Today’s photo of the day is Dennis DeYoung performing the Styx classic Mr Roboto last week before a capacity crowd .
Month: December 2018
LAMB OF GOD to Perform on Slayer’s Final World Tour, Leg 5: North America
LAMB OF GOD to Perform on Slayer’s Final World Tour, Leg 5: North America
Music legends Slayer have just announced Leg 5: North America, the fifth overall leg of their final world tour. Heavy rock icons LAMB OF GOD will continue on as direct support to the tour, kicking off on May 2, 2019 at the Ak-Chin Amphitheatre in Phoenix, AZ. The tour will culminate at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA on May 25. LAMB OF GOD, Amon Amarth and Cannibal Corpse will support Slayer on all Leg 5: North America dates.
General ticket on sale begins on Friday, December 14 at 10:00 AM local time. LAMB OF GOD VIP Side Stage and VIP Merch upgrade packages will be available beginning Wednesday, December 13 at 10:00 AM local time via http://lamb-of-god.com/tour.
Guitarist Mark Morton says, “We are pleased to announce that the brutality continues with LAMB OF GOD supporting Slayer on another leg of their farewell world tour! This is the real thing and is not one to miss. Heavy metal is alive and well and we can see it on the faces and hear it in the voices of the huge crowds filling arenas and amphitheaters everywhere we’ve been. It’s been inspirational to see the energy and dedication of diehard Slayer fans turning out in huge numbers all over the world to support the kings of metal. For LAMB OF GOD to have been so well received is an honor all its own and we are beyond grateful to join them for another round. Cheers!”
New dates for Slayer‘s Final World Tour, Leg 5: North America, are as follows:
Slayer Final World Tour – Leg 5: North America dates:
5/2 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Amphitheatre
5/3 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre
5/5 – El Paso, TX @ UTEP/Don Haskins Center
5/7 – Edinburg, TX @ Bert Ogden Arena
5/8 – Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
5/10 – Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
5/11 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Coral Sky Amphitheatre
5/13 – Huntington, WV @ Big Sandy Superstore Arena
5/14 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
5/16 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
5/17 – Bonner Springs, KS @ Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre
5/19 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Center
5/20 – Youngstown, OH @ Covelli Centre
5/22 – Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre
5/24 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion
5/25 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center
LAMB OF GOD is also scheduled to perform at the newly announced Sonic Temple Festival, taking place at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, OH from May 17-19. Individual performance dates are scheduled to be announced. For more information and tickets, visit https://sonictemplefestival.
Astronomicon 2 Pop Culture Convention Announces Additional Special Guests and Details
Everyone’s favorite demented duo, Detroit natives Twiztid, will once again host metro Detroit’s newest pop culture convention, Astronomicon 2, at the Sterling Heights, MI Wyndham Garden hotel from February 8-10, 2019. Promising once again to fulfill the pop culture cravings of fans attending from far and wide, the ALL AGES event will not only feature appearances, signings and photo ops with pop culture icons, professional wrestling stars, horror film elite and beyond, but also many additional activities – including live music performances, Q&A panels, cosplay and tattoo contests, a free play game room and tournaments, a scavenger hunt and trivia.
Astronomicon 2 early bird tickets are on sale now! Don’t hesitate to get your tickets now and take advantage of this great sale. Weekend passes are the best value at $60! Otherwise, per day ticket price breakdowns and children’s ticket prices can be viewed here: www.astronomicon.com/tickets
Additional information on tickets, lodging, VIP options, vendors and more can be located at www.astronomicon.com.
This year, in partnership with VetTix, Astronomicon 2 is giving away free Sunday passes to veterans. VetTix cites their core values are patriotism, support and recognition, quality of life, and family for veterans. For more information VetTix, visit www.vettix.org.
In its inaugural year – even in the midst of a blizzard that dropped over 14 inches of snow on the metro Detroit area on the same weekend – the event drew 2,000+ attendees from all over the world, selling out the hotel in less than one day and playing host to 20+ celebrities.
Special guests who are scheduled to appear for photo ops, signings, activities and/or appearances at Astronomicon 2 include reality star and pro skater Bam Margera, wrestling legend Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes, actor and wrestler Tiny Lister, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and House of 1000 Corpses actor Bill Moseley, Devil’s Rejects, House of 1000 Corpses and Halloween 2007 actor Sig Haig, wrestling legend Scott Hall, wrestling legend Scott Steiner, horror icon Kane Hodder (primarily recognized as his role as Jason Voorhees of the Jason film franchise), Tales from the Crypt actor/voice actor John Kassir, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 actor R.A. Mihailoff, Ming Chen of AMC’s Comic Book Men, Mike Zapcic of AMC’s Comic Book Men, wrestling star The Boogeyman, House of 1000 Corpses actor Robert Mukes, comic book writer Dirk Manning, comic book illustrators Alessandro de Fornasari and Marianna Pescosta, horror DX specialists Get Dead Crew, tattoo model Caroline, tattoo artist Saint Karlos and more! And of course, last but not least, our hosts – Astronomicon masterminds Twiztid.
More special guest stars from the music, wrestling, film and entertainment worlds are scheduled to be announced as Astronomicon 2 approaches, so stay tuned!
Twiztid says: “It’s amazing to be able to host this annual event! This was a dream of ours and now to see it become a reality for a second year is a huge accomplishment for us. Bringing all these different forms of entertainment together for one weekend is a great feeling.”
Returning Astronomicon celebrity guest Bill Moseley says, “Astronomicon gonna be Astronomical! Like a punch in the kisser, you’ll be seeing stars! Otis Driftwood, Captain Spaulding and a whole lot more. Come on down and meet the clown!”
Another returning guest, Ming Chen of AMC’s Comic Book Men, adds, “Astronomicon has been one of the most fun events that I’ve ever been to and it’s made even better because it’s located in my home state of Michigan. I had a great time last year meeting fellow guests, amazing vendors and most importantly, the fans. I can’t wait to go back this year with my fellow Comic Book Men.”
Sid Haig, better known as his character Captain Spaulding and longtime friend of Twiztid, says, “Twiztid is the real deal. They are great musicians, and great guys. Get your asses to Astronomicon!”
Stay tuned for more news coming soon from Astronomicon 2!
For more information, visit:
Live Review – Ministry Returns To Cleveland Agora
One band you must see at least once in your life !
Cleveland, Ohio – The recently revamped historic Cleveland Agora played host to Uncle Al and Ministry last week the the delight and exuberance of fans. To be honest I am a recent fan ,in my era of 80’s Metallica and Savatage heavy metal ,Ministry where not even in the same genre as thought by 15 year me . I didn’t understand industrial or electric music but that all changed when I got a book in the mail . One day I received the autobiography of Al Jourgensen to review and my mind was blown away . The book was amazing, it as insightful, thoughtful and raw . I then had the chance to do a phone call with Al and got to the know the person behind the book and most importantly the music . Hence I now am a fan and will not miss a show if he is in the area or even somewhat a few hours away . I met a girl and her father who I would say are super fans . Her name is Mountain she is 14 years old and has only seen one artist play live multiple times even with a three hour drive each way . Uncle Al and Ministry is how she and her father connect and he was headbanging right beside her in front row !
The stage was rather bare compared to the last time I saw Ministry but that did not matter as I was here for the music and the show and what a show it was . Al and the boys hit the stage with an energy of new band, not a band that have done this for decades , this amp goes to eleven .
This tour is a duel celebration of of the The 30th Anniversary Of “The Land Of Rape And Honey” and of the current release “AmeriKKKant” playing a lot of tracks from both landmark albums.
Some of the songs played that night were , Twilight Zone, Victims of a Clown ,We’re Tired of It, Wargasm , Antifa ,Game Over, AmeriKKKa ,The Land of Rape and Honey The Missing Deity and more .
The band was tight and solid and Al on guitar was great to see . The current line up is .
Al Jourgensen – vocals
Sin Quirin – guitar
Tony Campus – bass
Cesar Soto – guitar
John Bechdel – keys
Derek Abrams – drums
To learn more about the band please see the official website at http://ministryband.com/
MELODIC ROCK ARTIST DUANE MORANO JOINED BY MEMBERS OF EXTREME, FIREHOUSE, TYKETTO, XYZ, AND MORE, DEBUT RELEASE, ‘INCOGNITO’
MELODIC ROCK ARTIST DUANE MORANO JOINED BY MEMBERS OF EXTREME, FIREHOUSE, TYKETTO, XYZ, AND MORE, UNVEILS GUEST-HEAVY DEBUT RELEASE, ‘INCOGNITO’
“Feel good rock n’ roll – the music tells stories we can all relate to, but in a fun way” is how songwriter/guitarist Duane Morano describes his CD, Incognito. And on its first-ever release, ‘Incognito’(whose pre sale begins on December 3rd via Pledge Music
(http://pmusic.co/lNL9xL), vid
As Duane explains, the CD ‘Incognito’ came together in a huge stroke of luck. “I had known Bill Leverty for a great many years so he was in from the beginning. Back in 2016, I was having dinner with Bill and was asked if I was ever going to unshelve a CD I started working on years ago. After some thought, I finished a few of the tracks in my studio and sent them to Bill to be mixed. As we listened to the mixes, it became clear to both of us I needed to get rid of the programmed drums, find a bass player instead of a guitar player trying to play bass, and get someone that could sing what I was struggling to attempt. Changes needed to be made. That was when Bill suggested his drummer Michael Foster, so I gave him a shout.”
“The next step was finding the right vocalists to fit the handful of songs that were ready. I had my MP3 player on shuffle and Great White’s ‘Hard to Say Goodbye’ came on and thought, ‘Terry’s voice would be a great fit for a song,’ so I reached out to him and he asked to hear it. I sent him an MP3 with Michael and Tony playing on it. Terry was a bit surprised that as a guitar player I hired a bass player and didn’t do it myself which is typical in self-funded, small budget projects. After explaining, Terry saw I was willing to do what’s best for the music and liked the song so he agreed to sing a song or two. As the project progressed and we got to know each other, we started trading ideas back and forth, writing and arraigning together, and ultimately ended up with 5 songs for consideration.”
“Pat coming on board was really a happy accident. For 20 years or so I’ve collected music memorabilia as hobby. Pat had a Pledge campaign going on at the time and I pledged for the Patocam. He sent me an email saying something like, ‘Dude you got the Patocam,’ so I replied with some smart-aleck funny comment. He laughed and we emailed back and forth for a few hours and went our separate ways. About a week went by and much to my surprise, I got a random email from him asking how I was doing.”
As the project’s leader explains, the album is loaded with rockin’ highlights. “Nita Strauss solo on ‘Manhattan’ was a pick up your jaw off the floor moment. Bryan Cole’s vocals on ‘Don’t Believe You’ grabs elements of rock and blues with a touch of soul, and delivers one of the best performances I’ve ever heard him do. The way Michael Foster and Pat Badger really cement and play with the groove on ‘Kid Gloves’ is really cool.”
And the guests sound equally enthusiastic about the disc. Terry Ilous – “If you want to listen to good rock and roll, good music, pledge for this CD. Duane is a wonderful guitar player and I’m looking forward to singing more songs for him.” Nita Strauss – “‘Manhattan’ is a GREAT song. Thank you for having me on it.” Bill Leverty – “Duane has an amazing CD, filled with tasty music and killer guitar work.”
Duane is also confident that his brand of rock fits in well with the current musical climate. “With the interest people have in bands of my youth, I think Incognito gives people the opportunity to hear elements of what was great about that era of music – but in a fresh way. Incognito pays tribute to that time period, but leaves the listener feeling satisfied like you’ve got something new.
And if all goes according to plan, the CD will not merely be a studio project. “Shows could happen if we can get schedules coordinated. That’s always the hardest part when trying to get people from several different active bands together in the same place at the same time. There is talk of a live version, and something Bryan, Danny, Terry, and I think could be a lot of fun.”
Lastly, what are Duane’s future plans? “Finish the CD and then spend some much-needed time with my wife and kids – while putting a live band together, for special events.”
CONFIRMED TRACKS/LINE-UPS FOR ‘INCOGNITO’:
After the Love- Danny Vaughn, Duane Morano, Pat Badger, Michael Foster, Bryan Cole
Cookie Jar- Bryan Cole, Duane Morano, Tony Franklin, Michael Foster, Chris Lester
Sincerely Yours- Bryan Cole, Duane Morano, Pat Badger, Michael Foster, Shane French
Don’t Believe You- Bryan Cole, Duane Morano, Keith Horne, Michael Foster
Face the Fire- Danny Vaughn, Duane Morano, Keith Horne, Bryan Cole, Kevin Figueiredo (K-Figg)
Giovanna- Danny Vaughn, Duane Morano, John Morano, Michael Foster
Kid Gloves- Danny Vaughn, Duane Morano, Pat Badger, Michael Foster, John Surabian, Bryan Cole
Manhattan- Dan Michaels, Duane Morano, Pat Badger, Michael Foster, Nita Strauss
Hearts- Terry Ilous, Duane Morano, Tony Franklin, Michael Foster, Dan Michaels, Bryan Cole
Love is just a lie- Terry Ilous, Duane Morano, JK Northrup, Pat Badger, Michael Foster
Why- Terry Ilous, Duane Morano, Keith Horne, Bryan Cole, Michael Foster
Barely Breathing- Danny Vaughn, Duane Morano, Pat Badger, Michael Foster
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:
Instagram: https://www.instagr
Twitter: @duanemorano
Live Review – Jewel’s Handmade Holiday Tour !
This show is a perfect example of how we can live our dreams and still be with our families !
Northfield , Ohio -The Hard Rock Rocksino played host to yet another stellar holiday extravaganza this past weekend . The fine folks at Live Nation Cleveland brought in Jewel Kilcher and her Handmade Holiday Tour featuring Jewel , her father Atz, and her brothers ATZ Lee and Nikos Kilcher.
The set started off with a brief performance by her father and brothers playing their own original material , including a number called ” Hot Sexy Pizza ” and a beautiful song about a black stallion named ” Negro ” to name just a few .
After her family’s set , Jewel hit the stage with her backup band and to say there were a tight knit unit does not do them justice .The were all outstanding players in their own right !
The evening opening up with some Christmas songs including ” O Holy Night and ” Joy To The World ” and an almost operatic performance of ” Ava Maria ” wish actually gave me chills and I could not believe what I was watching or listening to .
About halfway thru the evening she tossed out her setlist in favor of crowd requests and even thou ” Freebird ” was mentioned several times she handled the hecklers with grace , poise and humor .
Some of the songs she played were ” You Were Ment For Me ” and ” Who Will Save Your Soul ” and my favorite ” My Fathers Daughter ”
I had a few moments to speak with her father ” ATZ ” and I found him to be a gentleman and a class act and later on in the evening when he danced with several of the ladies of the crowd it made me tear up .
If you ever get the chance to see Jewel , or any of her family please do you will be delighted and surprised.
For more information on all things Jewel please see the official website at https://www.jeweljk.com
- Please forgive the photography as these were not done with out usual set up and we had to use a cell phone .