Deep Purple Releases ‘Portable Door’, First Song And Video From Upcoming New Album ‘=1’

Deep Purple, following the announcement of their new studio album =1, have released the first single, "Portable Door." Produced by the Berlin-based agency Mutter & Vater and directed by Leo Feimer, the video for "Portable Door" showcases Deep Purple against the backdrop of the new album artwork, capturing the band in their essence as they share a stage and perform together. Check it out below.

The enigmatic album title =1 encapsulates the band’s philosophy of unity amidst complexity, promising an album that resonates deeply with their five decades spanning hard rock legacy. Produced once again by iconic Bob Ezrin, =1 captures the purest classic Deep Purple sound, without relying on nostalgia.

In a recent interview regarding the sonic direction of their upcoming album, guitarist Simon McBride shared insights, saying: “The new album will reflect what the five of us create in the rehearsal room. Many of the songs, like ‘Portable Door,’ were written in the first sessions and literally came together in 5 or 10 minutes. It all was so easy and natural.”

Singer Ian Gillan, highlighting the organic nature of Deep Purple’s song writing, added: “Throughout Deep Purple’s history, our best songs have always been those that were written in no time at all. We’ve played what felt good and developed songs as we have always done.”

In celebration of the new album, Deep Purple will perform more than 60 concerts worldwide this year during their =1 MORE TIME tour.

=1 MORE TIME TOUR DATES:

Aug. 14 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live

Aug. 15 – Tampa, FL @ Seminole Hard Rock Event Center

Aug. 17 – The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Aug. 18 – Durant, OK @ Choctaw Casino – Grand Theater

Aug. 19 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena

Aug. 21 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center

Aug. 22 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

Aug. 23 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

Aug. 25 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

Aug. 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre

Aug. 28 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

Aug. 30 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Aug. 31 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

Sept. 1 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Sept. 3 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater

Sept. 4 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC

Sept. 6 – Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Sept. 7 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live

Sept. 8 – Scranton, PA @ The Pavilion at Montage Mountain

Tickets are available at deeppurple.com.

The Hollywood Stars Announce 'Starstruck,' Their First Album Of New Material Since 1977

The Hollywood Stars have shared details of Starstruck, the Los Angeles band's first album of new material in over four decades. Starstruck will be released on CD and as a download by Rum Bar Records on June 14, and supported by a headlining concert at The Viper Room the next night (for tickets, visit The Viper Room. 

A vinyl LP arrives September 1 on Sioux Records. 

Originally assembled by rock ‘n’ roll svengali Kim Fowley in 1973, The Hollywood Stars recorded three albums during the 1970s, although only one was released during that decade. The self-titled The Hollywood Stars surfaced on Arista Records in 1977, and the band toured the U.S. with label mates The Kinks. Forty years later, the long-shelved remaining pair of LPs finally saw the light of day, with Shine Like a Radio: The Great Lost 1974 Album debuting in 2013, and Sound City in 2019. 

Although The Hollywood Stars had split by 1978, two of their early original recordings went on to find major success with other artists of the era — “Escape” appeared on Alice Cooper’s platinum-certified Welcome to My Nightmare (1975) while “King of the Night Time World” was included on a pair of multi platinum-selling albums by Kiss, Destroyer (1976) and Kiss Alive II (1977).

After decades of inactivity, The Hollywood Stars reformed with several original members to perform at a benefit concert in Los Angeles in 2018. The night was a success, and the decision was made to carry on. The last five years have been spent playing shows in support of their Sound City album, culminating in a 50th anniversary concert in Tarzana, California in December 2023. A four-song digital EP of new material, Still Around, was also released last year.

The lineup of the band responsible for the new Starstruck album is vocalist Scott Phares and drummer Terry Rae (founding members in 1973), bassist Michael Rummans (joined in 1976), and guitarists Jeff Jourard and George Keller (recruited in 2023). Jourard was an early member of The Motels and co-wrote that band’s second single, “Total Control,” with Martha Davis. He also played guitar on 1976’s Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Keller has played sessions with Tina Turner and George Cromarty and played alongside Rummans in the LA garage rock band, The Sloths. 

“It’s hard to express the joy I felt about entering the studio last year with this great band,” said Phares. “I left the original group in 1974, just months after completing our first album, so it’s been 50 years since I’ve worked on an album with The Hollywood Stars. Everyone contributed to the songwriting, including our two new members, and we came up with songs that stay true to our vision.” 

Recorded at Kitten Robots Studios, Starstruck was produced by the band, Loren Molinare (The Dogs, Slamdinistas), and Paul Roessler (The Screamers, 45 Grave). Each member of The Hollywood Stars contributed to the songwriting, with the album being split almost evenly between new and old compositions. “Bad, Bad Man” dates back the farthest, pre-dating even the first lineup of The Hollywood Stars. It is based on an idea by the group’s original main songwriter, Mark Anthony, and was recently finished by Phares. “Shortage of Love” was co-written in the early ‘70s by Phares and Fowley. Starstruck’s first single, the rousing glam singalong “Taxi Driver,” originally appeared on the 1977 debut album by Hero, a group for which Phares was the frontman after leaving The Hollywood Stars in 1974. Rummans contributes three tracks, including “Haunted” which first appeared on The Sloths’ 2015 album, Back from the Grave. “Total Control” is a remake that revisits Jourard’s days with The Motels. 

The Rolling Stones Kick Off 2024 Tour In Houston

 

The Rolling Stones kicked off their North America tour at a sold-out venue in Houston on Sunday night, with people traveling from various cities to watch one of the world's most enduring rock bands.

The show was the first of 16 performances, set across the U.S. and Canada through July. Fans flocked to the NRG Stadium in Houston in Rolling Stones T-shirts showcasing the band's iconic lips and tongue logo.

The band, formed more than six decades ago, opened with "Start Me Up" with Mick Jagger walking onto the stage in a shiny striped jacket, a gray sequined shirt and black jeans. People immediately started to dance along to the 1981 classic.

Jagger, who is 80, danced, skipped and ran across the stage while showcasing his vocal range.

"Hello Houston, it's good to be back in the lone star state," the singer said, adding that band visited NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston and making quips about Texas-based convenience store chain Buc-ee's.

He performed alongside Keith Richards, 80, and Ronnie Wood, 76, the surviving core of the band.

The band attracted people of all ages to the stadium, with a significant proportion of the audience over 60.

The 18 songs played over two hours included a mix of classics and three from the latest record Hackney Diamonds, the Stones' first album of original material since 2005 and the first recording since drummer Charlie Watts died in 2021.

Other songs they played included "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," and "Out of Time," all to massive applause.

Richards, whose songwriting partnership with Jagger is one of the most enduring and successful in rock, sang "Little T&A."

The Stones closed the show with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." They head to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for a special performance this week.

The String Cheese Incident Shares Song on Streaming Services

 

The String Cheese Incident is thrilled to share “Roll Around The Sun,” a nearly 10-minute, epic journey and exploration of rhythm and song. “Roll Around The Sun” was co-written by Jason Hann (SCI percussionist) and Brian Chapman (Zoo People) and features lead vocals by SCI’s electric mandolin player Michael Kang. The song itself is a musical voyage with twists and turns, much like any voyage, even life itself. “Many of us witnessed the recent solar eclipse, and I hope that “ Roll Around the Sun" can bring back some of those same feelings of awe and wonderment,” says Hann. 

“Roll Around The Sun” follows the release of “County Road Blues,” and “Windy Mountain” - special bonus tracks from 2023’s Lend Me A Hand. Check it out below:

SCI is known for its immersive live show experience that continually pushes into unexpected terrain. The Colorado-bred six-piece handles everything from bluegrass to dubstep to psychedelia with equal parts abandon and ingenuity—a feat that’s found them sharing stages with such wide-ranging artists as Lauryn Hill, Skrillex, James Brown, Billy Strings, Perry Farrell, Sheryl Crow, Zac Brown Band, and more. 

The band will kick off their cross-country tour on May 16 in Charlottesville, VA and will be making stops at some of the best amphitheaters nationwide including their annual three-night stand at Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

The String Cheese Incident on Tour 

May 16 @ Ting Pavilion | Charlottesville, VA

May 17 @ Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena | Atlantic City, NJ

May 18 @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway | Boston, MA

May 19 @ State Theatre | Portland, ME

May 21 @ Stage AE | Pittsburgh, PA

May 23-24 @ Solshine Reverie | Chillicothe, IL

May 25-26 @ CaveJam at The Caverns | Pelham, TN

June 8 @ Beech Mountain Summer Concert Series | Beech Mountain, NC

June 21-22 @ Electric Forest | Rothbury, MI

June 26 @ Red Butte Garden | Salt Lake City, UT

June 27 - 28 @ Snow King Mountain | Jackson, WY

June 29-30 @ KettleHouse Amphitheater | Bonner, MT

July 12-14 @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO

July 25-27 @ McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheatre | Troutdale, OR

July 28 @ Remlinger Farms | Carnation, WA

Aug 2-4 @ Locomotion Festival | Felton, CA

Sept 12-15 @ Bender Jamboree | Las Vegas, NV

All news and up-to-date information can be found at stringcheeseincident.com.  

Guitarist Richie Sambora Sharing New Song, First Of Four To Be Released Weekly

Guitarist Ritchie Sambora is sharing a new song called “I Pray,” the first of four brand-new tracks to be released weekly through May on all digital platforms. Produced with Sambora’s longtime collaborator,  Bob Rock (Bon Jovi, Metallica), “I Pray” will be followed next month by “Livin’ Alone” (May 3), “Songs That Wrote My Life” (May 10), and “Believe (In Miracles)” (May 17). 

The guitarist – who recently joined Dolly Parton on the title track to her album, Rockstar – will celebrate his new music and body of work on tour, with complete details to be announced soon. 

Sambora said, “I’m at that point in my life where I am truly happy and a big part of that joy comes from writing songs and making music. There’s a tremendous freedom with these songs because I don't have to think about charting #1 or what’s happening on the radio but I still put the same craftsmanship, care and love into it as I did with Slippery When Wet or New Jersey and I hope they bring a similar happiness to those that choose to listen and push play on streaming services."

Sambora will be seen in Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, a four-part, all-access docuseries chronicling the life and times of Bon Jovi, which airs exclusively via Hulu in the United States and on Disney+ around the world. A four-decade rock ‘n’ roll odyssey, the series follows the group’s history through 40 years of personal videos, unreleased early demos, original lyrics, and never-before-seen photos that chronicle their journey from Jersey Shore clubs to the world's stages. Check out the official trailer below.

Deep Purple Set To Release New Album, '=1'

Deep Purple will be releasing a new album on July 19th called =1. The first single will be unveiled on April 30th at midnight, a taster for the full 13 tracks of pioneering and rip-roaring rock 'n' roll. 

This is the band’s first album with guitarist Simon McBride, who replaced longtime member Steve Morse, who left due to personal circumstances. McBride has been playing with Deep Purple since 2022..

But Deep Purple is more than just their members and =1 embodies the essence and attitude of their 1970s incarnation possibly more than any other album in recent memory. With Bob Ezrin once again producing, the record evokes the pioneering band’s classic sound, without relying on nostalgia.

The enigmatic title =1 symbolises the idea that in a world growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one.

Its full meaning will be revealed in the coming weeks, with the artwork also playing its part. Fans have already been speculating after mysterious equations and depictions of multiverses appeared in London, Paris, and Berlin in recent days.

With three consecutive No.1 albums in their back pocket, this is Deep Purple at their pinnacle. Now WHAT?! (2013), inFinite (2017), and Whoosh! (2020) have sold over one million copies worldwide, making Deep Purple one of the most successful rock bands currently active. 

=1 will be released on July 19th via earMUSIC as Ltd. CD+DVD (Digipak), CD (Jewelcase),  double LP gatefold (black, 180g), Ltd. Purple double LP gatefold (180g), Ltd. Crystal Clear double LP (180g) and Ltd. box set (CD+DVD Digipak, double LP black Gatefold, 3x exclusive 10” vinyl editions featuring live recordings from Deep Purple’s 2022 tour, exclusive collector’s T-shirt, 2x exclusive guitar picks, 1x exclusive art print, 1x exclusive lanyard, and the chance to win a Golden Ticket giving access to all shows on the Deep Purple =1 MORE TIME tour. All LPs include a 12-page vinyl-sized booklet.

The bonus DVD features the hour-long documentary Access All Areas joining Dee Purple backstage on tour and providing an exclusive look behind the scenes.

Further exclusive items are available via the official album store: Ltd. double LP picture disc, Ltd. cassette, strictly limited canvas signed by all band members – limited to 50 items only and various other merchandise items.

=1 MORE TIME TOUR DATES:

Aug. 14 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live

Aug. 15 – Tampa, FL @ Seminole Hard Rock Event Center

Aug. 17 – The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Aug. 18 – Durant, OK @ Choctaw Casino – Grand Theater

Aug. 19 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena

Aug. 21 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center

Aug. 22 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

Aug. 23 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

Aug. 25 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

Aug. 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre

Aug. 28 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

Aug. 30 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Aug. 31 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

Sept. 1 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Sept. 3 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater

Sept. 4 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC

Sept. 6 – Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Sept. 7 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live

Sept. 8 – Scranton, PA @ The Pavilion at Montage Mountain

Tickets are available at deeppurple.com.

David Gilmour Announces New Album

David Gilmour has announced a new album Luck and Strange for release on September 6 on Sony Music. The first track from the album, "The Piper’s Call," will be released today (April 25), with a world exclusive first play on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

Luck and Strange was recorded over five months in Brighton and London and is Gilmour’s first album of new material in nine years. The record was produced by Gilmour and Charlie Andrew, best known for his work with ALT-J and Marika Hackman. 

Of this new working relationship, the guitarist says, “We invited Charlie to the house, so he came and listened to some demos, and said things like, 'Well, why does there have to be a guitar solo there?' and 'Do they all fade out? Can’t some of them just end?'. He has a wonderful lack of knowledge or respect for this past of mine. He’s very direct and not in any way overawed, and I love that. That is just so good for me because the last thing you want is people just deferring to you.”

The majority of the album’s lyrics have been composed by Polly Samson, Gilmour’s co-writer and collaborator for the past 30 years. Samson says of the lyrical themes covered on Luck and Strange.

“It’s written from the point of view of being older; mortality is the constant.” Gilmour elaborates, “We spent a load of time during and after lockdown talking about and thinking about those kind of things.” Samson has also found the experience of working with Charlie Andrew liberating, “He wants to know what the songs are about, he wants everyone who’s playing on them to have the ideas that are in the lyric informing their playing. I have particularly loved it for that reason.”

The album features eight new tracks along with a beautiful reworking of The Montgolfier Brothers’ "Between Two Points" and has artwork and photography by the renowned artist Anton Corbijn.

Musicians contributing to the record include Guy Pratt and Tom Herbert on bass, Adam Betts, Steve Gadd and Steve DiStanislao on drums, Rob Gentry and Roger Eno on keyboards with string and choral arrangements by Will Gardner. The title track also features the late Pink Floyd keyboard player Richard Wright, recorded in 2007 at a jam in a barn at David’s house.

Some contributions emerged from the live streams that Gilmour and family performed to a global audience during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021; Romany Gilmour sings, plays the harp and appears on lead vocals on "Between Two Points." Gabriel Gilmour also sings backing vocals.

The album’s cover image, photographed and designed by Anton Corbijn, is inspired by a lyric written by Charlie Gilmour for the album’s final song, "Scattered." Of working with his family on Luck and Strange, David says, “Polly and I have been writing together for over 30 years and the Von Trapped live streams showed the great blend of Romany’s voice and harp-playing and that led us into a feeling of discarding some of the past that I’d felt bound to and that I could throw those rules out and do whatever I felt like doing, and that has been such a joy.”

For more information, visit davidgilmour.com.

'The Heat Of The Moment Tour' Featuring Asia, Focus, Martin Turner (ex-Wishbone Ash) & Curved Air Announced For This Summer

 

The Heat of The Moment Tour, headlined by Asia and also featuring Focus, Martin Turner ex Wishbone Ash and Curved Air and MC’d by artist Roger Dean, begins on July 3rd and will encompass 21 dates across the USA and Canada. Asia founding member and keyboardist Geoff Downes came up with the idea. 

Asia's self-titled debut was the biggest selling album of 1982, hitting the top on the Billboard charts where it remained for nine weeks. The group was also in heavy rotation on MTV. Downes’ brand new iteration of Asia first began to evolve last summer at the concert held in memory of late lead singer, songwriter and bassist, John Wetton. 

Downes invited old friend John Mitchell and new-comer Harry Whitley to join him on stage to celebrate Wetton’s life by performing some of Asia's hits. After receiving a postive reception to their set, Downes wondered if something magical had occurred.

"And so it was that the John Wetton tribute last August really reminded me how much Asia’s music belongs on the stage," Downes said. "The response to it all was literally…spine-tingling."

Downes’ new-look Asia features Mitchell on guitars and Whitley on lead vocals and bass. The quartet will be made complete by the addition of drummer Virgil Donati.

Downes continues, "With the addition of Virgil Donati and John Mitchell, two of the finest musicians in the world in their respective classes, this is almost going full circle bearing in mind their previous close collaborations with John (Wetton). Completing this circle is also the amazing Harry Whitley who absolutely floored the audience with his incredible vocal interpretation of the Asia songs that John and I so lovingly wrote over the years.”

The tour will also feature sets from other classic acts — Focus, Martin Turner (ex-Wishbone Ash), and Curved Air. All three support acts boast their founder bandleaders.

Focus will release a new studio album later this year. Led by the indomitable Sir Thijs van Leer, featuring original 1970s drummer Pierre Van Der Linden, plus the virtuoso talents of Menno Gootjes on guitar and Udo Pannekeet on bass.

Martin Turner was lead vocalist, bassist, founding member, and creative force behind Wishbone Ash in the 70s. The group, of course, is best known for such classic albums as Argus and Pilgrimage.

Formed in 1970, Curved Air are one of the founders of progressive rock and a retrospective collection of their most influential and ground-breaking material is currently in the planning stages. Sonja Kristina (vocals) and Kirby Gregory (guitar) will treat audiences to an acoustic set featuring some of the band’s most memorable musical moments. They will be joined by violinist Grzegorz Gadziomski.

Each performance on the tour will be MC’d by artist Roger Dean. For so many, Dean’s artwork is synonymous with the music of the time and stands to represent the very best of British rock music.

The final word goes to Geoff Downes, "I am convinced that John (Wetton’s) spirit is with us as we set out on this new adventure. After all, it is the Year of the Dragon - just as it was in 1982, when we released our first Asia album. It’s as though it was meant to be. Looking forward to seeing you there, my friends – bring it on!"

Heat Of The Moment 2024 Tour Dates:

Wednesday, July 3: Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT

Thursday, July 4: Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON

Saturday, July 6: Chevalier Theatre, Medford, MA

Sunday, July 7: The Paramount, Huntingdon, NY

Tuesday, July 9: Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood, NJ

Wednesday, July 10: Count Basie Center, Red Bank, NJ

Friday, July 12: Tropicana Showroom, Atlantic City, NJ

Saturday, July 13: Wind Creek Event Center, Bethlehem, PA

Sunday, July 14: American Music Theatre, Lancaster, PA

Tuesday, July 16: Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, Spartanburg, SC

Wednesday, July 17: Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

Thursday, July 18: Columbia County Performing Arts Center, Evans, GA

Saturday, July 20: Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL

Sunday, July 21: Pompano Beach Amphitheater, Pompano Beach, FL

Monday, July 22: Seminole Hard Rock, Tampa, FL

Wednesday, July 24: North Charleston PAC, North Charleston, SC

Thursday, July 25: Macon City Auditorium, Macon, GA

Friday, July 26: Saenger Theatre, Mobile, AL

Sunday, July 28: VBC Mark Smith Concert Hall, Huntsville, AL

Tuesday, July 30: The Arcada Theatre, St Charles, IL

Wednesday, July 31: The Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI

Ozzy Osbourne, Foreigner, Peter Frampton Among 2024 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees

On Sunday night (April 21) during an episode of American Idol, the final list of inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame was announced. 

In the performer category, Ozzy Osbourne, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Cher, Dave Matthews Band,  Kool & the Gang, A Tribe Called Quest, and Mary J. Blige will be inducted.

Alexis Korner, John Mayall and the late Big Mama Thornton will receive the musical influence award, while the late Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick and the late Norman Whitfield will receive the musical excellence award. Suzanne de Passe will receive the Ahmet Ertegun award.

In order to be eligible for a nomination, the artist must have released their first commercial recording 25 or more years ago, or by 1999, per the foundation.

The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will air live on October 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. For the second year, the ceremony will stream live on Disney+, air as a special on ABC at a later date and be available to stream on Hulu the day after the telecast.

Ozzy Osbourne tweeted his reaction to being inducted for a second time (the first was with Black Sabbath): "Thank You @RockHall Voters & Fans for this induction. My solo career, has been a much larger part of my overall music career as a whole, so this feels more special. Not bad for a guy who was fired from his last band."

Frampton told Billboard during a phone call: “I think I’m a little bit in shock, and speechless. I never expected this. People always said, ‘You should be in.’ I said, ‘Eh, what is to be,’ y’know? So mixed emotions, because it’s something that I just never expected, whereas other people did for me. (laughs) It’s wonderful."

In a press statement, Foreigner's Mick Jones said, “I was thrilled to learn of Foreigner’s nomination, and this confirmation of our coming membership in the home of my peers is a priceless highlight of my career. October 19th will be an emotional day for me, Lou, Al, Dennis, and Rick, and a very special moment for the families of Ian and Ed. The leadership of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Chairman, John Sykes, and Nominating Committee Chairman, Rick Krim, has brought a new era of inclusivity and relevance that reflects all that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame should be, and we are proud to become a part of it. Long may it continue.”

Sykes said in a separate statement: "Rock & Roll is an ever-evolving amalgam of sounds that impacts culture and moves generations. The diverse group of inductees each broke down musical barriers and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps."

Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention's 'Whisky A Go Go 1968 - Super Deluxe Edition' Dropping June 21st

The hand-scrawled ad in the L.A. Free Press — an open invitation to Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention’s all-night affair at one of their favorite venues, L.A.’s Whisky a Go Go — laid things out in black and white as to what Zappa and the band’s intentions were for that soon-to-be historic evening. It read: “The Mothers of Invention cordially invite you to join them on Tuesday, July 23, 1968 when they will be taking over the Whisky a Go Go for 5 full hours of unprecedented merriment, which will be secretly recorded for an upcoming record album. Dress optional. Starting sometime in the evening. R.S.V.D.T.”

The show was billed on the Whisky marquee as “Mothers Of Invention – Recording Session,” and thus, Zappa had indeed recorded the entire evening’s aural festivities with the intention of releasing an album. That project never quite fully materialized — until now. Whisky a Go Go, 1968, the latest provocative live collection to be released from The Vault, will be released June 21 via Zappa Records/UMe. 

Produced by Ahmet Zappa and Joe Travers, this extensive collection, some 55-plus years in the making, compiles everything The Mothers of Invention played across their three sets that night, complete and newly remixed in 2023 from hi-res 24-bit/96kHz digital transfers of the original 1” 8-track analog tapes by Craig Parker Adams at Winslow CT Studios. 

A Super Deluxe Edition box set will be released as a five- LP 180-gram black vinyl set and a triple CD package, both featuring a booklet with many unseen photos from the night’s events, along with liner notes by Vaultmeister Joe Travers, an essay by Pamela Des Barres of the Zappa-signed group The GTO’s who played that evening, and an interview by Ahmet Zappa with Alice Cooper, whose own band made a most momentous splash at the Whisky that night as one of the featured acts. A standalone, complete digital edition of Whisky a Go Go, 1968 will be made available on all major hi-res streaming services.

A previously unreleased version of “The Duke,” which at the time of the Whisky ’68 recording was a brand new composition, is now available to steam on YouTube Music. Zappa took advantage of the opportunity and treated the evening like a “Recording Session,” as stated on the marquee the night of the event, and played “The Duke” in full twice. Both takes are included in this comprehensive release.

The five LP collection contains nine sides of music all told, while the 10th side features a silkscreen printed image, and will also include an extra special bonus — a custom turntable mat. In addition to the 5LP set, a 2LP Highlights edition will also be available, spotlighting highlights from all three sets. All vinyl was cut from hi-res digital file by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in 2023 and is being pressed at Optimal: Media in Germany on BioVinyl, a new environment-friendly formulation and sustainable product made from bio-based PVC (polyvinyl chloride). The petroleum previously required for PVC production is replaced by recycling used cooking oil or industrial waste gases. Through the use of renewable energies and recycled raw materials, CO2 emissions are significantly reduced. 

Additionally, a new merch collection for Whisky a Go Go, 1968 is also available at the official Frank Zappa Store.

Early on during the Whisky proceedings — right after the quite gnarly eight-minute “Tiny Sick Tears Jam” — Zappa told the eclectic gathering of freaks and hippie-cum-hipster music geeks alike, “The purpose of this evening is supposedly to make some recordings of The Mothers live, in person.” Zappa’s core intention of live invention that night was to capture an entire Mothers performance on multi-track tape. The only other time this had occurred was two months earlier at the Miami Pop Festival on May 18, 1968, when Eddie Kramer had documented The Mothers’ set on 1” 8-track tape. For the Whisky engagement, Zappa had hired the Wally Heider remote truck, which itself had been outfitted with a 1” 8-track recorder that would be helmed by recording engineer Dick Kunc.

The choice of venue was no accident either. The Whisky had been very good to The Mothers over their formative years, and this showcase event was a way to give back to the place where manager Herb Cohen had persuaded producer Tom Wilson to witness Zappa and The Mothers perform in late 1965. That ultimately resulted in the band securing a record contract with MGM, not to mention planting the seeds of the fruitful relationship that developed between Zappa and Wilson. By the time The Mothers came back to the Whisky in July 1968, they had quite well established themselves as leaders of the underground.

Led by Zappa on guitar and vocals, The Mothers’ formidable lineup for this extravaganza included Ray Collins (vocals, percussion), Ian Underwood (alto sax), Bunk Gardner (tenor sax, flute), Don Preston (keyboards, gong), Motorhead Sherwood (baritone sax, percussion), Roy Estrada (bass, vocals), Art Tripp (drum set, percussion), and Jimmy Carl Black (drum set, percussion).

Along with the three individual sets The Mothers played that night, there were also performances by Alice Cooper, Wild Man Fischer, The GTO’s, and a still-mysterious guitar player from New Jersey named Joe Piresanti. The ensuing mayhem during these performances — “from time to time, there’ll be interesting events taking place here in the arena, to keep you occupied,” as Zappa put it — was duly captured on film as well. Vito, Szou, Carl and The Freaks writhed and contorted themselves in an orgy-like state on the floor in front of the stage, while The GTO’s danced, twirled, and screamed along for the entire evening, hands down the most raucous and most verbally reassuring cheerleading section in the house. Besides all their gyrating, whooping, and hollering, The GTO’s also performed a pair of carefully hand-selected numbers onstage during “King Kong – Part 2.” Other notable scenesters in attendance that evening were The BTO’s, Kim Fowley (whom, at FZ’s insistence, joins in vocally early on in the set, a la his accompaniment on Freak Out!), The Turtles, John Mayall, Elliot Ingber (a former Mother now part of The Fraternity Of Man), and members of The Rolling Stones.

What attendees and participants alike witnessed that night at the Whisky — keeping in mind that some audience members had to be swapped in and out from set to set, since people were lined up around the block to get in (Thank you teenagers, one and all). Linchpin songs like “Memories of El Monte” and “Help, I’m A Rock” were there, and well known from the beginning days of The Mothers’ L.A. gigs. Improvisation was critical — “Just start playing something nice, in G minor. Make it up,” Zappa implores before The Mothers dive into “Improvisation: Episode II” — plus, there were doo-wop chops for days (“Valerie,” the soaring falsetto from Roy Estrada in “Oh, In The Sky”). As for Zappa himself, not only did he commence the first set by utilizing his trademark hand signals to direct the band in real time, he also got to deploy his then newly acquired Les Paul Gold Top guitar before the Bigsby tailpiece and other experimental modifications on the instrument had been implemented.

For his part, Alice Cooper remains thankful to this day for not only what Zappa saw in his fledgling group, but for giving them a cherished slot on that fateful Whisky night. “Nobody would touch us except Frank. He was the only one that even gave us the time of day,” as Cooper related to Ahmet Zappa in the liners. “He saw something specific in us that was pretty insane. All the record companies wanted the next Buffalo Springfield, and we were not that.” No, they were decidedly not that — and Alice Cooper collectively lit the Whisky ablaze with an incendiary performance of their own that set the table for a career that’s still in full swing.  

“It truly was a night of nights,” as Travers oh-so-succinctly put it in the liners. “The Mothers performance wasn’t perfect, but very good. Frank was in good spirits, the band played well, and the sequence of songs did capture the group’s live repertoire of the time.” The Mothers were already poised for greater pastures and pastimes ahead by virtue of the music they would soon enough be creating for their next studio album, one that would arrive before the tail end of 1968 — the doo-wop-inspired concept piece, Cruising With Ruben & The Jets. But for five glorious hours on a hot mid-1968 summer night in L.A., the Whisky a Go Go was the most happening place to be. To best absorb the contents of Whisky a Go Go 1968, we should all follow the advice given by GTO’s royalty Miss Pamela Des Barres, who implores us to “listen to all of this album in its entirety and try to envision the Whisky a Go Go that long ago night. It happened in a space and time that will never come again, so buckle up, baby, close your eyes, let your imagination soar, and set your freak free.”

Little Feat Release Second Single From Upcoming Blues Album

Little Feat have released a second single from their upcoming blues album, Sam's Place, out on May 17. The single, “Can’t Be Satisfied,” is described as a rollicking cover of the classic Muddy Waters song. It features conga player Sam Cutler on lead vocals and special guest Michael “The Bull” LoBue on harmonica. The video for "Can’t Be Satisfied” was filmed at Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis and directed by Grant James and Jesse Lauter. Check it out below.

Bill Payne, the band's keyboardist, says: “You want to know what’s as fun as listening to Little Feat on Sam’s Place? Watching the video of ‘Can’t Be Satisfied!’ You are brought into the studio with us. The smiles are real, the music kicks, and you can’t get much closer to the action than this!”

The other members of the band's current lineup include Fred Tackett on guitars and vocals, Kenny Gradney on bass, Scott Sharrard on guitars and vocals, and Tony Leone on drums and vocals. Their individual musical chops and collective chemistry light up the nine-track Sam's Place, which was waxed at Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis last year, except for “Got My Mojo Working (Live),” which was recorded live at the Boulder Theatre in Boulder, CO, on December 17, 2022. This is the first Little Feat album recorded with new members Sharrard and Leone.

“This song ('Can’t Be Satisfied') was one we played back-to-back for many years with ‘Hot Tamales,’” Payne adds. “Tony Leone got hold of the rhythm track and gave it new life with a walking tempo. Yes, it’s a dark song with pistols in the face and the like, but there is a joy in the track, uplifting and impossible not to love.” 

“You can’t make a blues album without playing some Muddy Waters,” says Sharrard, “and Little Feat has performed this on live shows over the years. What sets this rendition apart is Tony Leone's nod to Levon Helm with the drum groove. This arrangement takes you from Mississippi, up to Chicago and lands down in Arkansas, where both Fred Tackett and Levon Helm were born." 

“Can’t Be Satisfied” follows the album’s first single/video “You’ll Be Mine,” a cover of the Willie Dixon-written chestnut popularized by Howlin’ Wolf. 

Sam's Place also features band’s longtime friend, Bonnie Raitt, who duets with Cutler on another Muddy Waters song called “Long Distance Call.” The album’s other special guests are Michael “Bull” LoBue on harmonica, Marc Franklin on trumpet, and Art Edmaiston on saxophone.

Cutler has the last word: “I'm very happy because I was never expecting anything like that. I mean, I have wanted to, but I just wasn't expecting it to come to fruition. It was a long wait, but it’s satisfying.” 

Little Feat will be touring this summer with the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and will also headline shows with The Wood Brothers, Los Lobos, Marc Broussard, Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel, The Steel Wheels, and Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley. For their Baltimore, MD show on June 14, The band will perform their classic 1973 album, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, in its entirety. 

For more info on the upcoming album and tour, head over to littlefeat.net. 

Grateful Dead Release 'From The Mars Hotel: The Angel's Share'

With Rhino's release of From The Mars Hotel: The Angel's Share, the Grateful Dead vaults have once again been opened. Featuring 16 newly unearthed session recordings, the digital collection brings listeners directly into San Francisco's Coast Recorders during the spring of 1974, revealing the band's real-time process as they crafted such eternal staples as "Scarlet Begonias," "Ship Of Fools," "China Doll," "U.S. Blues," "Unbroken Chain" and more that would make up their From The Mars Hotel LP.

The evolution of all of those songs and other album highlights is charted throughout this fourth edition of the band's fan-favorite Angel's Share series. Like previous installments that accompanied milestone reissues of Workingman's Dead, American Beauty and Wake Of The Flood, From The Mars Hotel: The Angel's Share brings together hours of expertly-curated outtakes, alternate versions, acoustic mixes, ​​unexpected moments and revelations that have never been heard or available on DSPs until now. You can hear it all on YouTube Music.

As these Angel's Share recordings further showcase, the Grateful Dead were cooking with gas in the runup to From The Mars Hotel. The band had successfully emerged from a series of hectic, harrowing times, and would soon follow their transformative Wake Of The Flood with this second self-released album from their very own Grateful Dead Records. During the mere eight months that had passed between the two beloved LPs, the group also played some of their most exploratory live music and largest venues to date, famously amplified by the homemade, 75-ton Wall of Sound that they debuted on March 23, 1974. While several of the album's formative songs would first be introduced into setlists along that season's tour, the Grateful Dead spent two months recording and honing them in the studio for the album.

In honor of its 50th Anniversary, From The Mars Hotel has also been reissued and expanded with rediscovered material and rarities. Out June 21st via Rhino, six days before the album's original release five decades ago, From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) features remastered audio by engineer David Glasser, with Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction. Produced for release by Grateful Dead Legacy Manager and Audio Archivist, David Lemieux, the deluxe edition includes demos of "China Doll" and "Wave That Flag" – the song that became "U.S. Blues" – as well as a previously unreleased live performance of the Grateful Dead at University of Nevada-Reno on May 12, 1974, where a massive wind storm was no match for the Wall of Sound. 

From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Remaster) will be released on June 21st as a single 180-gram black vinyl LP, limited edition Neon Pink vinyl, limited edition "Ugly Rumors" custom vinyl exclusive to Dead.net, and a specially-designed picture disc created in partnership with zoetrope pioneer Drew Tetz. When viewed with a camera or strobe, the zoetrope LP will appear to animate, and can be pre-ordered now along with the rest of From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Remaster) variants. 

As part of From The Mars Hotel’s 50th Anniversary celebration, the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast is unlocking the many secrets behind the album. Along with a track-by-track breakdown of the LP, the podcast's ninth season is currently telling the story of the Wall of Sound, with archival audio of its mastermind – legendary LSD chemist Owsley Stanley – and new interviews with those who made the game-changing, larger-than-life speaker system a reality. With five million downloads and counting, new episodes of Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast will continue to premiere every other week. 

For more info, visit Dead.net.

The Beatles' 'Let It Be' Restored, Set for May 8 Premiere on Disney +

Disney+ has announced that Let It Be, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s original 1970 film about The Beatles, will launch exclusively on Disney+ May 8, 2024. This is the first time the film is available in over 50 years. 

First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, Let It Be now takes its rightful place in the band’s history. Once viewed through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and in the context of revelations brought forth in Peter Jackson’s multiple Emmy Award®-winning docuseries, The Beatles: Get Back. Released on Disney+ in 2021, the docuseries showcases the iconic foursome’s warmth and camaraderie, capturing a pivotal moment in music history. 

Let It Be contains footage not featured in the Get Back docuseries, bringing viewers into the studio and onto Apple Corps’ London rooftop in January 1969 as The Beatles, joined by Billy Preston, write and record their album Let It Be, with its Academy Award-winning title song, and perform live for the final time as a group. With the release of The Beatles: Get Back, demand for the original Let It Be film reached a fever pitch. With Lindsay-Hogg’s full support, Apple Corps asked Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post Production to dive into a meticulous restoration of the film from the original 16mm negative, which included lovingly remastering the sound using the same MAL de-mix technology that was applied to the “Get Back” docuseries. 

Michael Lindsay-Hogg says, “Let It Be was ready to go in October/November 1969, but it didn’t come out until April 1970. One month before its release, The Beatles officially broke up. And so the people went to see Let It Be with sadness in their hearts, thinking, ‘I’ll never see The Beatles together again. I will never have that joy again,’ and it very much darkened the perception of the film. But, in fact, how often do you get to see artists of this stature working together to make what they hear in their heads into songs. And then you get to the roof and you see their excitement, camaraderie and sheer joy in playing together again as a group and know, as we do now, that it was the final time, and we view it with full understanding of who they were and still are and a little poignancy. I was knocked out by what Peter was able to do with Get Back, using all the footage I’d shot 50 years previously.” 

“I’m absolutely thrilled that Michael’s movie, Let It Be, has been restored and is finally being re-released after being unavailable for decades,” says Peter Jackson. "I was so lucky to have access to Michael’s outtakes for Get Back, and I’ve always thought that Let It Be is needed to complete the Get Back story. Over three parts, we showed Michael and The Beatles filming a groundbreaking new documentary, and Let It Be is that documentary – the movie they released in 1970. I now think of it all as one epic story, finally completed after five decades. The two projects support and enhance each other: Let It Be is the climax of Get Back, while Get Back provides a vital missing context for Let It Be. Michael Lindsay-Hogg was unfailingly helpful and gracious while I made Get Back, and it’s only right that his original movie has the last word...looking and sounding far better than it did in 1970.”

Let It Be, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, stars John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, with a special appearance by Billy Preston. The film was produced by Neil Aspinall with The Beatles acting as executive producers. The director of photography was Anthony B Richmond.

John Fogerty Continues His Celebration Tour This Summer With More Dates

After announcing the first leg of the summer “Celebration Tour,” legendary rock musician John Fogerty is adding even more dates to the summer run! This highly anticipated tour marks a significant milestone as it's the first time Fogerty is performing his songs since acquiring ownership of his extensive song catalog. Kicking off on June 2nd in South Carolina, this exhilarating journey will weave it’s across the whole country before winding up on September 11th at the Utah State Fair in Salt Lake City.  Joining in the party as special guests are fellow ‘bad to the bone’ music icons, George Thorogood & The Destroyers (except otherwise noted) and rock band, Hearty Har. The current tour schedule is below.

Tickets for leg 2 go on sale starting Friday, April 12 at 10:00 AM local time with presale tickets available on Tuesday, April 9 at 10:00 AM local time. More information can be found by visiting JohnFogerty.com.

Of touring for the first time with good friend Thorogood, Fogerty said, “George and I have done shows together before but for years we’ve talked about doing a full tour together. This summer we decided time is short, we better do this now!”

With George Thorogood echoing, “Celebrating the music of John Fogerty at the same time we celebrate our 50th Anniversary is just about as good as it can get.  I’m looking forward to being out there with my friend, John!"

Led by brothers Shane Fogerty (guitar/vocals) and Tyler Fogerty (guitar/vocals), Hearty Har is also on the bill. 

“We are incredibly excited to join John Fogerty and George Thorogood on tour! Hearty Har will open up every show with our own blend of rock and roll, and then join John as his backing band,” the band said in a press statement. “Get ready to rock out with us all summer!”

The Celebration Tour Dates:

June 2 - CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park - Simpsonville, SC          

June 4 - Credit One Stadium - Charleston, SC             

June 5 - Ted Hat Amphitheater - Raleigh, NC                  

June 7 - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion - Camden, NJ                  

June 8 - The Pavilion at Montage Mountain - Scranton, PA                 

June 9 - Jiffy Lube Live - Bristow, VA                    

June 11 - Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center - Canandaigua, NY          

June 12 - Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center - Saratoga Springs, NY   

June 14 - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts - Bethel, NY                     

June 15 - PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ                  

June 16 - Mohegan Sun - Uncasville, CT               

June 19 - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion - Gilford, NH                    

June 20 - Tanglewood Music Center - Lenox, MA                     

July 12 - Bospop Festival 2024 - Weert, NL*                    

July 13 - Rock Zottegem 2024 - Zottegem, BE*              

July 16 - Lucca Summer Festival - Lucca, IT*                     

July 18 - Guitar en Scene - Saint Julien en Genevois, FR* 

NEWLY Announced Leg 2

August 2 - American Family Insurance Amphitheater - Milwaukee, WI              

August 3 - Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica - Cleveland, OH              

August 4 - Pine Knob Music Theatre - Clarkston, MI                

August 6 - Toledo Zoo & Aquarium Amphitheater - Toledo, OH                   

August 7 - FirstBank Amphitheater - Franklin, TN                  

August 9 - Memphis Botanic Garden - Memphis, TN                

August 10 - Family Arena - Saint Charles, MO        

August 11 - Pinewood Bowl Amphitheater - Lincoln, NE                   

August 16 - Pavilion at Riverfront - Spokane, WA               

August 17 - Cuthbert Amphitheatre - Eugene, OR                 

August 19 - Chateau Ste. Michelle - Woodinville, WA          

August 26 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO^

August 27 - Sunset Amphitheatre - Colorado Springs, CO  

August 30 - Thunder Valley Casino Resort - Lincoln, CA                   

August 31 - Stanford University – Frost Amphitheater - Stanford, CA 

September 1 - Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, CA      

September 4 - The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park - San Diego, CA^

September 11 - Utah State Fair – Days of ’47 Arena - Salt Lake City, UT^

*John Fogerty Festival Date

^ without George Thorogood

More dates TBA

Jethro Tull Announce Live Box Set 'Bursting Out (The Inflated Edition)'

Bursting Out, Jethro Tull’s first live album, was recorded at various locations during the European Heavy Horses tour in May and June 1978. Now, the album will be reissued in an expanded triple CD and triple DVD set, remixed by Steven Wilson with an array of extras.

"A live extravaganza from the 70s Jethro Tull, remarked the band's leader Ian Anderson in a statement.  "This was recorded over several nights in different venues on a portable 8-track tape recorder and transferred to 2” multitrack when I got home after the tours. I had to listen all through to many shows and pick the best live versions. But much of it was, at least, from the concert in Bern, Switzerland, where dear Claude Nobs came to introduce the band in his inimitable style. Also featuring on this box set collection is the live concert from Madison Square Gardens recorded a few months later and shown live on BBC TV in the UK. A scary experience for the band as it was, we were told, the first time a live rock concert had been the subject of a live satellite broadcast. 

"The band lineup at this time was a fine-tuned machine and, although missing the unwell John Glascock for the MSG show, it serves as a fine testimony for the many wonderful shows we did in the 70s before general touring fatigue and burn-out began a year or so later."

Here's how Bursting Out (The Inflated Edition) breaks down:

CD 1: Jethro Tull live: Bursting Out (Part 1) - A Steven Wilson stereo remix Soundcheck recordings - A Steven Wilson stereo remix. Tracks 7, 10, 11 (full version) & 12-16 previously unreleased

CD 2: Jethro Tull live: Bursting Out (Part 2) - A Steven Wilson stereo remix Soundcheck recordings - A Steven Wilson stereo remix. Tracks 11-13 previously unreleased

CD 3: Contains an edited version of the 1978 Madison Square Garden Show which was issued in 2009 but now mixed by Steven Wilson.

DVDs 1 & 2 have the remixed tracks in 96/24 stereo and 5.1 surround plus the flat transfers of the original album at 96/24 stereo.

DVD 3 has the full 93-minute MSG show, including 50+ minutes of video which was part of a transatlantic broadcast with the BBC and Radio 1. The audio is 48/24 stereo and 5.1 surround.

When it was first reissued on CD in 1990, Bursting Out was available as a double-disc CD in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, but as a single CD release in the United States, with three tracks (“Quatrain,” “Sweet Dream” and “Conundrum”) omitted to fit the 80 minutes CD length, while the double-disc 1990 CD version in the United Kingdom (and Europe) incorporated the first track for both discs (the Introductions) in the song that follows. In 2004, the complete album was released worldwide as a two-disc set with the Introductions as separate tracks. 

Aerosmith Continue Farewell Tour With Special Guests The Black Crowes

Aerosmith have announced their return to the road special guests The Black Crowes, who are fresh off their first release in nearly 15 years, Happiness Bastards. Additionally, a very special one-night-only performance from Teddy Swims is set at the tour kickoff in Pittsburgh. Check out an announcement video celebrating the tour, Aerosmith's last, below.

Aerosmith will celebrate their five decades of hits during during what's been billed as the Peace Out tour. In addition, THX will bring their THX Certified Live! high-fidelity experience on the road, calibrating each arena with leading-edge technology so fans don’t miss a beat of Aerosmith’s classic rock tunes in quality audio.

All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the rescheduled shows. Ticketholders will receive more information via email. Tickets for the rescheduled dates and newly added shows are on sale this Friday, April 12th at 10AM local time on ticketmaster.com.

Produced by Live Nation, the monumental 40-date North American tour will include 3 news shows in addition to the rescheduled dates. The tour is set to kick off in Pittsburgh, PA and include stops in  arenas across the U.S. and Canada, including Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, New York’s Madison Square Garden, Austin’s Moody Center, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, Chicago’s United Center, Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, and more before wrapping in Montreal, QC at Bell Centre on January 26, 2025. A highlight of the tour will be a stop in Boston for a special hometown show on New Year’s Eve 2024.

AEROSMITH 2024 TOUR DATES: 

Fri Sep 20 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena (NEW SHOW)*

Mon Sep 23 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center (NEW SHOW)

Thu Sep 26 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center    

Sun Sep 29 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse 

Wed Oct 02 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center

Sat Oct 05 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boling Arena 

Tue Oct 08 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena

Fri Oct 11 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Mon Oct 14 – St Louis, MO – Enterprise Center

Thu Oct 17 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Arena

Sun Oct 20 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

Thu Oct 31 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center

Sun Nov 03 – San Antonio, TX - Frost Bank Center 

Wed Nov 06 – Austin, TX – Moody Center

Sat Nov 09 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Tue Nov 12 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center

Fri Nov 15 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center

Mon Nov 18 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena    

Thu Nov 21 – Portland, OR – Moda Center 

Sun Nov 24 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

Wed Nov 27 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center

Sat Nov 30 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

Wed Dec 04 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center               

Sat Dec 07 – Los Angeles, CA – The Kia Forum

Sat Dec 28 – Newark, NJ - Prudential Center 

Tue Dec 31 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Sat Jan 04 – Detroit, MI - Little Caesars Arena       

Tue Jan 07 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena 

Fri Jan 10 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

Mon Jan 13 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center  

Thu Jan 16 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse 

Sun Jan 19 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Wed Jan 22 – St Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center

Sat Jan 25 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center

Tues Feb 11 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center (NEW SHOW)

Fri Feb 14 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena

Mon Feb 17 – Sunrise, FL – Amerant Bank Arena

Thu Feb 20 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena 

Sun Feb 23 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Wed Feb 26 – Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center  

*Teddy Swims Joining as Special Guest, The Black Crowes not appearing

Black Country Communion Releases Second Single From Upcoming Album

Following the debut of their lead single "Stay Free," Black Country Communion, featuring Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Bonham, and Derek Sherinian, has unveiled "Red Sun," the second single from their eagerly awaited fifth studio album, V, out June 14th. Available now on all major streaming platforms, "Red Sun" showcases the collective genius of Hughes and Bonamassa, both in its powerful lyrics and profound musical composition. Produced by the band's longtime collaborator, Kevin Shirley, the song is a testament to the group's evolving sound and undeniable chemistry. Check out the video below.

"Red Sun" is a lyrical journey through the depths of the soul, echoing the struggles and revelations that come with life's challenges. The song's rich narrative and compelling melody are enhanced by the band's signature blend of hard rock and blues, marking yet another milestone in their storied career. "This band allows me to embrace all of it,” comments Bonamassa. “It’s funny because the four musicians up here – everybody brings a certain thing to this that’s very specific. Every part is irreplaceable. For me, it’s about playing old-style rock guitar, loud."

Hughes adds, "We make music for the five of us. We make music that we love and like, hoping it registers with everyone else. We don’t make it for record companies, or this guy or that guy." Sherinian credits producer Kevin Shirley for keeping the band's creative energies focused, adding, "We got to give Kevin Shirley massive credit because he controls. He keeps it all flowing."

"Red Sun" is a profound piece in Black Country Communion's discography, showcasing the band's growth and mutual respect. It stands as a beacon of their shared philosophy — to create music that is authentic, heartfelt, and a reflection of their collective experiences and musical prowess.

As Black Country Communion gears up for the release of V, "Red Sun" serves as a compelling preview of what fans can expect from the album. The release follows the band's performance at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, FL, which marked their first live performance in the U.S. in over 11 years. This event, along with their appearance on the Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea cruise, signifies an exciting new chapter for the band and their fans around the world.

For more information, visit blackcountrycommunion.com.

Adrian Belew, Steve Vai, Tony Levin & Danny Carey Announce 'Beat Tour' Performing 80s King Crimson Albums

Former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin band together with guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and explosive Tool drummer Danny Carey for the first time to create Beat, a creative reinterpretation of the three iconic 80s King Crimson albums - Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair. 

The four musicians will come together this fall for an extensive tour across North America performing repertoire from these three King Crimson iconic albums The BEAT Tour will begin in San Jose, CA on September 12 at San Jose Civic with the final show planned for November 8 at Las Vegas, NV’s The Theater at Virgin Hotels. An artist pre-sale goes live today at Noon Eastern (Password: BEATTOUR), with the general on-sale set for Friday, April 5 at 10am local time at BEAT-tour.com.

Guitarist Adrian Belew reflects, “The 1981 through 1984 King Crimson created a music all its own. Timeless. Beautiful. Complex. Fierce.  For the fans who lived through it then, and the ones who never got to witness it, our aim is to bring it to life again. A monumental task but we're going for it!  There are not enough exclamation points to express my excitement!”

Guitarist Steve Vai states, “Being a part of this ensemble is an extraordinary privilege and opportunity to perform some of the most beloved, timeless, and monumental music of the 80s (and beyond) with truly inspired musicians. This music resonates deeply with me. Adrian, Tony and Danny are unique musicians with an otherworldly insight into presenting rich musical complexities in a very accessible way, and I am looking forward to searching each other’s musical minds in real time on stage. I’m sure sparks will fly.” He continues, “Father Robert Fripp is one of our historical geniuses. His highly specific and exceptionally brilliant guitar technique is studied and revered. His contribution to the quality of my musical life, and so many others is supreme. I can assure the fans of KC that I will be putting my best foot forward to respect this great music with the care and intensity it deserves. Did I say ‘sparks will fly?’”

Bassist Tony Levin offers, “This is going to be quite a tour. Revisiting some of my favorite music is a treat in itself, but in company of this stellar lineup, I expect to have my musical butt kicked! And it’s also great that we’re not just playing a few shows, we’re hitting it hard. So, Road Dogs are coming to your area soon.”

Drummer Danny Carey shares, “I am very excited to share the stage with three of my favorite musicians on the planet. Tony, Steve and Adrian have always been a source of inspiration for me since the beginning of my career, and now to be able to share a bit of my musical journey with them is a dream come true. There’s nothing better to make some sparks fly and light a fire under your ass than getting out of your musical comfort zone, and I can’t think of any other three guys I’d rather do this with.  I think I can speak for all of us when I say I hope all of our fans are as excited as we are about this tour.”         

The vision for this undertaking emanated from initial dialogue between Angelo Bundini aka Scrote and Adrian Belew. Tour Producer Bundini recalls, “When Adrian called me to help bring his idea to fruition, I immediately thought it best to focus on the 80s albums: Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair. These three records famously marked Adrian and Tony's entry into King Crimson. Their fluid, melodic virtuosity, and Fripp's and Bruford's dramatic precision created a totally unique, dynamic push and pull that would influence nearly every rock musician and/or band going forward for years, if not decades, to come.” 

Both a meet & greet and a VIP tour package will be available for purchase. The M&G includes one premium ticket in the first five rows, early entry, pre-show meet & greet, personal photograph captured, limited edition autographed poster, BEAT challenge coin, tote bag, an exclusive merch item, and an official laminate and lanyard. There is limited availability with pricing set at 200.00. For the VIP tour package, buyers will receive one premium reserved seat in the first 15 rows, a limited edition BEAT tour poster autographed, the challenge coin, an exclusive tour merch item, and a commemorative laminate and lanyard.  Availability is limited at 100.00.

The complete itinerary of planned appearances includes events in:

9/12 - San Jose Civic - San Jose, CA  

9/13 - Blue Note Napa Summer Sessions @ Meritage Resort - Napa, CA 

9/14 - United Theater on Broadway - Los Angeles, CA         

9/15 - City National Grove of Anaheim - Anaheim, CA                       

9/17 - Humphrey’s Concerts - San Diego, CA                       

9/18 - Celebrity Theatre - Phoenix, AZ                            

9/20 - The Paramount Theatre - Austin, TX                              

9/21 - Bayou Music Centre - Houston, TX                          

9/22 - Majestic Theatre - Dallas, TX                              

9/24 - The Eastern - Atlanta, GA                            

9/26 - The Parker - Fort Lauderdale, FL                

9/27 - Hard Rock Live - Orlando, FL                            

9/28 - Ruth Eckerd Hall - Clearwater, FL                        

9/29 - Charleston Music Hall - Charleston, SC                        

10/01 - Knight Theater - Charlotte, NC                          

10/02 - Carolina Theatre of Durham / Fletcher Hall - Durham, NC                           

10/04 - Warner Theatre - Washington, DC                     

10/05 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY                       

10/06 - Keswick Theatre - Glenside, PA                           

10/08 - Carpenter Theater in Dominion Energy Center - Richmond, VA 

10/09 - Count Basie Center - Red Bank, NJ                          

10/11 - Shubert Theatre - Boston, MA                            

10/12 - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom - Hampton Beach, NH              

10/14 - Rebecca Cohen Auditorium - Halifax, NS                            

10/15 - Casino New Brunswick - Moncton, NB                          

10/17 - Theatre Maisonneuve - Montreal, QC                          

10/18 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON                          

10/19 - Kodak Center - Rochester, NY                        

10/21 - The Egg - Albany, NY                            

10/22 - Palace Theatre - Greensburg, PA                      

10/23 - Santander Performing Arts Center - Reading, PA                            

10/25 - Agora Theatre - Cleveland, OH                        

10/26 - Taft Theatre - Cincinnati, OH                       

10/27 - Royal Oak Music Theatre - Royal Oak, MI                       

10/28 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN                         

10/30 - Murat Theatre - Indianapolis, IN                     

11/01 - Copernicus Center - Chicago, IL                            

11/02 - Pabst Theatre - Milwaukee, WI                       

11/03 - Orpheum Theater - Madison, WI                          

11/04 - State Theatre - Minneapolis, MN                    

11/06 - Paramount Theatre - Denver, CO                             

11/08 - The Theater at Virgin Hotels - Las Vegas, NV   

Jeff Lynne’s ELO Adds Dates to The Over And Out Tour

Due to spectacular demand, Jeff Lynne’s ELO has added second nights in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles at the Kia Forum on Saturday, October 26, on the band’s final tour dubbed “The Over and Out Tour”. The 31-date trek, produced by Live Nation, is set to embark on August 24 with a kickoff performance in Palm Desert, CA then travels across major cities in North America.

For the newly added shows, the artist presale will begin on Wednesday, April 3 @ 10am local time and the general on-sale will start on Friday, April 5 @ 10am local time. Exclusive VIP experiences for the new dates will be available April 3rd at 10am local. Tickets for all other shows are on sale now. Please visit livenation.com and jefflynneselo.com for all details.

Known as one of the most iconic forces in music history, in recent years Jeff Lynne’s ELO has delivered a critically acclaimed and chart-topping album along with a sold out run of UK and European shows. Jeff Lynne was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame last year and the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. The band has always been known for their epic live shows and with a distinct style that seamlessly and innovatively blends rock, pop and classical, ELO has had more than 20 Top 40 Hits across the U.S. and the U.K., making Lynne's sweeping productions some of the most recognizable music of the last forty years and helping sell over 50 million records worldwide.

Widely agreed upon as one of the greatest record producers in music history, Lynne was a co-founder and member of The Travelling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty, as well as a producer and collaborator with some of the biggest names in music including The Beatles, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh and Bryan Adams.