaimed Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival to Stagecoach Country Music Festival and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. www.aeglive.com

About State Farm®
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 66,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 37 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.

- Read the more at UnRatedMagazine.com

Dub Trio: Conversations on the Road

2012-05-08T15:43:00.001-05:00

Interview conducted on November 6, 2011 at The Mid in Chicago
by James Currie

OK, so you might not know the name Dub Trio right off the bat, but you’ve most likely heard their music and didn’t even know it.

Dub Trio is a Brooklyn based dub/rock band driven by undeniable energy and raw power. They have been making music together since 2004. Dub Trio, as the name implies, are 3 people, creating some of the most intelligent, groovable, hard rocking dub music around. DP/Dave Holmes ignites the guitar and keyboards. Stu Brooks punishes the bass and keyboards and Joe Tomino controls an electric/acoustic drum kit command center that incorporates samples and several other effects to complete the bands original sound.

Dub Trio is also a big part of another band. They are the backing sounds for Matisyahu. That’s right, the Chassidic Reggae Superstar that brought us hits like; “King Without A Crown” and “One Day” is all backed by Dub Trio.

But that’s not all the band has done. They’ve been on singer, Faith No More’s, Mike Patton albums too. Each member has also contributed to many other artists. They are like the silent partner in hit making. Dave Holmes can be heard on Mos Def and Common albums. Stu Brooks has recorded with 50 Cent, Tupac Shakur, Mobb Deep and Macy Gray just to name a few and Joe Tomino with the Fugees.

As Dub Trio, they have released four full-length studio albums, with E.P.’s and special releases in between. All progressive, dub metal infused.

The band tours relentlessly. They seem to always be on the road. That’s where I caught up with them, promoting their latest release, IV. Recently back from a European tour and after a show at “The Mid” here in Chicago on a cool Sunday evening in November 2011.

James Currie (JC): Hey guys. Welcome back to Chicago.

Dub Trio: Thanks. Always good to be here.

JC: And always glad to have you here. So, how long is this leg of the tour and where is it taking you?

Dave Holmes: About 4 weeks here in the states.

Joe Tomino: We’re heading west from here promoting the new album, then end up in Hawaii. Then a couple days off there, so not bad.

JC: Sounds pretty good. Not a bad place to end up. So, let’s talk about the new album and tour. It’s been out about a month now right and it’s getting some really good reviews from both fans and critics. How’s the road treating you?

- Read the full story at UnRatedMagazine.com or UnRatedMetal.com

Jack White to Score Disney's The Lone Ranger

2012-04-27T10:46:00.000-05:00

The Walt Disney Studios announced today at CinemaCon that Jack White will write, produce and perform the score for Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ highly anticipated The Lone Ranger. White, who today released his first solo album “Blunderbuss” to critical acclaim, is a musician, singer, songwriter and producer who first achieved notoriety as the lead guitarist and vocalist of the rock band The White Stripes and then as a member of The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather.

The Lone Ranger will mark White’s first foray into feature film scoring. The Lone Ranger, directed by Gore Verbinski and featuring Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as John Reid, the Lone Ranger, is a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes. Native American spirit warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption. The Lone Ranger is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and hits theaters May 31, 2013.

Photo of Jack White by Adam Bielawski (August 2008)

- Read More at UnRatedFilm.com

EKLIPSE - A Night in Strings

2012-04-22T21:53:00.000-05:00

EKLIPSE - A Night in Strings

Premium Records - May 22, 2012 by Edwin van Hoof

For several years music is crossing borders widening horizons in as many genres thinkable. Classical musicians spread their wings in order to revive the interest in their instruments and playing, judging the many collaboration over the years. Fine example is the Vitamin Records label with numerous renditions of rock and pop albums, and of course: Apocalyptica. The latter Hailing from Berlin comes a new sensation, Eklipse. A classical four piece chamber orchestra spicing up music with a sensual presentation masque-ing their identity in secrecy. One viola, a cello and two violins gripped with the utmost precision, creating some sheer magical moments in perfect harmony. Dressed sensually in either black leather or nostalgic off white linnen, the quartets presentation is sexy as it is taunting, perfectly matching their musical path. Eklipse--a well fitting name derived from 'eclipse', hinting contrasts in their music. Black and white, day and night. Musical contrasts explored by four women playing in perfect harmony sharing a passion fort heir instruments and music in it's widest variety.

Jaw dropping melancholic renditions of pop/rock classics such as Kate Bush' breathtaking "Cloudbusting" and Coldplay's "Clocks" are absolutely magnificent. Timid, passionate, yet powerful and taunting. They grab you instantly. Songs hinting greatness thanks to the classical arrangements, yet staying close to the origin of the song itself. Linkin Park's "In the End" stands ferociously proud leaning on it's dark undertone keenly embedded by subtle keys. Violins plaid in perfect harmony, fingers sliding over strings or picking simultaneously, powering up pop to classical hymns. "Cry me a River" (Timberlake) with it's hand clapping, and Gaga's upbeat "Paparazzi" both benefit from this extreme make over. "Paparazzi" even hinting a certain optimistic side in this dark well. Lesser known are "Home" (Depeche Mode) and "Wonderful Life" (Hurts) adding up to the playlist of this string quartet just nice.

"A Night in Strings" also interlaces pop with movie scores widening the musical horizon even further. More mythical & epical are "New Moon-theme" (from Eclipse) and "Mumbai theme" (Bombay score), balancing out the musical variety.

The absolute highlight is without any doubt the soaring version of Snow Patrol's "Run." An avant gardistic outburst of melancholy, dwelling in darkness, without coming across to depressive. Strings in perfect harmony sliding you to an ultimate high in emotion. Eklipse's version of "Run" might be one of the best releases I have heard in years! A captivating emotional outlet, tender and performed with dignity and style.

Eklipse takes us by the hand on a musical journey through a gothic and dark landscape sonically created by these four Grand Dames of the strings. "A Night in Strings" is the perfect soundtrack for a lonely night at home, with rain pouring outside. It will make you light candles and invite a close one to spend time with. It is romantic as it is melancholic, sexy and intimate, powerful and emotional as it is timid. Classical music winning over the heart of many!
Classical music winning the hearts of both, rock fans and pop lovers. Snippets can be found on their website....

RELATED LINKS

Eklipse

- Read the full story at UnRatedMagazine.com

Noah Lubin - The Wandering Jew

2012-04-10T11:11:00.000-05:00

Feature story by E.M.Kaplan

"I always had a bad association with the guitar and guys with long hair and leather pants," says musician Noah Lubin. "I actually felt slightly embarrassed when I would walk around with a guitar (and I still do some days) because I feel like some 80's rocker. Damn those associations!"

Somehow Lubin has gotten over his fear of becoming a C.C.Deville clone for the most part and in doing so has become something that eluded many of the 80's shredders: a guitarist who can play authentic Delta blues before surging into awe-inspiring flamenco runs all within a unique style that emphasizes soul and phrasing over technical prowess.

Tall with tight curls and an ever-present hat, Lubin resembles a serious puppet in a Jim Henson production. He sticks out like laughter at a crime scene. He dresses in attire that knows no fashion sense, all dusty sweaters and shoes whose maker no one can track down. The musician looks like he could have been standing alongside Dylan on the cover of John Wesley Harding. Yet Lubin is a gentle giant and with his beloved classical guitar in his hands, one can sense the true love, the kind that is deep in the marrow, which he has for music, art and life.

The singer/songwriter has released a debut album, "Leaving Egypt" that features all the hallmarks of his natural style from penetrating bluesy licks that resonate with authority to sweet and sensitive runs that incorporate flashes of jazz, flamenco and rock in a stew that leaves the listener with ears wide open. The ethereal tomb that is "Leaving Egypt" is a first-class debut from an artist who seeks purity in his vision above all else. How Lubin arrived at this point is a long twisted tale that involves frequent flyer miles akin to a corporate CEO, a true nomadic existence in this ever-social networked world and a desire to do things his way regardless of commercial appeal and suit and tie record industry politics. Oh, he also sings about half his songs in Hebrew, but we will get to that in a bit.

- Read the full review at UnRatedMagazine.com

The Mortician (2012)

2012-02-11T23:04:00.000-06:00

Studio: Lionsgate/Full Circle Films
DVD Release: February 14, 2012
Rated R

Review by James Klein

Wow, talk about false advertisement. The Mortician is promoted and packaged like this is a horror film. Far from it. Much like films such as Boyz N the Hood and Menace II Society, this urban drama tries to be a life story about a lonely man helping a down on their luck family by getting away from an evil street gangster. While the previous films I mentioned worked due to the talent behind the camera and also in budget, The Mortician lacks the same heart and drama due to its extremely low budget and an oddly all British crew (shown in the making of featurette on the DVD) who just don’t seem to know what exactly makes an urban drama click.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

Busting (1974)

2012-02-11T21:11:00.000-06:00

Studio: MGM
Theatrical Release: Feb. 24th, 1974
DVD-R Release: Jan. 3rd, 2012
Rating: R

Review by Craig Sorensen

Vice detectives Michael Keneely (Elliott Gould of The Muppet Movie) and Patrick Farrel (Robert Blake of Our Gang) don’t play by the rules, like most movie cops. Tired of busting prostitutes and pimps only to have them end up back on the street in the morning, the two cops decide to turn their attention to head man Carl Rizzo (Allen Garfield of Orgy Girls ’69). Unfortunately for them Rizzo has the legal system wrapped around his little finger.

Busting is the kind of ‘counter-culture’ establishment movie that was very prevalent during the 70’s after the success of M*A*S*H. I don’t know what it is about watching people who seem to have nothing but contempt for their jobs and the system that they work in, yet put their life on the line. I guess there’s a bit of wish fulfillment there (I know there are a few people at work I’d like to call assholes and yet still keep my job). Where as most films like this seem to revel in sending up the stiffness and uptightness of ‘the establishment’ with their character’s devil-may-care attitude, Busting takes a darker tact. Nothing that the characters do in this film will ever matter. All of the people they bust are out on the streets in no time and their bosses are all working for Rizzo the gangster. Any time they make headway in their case they get chastised by their bosses and given busy work to keep them out of the way (for some reason always involving homosexuals). They’re just a couple of guys fighting the system, only in this case, the system wins. It lends a slightly depressing edge to the film. So Busting does seem to come up a bit short in the comedy department. That might not be much of a problem though as it does deliver a few good action set-pieces. There is a foot chase scene in the middle of the film that is shot with long take tracking shots that works really well. This leads into a pretty suspenseful grocery store shoot-out.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

Division III: Football’s Finest (2011)

2012-02-11T20:58:00.000-06:00

Studio: Image

Theatrical Release: October 14, 2011
Blu Ray Release: January 17, 2012
Rated RComedy

Review by Raymond Velez

They say never to judge a movie by its DVD case. But when I saw the cover to Division III Football’s Finest, I knew I was in for a fun night of laughs. Andy Dick is so good in this comedy, that you wonder why his career didn’t reach higher heights. He never really starred in a movie that could display his great talents. He’s always showed us his comedic genius from the supporting standpoint. This film finally utilizes his talent.

The story is your basic cliché. The Pullham University Bluecocks are a terrible team. Even for division III football. They need at least a winning season this year or the “Cocks” are history. That’s when an old coach like Rick Vice (Andy Dick) comes in handy. He had some experience coaching peewee football and should be more than qualified to coach this miserable team. When I say Andy Dick is great in this, boy do I mean it? He’s energetic in every scene and literally had me laughing out loud. I don’t know what was written and what was adlibbed but it all works out perfectly in each scene. Coach Vice is not only a verbally abusive coach, but a physically abusive one as well. He drops f-bombs and smacks players with steel chairs.

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

Vice Squad (1953)

2012-02-11T20:55:00.000-06:00

Studio: MGM
Theatrical Release: July 31st, 1953
DVD-R Release: Jan. 3rd, 2012
Rating: Unrated!
Crime, Drama

Review by Craig Sorensen

Welcome to a day in the life of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Captain Barnaby (Edward G. Robinson of Mr. Winkle Goes To War). He’s having a hell of a day. Early in the morning one of his beat cops gets shot trying to stop a couple of car thieves. The only witness to the crime won’t testify. He’s got some girl bugging him about her mom marrying a phony count. He’s got a television interview today, cops bugging him about budgets and police line-ups that need supervised. He’s also got a stool pigeon saying there’s going to be a bank robbery sometime in the near future…

- Read the full review at UnRatedFilm.com

Comedian (2002)

2012-02-11T20:51:00.000-06:00

Studio: Echo Bridge Entertainment/Miramax
Theatrical Release: October 25, 2002
DVD Release: December 15, 2011
Rated R
Review by James Klein

Most everyone knows Jerry Seinfeld as the star of his own, long running sitcom from the 1990′s Seinfeld. Not everyone remembers how he started in “the biz”, as a stand up comic. Now, with his series over, Seinfeld goes back to his roots and starts to get back in the game by doing more stand up acts while coming up with more jokes to play off a live audience. There have been many films about stand up comedians such as Lenny, Punchline, and Funny People. But none of them was able to capture the insecurity and selfishness that some comedians are capable of being. Comedian almost pulls it off but seems to be afraid to go into the darker and drearier side of stand up comics. We get just a taste of it.

The documentary Comedian would have you believe that this is about Jerry Seinfeld. It is not. It is about Jerry Seinfeld’s stand up career post-Seinfeld. We see Jerry traveling to different night clubs and improv performances, testing out new bits. At one point he asks the people who run a comedy club if he could come in unannounced and do a quick bit for the audience to just test out his act. There are points where he hangs out at a bar with Chris Rock and Colin Quinn and the two discuss what they do in their act or the hardships of being a comedian. One gets the impression that it is not a stable lifestyle. And to see these stars still feel insecure in their routine is very surprising.

- Read the full story at UnRatedFilm.com

I Am Bruce Lee (2012)

2012-02-11T20:47:00.000-06:00

Studio: Network Entertainment
Theatrical Release: Feb. 9th, 2012
Rating: Unrated!Documentary, Martial Arts, Television
Review by Craig Sorensen

Am Bruce Lee ought to be familiar to anyone who watches cable TV. It’s shot in the style of any number of generic TV documentaries airing on any number of stations. I’m not saying that it’s poorly made, just kind of generic. You’ve got a lot of talking heads cut together with some archival footage. That’s it. Nothing at all surprising. Maybe if the filmmakers had shot the talking heads somewhere other than a sound stage with a plain looking background it would seem a little more inspired. Maybe shoot them on location some where? There are a lot of people here talking about martial arts but very little of them actually showing what they know. I’d love to see Ed O’Neill showing off his kung fu. I mean, if you’re going to gather together all these celebrities that have martial arts training (evidently Ed O’Neill has a black belt), why not have them show off a little? It’d add a little dynamism to the interviews at least. I don’t know, maybe it wasn’t in their contracts. Maybe it would have cost them more and they just didn’t have the money

- Read the full story at UnRatedFilm.com

Paul Gilbert's Great Guitar Escape: Daily Schedule Announced, Guest Instructors Guthrie Govan, Tony MacAlpine, Chris 'Kid' Anderson & others comment

2012-02-06T14:21:00.000-06:00

DAILY SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR

PAUL GILBERT’S GREAT GUITAR ESCAPE

JULY 9-13, 2012 AT FULL MOON RESORT IN BIG INDIAN, NY

FEATURING GUEST INSTRUCTORS INCLUDING

Guthrie Govan, Tony MacAlpine, Chris "Kid" Andersen, Scotty Johnson and Sam Coulson

The daily schedule for Paul Gilbert’s Great Guitar Escape is now available. Full details are listed below and can be viewed at: http://www.greatguitarescape.com/schedule.html.

The first annual Paul Gilbert’s Great Guitar Escape--featuring acclaimed guitarist Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big, Racer X)--will take place July 9-13 at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY. Guitar players of all ages, levels and styles are invited to join Paul Gilbert and other expert musicians for this experience focused on the techniques, styles, and life of the modern working musician.

Paul’s musicianship was praised in the January 2012 issue of Guitar Player magazine. Writer Matt Blackett noted, “His sense of melody, composition, and humor in his solos is world class, and his chops and execution—which have always been off the freaking hook—just keep getting better.”

Here are comments from some of the instructors for Paul Gilbert’s Great Guitar Escape:

Paul Gilbert:

“When I was in high school, I would look ahead to every summer vacation and think, ‘This summer, I’m really going to get better.’ Those summer days were a chance to take my extra time and focus it all on the guitar. The result was noticeable bursts of improvement in my technique, my ability to improvise, and my ability to write songs. These musical leaps always seemed to happen when I could remove the distractions of daily life and spend hours getting deeper into the instrument. With the help of the teachers at The Great Guitar Escape, and the stunning location of the Full Moon Resort, I know that you will take similar leaps yourself…from “instant gratification” techniques and phrases, to musical ideas and philosophy to last you into the future... Let’s make this summer the one where you take your guitar playing and musicianship to a new level. I’ll be practicing my guitar until I see you there!”

Guthrie Govan (The Aristocrats, Dizzee Rascal, Asia, The Fellowship, The Young Punx):

“I'm flattered and honoured that Paul Gilbert invited me to be involved with his Great Guitar Escape - and I must say I'm looking forward to it immensely. There's something very cool about the idea of guitar players getting together in a pleasantly tranquil location to celebrate their chosen instrument…and Paul's roster of tutors encompasses an impressively diverse range of playing styles, so this promises to be a musically mind-expanding experience for everyone who attends. Most pleasing!”

Tony MacAlpine (CAB, Planet X):

“The Great Guitar Escape is an excellent way to learn and interact with professional guitar players and an even better way to have a super time in a great environment where improvement is the goal!”

Chris “Kid” Andersen (Rick Estrin and The Nightcats, The Terry Hanck Band, Charlie Musselwhite, Elvin Bishop):

“I am very proud to be part of Paul Gilbert's Great Guitar Escape. If there are any guitarists out there who couldn't pick up a thing or two from the incredibly diverse lineup of instructors who will be at their beck and call during this week, I can only assume that they are busy doing some incredibly well-paying gig, or that they are contractually obligated to do something to pay off their debt to Satan that week. Regardless of whether you are a shredder, jazzer, rock god in training, funkazoid, bluesman or a chicken-picker, you are going to have a great time and get a chance to meet up, learn from and jam with some people that'll fit your taste and make your every day of this experience. Personally, I am eagerly anticipating seeing Guthrie Govan doing an impression of me! "

Scotty Johnson (Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Paul Gilbert, Robben Ford’s Fords and Friends, The Ford Blues Band, The Blindside Blues Band):

"I'm thrilled to be a part of this landmark event. Clinics by day, jamming every night, throw in the beautiful scenery and this is as close to heaven as a guitar player can get!"

Sam Coulson (UK guitar virtuoso):

"I am looking forward to this July's Great Guitar Escape with even greater anticipation! It makes me extremely proud to be teaching and playing alongside my fellow contributors. It is my belief that everyone attending will find themselves in a magnificent environment to soak up all the musical ideas they possibly can. And furthermore, what a great location to do so in. The amazing beauty of upstate New York will be the perfect place to stand up next to a mountain and chop it down with the edge of your hand! Needless to say I am thoroughly excited to perform and teach at Paul Gilbert's Great Guitar Escape!"

Kelly Lemieux (bassist for Goldfinger, Electric Love Hogs, 22 Jacks, MD.45, King of Clubs, Fear):

"What an amazing thing to be a part of. I'm sure this will be a great learning experience for everyone involved. I can't wait for this summer! I'm shopping for bug repellent right now!"

The daily schedule for Paul Gilbert's Great Guitar Escape is as follows:

Monday, July 9

3:00 PM	Sign In
4:30-5:15 PM	Meet and Greet with Instructors
5:30-6:30 PM	Paul Gilbert – Introduction Seminar
6:45-8:00 PM	Dinner
8:30 PM	Concert with Paul Gilbert Band

Tuesday, July 10

8:00-10:00 AM	Breakfast
10:15-11:15 AM	Scotty Johnson – Crash Course in Music Theory: The Language of Musicians
11:30-12:45 PM	Paul Gilbert – 5 Steps to Alternate Picking
1:00-2:00 PM	Lunch
2:15-3:30 PM	Kid Anderson – Rock ‘n’ Blues Vocabulary I Paul Gilbert – Hands-On Beginners Course I
3:45-5:00 PM	Tony MacAlpine – Advanced Heavy Rock I
5:15-6:30 PM	Guthrie Govan – Choose Your Notes Wisely: Note Choice and Improvisation
6:45-8:00 PM	Dinner
8:30 PM	Concert/Jam with Paul Gilbert and all instructors

Wednesday, July 11

8:00-10:00 AM	Breakfast
10:15-11:15 AM	Sam Coulson – Vibrato, Sustain, and Ripping Tone I
11:30-12:45 PM	Paul Gilbert – Stuck Technique – Unstuck!: Break Through Your Technique Barriers Bring your guitar!
1:00-2:00 PM	Lunch
2:15-3:30 PM	Rodney Holmes – Groove Inventions I Mike Arellano – Guitar Tech 101 Paul Gilbert – Hands-On Beginner’s Course II
3:45-5:00 PM	Scotty Johnson – Essential Skills for the Working Guitarist I Tom Size – Crash Course in Modern Mixing
5:15-6:30 PM	Kid Andersen – Rock ‘n’ Blues Vocabulary II Kelly LeMieux – Bass Guitar On Tour I
6:45-8:00 PM	Dinner
8:30 PM	Concert/Jam with Paul Gilbert and all instructors

Thursday, July 12

8:00-10:00 AM	Breakfast
10:15-11:15 AM	Sam Coulson – Vibrato, Sustain, and Ripping Tone II Scotty Johnson – Essential Skills for the Working Guitarist II
11:30-12:45 PM	Paul Gilbert – Melodic Phrasing with Arpeggios and ‘Arscalios’
1:00-2:00 PM	Lunch
2:15-3:30 PM	Tony MacAlpine – Advanced Heavy Rock II Rodney Holmes – Groove Inventions II Paul Gilbert – Beginner’s Course III
3:45-5:00 PM	Guthrie Govan – It’s All in the Details: A Guide to Articulation and Control Kelly LeMieux – Bass Guitar On Tour II
6:45-8:00 PM	Dinner
8:30 PM	Concert/Jam with Paul Gilbert and all instructors

Friday, July 13

8:00-10:00 AM	Breakfast
10:00-11:00 AM	Paul Gilbert Speech/Meet and Greet with Photo
11:00 AM	Check Out

For full details about Paul Gilbert’s Great Guitar Escape, visit:

www.greatguitarescape.com.

- Read the full story at UnRatedMagazine.com

Rock On The Range 2012 Reveals Massive Lineup For Sixth Annual Premier Destination Rock Festival

2012-02-03T16:33:00.000-06:00

Performers Include Incubus, Rob Zombie, Shinedown, Marilyn Manson, Five Finger Death Punch, Slash, Megadeth, Chevelle, Cypress Hill, Mastodon And More

Rock On The Range returns for its sixth year boasting a massive lineup covering the rock spectrum. America’s premier destination rock festival will be held May 18-20 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, OH featuring performances from Incubus, Rob Zombie, Shinedown, Marilyn Manson, Five Finger Death Punch, Slash, Megadeth, Chevelle, Cypress Hill, Mastodon and many more.

"Incubus is stoked to be joinin' the killer lineup at Rock On The Range this year. We'll see y'all in Columbus," comments Brandon Boyd from festival co-headliner Incubus.

"If you thought last time was a blast, then this time we are gonna blow your f#@*ing mind," says co-headliner Rob Zombie.

To get the party started and based on the success of last year’s anniversary celebration, the weekend will kick off with the Friday Night 4Play, which is absolutely FREE with every ROCK ON THE RANGE weekend ticket purchase. The May 18 party will feature performances from Hairball, Foxy Shazam, Hells Bells and more.

The current lineup for ROCK ON THE RANGE 2012 is as follows: Incubus, Rob Zombie, Shinedown, Marilyn Manson, Five Finger Death Punch, Slash, Megadeth, Chevelle, Cypress Hill, Mastodon, Theory of a Deadman, Volbeat, Down, The Darkness, Halestorm, Escape The Fate, P.O.D., Lacuna Coil, Adelitas Way, Black Stone Cherry, Cavo, Attack Attack!, Trivium, Bobaflex, Falling In Reverse, Redlight King, Aranda, Emphatic, Otherwise, James Durbin, Black Tide, Kyng, 12 Stones, SOiL, Rival Sons, Eve To Adam, and Ghosts of August.

Monster Energy returns as one of the driving partners behind the success of ROCK ON THE RANGE as more than fifteen acts perform on the mammoth Monster Main Stage. Jägermeister also celebrates its fifth year as a key partner while welcoming twelve of the hottest up-and-coming bands to the in-your-face, up close and personal Jägermeister Music Stage. In all, ROCK ON THE RANGE features three stages, 44 bands, and three days of non-stop rock.

“There are so many incredible bands playing at ROTR this year, and every one of them is significant,” says Del Williams, co-executive producer of the event for Right Arm Entertainment. “I think this is the most interesting mix of bands that we have had at the festival. The Rangers already know that the weekend is going to be insanely great, but there will be surprises this year and a certain edge to the lineup that will likely create some of the most memorable moments in the 6 year history of Rock on the Range."

Tickets for ROCK ON THE RANGE go on-sale Friday, February 10 at 10:00 AM EST at the festival’s website, Ticketmaster and the Crew Stadium Box Office. Two-day weekend stadium GA tickets once again start at just $99.50 (plus service and transaction fees). A limited number of ROTR pre-sale layaway tickets are also still available through February 29. Visit www.RockOnTheRange.com for full details and VIP package information.

Visit http://www.rockontherange.com/, www.facebook.com/rockontherange, and www.twitter.com/rockontherange for the most up-to-date information.

Presented by Right Arm Entertainment, AEG LIVE and Crew Stadium, ROCK ON THE RANGE is a multi-stage music and lifestyle event featuring a potent line-up of bands on three stages. The nationally renowned festival centrally located in the heart of the country has annually drawn weekend crowds in excess of 70,000 since its inception in 2007.

- Read the full story at UnRatedMagazine.com

Five Finger Death Punch Announce Canadian Tour/Select West Coast US Dates

2012-01-31T21:06:00.000-06:00

Ivan Moody of 5FDP, Rock on the Range

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH ANNOUNCE CANADIAN TOUR, SELECT WEST COAST DATES SOULFLY TO SUPPORT ALONG WITH WINDOWPANE, PERSIST

American Capitalism will be heading to the Great White North this spring. Five Finger Death Punch has announced they will tour Canada as well as the Western US beginning this March, with legendary Soulfly as support, as well as Windowpane and Persist. 5FDP will headline Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and more, while also playing a special Las Vegas hometown show alongside other western-US markets. Singer Ivan Moody shared, "The few times we've been to Canada it's been absolutely phenomenal. The fact that we get to take a band like Soulfly with us on a tour like this says it all. This is going to be one hell of a great time, in no uncertain terms." Guitarist Zoltán Báthory added, "We only played a handful of dates in Canada, but they were all sold-out so we are really looking forward to a headlining tour up there. What makes it even sweeter is taking one of our favorite bands Soulfly with us on this trek. As we are playing bigger and bigger venues, I think it became our responsibility to help expose some great metal bands to our more diverse audience ."

This will be 5FDP’s first proper headlining tour in Western Canada, where their current album, American Capitalist is already more than halfway to CRIA-Certified Gold Record Status - a mere three months after its release. 5FDP’s previous album, War is the Answer, is projected to hit CRIA-GOLD Status this spring, right around the time of the tour.

In the US, 5FDP continues to rack up impressive sales with over 280,000 copies of American Capitalist already sold. Incredibly, American Capitalist is selling twice as fast as their previous Gold record, War Is the Answer- which itself has been one of the best-selling hard rock/ metal albums of the last five years. 5FDP’s current hit single, “Remember Everything” is already Top Five at Active Rock and climbing; their lead single, “Under and Over It,” was recently named Sirius Octane’s Song of the Year, and American Capitalist was named a Top Album of 2011 by ARTISTdirect.

Tickets go on sale to the general public the weekend of January 27th and 28th, but special VIP packages and tickets will be available starting WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25th 3pm LOCAL at http://www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com/.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH HEADLINING TOUR W/ SOULFLY, WINDOWPANE, PERSIST

MARCH 2012

FRI 23 Las

Vegas, NV The Joint
SAT 24 Pomona, CA Fox Theater
MON 26 Fresno, CA Rainbow Ballroom
TUE 27 Modesto, CA Modesto Center Plaza
WED 28 Redding, CA Redding Convention Center
FRI 30 Yakima, WA Yakima Valley Sundome
SAT 31 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre

APRIL 2012

MON 2 Dawson Creek, BC EnCana Events Centre
WED 4 Calgary, AB MacEwan Hall, University of Calgary
THU 5 Edmonton, AB “Thaw at the Shaw” @ Shaw Center
SAT 7 Regina, SK Agribition
MON 9 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cumming Theater
WED 11 Rapid City, SD Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena
THU 12 Casper ,WY Casper Event Center

Rock Meets Classic Tour 2012 - Essen, Germany

2012-01-25T16:44:00.001-06:00

Grugahalle - Essen, Germany - January 18, 2012
by Edwin van Hoof

012 just kicked off and already I find myself on the front row of one of rock's most exceptional events, Rock meets Classic. After my first acquaintance with this remarkable concert 2 years ago, I was delighted to see it return to the Essener Grugahalle which now, unlike 2 years ago, was nearly sold out. It seems classic rock fans finally appreciate the unique combination of classic and melodic rock, blended with the pompous overhaul of a classic orchestra. The symbioses between this style of music and the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra of Prague is further more elevated by the powerful rockband put together by musical director Mat Sinner (Sinner Primal, Fear). Alexander Beyroth (Sinner, Primal Fear, Voodoo Circle, Silent Force) and Oliver Hartmann (At Vance, Hartmann) handle guitars, and Jimmy Kresic on keyboards. Backing vocals are vividly brought to life by a renowned choir consisting of Amanda Somerville (Thrillium, Avantasia), Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), X Factor finalist Tiffany Kirkland, Verena AkaNena and German musical star Sasha Krebs. Indeed, an all star cast which will make stars like Ian Gillan, Jimi Jamison (Survivor, Cobra), Robin Beck, Steve Lukather (Toto) and Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann's Earth Band) and shine brightly tonight.

As the lights dim, the orchestra and Kresic kick off the evening together with Krebs and a powerful version of Van Halen's rockhammer "Jump," instantly creating and interaction with the stunned audience. The towering keyboard theme, being empowered by the large string and brass section of the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, paving the way for the first highlight of this evening, Jimi Jamison. "Burning Heart" and "Eye of the Tiger" are sung along too loud, but the exquisite highlights of the set are "Didn't know it was Love" and "I can't hold Back," followed by the stunning beautiful orchestral rendition of "The Search is over." The ballad especially gives me goose bumps all over. Jamison interacts with his audience and is a true entertainer, blessed with a crystal clear voice he manages to make the best impression of this night.

Real more of performances by Jimi Jamison, Robin Beck, Chris Thompson, Steve Lukather, and Ian Gillan.

- Read the full story at UnRatedMagazine.com