We're Moving!

It's official: Melodic Rock Concerts is moving to a new location with a new look! Starting now, you can view this website in its new location at www.melodicrockconcerts.com

Please let me know what you think of the new look, and thanks for the continued support! The demand for concert reviews and photography from these great classic bands is growing by the day, and as the summer of 2009 approaches I'm very excited to be a source for this media.

Soon this page will re-direct to the new one, but for the next few days it will remain up. Change your bookmarks if you like; it will make the loading of the new page slightly faster since your broswer won't need to re-direct.

Moondance Jam Signs More Bands, More Announcements

The Moondance Jam, a 3-day rock festival in Walker, Minnesota, has kicked it into high gear by signing two explosive rock bands for Friday, July 17: Whitesnake and Judas Priest. Rumors of this impending announcement were set in motion several weeks ago here on this site as well as in other message boards and websites. This announcement essentially confirms rumors that both bands will be touring the United States during the summer of 2009, not necessarily together of course. As for the rest of the line-up, Kansas will open the festivities on Thursday, July 16, and Grand Funk Railroad will start things off on Saturday, July 18. Still to be announced are seven more national recording artists, so stick around for all the latest!

Other announcements from the past week are as follows:

• Great White has confirmed their 2009 tour by releasing 16 tour dates for the summer spread out all across the United States.
• Steve Miller has announced 27 tour dates for the summer in the United States and Canada.
• The Doobie Brothers are steadily booking dates for the spring and summer, get the full schedule at their website.
• Heart and Journey have been confirmed for the Iowa State Fair on August 23. Journey's 2009 tour also includes the Kansas State Fair. Also check out their new website!
  
• More tour dates are likely forthcoming from all artists mentioned

There is also a new tour rumor to report, and if true, it is certainly a big one. Van Halen and Guns N' Roses are reportedly planning a co-headlining tour for the summer of 2009. Since both parties remain quiet, only time will tell if the rumor is true.

Lastly, there are some major changes in the works here at Melodic Rock Concerts. I'm in the process of moving the site and expanding its reach just in time for what is likely to be a huge year for concerts. I'm very excited about it and I appreciate all the support!

Fleetwood Mac Concert Review - St. Paul 2009

It's been more than five years since the start of the last Fleetwood Mac tour, but last night at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, the band played, sounded, and looked as if time has stood still. The band has been a four-piece for some time now after the 1998 departure of Christine McVie, but Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood, and a team of five back-up musicians have no trouble filling the stage with activity and the air with a wall of sound. Internal conflict and drama has characterized the band throughout its history, but there were no signs of such conflict at last night's show, which was the second of the 'Unleashed' tour which began on March 1 in Pittsburgh.

The Stevie Nicks persona of mystique and her one-of-a-kind voice were in full force, although the singer did appear somewhat mellow during the first half of the set. It wasn't until her keyboard-driven solo hit "Stand Back" kicked in that she finally appeared to be having as much fun as the Fleetwood Mac fans in attendance. Lindsey Buckingham proved that he hasn't lost his spark on the guitar or his contagious energy on stage; he looked and played like someone half his age. The years have been especially kind to Mick Fleetwood, who at age 61 is still an incredibly menacing and powerful drum player. Fleetwood appeared to be the happiest of the group on stage as he glanced warmly at Stevie and Lindsey, almost as if he was amazed to see and hear his own band back in action. The quiet John McVie isn't to be forgotten although he certainly didn't draw much in the way of attention toward himself as he plucked away on the bass in Stevie's corner of the stage.

The Unleashed tour marks the band's first tour in over 20 years without any new material or a new album to support. Given these circumstances, the set list was a very well-crafted mix of the famous, faster paced hits like "Go Your Own Way" and "Don't Stop", and the slower, lesser known and rarely played songs like "Storms". Closing out the set was the Stevie Nicks song "Silver Springs", an unreleased song which has since become a live favorite after not making it onto the Rumors album. Despite tough economic times and increased ticket prices, the venue was packed with over 10,000 loud and dedicated Fleetwood fans.

With tens of millions of albums sold and thousands of concerts played over their 40 year career, Fleetwood Mac has nothing to prove in 2009. They do, however, have millions of fans around the world who still want to hear their music, and although the band does tend to play it safe these days by hitting the road about twice a decade, there are no visible signs of a slow-down. Even Stevie Nicks has been quoted as saying that she knew instantly when her career started that it would be a life-long devotion, stating "I plan to do this when I'm 60." That day has now come for Stevie and the band, but they aren't about to let it slow them down.

FLEETWOOD MAC - MARCH 3, 2009 - PHOTO GALLERY

Styx, REO, 38 Special Team for Can't Stop Rockin'

In an unexpected turn, the two major rock tours of the summer have been announced on the same day. As mentioned earlier on the blog, Styx, REO Speedwagon, and 38 Special are hitting the road this summer. The dates have now been released, and the tour has been given a name - "Can't Stop Rockin'", and even a tagline: "All Hits - All Night". It will be the second major tour featuring Styx and REO on the same stage, the first was the Arch Allies tour in 2001. Just like the Def Leppard headlined tour with Poison and Cheap Trick (see post below), this tour is very nostalgiac; Even the tagline advertises that only the hits will be played. It's definitely not a bad thing for these bands, though, because they all sound terrific live, Styx in particular. Tickets will go on sale starting in March, and special packages will be available through I Love All Access, at a high cost for certain. The good news for those affected by the state of the economy is that the bands on this tour seem to be in touch with the fact that the economic climate has changed since last year. The press release makes specific references to this, stating that tickets as low as $13 will be available in most markets. Here are the Can't Stop Rockin' tour dates:

03/25/2009 - Johnstown, PA*
05/13/2009 - Albuquerque, NM
05/15/2009 - Phoenix, AZ
05/16/2009 - Las Vegas, NV
05/17/2009 - Fresno, CA
05/21/2009 - Ontario, CA
05/22/2009 - Los Angeles, CA
05/24/2009 - Mountain View, CA
05/27/2009 - Kent, WA
05/30/2009 - Sandy, UT
05/31/2009 - Morrison, CO
06/04/2009 - Kansas City, MO
06/05/2009 - Thackerville, OK*
06/06/2009 - Oklahoma City, OK
06/07/2009 - The Woodlands, TX
06/16/2009 - Boca Raton, FL
06/18/2009 - Orange Beach, AL
06/20/2009 - Roanoke Rapids, NC
06/21/2009 - Alpharetta, GA
06/26/2009 - Atlantic City, NJ
06/27/2009 - Gilford, NH
06/28/2009 - Mansfield, MA
07/02/2009 - Verona, NY
07/03/2009 - Scranton, PA
07/04/2009 - Saratoga Springs, NY
07/09/2009 - Clarkston, MI
07/10/2009 - Chicago, IL
07/11/2009 - Maryland Heights, MO

There are noticeable gaps in this tour schedule, so it may not be complete. Also note that shows marked with an asterisk (*) will not feature 38 Special. If you're a reader in my area, you'll notice that nostalgia isn't the only trait shared between the Def Leppard and Styx tours. The other trait? Neither tour stops in Minnesota. Nonetheless, I'm still determined to get to one of these shows. I've yet to see REO Speedwagon in concert, and Styx blew me away when I caught them twice last year.

That's probably the end of the tour news, at least for now. It's interesting how all of these bands, including Motley Crue, decided to roll out their tour schedules within the same two day period. It guess one could say that it just goes to show how unpredictable the industry is. To read the full press release on the Can't Stop Rockin' tour, click here.

Def Leppard, Poison, Cheap Trick Dates Released

It's being called "the concert event of the summer" - the dates for the Def Leppard, Poison, and Cheap Trick bill have been released. Putting their differences (whether they were real to begin with or not will always remain in question) aside, Def Leppard and Poison will be sharing a stage for 40 shows starting on June 23 in Camden, NJ. Although Def Leppard released a brand new album last year, titled Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, this tour is clearly of the nostalgiac variety. With three bands playing, it's likely that there will only be room for the hits from each band, with the exception of Leppard, who will likely play a couple new songs. Nostalgia or not, all three bands have extensive fan bases that will surely keep the arenas full. Although the tour is quite lengthy and visits almost all major markets, one market omitted is Minneapolis/St. Paul, which isn't the best news for the fans in this area, particularly myself. It's very odd that such a major market would be left out; especially since the area features two arenas: the Target Center and the Xcel Energy Center. Omitted cities aside, the show must go on.

Here's what Joe Elliot had to say about the upcoming trek: "I'm very pleased that we are coming back to North America. We're gonna be touring with some new friends and some old friends and can guarantee it will be the rock tour of the summer."

The tour schedule is below:

June 23 - Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
June 25 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
June 26 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
June 28 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion
June 30 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center
July 1 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
July 3 - Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 4 - Toronto, CAN – Molson Amphitheatre
July 7 - Hartford, CT - New England Dodge Music Center
July 8 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
July 10 - Burgettstown, PA – Post-Gazette Pavilion
July 11 - Virginia Beach, VA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 12 - Bristow, VA – Nissan Pavilion
July 15 - Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
July 17 - Tinley Park, IL – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
July 18 - Milwaukee, WI – Marcus Amphitheater
July 20 - Maryland Heights, MO – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 21 - Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
July 23- Noblesville, IN – Verizon Wireless Music Center
July 24- Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
August 7 - Raleigh, NC - Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
August 8 - Charlotte, NC – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
August 10 - Nashville, TN - Sommet Center
August 11 - Birmingham, AL – Verizon Wireless Music Center
August 13 - West Palm Beach, FL – Cruzan Amphitheatre
August 14 - Tampa, FL – Ford Amphitheatre
August 15 - Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre
August 18 - New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Arena
August 19 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 21 - Dallas, TX – Superpages.com Center
August 22 - Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
August 24 - Englewood, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
August 25 - Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
August 28 - Albuquerque, NM – Journal Pavilion
August 29 - Phoenix, AZ – Cricket Wirelss Pavilion
August 30 - Irvine, CA – Verizon Wirelss Amphitheater
September 2 - Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
September 3 - Sacramento, CA – Sleep Train Amphitheatre
September 5 - Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
September 6 - San Bernadino, CA – San Manuel Amphitheater

Motley Crue's Summer Tour Includes ND State Fair

Motley Crue announced the tour dates for "Crue Fest 2" today, including stops in 27 cities. The bands joining Motley on the stage for the latest Crue Fest haven't yet been announced. Aside from Crue Fest, Motley will be playing two shows out on their own, both at state fairs. One such stop is in Minot, North Dakota, kicking off the first night of the North Dakota State Fair on July 24, and the crowd is sure to be huge for this concert. Last year the fair did not feature any bands from the classic era, but now they appear to be back on track, and there may even be another 70s or 80s group at the fair so keep checking back here for all the latest. Here is a link to the full tour schedule for Motley Crue and Crue Fest this summer.

The band has been touring steadily since last year, and is currently in the middle of a winter tour across the United States in support of last year's Saints of Los Angeles album. Motley's last stop in North Dakota was on the Carnival of Sins tour in 2005 when they brought the show to the Civic Center in Bismarck.

Concert Rumor Tidbits for the Summer

Since there haven't been many real announcements to speak of, there are once again some new rumors circulating in the concert world, specifically in my part of the country. The Moondance Jam, arguably the best classic rock festival in the US, is reportedly in talks with several big-name bands: Whitesnake, Judas Priest, and Triumph. All three would bring droves of fans, particularly Whitesnake and Triumph, who haven't had much exposure in the area in recent years. A signing like this would also help to sell tickets for the event, which will take place from July 16 to July 18 in Walker, Minnesota.

Blues-based rockers Tesla have unraveled 13 tour dates in April in support of their new album Forever More, which was released last October. The dates are as follows:

April 1 - Fresno, CA - Warnors Theatre
April 2 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theatre
April 4 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo
April 5 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
April 7 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
April 8 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
April 10 - Billings, MT - Shrine Auditorium
April 11 - Fargo, ND - The Venue
April 14 - Green Bay, WI - Meyer Theatre
April 15 - Madison, WI - Barrymore Theatre
April 17 - Waukegan, IL - Genesee Theatre
April 18 - Fort Wayne, IN - Piere's
April 19 - Joliet, IL - Rialdo Square Theatre

Although the band's tour does roll into my home state on April 11, I won't be able to make it due to a conflict. As for other artists, Steve Miller fans will be happy to know that Steve and his band are planning another full tour for 2009. Check out his website's tour page on March 1, 2009, which is the planned date of announcement for his summer tour. Last but not least, Loverboy has over 20 tour dates planned for the spring and summer - don't miss these guys in concert! Here's a link to those dates.