DEBUT MEMOIR, HORROR STORIES (RANDOM HOUSE) OUT NOW

This coming summer, Liz Phair will join Alanis Morissette on her newly announced 31-date North American tour which kicks off June 2^nd, 2020 in Portland, OR. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will celebrate 25 years of JAGGED LITTLE PILL and will also feature Phair and Morisette contemporaries, Garbage. It will hit cities like Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, and Chicago before wrapping in Nashville, TN on July 25^th, 2020.

The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter whose debut album, Exile In Guyville, is considered by music critics to be a landmark of indie rock, has been a recording artist and touring performer for twenty-five years, paving the way for countless music artists, particularly women, who count her among their major influences. 2018 marked the 25th Anniversary of Exile in Guyville and to celebrate, Matador Records reissued the record along with a box-set of Phair’s earlier work, entitled Girly-Sound to Guyville, which was met with rapturous response upon its release. Phair’s debut was released to international acclaim; it has been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, by Pitchfork as one of the 100 Greatest albums of the 90’s and is considered one of the most accomplished debut albums for any artist in any genre to date. 

Phair has sold over five million records worldwide, with three US gold albums and two Grammy nominations. More than two decades after the release of her debut, Phair’s influence in contemporary music, and particularly over female voices in alternative music, can be felt today more than ever.

In 2019, Liz Phair released her critically revered memoir, Horror Stories. In their review, NPR said, “there are so many things to admire about ‘Horror Stories’, it’s hard to list them all. But the real star of Horror Stories is Phair’s elegant but unpretentious writing, which proves she’s as adept at writing prose as she is at writing songs. And anyone familiar with her music knows how great a thing that is.”

This year, she also released her first new music in years, the single “Good Side.” “Good Side” found her reunited with producer Brad Wood, who she teamed up with on Exile In Guyville, Whip-Smart, and whitechocolatespaceegg. After a long hiatus from working together, they’re now nearly finished with a new album that’s due out in 2020.

Presales for the tour will begin on December 10 at 11 AM local time and tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, December 13^th at 11 AM local time at LiveNation.com.

VIP packages will be available starting with the presale. Citi is the official presale credit card for the tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase U.S. presale tickets beginning Wednesday, December 11^th at 11 AM local time until Thursday, December 12^th at 12 PM local time through Citi’s Entertainment program.

For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.

Tour Dates:

06/02/20 – Portland, OR @ Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre – Tickets

06/03/20 – Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre – Tickets

06/05/20 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion – Tickets

06/07/20 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre – Tickets

06/09/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl – Tickets

06/10/20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion – Tickets

06/12/20 – Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheater – Tickets

06/13/20 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP – Tickets

06/14/20 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion – Tickets

06/17/20 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre – Tickets

06/18/20 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Coral Sky Amphitheatre – Tickets

06/20/20 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre – Tickets

06/21/20 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion – Tickets

06/23/20 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek – Tickets

06/26/20 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater – Tickets

06/27/20 – Hartford, CT @ XFINITY Theatre – Tickets

06/28/20 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion – Tickets

07/01/20 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center – Tickets

07/02/20 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion – Tickets

07/03/20 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater – Tickets

07/06/20 – Gilford, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Tickets

07/08/20 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Tickets

07/09/20 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center – Tickets

07/11/20 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage – Tickets

07/16/20 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – Tickets

07/17/20 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Tickets

07/18/20 – Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Tickets

07/21/20 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre – Tickets

07/23/20 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center – Tickets

07/24/20 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center – Tickets

07/25/20 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena – Tickets

PRE–ORDER THE ALBUM NOW

“INSIDE OUT”-FIRST SINGLE OFF NEW ALBUM OUT NOW.

LISTEN TO THE SONG OR WATCH THE OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO

MASSIVE SPRING 2020 U.S. ARENA TOUR ANNOUNCED

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS PAPA ROACH, I PREVAIL AND ICE NINE KILLS

4x Platinum, 6x Gold record selling rock juggernaut FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH have announced their long awaited eighth studio album, titled “F8” today. The album will be released globally on February 28^th, 2020 and is available for pre-order now.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH have amassed over 3 billion streams to date, over 2 billion video views andare the 3^rd biggest artist in the hard rock space measured by total consumption (sales and streams) – surpassed only by Metallica and AC/DC. Newly signed to Better Noise Music, they’ve garnered 22 top 10, hit singles over the last few years. Today, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH also premiered the debut single from F8, “Inside Out” one of the most personal songs that the band has released to date. Watch the official lyric video HERE. Fans who pre-order the album digitally will receive an instant download of “Inside Out” along with two other new tracks before the release on February 28^th. The album will be available in the following formats: CD, digital download, mastered for iTunes download, double gatefold vinyl and picture disc vinyl. The band also curated special F8 merchandise bundles of albums with exclusive t-shirts, hoodies and more available for pre-order now as well. 

Says FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory, “We had an extremely successful, yet tumultuous couple of years as a band. We didn’t just weather the storm but came out on the other side better than ever. It was a focused sober group recording, our most important album to date and without a question it shows. This album represents rebirth, progression, transcendence both personally and musically.” Vocalist Ivan Moody adds, “This record to me is ‘absolution’ – everything I’ve done in my life has led up to this moment.”

F8 was produced by FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH with long time producer KEVIN CHURKO (Ozzy Osbourne, Disturbed, Slash, etc). See the full tracklisting for F8 below.

TRACKLISTING FOR F8:

1. F8                                                   
2. Inside Out     
3. Full Circle
4. Living The Dream                        
5. A Little Bit Off                              
6. Bottom Of The Top                     
7. To Be Alone                                  
8. Mother May I (Tic Toc)              
9. Darkness Settles In                     
10. This Is War                                    
11. Leave It All Behind
12. Scar Tissue
13. Brighter Side Of Grey
14. Making Monsters (BONUS)
15. Death Punch Therapy (BONUS)
16. Inside Out (Radio Edit) (BONUS)

The new album F8 follows FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH’S hugely successful 2018 release, And Justice For None, which debuted in the Top 5 around the world and became the #1 streaming Hard Rock/Heavy Metal album of that year. They’ve built a rabid, global fanbase by creating a unique sound that blurs the line between rock and metal, which has never been more apparent than on their upcoming eighth studio album F8 and their upward trajectory doesn’t seem to waver.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH also announced today that they will kick off the 2^nd leg of their current U.S. arena headline tour in April 2020, featuring special guests Papa Roach, I Prevail, as well as highly acclaimed newcomer Ice Nine Kills. The tour is co-produced by FRANK PRODUCTIONS and LIVE NATION. See all dates below.

VIP presale, artist presale, and cyber monday presale begins today at 10:00 AM (local time). Citi is the official presale credit card of the tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase U.S. presale tickets beginning Tuesday, December 3rd at 10:00 AM (local time) until Thursday, December 5th at 10:00 PM through Citi’s Entertainment program. Local promoter venue and radio presales will kick off on Thursday, December 5^th at 10:00 AM (local time). Tickets will go on-sale to the general public beginning Friday, December 6^th at 10:00 AM (local time).

Papa Roach have been one of the leaders in alternative rock for nearly 26 years. The two-time GRAMMY-nominated band have sold over 20 million records worldwide, garnered over 2 billion streams to date, and charted over 14 Top 5, hit singles and six #1 hit singles  including “Last Resort” (2000), “Scars” (2005), and most recently, “Born for Greatness” (2018). Their 10th studio album, Who Do You Trust? marks a paradigm career shift for the band, with singles “Who Do You Trust?” and “Elevate” having steadily remained in the Top 10 at Active Rock Radio. For more information on Papa Roach, please visit https://www.paparoach.com

I Prevail’s 2016 debut album, Lifelines was one of the most successful debut releases for a hard rock band in the last decade in terms of sales and streams, with nearly 600,000 copies sold to date. The GRAMMY nominees’ sophomore album, Trauma tells the complicated story of what the band went through to get to where they are today. For more information on I Prevail, please visit http://iprevailband.com

ICE NINE KILLS has built a growing legion of fans with their horror-inspired soundtracks and theatrical live performances. Their new hit single “A Grave Mistake” landed in the Top 10 Rock Radio charts. They were named SiriusXM’s ‘Future Five’ Breakthrough Artists of 2019. Following a world tour, the band released The Silver Scream: Final Cut. For more information www.iceninekills.com

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH are currently touring U.S. arenas before heading to Europe right after the holidays for their nearly sold out arena run with very special guests Megadeth andglobal breakout rock sensation Bad Wolves. Information on all tour dates including links to tickets and VIP packages can be found HERE.

SPRING 2020 US TOUR DATES

4/8   –  Sunrise, FL // BB&T Center

4/10 –  Duluth, GA // Infinite Energy Center

4/11 –  Pelham, AL // Oak Mountain Amphitheater

4/13 –  San Antonio, TX // AT&T Center

4/14 –  Ft. Worth, TX // Dickies Arena

4/16 –  Houston, TX // Toyota Center

4/18 –  Phoenix, AZ // Talking Stick Resort Arena

4/19 –  San Diego, CA // Viejas Arena

4/21 –  Los Angeles, CA // The Forum

4/23 –  Tacoma, WA // Tacoma Dome

4/25 –  Portland, OR // Veteran Memorial Coliseum

4/27 –  Morrison, CO // Red Rocks Amphitheatre

4/29 –  Kansas City, MO // Sprint Center

5/3   –  Baltimore, MD // Royal Farms Arena

5/5   –  Worcester, MA // DCU Center

5/6   –  Newark, NJ // Prudential Center

5/8   –  Cincinnati, OH // Heritage Bank Center

5/12 –  Detroit, MI // Little Caesars Arena

5/14 –  Pittsburgh, PA // PPG Paints Center

5/15 –  Camden, NJ // BB&T Pavilion

5/17 –  Nashville, TN // Bridgestone Arena

5/19 –  Rosemont, IL // Allstate Arena

5/20 –  St. Paul, MN // Xcel Energy Center

Evil has truly never sounded so good.

Blackened blues project ME AND THAT MAN – founded in 2013 by Behemoth frontman Adam Nergal Darski – has officially signed a worldwide contract with Napalm Records (excluding Poland). ME AND THAT MAN released their debut album, Songs of Love and Death, in 2017 – introducing the world to their unique brand of folk and blues, mixed with hints of outlaw country. The atmospherically dark album provides a strong contrast to Behemoth with its catchy melodies and relaxed rhythms, and gives Nergal space to express his creativity in a different setting. Since its release, the album’s lead single, “My Church is Black”, has racked up over 2.5 million streams on Spotify. ME AND THAT MAN has big plans in store in the coming months. NERGAL on the signing: “It’s a pleasure to be working with a brand new team of people on a project which in many ways is brand new to me. We have some big surprises for you in the coming months so keep ‘em peeled. The record has been a lot of hard work; some blood, some tears but just wait and see, it was totally worth it!” Sebastian Münch, A&R Napalm Records, on the signing: “As I’ve been a Johnny Cash fan for many years, Songs of Love and Death turned out to be like a memorial to the country music god himself! Nergal´s creative and musical brilliance redefined an entire genre, and the album’s dark and sinister vibes were most certainly noticed in distant Nashville. Welcome, ME AND THAT MAN, to the Napalm family!”

Watch “My Church Is Black” HERE:

Adam Nergal Darski has been a fixture in the music industry for years. As the frontman of black / death metal band Behemoth, Darski has been known to preach unholy sermons, praise Satan and sing about explicit blasphemy. Naturally, the next step was to channel those themes into another genre commonly dubbed as the Devil’s music – blues.  ME AND THAT MAN is exactly that – Nergal’s solo project will surprise and bewitch the listener. The visionary creative founded the band in an effort to showcase his true ability to adapt to any genre. Released in 2017, ME AND THE MAN’s debut album, Songs of Love and Death, delivered thirteen stunning pieces full of multifaceted riffs and honest lyrics. In summer 2018, a line-up change followed, but Nergal’s solo project was far from over. Stay tuned for more details coming very soon.

ME AND THAT MAN live: 18.– 21.06.2020 BE – Dessel / Graspop Festival 26.06.2020 ES – Madrid / Rock The Night Festival 09.07.2020 SE – Gävle / Gefle Metal Festival 05.08.2020 CZ – Jaromer / Brutal Assault Festival More tba

“Get Loud”

Agnostic Front

Nuclear Blast Records

Tracks: 14

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Agnostic Front is back with a brand new studio album simply titled “Get Loud”. The album which is being released via Nuclear Blast Records features 14 gut crushing tracks that are nothing short of classic hardcore. Picking up where 2015’s “The American Dream Died” left off “Get Loud” comes in hard and fast leaving a giant sized boot print on your senses.

Written after the release of Ian McFarland’s 2017 Documentary “The God Fathers of Hardcore” which depicts members of the band recounting there nearly 40 year career. “Get Loud” could serve as the perfect soundtrack to that film by solidifying where the band is today in 2019. Tracks like “Spray Painted Walls”, “Dead Silence” and “In My Blood” showcase a more modern metal/hardcore sound while tracks like “Anti Social”, “Attention” and “Pull The Trigger” contain that classic hardcore sound which blasted out of places like CBGB’s and the A7 during the gritty pre-Giuliani era New York City. Easily my favorite track of the album is “I Remember” which details the bond between front-man Roger Miret and guitarist Vinnie Stigma. The band recently released a really cool video for this song as well that’s packed with lots a vintage footage and photos.  

Clocking in at a swift thirty minutes, “Get Loud” wastes no time getting in and out. From a performance stand point each member of Agnostic Front brings their A game which smacks you upside the head leaving a mark on your senses. “Get Loud” offers something for the old school and new school hardcore fans making for a solid edition to your music collection.

Track Listing:

1.) Spray Painted Walls

2.) Anti Social

3.) Get Loud

4.) Conquer And Divide

5.) I Remember

6.) Dead Silence

7.) AF Stomp

8.) Urban Decay

9.) Snitches Get Stitches

10.) Isolated

11.) In My Blood

12.) Attention

13.) Pull the Trigger

14.) Devastated

“From the Screen to Your Stereo Tour 2019”

New Found Glory, Hawthorne Heights, Free Throw, Jetty Bones

Friday, November 15^th, 2019

Anthology, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Long time pop-punk mainstays New Found Glory made a stop in the flour city on November 15^th for a sold out show at the intimate Anthology music venue. Now in its second leg the “From the Screen to Your Stereo” tour billing also included Hawthorne Heights, Free Throw and Jetty Bones. The night was an energetic mix of early 2000’s nostalgia and a slew of entertaining covers from some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters.

As the snaking line of concert goers quickly made their way out of the brisk Upstate New York weather and into the quaint concert venue known as Anthology, Ohio natives Jetty Bones took the stage to help warm everyone up. Lead vocalist Kelc Galluzzo and her band laid down a brief but effective 25 minute set packed with emotion and energy that set the bar high right out of the gate. Next to the stage were post-punk rockers Free Throw. The band led by vocalist/guitarist Cory Castro wasted little time as they performed a handful of tracks off their most recent studio “What’s Past Is Prologue” including “The Coroner’s Dilemma” and the melodic “Tail Whip, Struggle” which had the capacity crowd swaying back and fourth in unison. Hawthorne Heights would follow laying down an impressively tight set made up of songs from their newest studio album “Bad Frequencies” along with song from their impressive back catalog including  “Niki FM” and “Pens and Needles” before closing out their 30 minute set with the always formidable “Ohio Is For Lovers”.

Tour headliners New Found Glory would take the stage as if they were fired out of cannon opening their 22 song with their rendition of “This Is Me” from the third installment of their “From The Screen to Your Stereo” trilogy. Front-man Jordan Pundik despite sporting a large cast on his arms was in constant motion along with the rest of the band as they performed songs from their 20+ year career. Songs like “All Down Hill From Here” and “Dressed to Kill” brought back great memories and fit perfectly between covers of “Accidentally in Love” and “Let It Go” which was sung by Elsa herself. Ok maybe it wasn’t the real Elsa but Jordan still did an ok job. The band closed out the core of their set with the song “Hit or Miss” a track they have been performing live since as early as 1998. After a brief pause the band returned to the stage for a three set encore which consisted of the Huey Lewis hit “The Power of Love” along with NFG hits “Head On Collision” and “My Friends Over You”.

New Found Glory have been coming to Rochester since the late nineties heyday of the Water Street Music Hall and the cavernous Harro East Ballroom. The band has always put on solid performances leaving the audiences exhausted and this evening’s show was no exception. Even injuries and frigid weather couldn’t keep the band down as they played to the sold out crowd like the season pro’s they are. The addition of former Yellowcard front-man Ryan Key on guitars and keyboards has been a great addition to the band giving them an extra sonic edge that had been missing for a brief period. With just a few shows left remaining on this tour run you will definitely want to catch the show if it is coming to your area.  

Free Throw Set List:

1.) The Coroner’s Dilemma

2.) Good Job Champ

3.) Randy, I Am the Liquor

4.) Tail Whip, Struggle

5.) Tongue Tied

6.) Better Have Burn Heal

7.) Two Beers In  

Hawthorne Heights Set List:

1.) Niki FM

2.) Where Can I Stab Myself in the Ears?

3.) Crimson Sand

4.) Pens and Needles

5.) The Transition

6.) Saying Sorry

7.) Just Another Ghost

8.) Ohio Is For Lovers

New Found Glory Set List:

1.) This Is Me

2.) Understatement

3.) Truth of My Youth

4.) Accidentally in Love

5.) All Downhill From Here

6.) Better off Dead

7.) Forget My Name

8.) Listen to Your Friends

9.) Let it Go

10.) Something I Call Personality

11.) King of Wishful Thinking

12.) At Least I’m Known for Something

13.) Kiss Me

14.) A Thousand Years

15.) Failure’s Not Flattering

16.) Dressed to Kill

17.) Vicious Love

18.) Iris

19.) Hit or Miss

Encore:

20.) The Power of Love

21.) Head On Collision

22.) My Friends Over You  

“Motörhead ‘79”

Motörhead

BMG

7 LP’s/ 1-45

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The “Motörhead ’79” campaign celebrates the 40^th Anniversary of the incredible Overkill and Bomber albums with fantastic new deluxe editions, both as hardbound book-packs in two CD and triple LP format; featuring previously unheard concerts from the ’79 tours, interviews and many unseen photos created with the full cooperation and involvement of the estates of Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, “Fast” Eddie Clarke and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor.

Over the past few years there have been a number of Motörhead releases honoring the career of “The Worlds Loudest Band”. The latest and possibly largest to date pays homage to the year 1979 when the band released not one but two studio albums “Overkill” and “Bomber”. To recognize this rare accomplishment BMG have compiled a box set like no other. The LP version of the release comes housed in a black biker jacket box which houses both 1979 studio albums, 2 never before heard live albums titled “Good and Loud” Live at Aylesbury Friars and “Sharpshooter” Live at Le Mans, a10 song LP of 1979 outtakes/B-sides and rarities titled “The Rest of ‘79”.

That’s not all though! You also get a reproduction 40 page magazine of corresponding photos of from the era, a reproduction “Bomber” tour program, an “Overkill” Sheet Music book, a 5 pin badge set and if that’s still not enough a “No Class” seven-inch complete with gatefold art. Each LP sounds great as they all have been pressed on 180-gram vinyl and with the reissued “Overkill” and “Bomber” albums being mastered at half speed directly from the original tape. There was just so much to look at and listen to as I merely scratched the surface on my first handful of listens. From studio tracks like “Overkill”, “Damage Case”, “Metropolis”, “Stone Dead Forever” and “Bomber” to live versions of “Motörhead”, “White Line Fever” and “Train Kept A-Rollin” it was impossible to appreciate everything without devoting several or more hours to this package.

I love when bands and labels put together packages that not only are appealing sonically but visually as well. No expense seemed to be spared with “Motörhead ‘79”. From the heavy grade vinyl and rich sound production to the beautifully recreated photos and artwork that adorn not only the album sleeves but the included books, pins and packaging everything you get in this release is top notch. With the holidays right around the corner this is the perfect gift for the music lover on your list. Be prepared though as this thing is heavy both literally and figuratively!

“Overkill” Track listing

1.) Overkill

2.) Stay Clean

3.) (I Won’t) Pay Your Price

4.) I’ll Be Your Sister

5.) Capricorn

6.) No Class

7.) Damage Case

8.) Tear Ya Down

9.) Metropolis

10.) Limb From Limb

“Bomber” Track Listing

1.) Dead Men Tell No Tales

2.) Lawman

3.) Sweet Revenge

4.) Sharpshooter

5.) Poison

6.) Stone Dead Forever

7.) All The Aces

8.) Step Down

9.) Talking Head

10.) Bomber

“Good ‘n’ Loud” Track Listing

1.) Overkill

2.) Stay Clean

3.) Keep Us On The Road

4.) No Class

5.) Leaving Here

6.) Iron Horse/Born to Lose

7.) Metropolis

8.) The Watcher

9.) Damage Case

10.) (I Won’t) Pay Your Price

11.) Capricorn

12.) Too Late, Too Late

13.) I’ll Be Your Sister

14.) I’m Your Witchdoctor

15.) Train Kept A-Rollin’

16.)  White Line Fever

17.) Motörhead

“Sharpshooter” Track Listing

1.) Overkill

2.) Stay Clean

3.) No Class

4.) Metropolis

5.) All The Aces

6.) Dead Men Tell No Tales

7.) I’ll Be Your Sister

8.) Lawman

9.) Too Late, Too Late

10.) Poison

11.) (I Won’t) Pay Your Price

12.) Sharpshooter

13.) Capricorn

14.) Train Kept A-Rollin’

15.) Bomber

16.) Limb From Limb

17.) White Line Fever

18.) Motörhead

“B-Sides, Rarities & Outtakes” Track Listing

1.) Too Late, Too Late

2.) Like A Nightmare

3.) Over The Top

4.) Stone Dead Forever

5.) Sharpshooter

6.) Bomber

7.) Step Down

8.) Fun On The Farm

9.) Treat Me Nice

10.) You Ain’t Gonna Live Forever

“No Class” Track Listing

1.) No Class

2.) Like A Nightmare

Latest Album Walk The Sky Debuted at #1 on Over a Dozen Different Charts Around the Globe

On the heels of their first career #1 on the Top Current Albums Chart in the US, Alter Bridge are announcing the first leg of 2020 of their Walk The Sky Tour. The band will play a kickoff date in Lake Charles, LA at the Golden Nugget Casino on January 31^st before jumping on board Shiprocked as co-headliner alongside Halestorm. Back on land, the band will be making stops in Nashville, TN; Indianapolis, IN; Milwaukee, Wi; and Los Angeles, CA among others before wrapping up on February 27^th in Spokane, WA. Special guests Clint Lowery and Deepfall will open the shows. Fan club pre-sale begins on November 12^th with public on sale on Friday, November 15^th at 10AM local time. Ticket information for all shows can be found at: https://alterbridge.com.

Alter Bridge recently released their latest album Walk The Sky (Napalm Records) to critical acclaim and career milestone chart success. The latest album brought the band comprised of Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips their first ever #1 on Top Current Albums chart. The band’s newest release found a home at #1 on over a dozen charts around the globe including: Top Current Albums (US), Billboard Top Albums (US), Current Hard Music Albums (US), Current Rock Albums (US), Current Alternative Albums (US), Record Label Independent Current Albums (US), Record Label Independent Current Album Consumption (US), Internet Albums (US), Top Albums – Market Share – ADA (US), Top Albums with TEA (US), Hard Music (Canada), Top Hard Music Albums (Canada), 100 Independent Albums (UK), Rock & Metal Chart (UK), Top 100 Swiss Albums (Switzerland). Walk The Sky entered the official album Charts at #3 in Austria, Scotland and the Swedish Hard Rock Charts, at #4 in the UK and Canada at #5 in Germany, at #7 in Australia and #16 on the US Billboard 200. Walk The Sky is produced by longtime collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette and is available in various configurations at https://smarturl.it/WalkTheSky. 

Alter Bridge burst onto the music scene in 2004 with the release of their gold-selling debut, One Day Remains. In 2007, the band released Blackbird, the album that elevated the band’s profile worldwide. The epic solo in the title track “Blackbird” was voted “Greatest Guitar Solo Of All Time” by Guitarist Magazine. ABIII was released in 2010 and the single “Isolation” gave the band their first #1 single. In 2013, the band reached an elevated creative and critical plateau with Fortress. It bowed at #12 on the Billboard Top 200, moving over 30,000 copies first-week and earning unanimous tastemaker praise. The record garnered perfect scores from Total Guitar and KERRANG! as well as acclaim from Billboard, The Guardian, Loudwire, Ultimate Guitar, and many more. In between sold out tours in Europe and North America, the guys appeared on VH1 and graced the cover of Classic Rock Magazine who labeled Fortress, “The best thing they’ve ever done,” while Eddie Trunk called it, “A top 10 album of the last 10 years.” 2016’s The Last Hero gave the band their first Top 10 album since their debut. Alter Bridge has appeared on The Tonight Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live and their music has been used by the WWE, Major League Baseball and NASCAR to name a few. The band recently released the video and audio of their career highlight, Live At The Royal Albert Hall, featuring Alter Bridge backed by the 52-piece Parallax Orchestra led by conductor Simon Dobson. 

Walk The Sky Tour 2020
1-31 – Lake Charles, LA – Golden Nugget Casino *
2-1 – 2-6 – Shiprocked
2-8 – Nashville, TN – War Memorial Auditorium
2-9 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room at Old National Center
2-11 – Huntsville, AL – Mars Music Hall
2-12 – Fort Wayne, IN – Clyde Theatre
2-14 – Belvidere, IL – The Apollo Theatre AC
2-15 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
2-17 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
2-18 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
2-20 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
2-21 – Lake Tahoe, NV – Montbleu Resort
2-23 – San Francisco, CA – The Regency Ballroom
2-24 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
2-26 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
2-27 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory

Watch HERE | New Album, Macro, Out Now – Get Your Copy HERE!
Nearly Sold Out EU-Tour Kicks Off on November 9

JINJER just released their newest modern metal milestone, Macro, on Friday, and there’s no stopping them now – their gripping third official video for the track “Pit Of Consciousness” is out today. The video, presented in full black and white, emphasizes the inner dissension pictured as the narrators “Pit of Consciousness” – lifted musically by a demanding rhythm between punishing riffs, Eugene’s distinctive base lines and Vlad’s intense drumming. Together with Tatiana’s impressive voice, the song pushes the genre to the next level.

“I keep on losing the keys from realityAnd now I’m passing on the wheel to insanity”

Eugene on “Pit Of Consciousness”:“This is a song that can be applied to each of us in the band. Living a life at a full pace after years of touring, have we accidentally let someone else into our heads and become foreigners to ourselves? Holding on to the hope that we can keep those doors shut …”

Watch “Pit of Consciousness” HERE

While January 2019’s Micro EP proved to be a short exercise in madness and technical brilliance, fans still aren’t prepared for what JINJER has in store with the absolutely unbridled Macro. Defying all boundaries, the aptly titled opening track, “On The Top”, features the band`s eclectic trademarks and obeys one law only – their own. Frontwoman Tatiana Shmaylyuk defines the unique character of the Ukrainian act with menacing whispers, enthralling clean vocals and brutal growls whilst lethally groovy riff cascades melt into twisted songwriting. There is space for a microscopic bit of reggae “Judgement (& Punishment)” in all the heaviness, the double bass is beautifully out of control on “Pausing Death”, and technically superior tracks like “Home Back” defy gravity. 

JINJER says about Macro:“Going from small things to bigger ones is the natural order of things, and we’ve paved a path from Micro to Macro, carrying the weight of feelings, emotions and experience. This is a monumental point in the story of JINJER, the quintessence of what makes us what we are now as the people and as a band. We are proud of every single note sung and played on Macro and can’t wait for you to give it a listen!”

Tracklist:

1.On the Top

2.Pit of Consciousness

3. Judgement (& Punishment)

4. Retrospection

5. Pausing Death

6. Noah

7. Home Back

8. The Prophecy

9. lainnereP

Macro is available in the following formats:

·1 CD Jewel Case (20 Page Booklet)

·LP Gatefold BLACK

·LP Gatefold SPLATTER (strictly limited to 500)

·LP Gatefold GREEN TRANSPARENT (strictly limited to 500)

·Deluxe Box – including Music Cassette, lyric book, tote bag, signed autograph cards (strictly limited)· Digital Album

Tour kicks of October 30th with Support from Jared James Nichols and Reverend Jack.

John 5’s New Full-Length Album, “Invasion”, Available Now!

JOHN 5 and the Creatures is set to kick off the second leg of the Invasion Tour 2019 this week in Battle Creek, MI. Jared James Nichols, who supported JOHN 5 on the first leg of the Invasion Tour earlier this year, has once again been tapped to open along with additional support from Reverend Jack.

“I’m excited to get back out on the road with The Creatures and play music from the new album,”JOHN 5 says. “The response to the first leg of the Invasion Tour earlier this year was amazing and I can’t wait to hit even more cities. Jared James Nichols was phenomenal last time around and we are happy to have him join us again.”

Released this summer, JOHN 5‘s highly-anticipated Invasion album received rave reviews all around. Fans were able to get a taste of the album throughout the first half of the year via a series of videos released each month. JOHN 5 kicked off the year with the debut video clip from Invasion, the campy animated “Zoinks!”, followed by three equally eccentric videos for “Midnight Mass,” “I Am John 5” and “Crank It – Living with Ghosts.” A new video for the track “I Want It All” was unveiled along with the release of the album last week. Invasion was produced and mixed by Barry Pointer (Richie Sambora, Joe Perry, Steve Vai, Jackson Browne). JOHN 5 will start 2020 with yet another tour, this time taking JOHN 5 and the Creatures on The Verdict Tour alongside Queensryche.

In addition to praise for the Invasion album, JOHN 5 has been making news for his unlikely appearance on HGTV’s “A Very Brady Renovation.” Susan Olsen, the actress known for her portrayal of the beloved pig-tailed Cindy Brady recently posted a picture of her with JOHN 5 and Cindy’s beloved Kitty Carryall doll. 

“So there are photos that my friends and I have been sitting on because we don’t (and mustn’t) blow the reveals,” she wrote on her Instagram account. “But at last I can share! Cindy has a little brother now. John Brady, welcome to the family!”

Read about meeting and check out the groovy photos of JOHN 5 with Greg, Marcia, Peter, Bobby and Cindy Brady at https://variety.com/2019/music/news/brady-bunch-house-renovation-rob-zombie-guitarist-superfan-1203362443/ and https://loudwire.com/john-5-at-renovated-brady-bunch-home/.

Not long after his adoption by the Bradys, JOHN 5 took to the seas for Megadeth‘s MegaCruise, where the newly-christened “Bad Brady” lived up his name. Before leaving port in San Diego, police arrived at the boat on a noise complaint, threatening to lock up the ship’s captain if JOHN 5 did not stop playing.

Rather than disappoint fans, JOHN 5 and The Creatures moved the concert below deck and finished their set. Read more details on the event in Consequence of Sound: https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/10/john-5-megacruise-noise-ordinance/

Tickets for the Invasion Tour and special VIP Packages are available for all shows through the JOHN 5 webstore

JOHN 5 and The Creatures tour dates:Invasion Tour w/Jared James Nichols and Reverend Jack

10/30 – Music Factory @ Battle Creek, MI

10/31 – Cleveland, OH @ The Winchester 

11/1 – Detroit, MI @ Token Lounge

11/2 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s

11/3 – Ringle, WI @ Q&Z Expo Center

11/5 – Kansasville, WI @ 1175

11/6 – Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club

11/7 – Des Moines, IA @ Lefty’s

11/8 – Omaha, NE @ Sokol Underground

11/9 – Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck

11/11 – St. Louis, MO @ Fubar

11/12 – Memphis, TN @ Growlers

11/14 – Atlanta, GA @ Smith’s Old Bar

11/15 – New Orleans, LA @ The Parish at the House of Blues

11/16 – Miramar Beach, FL @ Village Door Music Hall

11/17 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East

11/18 – Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend

11/20 – Greensboro, NC @ Blind Tiger

11/21 – Annapolis, MD @ Ram’s Head on Stage

11/22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Voltage Lounge

11/23 – Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club

11/24 – Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall

About JOHN 5: JOHN 5 has worked with a varied range of artists, performing as guitarist for some of the biggest headlining rock bands in the world such as Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, as well as playing session with Paul Stanley, Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more. Slash has called JOHN 5, “one of the most mind-blowing guitarists around” and Rob Zombie has dubbed him “a fucking shredder”. JOHN 5 has released seven solo albums to date, as well as a remix album, and has written music for the likes of Motley Crue, Steve Perry, Ricky Martin and others.

JOHN 5 and The Creatures is:

John 5 – guitars

Ian Ross – bass

Logan Miles Nix – drums

“Throwing Copper” 25^th Anniversary Edition

Live

Radioactive/MCA/UMe

Producer: Jerry Harrison/Live

2 LP’s

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

In celebration of Live’s momentous, platinum-selling album “Throwing Copper” 25^th anniversary fans can now celebrate the album that started it all for the Pennsylvania-based band via a Special Edition double LP. First released on April 26, 1994, “Throwing Copper” transformed Live into one of the most lyrically impactful and instrumentally powerful bands of the modern alternative-rock era.

In the mid to late nineties it was almost impossible to turn on the radio or MTV and not hear or see a song/video from Live and the album “Throwing Copper”. As the follow up to Live’s 1991 major label debut “Mental Jewelry”, the album was a big step for the band hailing from the small town of York, PA and would spawn two No.1 Modern Rock singles (“Lightning Crashes,” “Selling The Drama”) and since been certified 8x multiplatinum by the RIAA, selling over 8 million copies. The 25^th Anniversary release of “Throwing Copper” is a fitting recognition the monumental release and comes packed in a full color, dual gatefold sleeve with linear notes and is pressed on either standard black or limited edition red and olive heavy weight vinyl. Though no remixing and mastering was done to this package you do get 3 bonus tracks “Hold Me Up”, “We Deal In Dreams” and “Susquehanna” along with the track “Horse” which was included on the original release as a hidden track.

Revisiting this album in vinyl form was really a lot of fun. It instantly conjured up memories of when I had first heard some of these songs or when I was lucky enough to catch the band on one of their many college tours. Each track offered a warm, more natural sound than what I remember hearing on my digital version so that alone was worth the listen. The addition of the three bonus tracks was also a plus especial the track “Hold Me Up” which was featured in the Kevin Smith film “Zach and Miri Make a Porno”. If you every owned this album and reluctantly sold it to one of those “cash for cd’s” music stores that used to be popular around the same time as when this album first came out then I highly recommend you grab a copy of this album on vinyl as it will surely put a smile on your face while affirming that the 90’s weren’t all bad.     

Track Listing:

Side A:

1. The Dam At Otter Creek

2. Selling The Drama

3. I Alone

4. Iris

Side B:

5. Lighting Crashes

6. Top

7. All Over You

8. Shit Towne

9. T.B.D.

Side C:

10.) Stage

11. Waitress

12. Pillar Of Davidson

13. White, Discussion

Side D:

14.) Horse (Hidden Track On Original Release)

15.) Hold Me Up (Bonus Track)

16.) We Deal In Dream (Bonus Track)

17.) Susquehanna (Bonus Track)

“GET THE MONEY” ALL-NEW FULL-LENGTH ALBUM FEATURING ALL-STAR ROCK ROYALTY SUPPORTING CAST OUT NOVEMBER 8 ON SHANABELLE/RCA RECORDS

On November 8, Taylor Hawkins will descend from the levitating drum throne on which he’s spent two years on tour supporting Foo Fighters’ international #1 album Concrete and Gold. The forthcoming third Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders album, Get The Money, will be released by Shanabelle/RCA Records on that date, and can be pre-ordered now with all pre-orders receiving the instant grat track “Crossed The Line” (featuring guest turns from Hawkins’ bandmate Dave Grohl and Yes vocalist Jon Davison).

Pre-Order Get The Moneyhere. Listen to “Crossed The Line” here. Exclusive Merch bundles are also be available here.

Produced by John Lousteau and Taylor himself, and mixed by Sylvia Massy, Get The Money follows Taylor’s 2016 six-song mini-LP KOTA by three years almost to the day, and features a scope far wider than KOTA’s takes on suburbia’s bizarro underbelly. The new album finds Taylor and Coattail Riders Chris Chaney, Brent Woods and John Lousteau accompanied by an all-star supporting cast including Taylor’s fellow Foo Fighters Dave Grohl and Pat Smear, Roger Taylor, Joe Walsh, Duff McKagan, Nancy Wilson, Chrissie Hynde, Perry Farrell, LeAnn Rimes and more, collectively creating a staggering, epic sprawl that swerves from classic rock to prog and glam and all points between.

The track listing for Get The Money is:

1. Crossed the Line (featuring Dave Grohl, Jon Davison)
2. Don’t Look At Me That Way (featuring Duff McKagan, Nancy Wilson)
3. You’re No Good at Life No More (featuring Dave Grohl)
4. I Really Blew It (featuring Dave Grohl, Perry Farrell)
5. Queen Of The Clowns  (featuring Mark King)
6. Get the Money (featuring Joe Walsh, Chrissie Hynde, Duff McKagan)
7. C U in Hell (featuring LeAnn Rimes)
8. Middle Child (featuring Dave Grohl)
9. Kiss the Ring
10. Shapes Of Things (featuring Roger Taylor, Pat Smear)

Since the Texas-born Laguna-bred force of nature made his Foo Fighting debut on the tour supporting 1997’s sophomore opus The Colour and the Shape, he has been an essential element of the sound and personality of the last great American arena/stadium rock band.  He’s played on Grammy-winning FF albums including “There Is Nothing Left To Lose” , “One by One” and “Wasting Light”, and contributed lead vocals to Concrete and Gold’s “Sunday Rain,” as well as “Cold Day In The Sun” from 2005’s In Your Honor.

Taylor’s previous extracurricular output includes two albums from Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, one with The Birds of Satan, the above-mentioned KOTA mini-LP that featured Hawkins on lead vocals and nearly every instrument.

John Cooper is the vocalist/bassist for the Platinum selling rock group Skillet. The band recently partnered with Z2 Comics to release their first graphic novel titled “Eden”. Media Mikes caught up with John and the band at New York Comic Con to discuss the creation of the book, its similarities to the group’s music and if there will be books to come in the future.    

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us a little bit about the bands new comic “Eden”?

John Cooper: I love comics and they are something I grew up with. I have always looked at Skillet as sort of a theatrical band. When I say theatrical I am meaning more from an operatic feel than that of a visual feel like Kiss or Alice Cooper. I had always envisioned doing a comic book as I see us all as characters. I had sort of put it off because if it’s not done right it can become terribly cheesy. On social media I am always posting about comics and I ended up getting a call from Z2 Comics asking if I would be interested in doing a graphic novel. I told them yes and that I had some story ideas but I wasn’t sure where to begin. They said that’s ok as they had some ideas of their own. I wanted to do something that was more science fiction as opposed to hero driven. I was looking for something with a post-apocalyptic feel but with a message of hope. That’s something you don’t see a lot. The book has sci-fi and super-natural elements mixed in with some religious undertones. In my view I think all great science-fiction have religious elements. When I say “religious” I’m not necessarily meaning Christianity but just religious. Films like “Dune”, “Blade Runner” and “Battlestar Galactica” are solid examples of that.

AL: How much collaboration went into the book?

JC: I brought the theme of a dying world filled with people all having the same dream which is leading them to paradise. I worked with some really great writers who helped me put together all the different ideas I had. Sadly the idea of the glowing eyes was not my idea but one I really liked as it was sort of an homage to “Dune” which is one of my all time favorite books.

Ian Lawton: What did the rest of the band think about the comic?

JC: The band loves the comic. At first I think they weren’t too sure what to expect. My wife Corey knew what I was going for as she knows me really well. I think it’s hard for people to understand what’s in your head when you are creating something. Once the book was done I think they were a little shocked as to how good it was and how emotional it is.

AL: Did the writing for “Eden” happen at the same time you were writing the band’s latest album “Victorious”?   

JC: Yes, I was writing for both things at the same time. It was a very crazy and busy two years. While these two things were going on I also released a side project EP titled “Fight the Fury” along with our drummer Jen’s side project “Ledger”. All of these things were basically written and released in two and half years. Writing for the comic was making me really want to write music so all of these things had me firing on all pistons. Each project worked off of one another.

IM: Was writing the book similar to writing music?

JC: I didn’t notice this until after the book was done and I had read it. I know that may sound sort of silly but, sometimes when you are writing you don’t always notice things others might as you are just going with what is coming out. After I read the book I felt as thou it was very similar to our music. The book is a little dark but it is meaningful. That’s what people say about Skillet songs and I think “Eden” has that same feel.

IM: Can you tell us about the special hardcover edition that will be available?

JC: That’s something that I am still waiting to see myself. I have seen parts of what are going to be in it and I am very excited for the finished version to be available. It’s going to have this really cool axe on it which is my weapon in the book. With this beard I sort of feel like a lumberjack and thought that an axe would be a perfect weapon as opposed to some of the other more futuristic weapons you see in the book.

AL: Is this just a one off book or are there plans to do others?

JC: The band is going to be out on the road until mid December so that’s going to have me tied up for a few months. We have started to talk a little about the possibility of more books but nothing is definite. I think it would be great to do a second one.

To order a copy “Eden” click here and to order Skillets latest album “Victorious” click here   

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS
ANNOUNCE LOST FREQUENCIES
DUE OUT NOVEMBER 8TH VIA PURE NOISE RECORDS

STREAM NEW SINGLE
“HARD TO BREATHE” AT SMARTURL.IT/HHBF

Supporting New Found Glory on upcoming
From The Screen To Your Stereo To Your Town Tour

Hawthorne Heights have announced they will be releasing a collection of B-Sides and Rarities titled Lost Frequencies, due out November 8th via Pure Noise Records. In addition to today’s announcement, the band released a brand new single and music video for “Hard To Breathe.” “I grew up in a home built on a fractured marriage, alcoholism, and a mother who loved us, but just didn’t know how to articulate it into words. We packed up all of our things and left my father behind in the winter of 1989, and never looked back. I didn’t see him again, until he was in a coffin” shares vocalist JT Woodruff on the personal track.

“Hard To Breathe is the story of my youth from 1988-1992. I spent a lot of time with quiet resentment, until I found my circle of friends, and felt outside love for the first time. While the story has some dark twists and turns, it’s really just an articulation of some of the coldest nights of my life.”

Fans can stream the new music video and pre-order Lost Frequencies at https://smarturl.it/HHBF

Hawthorne Heights will be supporting New Found Glory on their upcoming From The Screen To Your Stereo To Your Town Tour. Celebrating the pop-punk legend’s recent release of their third cover album, Hawthorne Heights decided they’d join in the fun and dropped a special cover of The Ramones’ “Pet Sematary” today.

“What is better than October and The Ramones? Hawthorne Heights has been notoriously obtuse when it comes to doing cover songs. For some reason, The Ramones are the great equalizer for us” shares Woodruff on the cover.

“We all love the Stephen King book, and watched the movie growing up, so it was a true no brainer for us. The significance is that it got us to play covers together after all of these years, and it opened our eyes to how fun it can be. In honor of one of the best months of the year, one of the best punk bands of all time, and the best storyteller that has ever existed: we give you our version of Pet Sematary. We’ve never down strummed so much guitar in our lives.” For more information on upcoming tour dates, please head to http://hawthorneheights.com/.

Upcoming Hawthorne Heights US Tour Dates:
November 2 – Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic Lounge
November 3 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
November 5 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre
November 6 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
November 7 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
November 8 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
November 9 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
November 10 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
November 12 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection
November 13 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
November 14 – Montreal, QC – L’Astral
November 15 – Rochester, NY – Anthology
November 16 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theater
November 17 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
November 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre
November 20 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
November 21 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
November 22 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
November 23 – Richmond, VA – The National
November 25 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
November 26 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn

This is the follow up release to the band’s latest full length, Bad Frequencies, which was released last year via Pure Noise Records. It was the band’s first full-length release since 2013 and gave fans a look back on why Hawthorne Heights has maintained such a strong presence in the genre while continuously growing, maturing and reflecting on life as musicians and as men. The album was produced by Hawthorne Heights along with Nick Ingram (Hotel Books, Capital House Studio), and mixed by Cameron Webb (Grammy Winner, NOFX, Social Distortion).

Fans can stream and purchase Bad Frequencies on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and at http://hawthorneheights.com/.

 

• HUGH JACKMAN – THE MAN, THE MUSIC.  THE SHOW.
• The United Center – Chicago, Illinois
• October 11, 2019

Most people know Hugh Jackman as the claw sprouting X-man known as Wolverine.  And if that’s all they know him as, shame on them.  True fans know him as the Oscar-nominated, Tony Award winning actor whose been singing and dancing for years.  And it was those fans that were in attendance at the United Center in Chicago as Jackman continues his very successful tour.

The show kicked off with a rousing performance of “The Greatest Show,” followed by “Come Alive,” both from the very popular film “The Greatest Showman.”  While performing, Jackman noticed a fan holding up a sign stating it was her birthday.  He very graciously bent down to give her a hug as well as take a selfie with her.  He then noted that it was technically his birthday already in Australia (he turned 51 on October 12).  While addressing the audience he noticed a young boy down below in the floor audience who was dressed up like Jackman in “The Greatest Showman.”  He climbed off the stage to say hello to the boy and received a huge hug from the boy.  Returning to the stage, he explained how his first stage musical was “Beauty and the Beast,” then proceeded to perform the song “Gaston.”

He shared some information about his wife of 23 years and then sat down at the piano to play (and sing) “All the Way.”  After a medley saluting New York City he told a story about how he had worked on “The Greatest Showman” for eight years before it was made.  He also noted how there had been multiple workshops for the film and that Keala Settle had participated in all of them.  He then introduced Ms. Settle, who pretty much brought the house down with a rousing rendition of “This is Me.”  After performing a song from her upcoming album, Jackman returned to the stage and closed the first act with a few numbers from “Les Miserables,” accompanied by an enthusiastic group of singers and dancers.

The second act opened with a clip of Jackman receiving the Tony Award for his portrayal of songwriter and performer Peter Allen in “The Boy from Oz.”  Jackman took to the stage AS Peter Allen and sang a few of the songs Allen had written/co-written in his career.    The amazing dancing continued as he performed a song – “A Million Dreams” – which included sign language which was part of the choreography.  Between numbers, Jackman continually told great stories and would occasionally wander into the audience to greet concert goers.  At one point, he addressed the audience as honestly as I’ve ever head a performer, thanking all in attendance for not only supporting him but for taking the tine and spending the money to do so.  This is a man who not only appreciates his fans but goes out of his way to let him know so.

A couple of Aboriginal songs, complete with Didgeradoos helped close the show, along with Jackman doing a moving version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”  All in all, it was an amazing night with an amazing talent!

Mr. Jackman’s tour is continuing throughout North America.  To see if he’s coming to your town, click HERE!

SET LIST

The Greatest Show, Come Alive, Gaston, All the Way, New York, New York/On Broadway/Empire State of Mind, This is Me, Harder, Valjean’s Soliloquy/I Dreamed a Dream/One Day More, Not the Boy Next Door, Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)/Don’t Cry Out Loud/ I Honestly Love You/ Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage/ I Go to Rio, Tenterfield Saddler, A Million Dreams, Luck Be a Lady/ Singin’ in he Rain/ I Got Rhythm/Steppin’ Out With My Baby/ Sing Sing Sing, 42nd Street/Thunderstruck, Art Song, Inhibition, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, From Now On, Once Before I Go

 

 

 

 

 

“Deserted”
Gatecreeper
Relapse Records
Tracks: 11

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

It’s October and what better time of year to unleash a crusty death metal album upon the world? After three long years and numerous splits and EPs later, Arizona death metal band Gatecreeper return with possibly the best death metal album of 2019. Deserted, released October 4th on Relapse Records is a shear force of nature. Upon listening, the album summons desert twisters of sand and sidewinders it’s so heavy.

There should be no worry of a sophomore slump here. These guys take their art seriously and have only honed in on what makes them so great. The musicianship and songwriting has elevated to new heights on this album. Every riff soaked song is seeping with what you love about Gatecreeper, with some new elements thrown in. Songs like “Puncture Wounds” will be a welcomed breath of fresh air for those growing tired of the early-90’s era death metal revival. While tracks “Everlasting” and “Sweltering Madness” may be the best material the best has ever released. Three minutes into the former and any self-respecting metalhead is telling their friends to “shut-up and listen to this part.”

They stick to their guns on this one and stay true to the Gatecreeper formula. Yet they still manage to bring something new out of the coffin and continue to impress. All of the bands influences are on display here, granting some nostalgia to old school death metal fans. Chase Mason’s vocals are as low as ever, while his blood-curdling metal shrieks have really tightened up compared to earlier releases. Guitar riffoholics Jack Maniacky and Eric Wagner have improved their skills and completely plastered this album in thick, heavy riffs. While the rhythm section, bassist Sean Mears and drummer Matt Arrebollo, have impressively made every song on the album engaging and great for head-banging. Let’s not forget about the amazing as always Godcity mixing done by the legendary Kurt Ballou.

This album should be listened to at high volumes and while you’re punching someone in the face. It’s heavy, grimy, and sometimes slightly melodic and creepy. Everything you need in a death metal album. If you’re sleeping on this band you need to get to the nearest record store or on the internet and become the next biggest Gatecreeper fan. Death metal and the metal scene at large needs bands like this to keep putting out quality music and make us all proud to be fans of this often overlooked genre. Check out “Deserted” today and be sure to catch Gatecreeper on tour with Exhumed throughout the end of 2019

Track Listing:
1. Deserted
2. Puncture Wounds
3. From the Ashes
4. Ruthless
5. Everlasting
6. Barbaric Pleasures
7. Sweltering Madness
8. Boiled Over
9. In Chains
10. Absence of Light
11. Anxiety (Bonus Track)