Jimmy Eat World announce their Criminal Energy Tour today. The 20 date summer run will start in Atlanta, GA on August 6th and culminate in a hometown gig in Phoenix, AZ, Labor Day Weekend, on September 5th. New Jersey based The Front Bottoms will join the tour as direct support with Turnover and Joyce Manor splitting the duties of opening the festivities on select dates (noted below). Tickets for the tour will be available to the general public starting on Friday, March 13th at 10AM local time with various presales beginning as early as Tuesday, March 10th at 12pm local time. The tour is produced by Live Nation, For more information and tickets please visit www.JimmyEatWorld.com.
Jimmy Eat World continue the 2020 roadshow in support of their “bold, brave and ultimately defiant” (NME)10th studio album, Surviving (listen here). With 10 records to pull from, the sets will prove to satisfy all fans new and old… As the band proclaims:
“Whether we’ve slept on your floor after the ‘97 basement show or you’ve just only recently heard about us, we will have something you’d be into catching live!”
Not to be missed, The Front Bottoms recently returned with “Camouflage,” a standalone single teasing a larger body of work on the horizon in 2020. The FADER declared the song, “…a celebration of sorts for a band perennially on the fringes of a major breakthrough.”
Criminal Energy Tour Dates 2020
August 6thAtlanta, GA – Coca Cola Roxy*
August 7thCharlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre^
August 8thRaleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheatre^
August 9thBaltimore, MD – MECU Pavilion^
August 11thNew York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 (co-headline The Front Bottoms)*
August 14thAsbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage (co-headline The Front Bottoms)*
August 15thPhiladelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia (co-headline The Front Bottoms)*
August 16thBoston, MA – Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion (co-headline The Front Bottoms)*
August 18thToronto, ON – Rebel^
August 20thIndianapolis, IN – Amphitheater at White River State Park^
August 21stDetroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit^
August 22ndCincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion^
August 26thMinneapolis, MN – The Armory#
August 27thMilwaukee, WI – The Rave (non-Live Nation produced show)#
August 28thChicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom#
August 29thKansas City, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland#
August 31stDenver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium#
September 1stSalt Lake City, UT – The Complex#
September 4thSan Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU#
September 5thPhoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theatre#
*with Turnover ^with The Front Bottoms & Turnover #with The Front Bottoms & Joyce Manor
LOS ANGELES – Tool, who recently took home the GRAMMY Award® for Best Metal Performance for the song “7empest,” has added an extensive Spring tour for North America.
The tour news arrives as the Los Angeles-based band wraps up a sold out Australasian tour, with the final two shows of the trek, back-to-back sold out performances at Auckland’s Spark Arena, happening later this week. The Sydney Morning Herald described the live offering as “an immersive art-rock experience that forced you to feel a little of everything. It was an intricate collage of light, sound and imagery.” The Fear Inoculum tour, which has seen the band performing in some cities for the first time in over a decade, has received widespread accolades with the Los Angeles Times calling it “impeccable,” the Chicago Tribune describing the performances as a “twisting multimedia rollercoaster of a concert” and The Arizona Republic describing the shows as “a visually breathtaking night of dystopian art-rock spectacle.”
Newly Announced Tour Dates
April 16 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
April 17 Orlando, FL Amway Center
April 19 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
April 21 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center
April 22 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
April 24 Baltimore, MD Royal Farms Arena
April 25 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
April 28 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
April 29 Quebec City, QC Videotron Centre
May 1 Wilkes Barre, PA Mohegan Sun Arena
May 2 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Centre
May 4 Toledo, OH Huntington Center
May 5 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
May 29 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
May 31 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
June 2 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
June 4 Winnipeg, MB Bell MTS Place
June 6 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
June 7 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford Premier Center
June 9 Madison, WI Kohl Center
June 10 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center
June 12 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Festival
June 13 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center
June 16 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena
June 17 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Center
June 19 Colorado Springs, CO Broadmoor World Arena
June 22 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
June 23 San Francisco, CA Chase Center
Tickets for the above dates are on-sale this Friday, Feb. 28 at 10 am local time, with the exception of Sioux Falls and St. Louis which are on-sale at 12 noon local time. A limited number of VIP packages are available exclusively to Tool Army members here this Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 10 am local time. Blonde Redhead opens April 16 to May 5; The Acid Helps opens May 29 to June 23 (except Bonnaroo performance).
Fear Inoculum arrived on Aug. 30 following years of anticipation. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200, shattering sales and radio records while also earning widespread critical praise. NPR said, “Fear Inoculum was worth the 13-year wait,” The Atlantic declared the release “precise and devastating,”Revolver dubbed the 10-track album “a masterpiece that will be dissected for years to come” and Consequence of Sound said Fear Inoculum finds “Tool in peak performance.”
Full List of Tool Tour Dates
February 28 Auckland, New Zealand Spark Arena
February 29 Auckland, New Zealand Spark Arena
March 9 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena
March 11 Portland, OR Moda Center
March 12 Eugene, OR Matthew Knight Center
March 14 Boise, ID Ford Idaho Center Arena
March 16 Salt Lake City, UT Maverik Center
April 16 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
April 17 Orlando, FL Amway Center
April 19 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
April 21 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center
April 22 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
April 24 Baltimore, MD Royal Farms Arena
April 25 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
April 28 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
April 29 Quebec City, QC Videotron Centre
May 1 Wilkes Barre, PA Mohegan Sun Arena
May 2 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Centre
May 4 Toledo, OH Huntington Center
May 5 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
May 29 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
May 31 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
June 2 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
June 4 Winnipeg, MB Bell MTS Place
June 6 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
June 7 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford Premier Center
June 9 Madison, WI Kohl Center
June 10 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center
June 13 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center
June 16 Wichita, KS Intrust Bank Arena
June 17 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Center
June 19 Colorado Springs, CO Broadmoor World Arena
GFM (Gold Frankincense & Myrrh), a trio of the three teenage sisters who balancing the melodicism of bands like Paramore with a Slipknot-like ferocity, has announced a new run of upcoming live dates, beginning March 15.
“We’re really excited to get back out on the road,” says bassist Maggie English. “We’re playing with new bands, and we’re finally reaching those cities that our fans have been begging us to come to. There’s going to be lots of energy with this one.”
GFM plans to release a new single in April, the following up to January’s “I Don’t Need Your Fantasy.” Produced by the acclaimed Joey Sturgis (Of Mice & Men, The Devil Wears Prada, Attack Attack!, Asking Alexandria), “I Don’t Need Your Fantasy” is a song about breaking stereotypes – something GFM does brilliantly with a sound they have dubbed “beautycore.”
Clearly not your average teenage girl band, CJ English (guitar/vocals), Maggie English (bass, keyboards, vocals) and LuLu English (drums, vocals) are breaking boundaries in the music industry and bringing life back to rock and metal with GFM’s encouraging and positive message.
The sisters all began taking music lessons at just five years old, which sparked a love of music that would continue to grow. As they grew up, the girls collectively decided that they wanted to pursue this love for music professionally and began putting blood and sweat into creating GFM.
GFM’s first album, Identity Crisis, was released in 2016, followed by Oh, The Horror! in April 2019. After touring the US multiple times, the group headed overseas to Germany in 2018, where their energetic performances established GFM as a festival favorite. A new EP is scheduled for release this spring.
Photography: Brandon Perry @thebpphotography
GFM (Gold Frankincense & Myrrh) Tour Dates:
3/15 – Ft. Worth, TX @ Tom Cats
3/18 – Huntington, AR @ The Good Fight
3/19 – Norman, OK @ KOUJ 107.1 FM/Calvary Chapel
3/22 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Bigs Bar
3/23 – Minneapolis, MN @ Whiskey Junction
3/25 – Des Moines, ID @ Lefty’s Live Music
3/26 – Burlington, IA @ The Washington
3/27 – Green Bay, WI @ Cup O Joy
3/29 – Barrington, IL @ Penny Road Pub
3/31 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Café
4/2 – Tonawanda, NY @ Stamps the Bar
4/4 – Millersburg, PA @ Reigles Bible Fellowship
What others have been saying about GFM:
“CJ, Maggie and Lulu are a glowing ball of positive energy that radiates from the stage and into their fans’ lives. When you encounter GFM, be it through their music or in person, you are truly changed for the better. From their hard-driving shows to their lighthearted and sometimes deep social media events, everyone they touch is truly #TeamGFM once they leave. And it isn’t a one-time offer either; you are family from the start.” – Rock 98.9 (Jacksonville, FL)
“Never in my 25 years of mixing have I seen such dedicated/focused music prodigies… I can truthfully say I’m honored to be able to be a small part of their sound.” – Producer Billy Decker
“Beautycore is real and it’s coming at ya full steam!!! You’ll rarely find a band as dedicated to their craft as GFM. Not just a bunch of pretty faces, this group consumes all things pop/punk/metal and have created their own ear-shattering style (in an excellent way). No two songs are ever the same and they’re always sprinkling in new flavors to keep things fresh. These ladies are busting through barriers while providing people of all ages and walks of life the ultimate life-changing message of love and hope. Get on the train now, because this group has a long, blazing future in front of them and you’ll regret missing a single note!!!” – Jon Walden/Revocation Radio (Birmingham, AL)
“GFM is such a breath of fresh air. Heavy music mixed with a positive message in a voice that resonates with young people. The musical connection all three sisters share is unparalleled.” – Carmen Mark “Squiggy” DiGiacomo/Loudwire
“GFM is one of those groups that absolutely radiates talent and drive, and their passion for writing and performing is something that is truly inspiring. It’s really only a matter of time until these guys are ruling the rock charts and I feel extremely blessed to have played a small part in their journey.” – Producer Eric Varnell
GFM Is:
CJ Sanders English – Guitar, Vocals
Magdalene “Maggie” Rose English – Bass, Vocals
Evie “LuLu” Louise English – Drums, Background Vocals
Ska-punk luminaries Less than Jake have teamed up with influential SoCal punk rock band Lagwagon to bring you quite possibly the best punk tour of the year. Special guests include pop-punk quartet Masked Intruder and punk rock duo Plasma Canvas.
Lagwagon |
Photography: Ilkay Karakurt
The tour will kick off at The Rave in Milwaukee, WI on May 8th then head north into Canada then half way down the East Coast then aims for Nashville then moves toward the Southeast to conclude in Fort Lauderdale on May 29th. Presale begins on Friday, February 21st at 10am EST. Also, Less Than Jake recently wrapped up recording their new album which you can expect this summer via Pure Noise Records.
Click to Enlarge
To some, the name may bring you back to a movie soundtrack or a video game; others are transported to a sweaty day on the Vans Warped Tour. One thing that can not be argued is that if you have experienced Less Than Jake live, it is something that you will never forget.
With ten full length releases, numerous EPs, 7-inch singles and compilations, the band has quietly sold millions of records worldwide, with little support from radio and television outlets. They have been self-managed for the last seven years and have shown no signs of slowing down their breakneck touring schedule.
To quote an industry insider, “while their contemporaries’ crowds have diminished, Less Than Jake’s draw has seemingly gotten larger.” If asked how this was accomplished, the band members shrug and respond, “we never stopped touring or trying to be an active band.”
Continuing to play over 150 dates a year while also writing and recording new material has kept the band fresh in a time when “ska” has become something of a four letter word. The list of acts they have supported is staggering (Bon Jovi, Linkin Park, Snoop Dogg) while the list of bands that have supported them makes even the most hardened music industry veteran do a double take (Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Yellowcard). All the while the band has held firm to its punk rock roots and have managed to live through many musical trends simply by just being Less Than Jake.
With well over 300 releases on various labels under their belt, most would think their legacy is already intact, but the status quo has never interested Less Than Jake. They continue to write and perform new material and have no thoughts of letting up. With the energy and exuberance of a band half its age and the determination of savvy veterans, there is seemingly no end point to this enduring and entertaining band.
Los Angeles, CA — California’s own Hollywood Undead have released their much-anticipated sixth full-length studio album, New Empire, Vol. 1, today via Dove & Grenade Media / BMG. In support of the New Empire, Vol. 1, the band will be touring the US and Europe — a full touring itinerary can be found below.
New Empire, Vol. 1 – Official Track Listing
Time Bomb
Heart of a Champion
Already Dead
Empire
Killin It
Enemy
Upside Down
Second Chances
Nightmare
The record was produced by Matt Good (Sleeping With Sirens, Asking Alexandria) and features nine fiery, high-energy tracks that reveal the band growing up and embracing a heavier, hard-rock sound with this effort, not to mention sharpening their signature sound to knifepoint precision. Fans may also recognize guest vocals from Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens) on “Upside Down,” and Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden on “Second Chances.” The LP is available to stream and download on all digital service providers here.
“To be blunt, this album is our attempt at reimagining Hollywood Undead, not just a new sound for this release, but a new sound for the band altogether. Our goal from the outset was to make music that stands alone from our other albums, yet seamlessly fits with what we’ve made before. Building upon the old to create a new sound and a ‘New Empire’,” explains Johnny 3 Tears (vocals, bass guitar).
“This was a fresh canvas, and we approached [the album] as if it was the first time we sat in a room to write music together. After 15 years, that’s difficult to do, but it was our goal, nonetheless. For reinvention, you have to be honest with yourself and honest with the listeners. New Empire, Vol. 1 was our opportunity to disregard expectations and say, ‘F*ck everything we’ve done. Let’s pretend we’ve never made a record before and do something different,’” he adds.
Watch the visualizer for “Heart Of A Champion” from New Empire, Vol.1here:
U.S. Co-headliner with Bad Wolves Begins in May – Tickets on Sale Today
In support of New Empire, Vol. 1, Hollywood Undead will be teaming up with Bad Wolves for an extensive co-headline tour of the U.S. this spring. Bad Wolves will be touring in celebration of their sophomore LP, N.A.T.I.O.N, which produced the band’s current single, “Killing Me Slowly,” that recently hit the very top of the Active Rock radio charts, marking their fourth consecutive #1 song at the format. The slew of dates runs throughout May with stops in cities along the East Coast, Midwest, and Southern regions of the country. From Ashes To New and Fire From The Gods will provide direct support for select shows. The general public on-sale begins today, with tickets available for purchase on Hollywood Undead’s official website here. Hollywood Undead will also hit the festival circuit in the U.S. later this year, with performances confirmed at Epicenter (Charlotte, NC), Welcome To Rockville (Daytona, FL), Rocklahoma (Pryor, OK), Inkcarceration (Mansfield, OH), and Rock Fest (Cadott, WI).
Click to Enlarge
“We’re looking forward to this spring run with Bad Wolves. It’s been inspiring watching them evolve musically since the last tour, and we can’t wait to get back at it,” says Johnny 3 Tears.
European Tour Kicks off This Evening in London, Followed by 20+ Co-headline Shows with Papa Roach
Hollywood Undead will also embark on their massive European tour today, which includes 20+ co-headline dates with Papa Roach and a solo headline show in London, U.K. this evening.
Hollywood Undead 2020 Tour Dates
2/14 – London, U.K. @ O2 Forum Kentish Town
2/16 – Barcelona, Spain @ Razzmatazz *
2/17 – Madrid, Spain @ Sala Riviera *
2/20 – Milan, Italy @ Alcatraz *
2/21 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Halle 622 *
2/22 – Offenbach, Germany @ Shadhalle *
2/24 – Munich, Germany @ Zenith *
2/25 – Wien, Austria @ Gasometer *
2/28 – Thessaloniki, Greece @ Principal Club Theatre *
2/29 – Athens, Greece @ Piraeus Academy 117 *
3/2 – Sofia, Bulgaria @ Universiada Hall *
3/3 – Bucharest, Romania @ Arenele Romane *
3/4 – Budapest, Hungary @ Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena *
3/6 – Bratislava III, Slovakia @ Eurovia Arena *
3/7 – Poznan, Poland @ MTP2 *
3/9 – Berlin, Germany @ Verti Music Hall *
3/10 – Leipzig, Germany @ Haus Auensse *
3/11 – Hannover, Germany @ Swiss Life Hall *
3/13 – Paris, France @ Zenith Paris – La Villette *
3/14 – Tilburg, Netherlands @ 013 Poppodium *
3/16 – Dusseldorf, Germany @ Mitsubishi Electric Halle *
3/17 – Hamburg, Germany @ Barclaycard Arena *
3/18 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ VEGA *
5/3 – Charlotte, NC @ Epicenter Festival ^^
5/5 – Ft. Wayne, IN @ The Clyde Theatre ^
5/7 – Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal ^
5/8 – Huntsville, AL @ Mars Music Hall ^
5/9 – Daytona, FL @ Welcome To Rockville ^^
5/12 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave ^
5/13 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Monroe Live ^
5/15 – Kansas City, MO @ Grinders at Crossroads (KQRC Show) ^
5/17 – Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre (KBPI’s Birthday Bash) # ^^
5/19 – Sioux Falls, ID @ The District ^
5/20 – Cedar Rapids, IA @ U.S. Cellular Center ^
5/22 – Pryor, OK @ Rocklahoma ^^
5/23 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues ^
5/24 – Wichita, KS @ Cotillion ^
7/19 – Mansfield, OH @ Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival
7/16 – Cadott, WI @ Rock Fest
* w/ Papa Roach ^ w/ Bad Wolves ^^ w/o From Ashes To New and Fire From The Gods # w/ In This Moment and Black Veil Brides
Hollywood Undead is on the ascent in 2020, with more music to be released later this year and even more surprises for their fans in-store. Keep up with the band on their social platforms, and stay tuned for additional announcements to come.
Two of the biggest bands in heavy metal – Megadeth and Lamb of God – will be joining forces on a co-headline tour across North America this year, presented by SiriusXM. And to add to the firepower of this already formidable tour, Trivium and In Flames are joining, making this the must-see heavy music package of the year. Tickets will go on general sale Friday, February 14 on LiveNation.com. (Tour dates below)
Megadeth
Megadeth, fueled by Dave Mustaine’s triumphant return to the stage following his diagnosis and recovery of throat cancer, will embark on their first North American tour since 2017.
Speaking on the epic announcement, Megadeth’s leader and frontman, Dave Mustaine says, “Hello me! I’m back again, better than ever and coming to a town near you with Lamb of God, Trivium and In Flames. If you want high octane metal madness this is the tour for you.”
Lamb of God
Lamb of God released their first new music in five years last week with the single “Checkmate.” The track is the first to be released from the band’s self-titled eighth studio album, due out May 8, which is one of the most anticipated and important metal records of the year. Commenting on their upcoming co-headline run, Mark Morton, lead guitarist of Lamb of God, adds, “The world has never needed heavy more than it does today and top to bottom, this tour delivers! Lamb of God has toured with and been friends with all of these bands for years, but for all of us to be on the same bill is something extra special. Come early and stay late. This is the metal tour of the year.”
Trivium’s Matt Heafy adds, “We are happy to be a part of the biggest real metal tour of the year. This tour is the main event and represents heavy metal and the culture that goes with it.“
With In Flames singer, Anders Fridén stating, “We were honored to be asked to join this package. We were actually supposed to take this summer off, but of course we couldn’t say no. After playing shows with all of these guys for years, 2020 is going to feel like a kick ass reunion. See you on the road, Jesterheads!”
Produced by Live Nation, this epic 55-city tour will stretch across summer and fall, kicking off June 12 in Bristow, VA, and hit every region of the U.S. before wrapping November 13 in Reno, NV. Multiple Canadian shows are scheduled as well. See full itinerary below.
Tickets and VIP packages for all four artists go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, February 14 at 10 a.m. local time here. Citi is the official presale credit card of the tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets & VIP packages beginning Tuesday, February 11 at 10 a.m. local time until Thursday, February 13 at 10 p.m. local time through Citi Entertainment®. For complete presale details visit their website.
Megadeth and Lamb of God North American Tour Dates
Summer 2020
6/12 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
6/13 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
6/14 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
6/16 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
6/17 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
6/18 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion
6/20 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
6/21 – Boston, MA @ Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion
6/23 – Syracuse, NY @ St. Joseph’s Heath Amphitheater at Lakeview
6/24 – Providence, RI @ Bold Point Lake Amphitheater
6/28 – Burgettstown, PA @ S&T Bank Music Park*
6/29 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
7/1 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theater
7/2 – Mount Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino Amphitheatre
7/3 – Indianapolis, IN @ Ruoff Music Center
7/5 – Atlanta, GA @ Ameris Music Center
7/7 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion
7/8 – Cleveland, OH @Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
7/10 – Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago, IL
7/11 – St. Louis, MO @ Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO*
7/12 – Nashville, TN @ Nashville Municipal Auditorium
7/14 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP*
7/16 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater
7/17 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
7/18 – Irving, TX @The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory+
7/20 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater
7/21- Phoenix, AZ @ Isleta Amphitheater
7/23 – Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre
7/25 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
7/26 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center
7/29 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre
7/30 – Pocatello, ID @ Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre
8/1 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion
Fall 2020
10/2 – West Palm Beach, CA @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
10/6 – Birmingham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
10/7 – New Orleans, LA @ UNO Lakefront Arena
10/9 – Corpus Christi, TX @ American Bank Center Arena
10/11 – El Paso, TX @ Don Haskins Center
10/14 – Springfield, MO @ JOH Arena
10/16 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
10/21 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
10/23 – Huntington, WV @ Mountain Heath Arena
10/24 – Bethlehem, PA @ The Wind Creek Event Center
10/27 – Quebec City, QC @ Centre Videotron
10/28 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell
10/30 – St, Paul, MN @ Armory
10/3 – Green Bay, WI @ Resch Center*
11/2 – Omaha, NE @ Baxter Arena
11/3 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
11/5 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
11/7 – Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Events Center
11/10 – Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena
11/11 – Nampa, ID @ Ford Idaho Center Arena
11/13 – Reno, NV @ Reno Events Center
*on sale starts 11 a.m. local time +on sale starts 12 noon local time
Tickets for this gargantuan tour package are bound to fly out when they go on sale on Friday, February 14. Grab yours before they’re all gone!
Atlantic recording artist Melanie Martinez has announced today’s release of a new song and an extensive leg of her world tour. “Copy Cat (Feat. Tierra Whack)” is available now at all DSPs and streaming services here. “Copy Cat” will be featured on her first project since 2019 album K-12, an EP entitled After School which is due for release this Spring. Tierra Whack is the first artist to be included as a feature on a Melanie Martinez track.
“I’m so thrilled to be releasing this song with the most magical artist and insanely gifted lyricist, Tierra Whack,” says Martinez. “This song was written years ago and from an empathetic perspective, even while in a very hurt place. We’re all told that imitation is flattery to ease the pain that the ego feels when other people get credited for our ideas and our work. But being human includes feeling a multitude of feelings, and naturally this song came about when expressing those very raw emotions. I hope this song can not only bring comfort to anyone experiencing that feeling but also remind them to empathize with people who are just doing what society has conditioned them to believe will make them successful.”
Martinez is “the sweetest, realest, most genuine person I’ve ever met,” says Tierra Whack. “After dropping ‘WHACK WORLD,’ she was one of the first people to reach out and immediately show love. So excited to share our new song together!”
Melanie Martinez
Photography: Brian Zuniga
Martinez has further announced plans for a major North American headline tour, produced by Live Nation – her biggest and most adventurous stage production thus far. (Tour dates below.)
Dates begin June 3rd at The Armory in Minneapolis, MN and then continue through late July. Highlights include Martinez’s appearance at Bunbury festival, and her eagerly anticipated debut performances at New York City’s legendary Radio City Music Hall (June 24th) and Los Angeles, CA’s historic Greek Theatre (July 17th). Martinez has partnered with PLUS1 for the “K-12 Tour” to support crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth through the Trevor Project for her US dates, and local organizations working to support and empower the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ communities for her Canadian dates. For more information about PLUS1, click here.
Fan presales begin today at 2PM (local) and tickets go on sale to the general public starting Thursday, February 13th at 10 am (local). To get tickets and see the full list of tour dates, click here. Citi is the official presale credit card of the K-12 Tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets for select shows beginning Tuesday, Feb 11 @ 10am local time until Wednesday, Feb 12 @ 10pm local time through Citi Entertainment®. For complete presale details visit Citi Entertainment.
Both “Copy Cat (Feat. Tierra Whack)” and the upcoming tour follow the phenomenal success of Martinez’s internationally acclaimed album and accompanying full-length film, K-12, available now at all music retailers and streaming services. Hailed by Forbes as “a perfect conceptual album in the streaming age,”K-12 entered the SoundScan/Billboard 200 at #3 upon its September 2019 release – the multi-talented pop phenomenon’s highest chart placement thus far. In addition, K-12 debuted at #1 on the “Alternative Albums,” “Soundtracks,” and “Vinyl Albums” charts, as well as #2 on “Pop Albums” and #3 on “Top Albums.” Internationally, K-12 made top 10 debuts in Canada, Australia, Ireland, Netherlands, UK, New Zealand, and Spain.
Produced by Michael Keenan with the exception of one song produced by Kinetics & One Love, K-12 marks Martinez’s long anticipated follow-up to her RIAA platinum certified, 2015 debut album, Cry Baby. The new album further serves as a soundtrack companion to an eerily enchanting musical film, written, directed, and starring Martinez. K-12 is streaming now at DSPs and Martinez’s official YouTube channel, where it has earned close to 43 million views to date. Praised by Billboard as “a visual dream world of the 24-year-old’s own making… a whimsical, highly dramatized version of school life, filled with pastels, magic, oversized hair bows and babydoll dresses,” the film is also available on iTunes, Amazon, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Fandango Now, Vudu US, Comcast Cable, Cox Cable, Microsoft Store US, and Stingray/Qello.
In addition to today’s premiere of “Copy Cat (Feat. Tierra Whack),” last week saw Martinez unfurl a series of compelling new videos for songs featured on K-12, including “Orange Juice,” “Detention,” “Teacher’s Pet,” “High School Sweethearts,” and “Recess,” all of which are written and directed by Martinez and streaming now via YouTube. K-12 also includes the previously released “Lunchbox Friends” and “Show & Tell” videos, which have contributed to driving Melanie’s YouTube channel to the precipice of 10 million followers.
Widely applauded for her remarkably creative live performances, Martinez further introduced K-12 to the world with a visually stunning presentation of the album’s “Strawberry Shortcake“ on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, streaming here.
Meanwhile, Martinez is currently traveling Europe on her epic “K-12 Tour,” with remaining dates set for Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. From there, Martinez returns to the US for a series of already sold out “K-12 Tour” dates beginning March 17th at Anaheim, CA’s House of Blues and continuing through the month. Naaz will support on all European dates, and Sub Urban will open the March US dates. For complete details and additional information, visit here.
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Melanie Martinez World Tour 2020
FEBRUARY
10 Frankfurt, DE Jahrhunderthalle
12 Cologne, DE Palladium
13 Paris, FR Olympia Theatre
15 Tilburg, NL 013 Poppodium
17 London, UK O2 Academy Brixton
MARCH
17 Anaheim, CA House of Blues – Anaheim
19 Oakland, CA Fox Theatre
20 Las Vegas, NV Pearl Concert Theater
22 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
23 Salt Lake City, UT The Union
25 Seattle, WA Paramount Ballroom
26 Garden City, ID The Revolution Center
NEW K-12 Tour Dates
JUNE
3 Minneapolis, MN The Armory
5-7 Cincinnati, OH Bunbury Music Festival *
6 Sterling Heights, MI Michigan Lottery Amphitheater at Freedom
Hill
7 Columbus, OH Express Live! **
9 Chicago, IL Huntington Bank Pavilion
10 St. Louis, MO Saint Louis Music Park
12 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
13 Toronto, ON RBC Echo Beach
14 Montreal, QC M. TELUS
16 Washington, DC The Anthem
17 Moon Twp, PA UPMC Events Center
19 Boston, MA Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion
20 Philadelphia, PA The Met
21 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony Summerstage
23 Wallingford, CT Oakdale Theater
24 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
26 Raleigh, NC Red Hat Amphitheater
27 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre
28 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium
30 Jacksonville, FL Daily’s Place
JULY
1 Miami, FL Bayfront Park Amphitheater
2 Tampa, FL Yuengling Center
7 Independence, MO Silverstein Eye Centers Arena
8 Rogers, AR Walmart AMP
9 Irving, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
11 Sugar Land, TX Smart Financial Centre
12 Austin, TX ACL Live at The Moody Theater
14 Phoenix, AZ Arizona Federal Theatre
15 Fresno, CA Saroyan Theater
17 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
18 San Diego, CA Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
21 Portland, OR Theater of the Clouds
22 Vancouver, BC Orpheum
23 Redmond, WA Marymoor Amphitheater **
25 Salt Lake City, UT Sandy City Amphitheater **
26 Denver, CO The Fillmore
* FESTIVAL APPEARANCE ** NOT PRODUCED BY LIVE NATION
Miss Janet Jackson kicks off her Black Diamond World Tour this summer to arenas across North America. The outing will feature an all-new production featuring new music from her highly anticipated, forthcoming album Black Diamond, set for release this year. Performing songs from her 12 multi-platinum albums including a special performance of Rhythm Nation 1814, which recently marked its 30th Anniversary. (Tour dates below)
Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off June 24th in Miami and will visit major cities across the U.S. and Canada including Atlanta, Philadelphia, Toronto, Dallas, and many more. The run will also feature shows at New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden and STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. European dates and the rest of the world soon to be announced.
Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Thursday, February 13th at LiveNation.com
Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson is one of the most influential entertainers of the modern era. Her music has won her five GRAMMY® Awards, two Emmy Nominations, a Golden Globe Award and a nomination for an Academy Award along with dozens of American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards. She has received accolades as an actress as well including the NAACP Best Supporting Actor award. Janet, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, is also a published author, dancer, businessperson, philanthropist, in addition to being one of the biggest-selling artists in popular music history. With sales of over 185 million records worldwide, Janet Jackson stands as one of the best-selling artists of all time with a string of hits that have left an indelible impression on pop culture. Her music and artistry opened doors through which other top artists have followed, many acknowledging her impact on their musical perceptions.
Black Diamond 2020 Tour Dates
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Miami, FL
American Airlines Arena
Friday, June 26, 2020
Orlando, FL
Amway Center
Saturday, June 27, 2020
Tampa, FL
Amalie Arena
Monday, June 29, 2020
Atlanta, GA
State Farm Arena
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
Nashville, TN
Bridgestone Arena
Friday, July 3, 2020
New Orleans, LA
Essence Festival*
Sunday, July 5, 2020
Greensboro, NC
Greensboro Coliseum Complex
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
Washington, DC
Capital One Arena
Thursday, July 9, 2020
Philadelphia, PA
Wells Fargo Center
Friday, July 10, 2020
Pittsburgh, PA
PPG Paints Arena
Sunday, July 12, 2020
Newark, NJ
Prudential Center
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
New York, NY
Madison Square Garden
Friday, July 17, 2020
Mashantucket, CT
The Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino*
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Boston, MA
TD Garden
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Buffalo, NY
KeyBank Center
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Toronto, ON
Scotiabank Arena
Friday, July 24, 2020
Detroit, MI
Little Caesars Arena
Saturday, July 25, 2020
Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati Music Festival*
Monday, July 27, 2020
Chicago, IL
United Center
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Cleveland, OH
Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
Friday, July 31, 2020
St Louis, MO
Enterprise Center
Saturday, August 1, 2020
Louisville, KY
KFC Yum! Center
Monday, August 3, 2020
Dallas, TX
American Airlines Center
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
Houston, TX
Toyota Center
Friday, August 7, 2020
San Antonio, TX
AT&T Center
Sunday, August 9, 2020
Phoenix, AZ
Gila River Arena
Monday, August 10, 2020
San Diego, CA
Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl San Diego State University
The Format – A message from Sam & Nate | Click to enlarge
Wait, Wait, Wait
APRIL 6, 2021 UPDATE: Although millions of people are getting vaccinated every day, the band is feeling uncertain about this summer so they’ve decided to push the reunion shows to next March and April, 2022. More Details Here
JUNE 11, 2020 UPDATE: In the interest of following government guidelines and keeping everyone safe, The Format has moved the reunion shows from this July to next July 2021. More Details Here
MARCH 12, 2020 UPDATE: Due to concerns related to the coronavirus, The Format has decided to move their upcoming shows to this July. More Details Here
Original Article
On February 4th, 2020, exactly 12 years to the day after The Format shocked music fans with the announcement of a hiatus, they caused a scene with another announcement: they would be playing five shows in three cities in the spring of 2020.
The Format was born in Arizona, formed by friends and classmates Nate Ruess and Sam Means, and it could be argued that they are a quintessentially Arizona band. It would hard, if not impossible, to find an Arizonan who did not hear the song “Tune Out” and nod in weary understanding when hearing the lyrics, “The 51 is backed up and too slow,” quite possibly while they were sitting on the aforementioned 51 – which is, unsurprisingly, even more backed up these days 17 years after the song was released.
There was some rumbling on social media about the concerts listed at first: two in New York, Two in Chicago and only one in their hometown. The belief was that there should be at least two here in Phoenix – after all, it is their hometown.
Once the presale went live it became very apparent that The Format was greatly missed by their adoring fans. The website was overwhelmed, causing massive headaches for those trying to buy the limited presale tickets. The demand was so intense and the presale sold out so fast that an extra show was added in each city: now there were three in New York and Chicago and two in Phoenix.
The decision was also made to move the sale from the TicketWeb platform to Ticketmaster, likely due to the latter having a better architecture to handle the expected flood of diehard fans trying to snag the very limited tickets.
The name Ticketmaster — to anyone who enjoys live music at all — is a four-letter word. In recent months, there have been many major shows that sell out very quickly, only to have massive amounts of tickets pop up in the secondary market at obscene prices.
The 2017 Metallica scandal is still fresh in the minds of many; the scalping of 4,400 tickets per show by design – benefiting the band, companies and individuals involved at the cost of alienating the fans that were left out in the cold or with lighter wallets than they would have if the company had played fair.
For that reason – and many others – it is not hard to feel an added layer of trepidation and frustration when waiting in the queue for tickets – after all, how many bots and scalpers are you fighting to get in to see your favorite band?
Unfortunately for many fans of The Format, today would not be an exception.
At 12 noon, the floodgates opened and many fans found themselves staring at their screens in disbelief. The queue for the second show at the Van Buren – a venue that has a capacity of 1,800 – showed that there were 2,000+ people in front of anyone not there in the first minute of the tickets going on sale.
At 12:10 a link suddenly popped up at the bottom of the screen for those in the queue. Just above it the announcement read, in not so many words: Yeah, ok, we should have led with three shows. We just added another one.
By 12:20 everyone in the queue for the newest show at The Van Buren was getting messages that the third show was sold out, and minutes after, the first tickets showed up on resale sites for predictably obscene amounts. The band may have found, to their surprise, that they were a far, far bigger deal than they realized they would still be after 12 years.
Adding extra shows can result in diminishing demand as each show is added. However, in this case there was no slowdown from the first show to the third — a sign of how well-loved they are even after all this time away.
As the day wore on and more people on social media got angrier and angrier about the tickets being scooped up by scalpers, The Format posted an acknowledgement on their Facebook page. The below is part of their statement:
“We’ve seen a bunch of folks posting and saying that scalpers are taking all of the tickets. We want to let you know that we are working with the venues to scour every ticket purchase and make sure that they go to our true fans…not scalpers. We’ve already cancelled a bunch of purchases and made tickets available again.”
The Format will forever be a cherished band and a staple from the young adulthood of many that grew up here in Phoenix and elsewhere. Their return from hiatus, however long it may last, is a welcome and exciting one, and their willingness to listen to their fans and address an issue that is causing anguish among their potential concert-goers is refreshing. To the few that managed to snag tickets, congratulations are in order. The message to the band from the fans, including this writer, is clear:
Welcome back. We’ve missed you.
And If we decide to play a few more shows in the future- we will absolutely do more than the current garbage system to ensure the right people get tickets at the right price.
Lamb of God has revealed a brand new single and video, “Checkmate,” from the band’s first release in five years, and the first to feature new drummer Art Cruz. The self-titled Lamb Of God is due out May 8 via Epic Records.
“‘Checkmate’ brings together all the components of the Lamb of God sound that we’ve been developing over the last two decades, but with the ambition and ferocity that comes with the start of a new chapter for our band,” says guitarist Mark Morton. “Re-energized and reignited, this is Lamb of God 2020. We’ve never been more excited.”
The fact that the band’s eighth studio effort would warrant ‘self-titled’ status is a testament to the band’s pride and satisfaction with these songs and this period in their creativity.
“Putting only our name on it is a statement,” Vocalist D. Randall Blythe says. “This is Lamb Of God. Here and now.”
A true collaboration between all members of the band, Lamb of God’s eighth studio album is an amalgam of each individual’s contributions, blended to create a singular style. Guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler fuel the album with a mountain of riffs, taking what Lamb of God are known for, and unbelievably, upping the ante to new levels. The rhythm section of John Campbell, looming large as a rhythmic shadow, and drummer Art Cruz, who makes his studio debut with Lamb of God here on this record, underpin the proceedings with passion, sweat and expansive dynamics. Vocalist D. Randall Blythe is as angry, insightful, and informed as ever. Never one to shrink from facing the darker aspects of our nature head-on, Blythe delivers with no punches pulled, and as only he and Lamb of God can in 2020.
In celebration of the release of “Checkmate” and the announce of the new album, Lamb of God will appear at a special show at the House of Vans in Chicago on February 14. The event is free and fans can RSVP beginning at 12 noon CST today at the House of Vans website here. The event will include a photography exhibit featuring photos from D. Randall Blythe that will be included in the new Lamb of God album artwork. Harm’s Way will open the show.
In the midst of writing the ten songs that appear on Lamb Of God, the group hit pause on the works-in-progress to man the stage as main support Slayer’s “The Final Campaign.” After months of playing their best-known songs nightly, Lamb of God returned to the new tracks and began to work with longtime producer Josh Wilbur (Korn, Megadeth, Gojira, Trivium). Special guests Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) and Chuck Billy (Testament) also make appearances on Lamb Of God.
The Richmond, Virginia, quintet propelled heavy metal into the new millennium two decades ago with the prophetically titled New American Gospel. They followed with 2003’s As the Palaces Burn, which made the Rolling Stone list of the Top 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time. Ashes of the Wake, released in 2004, was the first Lamb of God album to be certified gold by the RIAA, as was 2006’s Sacrament, which also made a Top 10 Billboard 200 chart debut. In 2009, Lamb of God released Wrath, their first with Wilbur at producer, and earned the number one album spot on Billboard’s Hard Rock, Rock, and Tastemaker charts, with a number two position on the Billboard 200.
Those number one positions were repeated with 2012’s Resolution, which swung effortlessly between thrash, traditional metal, sludgy doom, with flashes of crust punk swagger and bravado. Lamb of God’s last album, VII: Sturm und Drang (2015) made its debut on the Billboard 200 at number three and finished number 2 in the world charts, reaching Top 5 in five countries and six addition Top 15 positions.
In 2020, Lamb of God is re-energized and unrelenting, ready to lay claim to the metal throne.
Lamb of God Tour Dates
2/14- Chicago, IL @ House of Vans *Headline show
European Tour with Kreator and Power Trip
3/27 – Stockholm, SE @ Fryshuset Arenan
3/28 – Copenhagen, DK @ Forum Black Box
3/30 – Oulu, FI @ Club Teatria
3/31 – Helsinki, FI @ Ice Hall Black Box
4/2 – Kraków, PO @ Tauron Arena
4/3 – Berlin, DE @ Columbiahalle
4/4 – Oberhausen, DE @ Turbinenhalle
4/5 – Wiesbaden, DE @ Kulturzentrum Schlachthof
4/7 – Zurich, CH @ Samsung Hall
4/8 – Munich, DE @ Zenith
4/9 – Ludwigsburg, DE @ MHP Arena
4/11 – Hamburg, DE @ Sporthalle
4/14 – Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz
4/15 – Madrid, ES @ Sala Riviera
4/17 – Paris, FR @ L’Olympia Bruno Coquatrix
4/18 – Saarbrücken, DE @ Saarlandhalle
4/19 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
4/21 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy Bristol
4/22 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy
4/23 – Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy Glasgow
4/24 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy Birmingham
4/25 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
5/9 – Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome to Rockville *US Festival
