On the heels of a direct support slot through Europe with the infamous Lindemann, the soloproject of Rammstein’s Till Lindemann, industrial pop trio Aesthetic Perfection will set out across the US with the legendary Lords of Acid on the Make Acid Great Again Tour.
Make Acid Great Again Tour Begins Friday, March 13 in Los Angeles
With a newly revamped live show, audiences can expect a spectacle like never before.
“In the 20 years I’ve been a part of this project, I’ve never felt that all the pieces fit just as perfectly as I do now,” says Aesthetic Perfection founder and frontman Daniel Graves. “Each one of us is committed to taking this project to the next level and evolving every aspect. We want this to be an audiovisual experience, created within a community where everyone feels accepted for who they are.”
Since forming Aesthetic Perfection nearly two decades ago, producer Daniel Graves has released five full-length albums, numerous singles and music videos, all the while reinventing what it means to be a dark electro artist. Blending industrial, pop, goth, and everything in between, Aesthetic Perfection defies definitions in a world that demands them.
For a sampling of Aesthetic Perfection, check out the video for “Gods & Gold” here:
Aesthetic Perfection’s latest studio album, Into the Black, hit stores last year via Close to Human Music. The album features acclaimed drummer Joe Letz, recognized for his work with artists such as Emigrate (also featuring Richard Z. Kruspe), Combichrist, Wednesday 13, Genitorturers and several other top heavy-music artists. An all-star cast of collaborators such as Richard Z. Kruspe, Jinxx of Black Veil Brides, Mick Kenney of Anaal Nathrakh and Krischan Wesenberg of Rotersand also contributed to the album.
Into the Black is the most mature Aesthetic Perfection album to date. Dark and gritty, yet undeniably catchy and melodic, Into the Black builds upon the band’s past while solidly keeping its eyes focused on the future. From the haunting electronic melodies of “Supernatural” to the twangy guitars of “Echoes”, from the punch-to-the-gut beat of “No Boys Allowed” to the soaring highs of “Mourning Doves,” Graves takes the transgressive art form known as industrial pop to the next level.
Into The Black is available via Apple Music, Amazon and Bandcamp. Physical editions and merch are available here, and the album can be streamed via Spotify.
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Make Acid Great Again Tour Dates
Mar 13 – The Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA
Mar 14 – Hard Rock Live – Las Vegas, NV
Mar 15 – Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA
Mar 17 – Club Red – Mesa, AZ
Mar 18 – Sunshine Theatre – Albuquerque, NM
Mar 19 – Rockhouse – El Paso, TX
Mar 20 – Trees – Dallas, TX
Mar 21 – Scout Bar – Houston, TX
Mar 22 – Paper Tiger – San Antonio, TX
Mar 23 – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
Mar 25 – Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Mar 26 – The Orpheum – Tampa, FL
Mar 27 – Music Farm – Charleston, SC
Mar 28 – The Underground – Charlotte, NC
Mar 29 – The Broadberry – Richmond, VA
Mar 31 – Theatre of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 01 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
Apr 02 – The Rapids Theatre – Niagara Falls, NY
Apr 03 – Gramercy Theatre – New York, NY
Apr 04 – Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
Apr 05 – Crafthouse – Pittsburgh, PA
Apr 06 – Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
Apr 07 – The Waiting Room – Omaha, NE
Apr 08 – The Oriental Theater – Denver, CO
Apr 09 – Vertigo @ The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
Phoenix, AZ – Grey Daze, the ‘90s era band helmed by Chester Bennington and featuring drummer Sean Dowdell, bass player Mace Beyers and guitarist Cristin Davis, give fans an early listen to their as-of-yet untitled Loma Vista Recordings’ debut album with the release of the single, “What’s In the Eye”. Listen here:
“An honest voice of pain and anger for a generation” – Rolling Stone
Before he sang, screamed, and serenaded audiences of millions throughout his storied career in Linkin Park and a host of other projects, Chestercut his teeth in Grey Daze. The mid-‘90s band released a pair of albums (Wake Me and No Sun Today), but unsurprisingly, the young Phoenix-based band was lacking the expertise and financial resources to fulfill their vision.
Prior to his untimely passing, Chesterpersonally announced a 2017 Grey Daze reunion on social media —which would see the band members, now with those previously lacking resources, re-working and re-recording a collection of songs from those early releases. The resulting music represents an important, yet unheard chapter—the origin story of one of modern rock’s most recognizable voices—and also a full circle moment among friends.
As he never got the chance to launch the reunion himself, his bandmates, friends, family, and various collaborators stepped up to give the music the second chance it deserved, finishing what the late singer started.
“Over the years we’d become more knowledgeable, more experienced, and had more resources, so we decided to pick a selection of songs from our previously released albums and re-record them the way they deserved to have been treated back in the ‘90s when we initially wrote and released them,” explained the band in an open letter posted to their social media channels in December. “By February 2017 we started recording and in June, Chesterand Seanannounced the reunion, with a live performance planned for that Fall. Unfortunately, as we all know, that never happened.”
Chester Bennington | Photography: Tom Preston
Originally recorded in 1993 and 1996, “What’s In the Eye” was re-written and modernized by Grey Daze under the guidance of producers Chris Traynor (Bush, Helmet, Orange 9MM), Kyle Hoffman, and Jay Baumgardner. Using Chester’s original vocals, the song showcases that, even at the age of 17, Chester was already “delivering intense, almost physically palpable emotion” (New York Times).
“What’s In The Eye” was written lyrically in different phases by both Seanand Chestercollaboratively. The song focuses on a friend’s premature death in a car accident and trying to understand the loss, relaying an emotional intensity that every listener will not only understand, but instantly connect with. The beauty of Chester’s gifts were that he made others able to understand and cope with their own emotional pain, simply by listening to Chester’s vocal expression.
“As a teenager, when these recordings were done, he had this incredible raw and somewhat undeveloped voice that had an incredible tone. He had this ability to sing great rock melodies punctuated by that unmistakable guttural scream.Chester’s voice had a personality that made you a believer,” said Loma Vista Recordings founder and President Tom Whalley. “Listening to the new versions of these tracks, I think it represents everything that the band members and the family told me that Chesterwanted to achieve with re-recording this body of work.”
“One of the finest male voices of a generation” – NME
Additional details about the album will be revealed in the coming weeks. A series of letters about the project and passion behind its release were posted on various social media channels in December. Aside from his Grey Daze bandmates, Chester’s widow, Talinda Bennington, his mother, Susan Eubanks, and his son Jamie Bennington, shared their thoughts about the forthcoming release:
Open Letter from Talinda Bennington (Chester’s Widow):
“One of Chester’s greatest gifts was music. The only thing he took more pride in was being a father to his children. Given how much he cared, he wanted fans to hear everything he did, and his musical journey started with Grey Daze.
“In February 2017, Chester and his bandmates began re-recording their music for a planned re-release of the band’s early music and by June, he announced that Grey Daze was reuniting and would be playing a 20th-anniversary reunion show that fall. He was so enthusiastic about doing this, and he was eager to play rock music with messages that he knew would be meaningful to fans. It also meant a lot to him to be working with his Grey Daze bandmates, Sean Dowdell (with whom he had a very special friendship, and was a business partner in Club Tattoo), along with Mace Beyers, and Cristin Davis. He’d knownthem more than half of his life.
“When Chester passed away, Grey Daze’s reunion seemed like an afterthought to everyone involved; they were suffering, I was suffering, and there were way too many emotions to work through before we could even think about what would happen to that project. Once the clouds lifted a bit, once we could focus on what Chester would want us to do, we looked for a way to continue what Chester was working on—the things he was proud of and wanted to share with his fans. The Grey Daze project is one of the ways we can continue to tell Chester’s story and connect with his fans.
“Through our foundation, 320, I endeavor every day making sure Chester’s legacy shines a light for positive change. For us, releasing a new Grey Daze album will shine a light on where my husband started and hopefully give his fans a better understanding of his art and a more full picture of his journey through this incredible music”.
Open Letter from Susan Eubanks (Chester’s Mom):
“It’s hard for me to remember a time when Chester didn’t tell me he was going to be a rock star. He had discovered music at a very young age, and I can even recall the first time I saw him sing: a two-year-old mimicking the songs to “Grease!” he loved to sing Olivia Newton John’s!
“Music was a constant for him. He was always listening to bands, but it was when he was 13 that he began to tell me that he was going to be a singer. He was trying out for local bands, playing with friends, and doing what normal teenage boys do when they dream about becoming a “rock star.” I was encouraging, but obviously wanted him to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground and focused on his education.
“At 15, he came home with his slightly older friend, who seemed immensely older to me in comparison to Chester, Sean Dowdell. I laugh now when I think that Sean was a mere 17 at the time. Sean was forming a local band that was in need of a singer, and Chester was eager to fill that role. That band would become Grey Daze. As any parent would be, I was reluctant to have my 15-year-old son going to clubs but I cautiously gave my permission once I saw how Sean treated Chester, not just as a new bandmate, but as a protective older brother. Over the past 25 years, Sean has become a part of our family.
“Missing Chester is now a part of my daily life but of course, grief comes in waves, so most of the time I try to remember the joy he brought to me, and the happiness his music brought to so many people. It was in that mindset that I gave Sean my blessing to continue the work he and Chester had begun on reimagining the Grey Daze music. A year later, Sean very proudly played me the results of his, Mace, and Cristin’s work, allowing me to be one of the first people to hear it. When that voice rang out, I remembered the teenage Chester and Sean and thought of how remarkable they would have found all of this. I am grateful that because of Sean’s efforts Chester’s fans have the opportunity to hear his music again.“
Open Letter from Jamie Bennington (Chester’s Son):
“To be honest, I didn’t know that Grey Daze was coming back. My dad was the type to keep his work private if it wasn’t finished, so I never heard about his reunion with Sean Dowdell and Mace Beyers to revitalize his first ever rock band. All that I knew was that my dad was looking, once again, to reinvent himself as an artist. Something that was far from unusual considering he was, and always will be, one of the most amoebic vocal talents to ever live. With that being said, to say that getting a call from Sean nearly two years after his death concerning an album they had been working on together in secret was a surprise is an understatement.
“Sean asked me to come down and record some backup vocals at NRG. I said yes. Of course, I said yes. And what an experience it was. In a lot of ways, I got to meet the teenage version of my father. I got to reconnect with my own childhood friends. And I got to pilgrimage to the very place that Linkin Park got their start.
“Most importantly though I got to work on one of the last things my dad ever made. Something I had so many questions about, like: ‘How were they going to continue to work on an album when the lead vocalist was no longer in the picture?‘
“I had been told that there were no plans to bring in another vocalist to replace my dad on the album, but I didn’t understand at the time what that actually meant. It was only when I stepped into the studio that I saw the magic being performed. And by magic, I mean magic. Sean Dowdell, Esjay Jones, and Lucas D’Angelo are miracle workers who not only had massive holes to fill in the production of album but had rather limited means of filling them. But they did it. They did it with only masters of old Grey Daze recordings and the goodwill of friends and family.
“Thank you so much for having me and congratulations on accomplishing the impossible.“
Open Letter from Grey Daze:
“We met Chester when he was a scrappy 15-year-old and we were “seasoned” 17-year-olds. We’ve been friends, bandmates, and in Sean’s case, business partners (via Club Tattoo), ever since. We were present for the highs, and witness to the lows. Chester was the heart and soul of Grey Daze, it was his enthusiasm, lyrical prowess and emotional integrity that propelled us to record and release two albums and a demo and it was with great pride that we watched the magic we knew was in him shared with the world.
“Reuniting Grey Daze was something that we’d been kicking around for years, but because of work and family commitments, we hadn’t had a chance to turn the idea into reality until early 2017. Over the years we’d become more knowledgeable, more experienced, and had more resources, so we decided to pick a selection of songs from our previously released albums and re-record them the way they deserved to have been treated back in the ‘90s when we initially wrote and released them. By February 2017 we started recording and in June, Chester and Sean announced the reunion, with a live performance planned for that Fall. Unfortunately, as we all know, that never happened.
“When Talinda, Chester’s widow, and his parents, gave us their blessing to move forward with the project, we did so with the utmost care, making sure to honor his legacy as well as handle the music we had written together with the utmost care.
“We all wanted to fulfill Chester’s dream of people hearing Grey Daze music as he always envisioned it.
“We also wanted to make sure we had the proper steward for this. We reached out to Tom Whalley, the person who had been the head of Warner Bros. Records for the first nine years of Linkin Park’s existence and someone who knew Chester well, with hopes he’d be interested in doing this release via his Loma Vista Recordings. Executive Producer Jay Baumgardner and Tom helped us to see our vision through, re-recording the music but keeping Chester’s vocals intact. The fact that we got to re-track and rewrite the music around his vocals was an amazing experience. This is what our good friend wanted. He wanted the music to feel fresh and relevant, so people who knew his music but not his original band, could relate to it. That’s what we’ve tried to do with this Grey Daze record now.
“We cannot wait for his fans and the world to hear this new album, we hope we made him, and you, proud.”
Tempe, AZ — The midpoint date of the “Diseased & Disguised” January tour brought co-headliners Motionless in White (MIW) and Beartooth, with support from Stick to Your Guns (STYG) and Nothing Left, to Marquee Theatre. The name of the tour came from the names of the two most recent studio album releases from each co-headliner — Disease from Beartooth (released Sept. 2018, deluxe edition Oct. 2019), and Disguise from Motionless in White (released June 2019).
Nothing Left
Nothing Left, the opening band, has the most recent studio album release, with Disconnected (Dec. 2019). This supergroup, formed in 2016, consists of members of four other metalcore bands: For Today, A Bullet for a Pretty Boy, Silent Planet, and Take It Back! They kicked off the night with high energy that wouldn’t let up. Lead vocalist Danon Saylor rarely stood in one place, pacing the stage while he delivered the lyrics in his trademark growl.
Stick to your Guns follows a long, proud tradition of California-based punk. They honored the scene with their set — an explosive show that frequently had frontman Jesse Barnett playing to the crowd at the edge of the stage. Guitarist Josh James and bassist Andrew Rose seemingly spent as much time in the air as they did on the stage, which kept the crowd hyped and wanting more. STYG released their sixth studio album True View in October of 2017.
Never dialing down, Beartooth kept the spirit of the night going with a vigorous performance that made their dedication to a fun, crazy show apparent. Caleb Shomo, lead vocalist, provoked the mosh pit to keep widening shouting, “We want a big circle pit… bigger… BIGGER.” As strobes and colorful backlights accented their energy, the moshing extended far back into the room. He involved the audience during “Body Bag”, asking them to say “one decision” when he said “one life”. He also gave a heartfelt speech about being vulnerable, and not feeling like you are enough.
Despite macabre titles and theatrics, fans know full well that they can expect a positive, uplifting night with these artists. The themes of the night were, “be a good person” and “be yourself“. Both Motionless in White and Beartooth cemented these messages, and encouraged finding the will to persevere. Beartooth expressed how much they love touring with MIW. In fact, during one song, MIW lead vocalist Chris “Motionless” Cerulli came out to hug Beartooth’s frontman Shomo. Later on MIW made it clear that the feeling was mutual, saying that the guys in Beartooth are ‘the nicest guys they’d ever toured with.’ Burning Hot Events’ photographer Andrew Marshall described the show as “a lovefest” — love between the bands, love of the fans, and encouraging fans to love themselves and others.
With a music box introduction that sharply transitions into synths, then erupts into screams, Motionless in White launched their set with title-track “Disguise”. MIW is influenced by a wide range of genres: hard rock, heavy metal, industrial, gothic rock, punk, nu metal, electronica, and more. Their amalgam of influences shows, making them an absolute delight to the ears, topped off with an eye candy aesthetic.
Fans sang along to every word, while the heavy beats reverberated through their chests. “Voices” had a particularly notable, enthusiastic sing-a-long, after which Cerulli high-fived a crowd-surfer. Guitarist Ricky “Horror” Olson never let up on headbanging throughout the entire set, and bassist Justin Morrow posed for and wildly interacted with the crowd. The night closed perfectly as “Eternally Yours”, from 2017’s Graveyard Shift, decrescendos to light strumming and soft fading vocals.
The lineup of the “Diseased & Disguised” tour is well-paired and guaranteed to please. We highly recommend coming out to let loose and lose yourself in heavy music. Tonight (January 15) will be the last of Nothing Left’s scheduled tour dates at this time. The tour continues throughout North America until January 30, and then MIW, Beartooth, and STYG will proceed to tour Europe separately.
PHOENIX— This day had a solemn beginning as the news announced that the legendary drummer for Rush, Neil Peart, had passed away. Styx keyboardist Lawrence Gowan took the opportunity to pay tribute to his fellow Canadian musician by singing and playing a beautiful acoustic piano cover of “Limelight”. The lyrics pulled at the heartstrings and the chords and melody were hauntingly mesmerizing. As the song faded and commiserating fans’ cheers resounded, Gowan declared, “Thank you for one of the greatest drummers and certainly one of the all-time greatest lyricists, Neil Peart.” This was a highlight of the evening and made this particular show very special.
Drummer Todd Sucherman provided a link to a fan’s video on Facebook and wrote:
The show kicked off on a high note as the song “Gone, Gone, Gone” electrified the theater-in-the-round. This song also opens the latest Styx studio album, The Mission, which was released two and a half years ago and put Styx back on the radio as it rose to 45 on the Billboard 200. There was no opening act, so Styx had time to unleash all of the “classics” and still sprinkle in a few more songs from The Mission: “Radio Silence”, “Red Storm”, “The Outpost”, and the classically influenced “Khedive” piano piece. Veteran guitarist James “JY” Young hinted at the fact that there may be new Styx music coming our way in 2020. The die-hard Styx fans were thrilled to hear this, but everyone went wild when they launched into the evening of hits, beginning with that classic Hammond organ intro to “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights).”
Most bands have a “lead” singer, but at a Styx show, the lead vocals (and bantering duties) are shared between the three frontmen in the band: guitarist Young (original member since the inception of the band in 1972), guitarist Tommy Shaw (who replaced John “J.C.” Curulewski in 1975), and keyboardist Gowan (who replaced Dennis DeYoung in 1999). Replacing DeYoung meant filling some big shoes, since his iconic voice and hit songwriting abilities were equally as important as his talent on the keys. But for the past twenty years, Gowan has held his own with studio albums and touring worldwide. Gowan’s keyboard and vocal skills were put to the test with the next pair of songs penned by DeYoung: “The Grand Illusion” and “Lady.” The keyboards were spot-on. The vocals were noticeably different from DeYoung’s, but very strong, confident, and blended wonderfully with signature Styx harmonies.
The original rhythm section of Styx was comprised of twin brothers Chuck and John Panozzo on bass and drums respectively. Tonight, Chuck would make several guest appearances, but it was Ricky Phillips on the Imola 5-string bass for most of the evening. Phillips was was best known as the bassist for The Babys and later a founding member of Bad English, but then joined the band in 2003. Chuck is still a current member of Styx, but he has limited his playing time due health issues related to HIV. Sucherman has held the drum throne since 1995, taking over for John Panozzo, who was battling cirrhosis of the liver and subsequently passed away in 1996. Gowan introduced Sucherman and mentioned that his mother was in the audience that night, and also dropped a bit of trivia that last year, Modern Drummer Magazine listed him as the number one Classic Rock Drummer in the World.
Danny Zelisko had Styx here at the Celebrity Theatre exactly one year ago for a two-night stand and welcomed them back tonight and tomorrow night to do it again. Last year, both nights appeared to be sold out; tonight, there were only a handful of seats that seemed to be open. It is such an intimate venue for seeing a band, and the sound is always crisp and clear. The rotating stage allows more people to feel closer to the front of the stage. The novelty wears off at times when the stage is facing away during a favorite song, but Styx did a pretty good job of running around the stage when they weren’t stationed to a microphone. One notable exception was on the song “Red Storm”, when the stage stopped rotating for the whole song, presumably because Phillips was perched up high on a riser behind the drum set (author’s note – of course, they were facing the other direction from me for this whole song).
As the stage got its groove back, JY stepped up to the mic to introduce the next song. He reminisced about the old days of lighting lighters for certain songs, but conceded that there were dangers. “We can approximate that with the cell phone camera light…” he said, “…Let’s approximate the way those stars might look and LIGHT IT UP EVERYBODY!” It was exhilarating to be immersed in a sea of LED lights throughout the entire theater as the band broke into “Light Up,” one of only two songs played from the Equinox album from 1975 (the other one was “Suite Madame Blue” to top off the first set).
Chuck Panozzo made his first appearance on stage during “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man).” He had played the powerful yet simple quarter notes on this Tommy Shaw anthem from The Grand Illusion Album released on 7-7-77. The crowd gave a very warm welcome as Shaw introduced him as “Our original bass player, Mr. Charles Panozzo,” and he stepped into the stage lights looking dapper in a navy blue sports jacket and wielding a black Rickenbacker bass. Instead of leaving the stage, Phillips picked up a double-necked guitar with a 12-string and a 6-string neck and joined in on the massive sound.
There was a brief 20-minute break before the second set. There was a fundraiser with a giveaway guitar benefiting Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Foundation that was introduced by Tim and NeanderPaul from KSLX radio station.
The second set contained some of the usual suspects from the vault of hit songs, including “Come Sail Away,” “Too Much Time On My Hands,” “Miss America,” and the definitive power ballad “Crystal Ball.” There were also brief reminders to pick up the newest album, which featured “The Outpost” and “Khedive,” but the song that was a pleasant surprise for the evening was the title track from Pieces of Eight. This song is a fan favorite, but was overshadowed by “Renegade” and “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)” from that album and was not released as a single. Noticeably absent from the setlist was anything from the Cornerstone album, including their only number one single, “Babe” nor anything from Edge of the Century (“Love is the Ritual” nor “Show Me The Way”, which charted at number three).
The song “Mr. Roboto” had been absent from the setlist for many years although it also charted at number 3. This wasn’t surprising since it may be the defining song that put a rift in the band dynamic. More importantly, it polarized fans into either the rocker camp that thought of Styx in terms of “Renegade” and “Miss America,” or the pop music camp that thought of Styx in terms of “Babe” and “Best of Times.” Fortunately, there is a lot of crossover (or at least no hostilities that lead to disowning the band). What caused more controversy was when the song returned to the setlist a little over a year ago, even though DeYoung wasn’t there to petition for it. The live version is a little amped up, and the good news is that it was well received by fans, finding its way into the coveted encore position.
However, there was still one song left that even “Mr. Roboto” couldn’t upstage and that was the aforementioned “Renegade.” This is the song that starts with soft and haunting vocal by Shaw: “Oh mama, I’m in fear for my life from the long arm of the law.” At this point, everyone’s hand raised to their chest as they mimicked the heart beats that still echo to this day from John Panozzo’s kick drum. There was even a wash of red light over the massive drum set that kept time with these beats. Another line. More heartbeats. Silky three-part harmony for the next line. More heart beats as more of the crowd joined in. More harmonies. One beastial scream and the crowd was in the proverbial palm of their hands as the hardest rocking song of the Styx catalog closed the show.
Styx was flawless. The talent in the band is simply overwhelming. It is so hard for a band that is branded a “classic” rock band to be relevant in a world where “classic rock” stations won’t play anything new from their “classic rock” artist roster. Meanwhile, new rock stations tend to ignore new music from bands that are considered classics. Yet Styx has maintained a growing fan base by continuing to be road warriors and taking the music to every corner of the planet, continuing to write and record music that is true to their roots and diverse style.
Check out The Mission to form your own opinion if you haven’t heard it yet. Here’s to great new music from them in 2020, and hopefully yet another return trip to the Valley of the Sun to see them again.
Arizona’s top rock station, 98KUPD, have announced rock artists Volbeat, Clutch and Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals (performing a Pantera set) will headline UFEST 2020, the radio station’s long-running annual music festival, on April 4th, 2020 at Big Surf Waterpark. UFEST 2020, which will also feature performances fromthe bands Fire From The Gods, The Picturebooks and more to be announced. The radio station’s music festival will this year be filled with waterslides, beer, liquor, food vendors, an artist autograph booth, meet & greets with the artists and classic video games. The rock music festival is expected to draw more than 10,000 fans this year. The 98KUPD/RideNOW Powersports broadcast stage will host live interviews and contests all day.
“Growing up in Arizona in the ‘80s, I can remember all the big rock bands coming through town and playing at Big Surf,” says 98KUPD Brand and Content Director Larry McFeelie. “Rockers like Tesla, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even Pink Floyd have performed at the waterpark. So, why not bring UFEST and some current day rock acts to Big Surf!?! The weather will be perfect, the drinks will be flowing and the music will be loud! Sounds like a good UFEST to me.”
Tickets for UFEST 2020 start at just $39 plus fees. $1 from the sale of each ticket goes to benefit the United Phoenix Firefighters Charities. Two levels of VIP packages are also available: “As firefighters we unfortunately often meet people at times of tragedy, these circumstances give us a unique perspective on the needs of the community” says Director of Charities Ben Lindquist. “United Phoenix Firefighters Charities gives our firefighters the resources to give back in the communities we serve. We can’t say thank you enough to KUPD for making us the beneficiary of this year’s UFest and helping us to further our efforts in our community! We are excited to see everyone at UFest this year!”
VIP Tickets:
$175 plus fees and includes: 3 Alcoholic/Non-Alcoholic drinks VIP ParkingPrivate VIP entrance Dinner served from 6pm-8pm Luxury bathrooms Shaded area to chill Private front of stage viewing area Koozie and Bottled water at entrance
ULTIMATE VIP Tickets:
$175 plus fees + *$100 side stage pass: All amenities of the VIP Tickets Exclusive limited access to the Side Stage Viewing Platform stage right of the main stage during the selected artists performance. (*$100 price is per band that you wish to watch from side stage.) Autographed limited alternate UFEST 2020 poster Commemorative Side Stage UFEST 2020 laminate
General Admission tickets will also be available at valley Zia Records locations. For tickets and more information, visit 98KUPD. UFEST 2020 is presented by Bud Light, Sprint PCS, Ride NOW Powersports, Zia Records and the New Times. It is an all-ages events, with bar access for those with a valid ID. Doors open at 1 p.m., with music beginning at 3 p.m. Big Surf Waterpark is located at 1500 North McClintock Drive in Tempe. Parking is available on-site.
98KUPD (97.9FM) is a commercial active rock radio station. Licensed to Tempe, Arizona, the station serves the Phoenix metropolitan area. The station is owned by Hubbard Radio, a division of Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. of St. Paul, Minnesota. The radio station’s morning show, “Holmberg’s Morning Sickness,” has dominated the airwaves for the 19+ years and can be heard each weekday morning from 5:30 a.m.-10 a.m. on the FM dial at 97.9FM or via 98KUPD’s Mobile App.
SEATTLE — Pearl Jam will release their much-anticipated eleventh studio album, Gigaton, on Monkeywrench Records/RepublicRecords on March 27, 2020 in the US. Internationally, the album will be released and distributed by Universal Music Group. Produced by Josh Evans and Pearl Jam, Gigaton marks the band’s first studio album since GRAMMY award-winning Lightning Bolt, which was released on October 15, 2013.
Gigaton is available for pre-order now at HERE. The first single, “Dance of the Clairvoyants”, will be released in the coming weeks.
“Making this record was a long journey,” explains Mike McCready. “It was emotionally dark and confusing at times, but also an exciting and experimental road map to musical redemption. Collaborating with my bandmates on Gigaton ultimately gave me greater love, awareness and knowledge of the need for human connection in these times.”
Gigaton’s cover features Canadian photographer, filmmaker, and marine biologist Paul Nicklen’s photo “Ice Waterfall.” Taken in Svalbard, Norway, this image features the Nordaustlandet ice cap gushing high volumes of meltwater.
In support of Gigaton, Pearl Jam will embark on their first leg of North American tour dates in March and April. The 16-date tour kicks-off on March 18 in Toronto and wraps with a two-date stint in Oakland April 18-19. Full tour dates follow.
Pearl Jam’s North American tour is in addition to the band’s previously announced European summer tour. Full details HERE. Watch the announcement HERE.
Pearl Jam Spring 2020 Tour Dates
Ticket Information
Tickets for Pearl Jam’s North American concerts will be made available through a Ticketmaster Verified Fan registration and ticket presale, a Ten Club presale for eligible members and a general public ticket sale. More details on all of those points of sale follow. To give fans the best chance to buy tickets at face value for this tour, Pearl Jam has decided that tickets will be mobile only and strictly non-transferable, except in NY and CO where transferability is required by state law.
For fans who are unable to use their tickets, Pearl Jam and Ticketmaster will offer North America’s first Fan-to-Fan Face Value Ticket Exchange, which will allow fans to resell their tickets for the price they paid (including all fees). The Fan-to-Fan Face Value Ticket Exchange will launch on February 18, 2020. There will be no additional fees charged to Exchange users for buying or selling tickets on the Exchange.
1. Ticketmaster Verified Fan® Registration and Ticket Sale
General public tickets will be sold first through a presale powered by Ticketmaster Verified Fan. Pearl Jam has partnered with Ticketmaster to create a safe, reliable, ticket-buying experience and ensure tickets get directly to fans for all of these concert dates.
A simple registration is required and only fans that have
been verified and invited to the presale will receive an access code that will
allow them to shop for tickets.
Ticketmaster Verified Fan registration begins today and closes on Wednesday, January 15 at 11:59pm PT. To register, please visit: HERE.
The Verified Fan presale then begins on Thursday, January 23 at 10am venue local time.
2. Ten Club Ticket
Presale
A special ticket presale for members of Pearl Jam’s Ten Club (current as of January 12, 2020) is being supported on the Ticketmaster Request platform. Full details at HERE.
3. Public Ticket Sale
A remaining, limited number of tickets for each venue will be released through a traditional general sale on January 24, 2020 at 10am local time on Ticketmaster.
NOTE: $5 of each ticket is a charitable contribution to the
Vitalogy Foundation, a United States-based public charity under I.R.C. section
501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1).
SafeTix™ Ticket
Transferability Information
SafeTix mobile tickets will be issued for all tickets for all shows. These tickets will be non-transferable, (except in NY and CO where transferability is required by state law), which means that ticket purchasers will be required to enter the venue with their guests. SafeTix tickets use a unique barcode that automatically refreshes every few seconds so they cannot be counterfeited. SafeTix tickets require a smartphone to display. No other tickets will be accepted for entry.
Fan-to-Fan Ticket
Exchange
Ticketmaster Fan-to-Fan Face Value Ticket Exchange is an artist-driven resale marketplace built just for fans. It keeps tickets in the hands of fans at prices set by the artist. Whether you buy a primary ticket or a fan-to-fan ticket, if you can’t attend the show, you can simply list your ticket for sale on the Fan-to-Fan Face Value Ticket Exchange for another fan to purchase. Fan-to-Fan sales will also be fulfilled as SafeTix non-transferable tickets. There will be no additional fees charged to Exchange users for buying or selling tickets on the Exchange.
About Pearl Jam
2020 officially marks 30 years of Pearl Jam performing live. Eleven studio albums, hundreds of unique live performances and official live concert bootleg releases later, the band continues to be critically acclaimed and commercially successful — with over 85 million albums sold worldwide and a 2017 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
About Paul Nicklen
Paul Nicklen lives a life of art, purpose and adventure, combining a career as an assignment photographer for National Geographic Magazine and founder of his own conservation society, SeaLegacy. In addition to being one of the world’s most acclaimed nature photographers, Paul is an acclaimed polar specialist, speaker, author, conservationist, National Geographic Fellow, and a regular contributor to National Geographic Magazine with 20 completed stories to date.
“I Want To Know What Love Is,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Juke Box Hero,” “Urgent,” “Dust In The Wind,” “Carry on Wayward Son,” “Point of Know Return,” “The Final Countdown,” “Carrie”…
…These are some of the iconic songs of summer by rock’s ultimate “Juke Box Heroes”. Legendary band Foreigner, with special guest Kansas and featuring Europe, will bring these hits to your city this summer with the Juke Box Heroes 2020 Tour.
Set to launch in Albuquerque, NM on July 9th, and presented by Live Nation, these acclaimed artists will joinfor unforgettable nights of night of rock ’n’ roll. Tickets go on sale January 17, 2020 at 10am local time at HERE. Full tour dates can be found below.
Foreigner
With 10 multi-platinum albums and 16 Top 30 hits, Foreigneris universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 80 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll’s most enduring anthems including: “Juke Box Hero,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Urgent,” “Head Games,” “Say You Will,” “Dirty White Boy,” “Long, Long Way From Home” and the worldwide #1 hit, “I Want To Know What Love Is.”
Foreignerstill rocks the charts more than 40 years into the game with massive airplay and continued Billboard Top 200 album success. Foreigner’s November 2019 release of Double Vision, Then & Now is a DVD/CD (or Blu-ray/CD) package that celebrates the 40th anniversary of Foreigner’s iconic album. It features a stunning reunion concert that brings together the current and original band members playing all the hits at the top of their game.
2020 will kick off with a three-day run at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in mid January. Another highlight forthcoming is a residency at The Venetian, Las Vegas which kicks off on January 24, 2020.
“We can’t wait to hit the road with our good friends Kansas and Europe and bring all our biggest hits to cities across the country,” says Foreigner founding member, songwriter and lead guitarist Mick Jones. “We always have such a good time together, and combined we share some of the greatest songs in rock and roll. We are so excited to see our fans from coast to coast, and plan to make this summer our most epic tour yet!”
Kansas
With a legendary career spanning more than four decades, Kansas has firmly established itself as one of America’s iconic classic rock bands. This “garage band” from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner, and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide.
Composing a catalogue that includes fifteen studio albums and five live albums, Kansashas produced eight gold albums, three sextuple-platinum albums (Leftoverture, Point of Know Return, Best of Kansas), one platinum live album (Two for the Show), and two one million-selling gold singles, “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.”
Kansasappeared on the Billboard charts for over 200 weeks throughout the ‘70’s and ‘80’s and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe and Japan. “Carry On Wayward Son” continues to be one of the top five most played songs on classic rock radio, and “Dust In the Wind” has been played on the radio more than three million times. Last month “Carry On Wayward Son” was certified as a 4x Platinum-selling single, and “Dust In the Wind” was certified as a 3x Platinum-selling single by RIAA. Continuing to write their legacy, Kansaswill be releasing their 16th studio album in the summer of 2020.
Says Kansas, “We look forward to touring with Foreigner. It has been nearly ten years since both bands have done a full tour together. That run was a blast, and we are excited to get started this summer. The bands and the crews get along great, and we’ll all be working tougher to perform an exceptional show for the fans.”
Europe
With over three decades and dozens of millions albums sold, including a number one hit in 25 countries, Europe’s Joey Tempest (vocals), John Norum (guitars), Mic Michaeli (keyboards), John Leven (bass) and Ian Haugland (drums) are as hardworking as ever, annually performing concerts worldwide and producing new albums that are critically acclaimed by fans and the music industry alike.
Their eleventh studio album, Walk The Earth, was released October 20, 2017 on Hell & Back Recordings (Silver Lining Music). It was recorded at famed Abbey Road Studios in London with Grammy® Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (Rival Sons, Shooter Jennings, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton) and won a Swedish Grammy for Best Album.
“The band is super thrilled that this summer, we’ll be back in the USA… the birthplace of rock and roll,” says Europe’s Joey Tempest. “It’s been four long years and we are honored to be on the road with Foreigner and Kansas for this extensive tour across North America. Strap yourself in! Europe in America once again!”
Tour Dates
Check out the tour at any of the following stops. Fans can visit Live Nation for updates on tour dates and news.
Today K-pop sensation MONSTA X announced their upcoming North American summer tour. Over the past four years MONSTA X has attracted a massive international fan base with their array of hit singles and tours, including a sold out U.S. arena outing in 2019.
The highly anticipated tour kicks off June 2nd in Minneapolis and will visit arenas and theaters across the U.S. and Canada including Boston, Toronto, Phoenix, Ft. Lauderdale and more before culminating with a colossal show at The Forum in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, January 17th at 3pm local time at LiveNation.com.
MONSTA X Tour Dates:
Tue Jun 02
Minneapolis, MN
The Armory
Fri Jun 05
Detroit, MI
Fox Theatre
Sun Jun 07
Washington, DC
EagleBank Arena
Wed Jun 10
Newark, NJ
Prudential Center
Fri Jun 12
Boston, MA
Agganis Arena
Sun Jun 14
Toronto, ON
ScotiaBank Arena
Tue Jun 16
Chicago, IL
United Center
Fri Jun 19
Atlantic City, NJ
Borgata Event Center
Mon Jun 22
Atlanta, GA
Infinite Energy Arena
Wed Jun 24
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
BB&T Center
Sat Jun 27
Ft. Worth, TX
Dickies Arena
Mon Jun 29
Denver, CO
Pepsi Center
Wed Jul 01
Seattle, WA
accesso ShoWare Center
Fri Jul 03
Vancouver, BC
Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
Mon Jul 06
San Jose, CA
SAP Center at San Jose
Wed Jul 08
Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Federal Theatre
Sat Jul 11
Los Angeles, CA
The Forum
About MONSTA X:
MONSTA X has taken the U.S. by storm with a list of hits permeating the air waves including the fifth single, “Middle of the Night,” from their upcoming album All About Luvwhich isset for a Valentine’s Day release. All About Luv will be the first all English-language album released by a K-pop group.
Additionally, “WHO DO U LOVE?” positioned them as “only the second K-Pop group ever to enter the Top 40 Airplay Chart.” With a historic performance at Life Is Beautiful in Las Vegas, they emerged as “the first male K-Pop group to perform at a major music festival in the United States,” and stood out as the first K-pop group in history to hit the stage at iHeartRadio Music Festival the same day.
They made their United States television debut on Good Morning America, followed by electric performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Ellen DeGeneres Show and became the “first K-pop group to perform on the Teen Choice Awards.” MONSTA X also charted on the Billboard Social 50 for over a year, remaining one of the biggest social media bands in the world.
Matchbox Twenty, the multi-platinum, hit-making pop rock band, announced today a 50+ date summer tour. Produced by Live Nation, “Matchbox Twenty 2020” will get underway on July 17 at the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA and will wrap-up with an epic night under the stars at L.A.’s iconic Hollywood Bowl on September 28 (see dates below). All dates will also feature special guest The Wallflowers.
Rob Thomas said, “I’m proud to be a part of the greatest pop rock band in the world and I can’t wait to play with them again. Stepping on stage with Matchbox and sharing those songs with the fans feels as natural as breathing to me at this point.”
“Matchbox Twenty 2020” is the band’s first tour since 2017, when they reunited for the “A Brief History of Everything” tour to mark the 20th anniversary of their RIAA Diamond-certified debut album Yourself or Someone Like You.
Tickets On Sale To The General Public Beginning January 17
Matchbox Twenty fanclub members can purchase tickets beginning Tues., Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Fri., Jan. 17 starting at 12 p.m. ET at LiveNation.com. For additional ticketing information, visit www.MatchboxTwenty.com.
Citi is the official presale credit card of the tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Wed., Jan. 15 at 10 a.m. local time until Thurs., Jan. 16 at 10 p.m. local time through Citi EntertainmentSM. For complete presale details, visit www.citientertainment.com.
Matchbox Twenty Tour Dates feat. The Wallflowers:
Fri.,
Jul. 17
Bethlehem,
PA
Wind
Creek Event Center
Sat.,
Jul. 18
Gilford,
NH
Bank
of New Hampshire Pavilion
Sun.,
Jul. 19
Syracuse,
NY
St.
Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
Tue.,
Jul. 21
Camden,
NJ
BB&T
Pavilion
Wed.,
Jul. 22
Wantagh,
NY
Northwell
Health at Jones Beach Theater
Fri.,
Jul. 24
Saratoga
Springs, NY
Saratoga
Performing Arts Center
Sat.,
Jul. 25
Mansfield,
MA
Xfinity
Center
Sun.,
Jul. 26
Uncasville,
CT
Mohegan
Sun Arena
Tue.,
Jul. 28
Holmdel,
NJ
PNC
Bank Arts Center
Wed.,
Jul. 29
Bristow,
VA
Jiffy
Lube Live
Fri.,
Jul. 31
Virginia
Beach, VA
Veterans
United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
Sat.,
Aug. 01
Raleigh,
NC
Coastal
Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
Sun.,
Aug. 02
Charlotte,
NC
PNC
Music Pavilion
Tue.,
Aug. 04
Atlanta,
GA
Cellairis
Amphitheatre at Lakewood
Wed.,
Aug. 05
Nashville,
TN
Bridgestone
Arena
Fri.,
Aug. 07
Tampa,
FL
MIDFLORIDA
Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds
Sat.,
Aug. 08
West
Palm Beach, FL
Coral
Sky Amphitheatre at the S. Florida Fairgrounds
Sun.,
Aug. 09
Jacksonville,
FL
Daily’s
Place
Tue.,
Aug. 11
Pelham,
AL
Oak
Mountain Amphitheatre
Thu.,
Aug. 13
Memphis,
TN
TBA
Fri.,
Aug. 14
Houston,
TX
The
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
Sat.,
Aug. 15
Dallas,
TX
Dos
Equis Pavilion
Mon.,
Aug. 17
Oklahoma
City, OK
Zoo
Amphitheater
Tue.,
Aug. 18
Rogers,
AR
Walmart
Amp
Wed.,
Aug. 19
Maryland
Heights, MO
Hollywood
Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis
Fri.,
Aug. 21
Tinley
Park, IL
Hollywood
Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago
Sat.,
Aug. 22
Noblesville,
IN
Ruoff
Music Center
Sun.,
Aug. 23
Moline,
IL
TaxSlayer
Center
Tue.,
Aug. 25
Cuyahoga
Falls, OH
Blossom
Music Center
Wed.,
Aug. 26
Burgettstown,
PA
S&T
Bank Music Park
Thu.,
Aug. 27
Cincinnati,
OH
Riverbend
Music Center
Sat.,
Aug. 29
Darien
Center, NY
Darien
Lake Amphitheater
Sun.,
Aug. 30
Toronto,
ON
Budweiser
Stage
Tue.,
Sep. 01
Clarkston,
MI
DTE
Energy Music Theatre
Wed.,
Sep. 02
Toledo,
OH
Toledo
Zoo Amphitheater
Fri.,
Sep. 04
Welch,
MN
Treasure
Island Resort & Casino
Sat.,
Sep. 05
Sioux
Falls, SD
Denny
Sanford PREMIER Center
Sun.,
Sep. 06
Kansas
City, MO
Starlight
Theatre
Tue.,
Sep. 08
Omaha,
NE
CHI
Health Center Omaha
Thu.,
Sep. 10
Denver,
CO
Pepsi
Center
Sat.,
Sep. 12
Boise,
ID
Ford
Idaho Center Amphitheater
Sun.,
Sep. 13
Salt
Lake City, UT
USANA
Amphitheatre
Tue.,
Sep. 15
Seattle,
WA
White
River Amphitheatre
Wed.,
Sep. 16
Vancouver,
BC
Rogers
Arena
Thu.,
Sep. 17
Ridgefield,
WA
Sunlight
Supply Amphitheater
Sat.,
Sep. 19
Mountain
View, CA
Shoreline
Amphitheatre
Sun.,
Sep. 20
Fresno,
CA
Save
Mart Center
Tue.,
Sep. 22
Phoenix,
AZ
Ak-Chin
Pavilion
Wed.,
Sep. 23
San
Diego, CA
Cal
Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU
Thu.,
Sep. 24
Irvine,
CA
FivePoint
Amphitheatre
Sat.,
Sep. 26
Las
Vegas, NV
Palms
Casino Resort
Sun.,
Sep. 27
Bakersfield,
CA
Mechanics
Bank Arena
Mon.,
Sep. 28
Los
Angeles, CA
Hollywood
Bowl
Matchbox Twenty is working with VNUE’s DiscLive to offer fans limited-edition “instant” collectible CD sets and digital downloads from each show of the tour. Fans may pre-order the CD sets via Ticketmaster for a $5 discount when they purchase their tickets. VIP ticket buyers will receive a download card free with their purchase of every VIP package. Fans may also pre-order via DiscLive’s website and can have CDs shipped, or can pick them up at the show(s) they attend.
He Is We have signed with Ohio-based InVogue Records. Their brand new single will be out Feb. 14th and is titled “Amazing Grace.” The new single will mark their first new music released since 2018.
Washington-based He Is We is fronted by vocalist Rachel Taylor. HIW’s debut album, released in 2010, hit the Billboard charts and accumulated over 100 million streams. In 2017 the follow-up album was released and has already racked up nearly 50 million streams online.
“Regardless of how far I’ve tried to run from this industry, the unconditional support has pulled me back in and reminded me of why it is I need music. I’m blown away that I’d given up on myself and the heartbeat of He Is We never gave up on me. The fan base kept air in my lungs and brought me back to life. I just want to hug every person who held me together when falling apart became so easy,” says Taylor.
“I’ve been a huge fan of He Is We for years so having the opportunity to release this new single, I couldn’t pass it up. I’m really excited to be working with Rachel on this new chapter of music she is creating,” says InVogue Records owner Nick Moore.
