KISS Brings Hottest Show on Earth Back for 2011 Dates

by kel 31. May 2011 13:03

KISS may well be one of the most iconic bands in all of rock. Nearly 40 years into it, they are enjoying a renewed sense of themselves. Their 2009 effort, Sonic Boom, entered the charts at number two — their highest placement ever. That was followed by a lengthy tour celebrating the 35th anniversary of their 1975 release, Alive. It was their first Top 10 album and featured their first hit in “Rock and Roll All Night.”

They've been working on another album which Gene Simmons promises "is gonna be the next step to Sonic Boom. Very similar — straight rock songs, no ballads, no keyboards, no nothing, just rock." To gear up for that release later in the year, KISS is playing a string of summer shows across the northern border, some in the U.S., some in Canada.

Last year, Simmons was interviewed while the anniversary tour was in its second year running. His enthusiasm was palpable even in print as he described the experience of touring: "It really is amazing. ... We are having a ball, as you can imagine. How'd you like to get up on stage, wear more make-up and high heels than your mommy does?"

He continued, "Just absolutely love it. Better than ever, no drug addicts or alcoholics in the band, no excuses. No dark clouds. It's just great to have a four-wheel-drive vehicle again. No excuses, no nothing. I mean, after all, we introduced ourselves with 'You wanted the best, you got the best. The hottest band in the world.' We're calling this the hottest show on earth.'

“This has been an ongoing tour now for approaching two years. We started almost two years ago in Australia to 80,000 or 90,000 people and continued on, went through Europe twice. We just came back to America and this is our second time through America. But this time we're playing all the cities but only single nights. We're trying to hit as many places as possible. And we just added three stadiums in Mexico and we're going to Central America and South America. We have a ball."

Simmons promised that, like wine, the band has only gotten better with age: "I think if you see us, you'll see that it's actually gotten more convincing. Because it's like a kid having sex for the first time — you blow your wad in five seconds. The more you do it, the longer you can go, because you know how to pace yourself. It's like nervous fighters who get in the ring the first time, they get knocked out right away; they don't know how to jab and stay in there and go for the knockout when it's ready."

As for the new line-up, he said, "Well, I think every day you wake up and you make assessment of life on earth as you see it on that day. The thing that changed is Tommy (Thayer) and Eric (Singer). You want to go forward when you feel there's a real team committed to doing everything. And, you know, if you're in a soccer game or a football game or any kind of team situation, you don't feel like getting out on the field if not everybody's holding up their end. So, with Tommy and Eric as part of the team, it felt — I don't know — convincing and easy to do. In fact, Sonic Boom was one of the easiest records we've ever done."

Comparing their last two releases and the exclusion of Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, Simmons mused, "I like them both for different reasons. Psycho Circus, though, was torture. Ace and Peter were going through their thing again of last-minute sending lawyers in to do all kinds of stuff. And you know what? We just said, 'Stay home, you don't need to be in the band. And you don't need to torture everybody. You're happier at home and everybody should respect you because you were pivotal members of one of the most enduring bands in rock and roll history.' KISS couldn't have done it without Ace and Peter then, and KISS cannot do it with Ace and Peter now.

"So I think it's best for them — and bless them both. We love them and stuff. It's best for them to rest on their laurels. But we don't have time for the past. We're too busy having a good time right now. We're looking forward to the future."

Simmons assured fans that there's "no end in sight that we can see. ... There's going to be a certain point where they're going to have to bury us in the ground. We're all going to get our turn. But so far, so good.”

KISS 2011 Tour Dates:

2498fc97-e311-4ace-a82a-464c0e3b125f|4|4.8

Tags:

Music

Blink-182, My Chemical Romance Headline '2011 Honda Civic Tour'

by Noiz 28. May 2011 13:10

Blink-182, My Chemical Romance Headline '2011 Honda Civic Tour'

Blink-182 has two really important dates to look forward to this summer.

The first one is July 31. That's the deadline their record label has given them to finish their new album. The punk-pop outfit is still writing new material for what will be their sixth studio album and their first since 2003.

"We thought we were closing in on the end, and literally a week ago we pumped out a whole set of stuff that I think will be some of the best on the album," remarked Tom DeLonge. "Recording is never really finished. You slide or limp into home base."

The second date of importance for the California trio is Aug. 5. That's when they launch the "2011 Honda Civic Tour" with My Chemical Romance.

MCR will be out supporting their fourth studio album, "Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys." The Rob Cavallo-produced opus dropped in November of 2010.

The 40-plus-date trek starts in Holmdel, New Jersey and ends Oct. 15 in San Diego, California (Blink's pseudo home town). Highlights of their schedule include shows in Hartford, Toronto, Cincinnati, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.

Opening for Blink 182 and MCR will be one of the following bands: Rancid, Matt & Kim, Manchester Orchestra, or Against Me!

This is the 10th year, or the "deca-versary," of the Honda Civic Tour. In the past, the marquee has featured names like the Black Eyes Peas, Panic! at the Disco, Maroon 5, Incubus, Fall Out Boy, and Paramore. It even featured Blink-182. They were part of the inaugural Honda Civic Tour in 2001.

"It's great to be going back out on the Honda Civic Tour," said Blink's Mark Hoppus via a statement. "We had a blast kicking off the tour 10 years ago, and this summer we'll be taking it to the next level with our friends My Chemical Romance."

Starting June 6, members of Blink's and MCR's fan clubs will be able to purchase tickets. Two days later the box office is opened for Facebook users who "like" the Honda Civic Tour profile. On June 10, the remaining Blink-182 tickets go on sale to the general public.

To celebrate the "deca-versary," Honda worked with Blink 182 to customize a brand new 2012 Civic. The tricked out car will be displayed at every tour stop and once the outing is over it will be raffled off to a lucky fan.

"It is a Honda Civic that Blink-182 has customized. We put Koenig rims on it, we put Toyo tires, we did a matte-finish paint job and our signature logo, the bunny rabbit, hanging on the side as it speeds down the road," explains Hoppus. "We sat down and came up with a bunch of different ideas for the car. Sat down with Chris and Max, who are some artists we work with through Blink-182. They do a lot of our t-shirt, a lot of our album design and came up with this amazing car that someone's going to walk away with."

Hoppus was a Honda fan long before he toured under their corporate logo. In fact, his first car was a Honda Civic.

"And, uh, we pretty much destroyed that car," said Hoppus. "It took a lot of abuse. My friends and I would all pile into it, we'd go out skateboarding. I put stickers all over it and, it, it was a great car through it all. It went through a lot."

23fdf2bb-f0c2-4617-8d49-6d59ac53c98b|9|4.9

Tags:

Supercross To Visit New Orleans In 2012, First Time In 3 Years

by Noiz 22. May 2011 14:29

Supercross To Visit New Orleans In 2012, First Time In 3 Years

The 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross schedule once again begins in Anaheim, California at Angel Stadium and culminates with the World Finals at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mark your calendar as next year's season starts Jan. 7 and ends May 5.

The newest stop on the circuit is the Superdome in New Orleans. The tour rolls into the Big Easy on April 14, 2012. The last time Supercross tickets were sold in The Crescent City was 2009. James Stewart took the checkered flag that year en route to his second Supercross title.

The 2012 Monster Energy Supercross schedule has a lot to live up to. The 2011 season was one of the most exciting and closest in the sport's history. Only ten points separated champion Ryan Villopoto from runner-up Chad Reed and third place finisher Ryan Dungey.

“The 2012 Monster Energy Supercross schedule is the map to the coveted championship trophy,” said Todd Jendro, an executive with Feld Motor Sports. “While 2011 is the greatest season ever, it is a primer for 2012. The returning veterans and the youthful challengers are the perfect blend for a parity-driven championship.”

To get you ready for the upcoming season Clickitticket takes a look at the top ten racers of 2011.

Ryan Villopoto

2011 Finish: Champion (338 points)

Team: Monster Energy Kawasaki

Bike: Kawasaki KX 450F

Racing #: 2

Nickname: "RV"

DOB: Aug. 13, 1988

Hometown: Poulsbo, WA

Ryan Villopoto is the 2011 AMA Supercross Series Champion. He also won seven races in the 2010 AMA Supercross season.

Chad Reed

2011 Finish: 2nd (334 points)

Team: Monster Kawasaki Team

Bike: KX 450F

Racing #: 22

Nickname: "Speedy Reedy"

DOB: March 15, 1982

Hometown: Kurri Kurri, Australia

Australian born Chad Reed won the AMA Supercross Championship in 2004 and 2008.

Ryan Dungey

2011 Finish: 3rd (328 points)

Team: Rockstar Makita Suzuki

Bike: Suzuki RM-Z450

Racing #: 1

Nickname: "RD"

DOB: December 4, 1989

Hometown: Belle Plaine, MN

Ryan Dungey is just the second rider to win the premier Supercross title as a rookie. The other is legend Jeremy McGrath.

James Stewart, Jr.

2011 Finish: 4th (301 points)

Team: L & M San Manuel Yamaha

Bike: 450cc YAMAHA YZ-F

Racing #: 7

Nickname: "Bubba," "The Tiger Woods of Supercross"

DOB: December 21, 1985

Hometown: Winterhaven, FL

In 2008, James Stewart pulled off a "Perfect Season" winning 24 out of 24 races.

Trey Canard

2011 Finish: 5th (255 points)

Team: GEICO Powersports Honda

Bike: Honda CRF450R

Racing #: 41

Hobbies: Bicycling, snowboarding

DOB: September 17, 1990

Hometown: Shawnee, OK

Trey Canard captured the 2008 AMA Supercross Lites East Championship and then in 2010 he won the AMA 250 Motocross title.

Andrew Short

2011 Finish: 6th (230 points)

Team: Honda Red Bull

Bike: Honda

Racing #: 29

Hobbies: Road biking, tennis

DOB: November 28, 1982

Hometown: Tulsa, OK

Andrew Short came in first at the 2006 AMA East/West Supercross Lites Shootout.

Kevin Windham

2011 Finish: 7th (207 points)

Team: GEICO Honda

Bike: Honda

Racing #: 14

Nickname: "K-Dub"

DOB: February 28, 1978

Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA

Often teased as the "Old Man" of Supercross, Kevin Windham made an amazing comeback in the 2003 season to finish second behind Ricky Carmichael. Windham had missed most of 2002 with a broken femur.

David Millsaps

2011 Finish: 8th (180 points)

Team: Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGRMX

Bike: Yamaha YZ450F

Racing #: 18

Hobbies: Basketball, boating

DOB: February 15, 1988

Hometown: Orlando, FL

When David Millsaps was 18 he won the AMA Supercross East Lites title. Then in his first season in the AMA 450 Class he finished third overall.

Justin Brayton

2011 Finish: 9th (155 points)

Team: Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGRMX

Bike: Yamaha YZ450F

Racing #: 10

Favorite Movie: 8 Seconds

DOB: March 14, 1984

Hometown: Fort Dodge, Iowa

In 2010, Justin Brayton won the 25th Annual Geneva Supercross and then took home a silver medal at the ESPN X Games.

Nicholas Wey

2011 Finish: Finished 10 (152 points)

Team: BoostMobile/ampm/Monster Energy/Troy Racing

Bike: Yamaha

Racing #: 27

Nickname: "Nick"

DOB: June 18, 1980

Hometown: Lansing, MI

Nick Wey turned pro in 1997 and was deemed by many to have tons of potential. He's never lived up to the expectations, but he's a smart rider and with a good bike he's a threat to win.

2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Itinerary

>>Jan. 7 - AMA Supercross in Anaheim, CA @ Angel Stadium

>>Jan. 14 - AMA Supercross in Phoenix, AZ @ Chase Field

>>Jan. 21 - AMA Supercross in Los Angeles, CA @ Dodger Stadium

>>Jan. 28 - AMA Supercross in Oakland, CA @ Overstock.com Coliseum

>>Feb. 4 - AMA Supercross in Anaheim, CA @ Angel Stadium

>>Feb. 11 - AMA Supercross in San Diego, CA @ Qualcomm Stadium

>>Feb. 18 - AMA Supercross in Arlington, TX @ Dallas Cowboys Stadium

>>Feb. 25 - AMA Supercross in Atlanta, GA @ Georgia Dome

>>March 3 - AMA Supercross in Saint Louis, MO @ Edward Jones Dome

>>March 10 - AMA Supercross in Daytona Beach, FL @ Daytona International Speedway

>>March 17 - AMA Supercross in Indianapolis, IN @ Lucas Oil Stadium

>>March 24 - AMA Supercross in Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre

>>March 31 - AMA Supercross in Houston, TX @ Reliant Stadium

>>April 14 - AMA Supercross in New Orleans, LA @ Louisiana Superdome

>>April 21 - AMA Supercross in Seattle, WA @ Qwest Field

>>April 28 - AMA Supercross in Salt Lake City, UT @ Rice Eccles Stadium

>>May 5 - AMA Supercross in Las Vegas, NV @ Sam Boyd Stadium

33967ec8-8bef-4a61-b9fc-9934f390a5ee|8|4.8

Tags:

Pearl Jam Celebrates 20 Years with 10 Shows in Canada

by kel 21. May 2011 08:44

Though it's hard to believe, Pearl Jam celebrates the 20th anniversary of their debut album Ten this year. Over the course of those two decades, the Seattle rockers have sold some 60 million records and received oodles of awards and accolades. The celebratory festivities include a Pearl Jam festival over Labor Day weekend, a book, a new film about the band, and a tour across Canada.

The two-day festival will take place on September 3 and 4 at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wis. which is near Milwaukee. So far, the bill lists Queens of the Stone Age, the Strokes, Joseph Arthur, Mudhoney, John Doe, Liam Finn, and Glen Hansard (of the Swell Season) who has been supporting Eddie Vedder's solo tour.

Jonathan Cohen and Mark Wilkerson penned the anniversary book, Pearl Jam Twenty. The effort is set to be published this fall in the U.S., UK, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.

Then there's the film, also titled Pearl Jam Twenty. Directed by Cameron Crowe, the project culls 1,200 hours of vintage footage as well as live performances and interviews. A companion soundtrack album features cuts hand-picked by Crowe. Pearl Jam Twenty first airs on October 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on PBS as part of the American Masters series.

In addition to appearing at the festival, Mudhoney will also open the shows north of the border. Two dollars from every ticket sold this year goes to the Vitalogy Foundation in order to benefit various non-profit groups that the band members support.

The run across Canada begins on September 7 with Pearl Jam in Montreal. With only 10 dates on tap, major cities are the focus. Second in line, Toronto hosts Pearl Jam for two nights, September 11 and 12, the only double-header on the slate.

After a travel day, Vedder and company rocks Ottawa's Scotiabank Place on September 14, followed the next night with a stop in Hamilton where they play Copps Coliseum.

That's it for Ontario. Next up is Winnipeg, as Pearl Jam hits the MTS Centre on September 17. Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon gets them on September 19.

Alberta boasts two stops on the schedule. On September 21, it's Calgary's Saddledome. Two nights later, Rexall Place in Edmonton welcomes Pearl Jam on the penultimate performance of the tour.

Things wind down on September 25 with Pearl Jam at Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum. That's as close a show as the hometown Seattle folks will get this year, although they can catch Vedder solo on July 15 at Benaroya Hall.

Because all of that obviously isn't enough, Pearl Jam also has a new album in the works. Bassist Jeff Ament told Billboard earlier this spring, "We did a whole bunch of demos and everybody's got a disc of 25 [songs] right now. April will be the time where we get together and learn to play all these demos and figure out which 12-15 of them float to the top. Hopefully we can get something done this year."

Plus, Vedder releases his Ukulele Songs next week followed by the live DVD/CD Water on the Road, and the solo tour that kicks off June 15.

cc0a5347-f5d2-4322-b052-7d9c983acd9b|4|5.0

Tags:

Music

KISS Brings Hottest Show on Earth Back for 2011 Dates

Blink-182, My Chemical Romance Headline '2011 Honda Civic Tour'

Supercross To Visit New Orleans In 2012, First Time In 3 Years

Pearl Jam Celebrates 20 Years with 10 Shows in Canada

About the Authors

Get Social With ClickitTicket!

Recent Posts

Month List

Twitter

Connect with ClickitTicket

Share