Prog Metal legends System Of A Down have announced three stadium events for Summer 2025.
The first will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, on August 27 and 28 with Korn; the second show to be held atSoldier Field in Chicago, IL, on August 31 with Avenged Sevenfold, and the final show at Rogers Stadium in Toronto, ON, on September 3 with Deftones. Special guests Polyphia and Wisp will open for all three shows.
As the most inspired, impactful, and inimitable rock band of the 21st century, System of a Down has sold over 40 million records worldwide, earned a GRAMMY® Award, and headlined arenas, festivals, and stadiums on multiple continents, worldwide. Formed in Los Angeles, the group have soundtracked personal, political, sonic, and spiritual revolution since the 1998 release of their multi-platinum self-titled debut. The quartet have consistently sold out shows worldwide and regularly register over 23.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify, making them one of the most-listened to rock/alternative bands in the world. System of a Down is Daron Malakian [guitars, vocals], Serj Tankian [vocals, keys], Shavo Odadjian [bass], and John Dolmayan [drums].
Korn changed the world with the release of their self-titled debut album. It was a record that would pioneer a genre, while the band’s enduring success points to a larger timeless, cultural moment. Since forming, Korn has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, collected two GRAMMY®s, toured the world countless times, and set many records in the process that will likely never be surpassed. Korn has continued to push the limits of the rock, alternative and metal genres, while remaining a pillar of influence for legions of fans and generations of artists around the globe.
Korn – Albany, March 2022 – photo by Zak Radick
Avenged Sevenfold have sold millions of albums worldwide, earned two consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart (2010’s Nightmare and 2013’s Hail To The King), have over a billion video views and a billion-plus Spotify streams, as well as multiple No. 1 singles on rock radio. The band (comprising M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance, Johnny Christ and Brooks Wackerman) is equally known for their spectacular live shows, selling out arenas and headlining the world’s most prestigious rock festivals as well as always being at the forefront of rapidly changing technology, cultural mile markers, and new ways for communities to engage.
Formed in Sacramento, CA in 1988, Deftones are one of the most influential alternative bands in the world. The band, comprised of Chino Moreno, Frank Delgado, Stephen Carpenter, and Abe Cunningham, has released nine studio albums, with the most recent release being GRAMMY®-nominated Ohms. Deftones’ culture is revered as one of the most fervent that exists.
Tickets will be available starting with an artist presale beginning on Wednesday, December 11. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, December 13 at 12 pm at LiveNation.com
Legendary singer/songwriter James Taylor has announced his 2025 summer tour with his All-Star Band, covering 24 shows across the US and Canada.
The show’s penultimate performance will take place at Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, colloquially known as CMAC.
The tour will see Taylor & His All-Star Band perform at a number of iconic venues and will kick off on May 5th in Phoenix, AZ and will conclude on July 1st in Gilford, NH.
As a recording and touring artist, James Taylor has touched people with his warm baritone voice and distinctive style of guitar-playing for more than 50 years, while setting a precedent to which countless young musicians have aspired. Over the course of his celebrated songwriting and performing career, Taylor has sold more than 100 million albums, earning gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards since the release of his self-titled debut album in 1968. In 2015, Taylor released Before This World, the first-ever #1 album of his illustrious career.
photo by James Sullivan, SPAC August 2021
Taylor has won multiple GRAMMY Awards, has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll and the prestigious Songwriters Halls of Fame and in February 2006, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences selected him its MUSICARES Person of the Year. Taylor was also awarded the distinguished Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government and the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in 2012.
In November of 2015, Taylor was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor and in December of 2016 he received the Kennedy Center Honors, which are presented annually to individuals who have enriched American culture by distinguished achievement in the performing arts. In early 2020 Taylor released Break Shot, a deeply personal and authentic audio-only memoir detailing his first 21 years. He also released his newest album, American Standard, his 19th studio album, which earned Taylor the 2021 GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and gave him the honor of being the first artist to have a Billboard Top 10 album in each of the past six decades.
photo by James Sullivan – SPAC August, 2021
Supporting Taylor will be Tiny Habits, a Boston-bred band that has been praised by the likes of NPR and The New Yorker. Last year, the group opened for Gracie Abrams on her North American and Australian tour dates, and also opened for Noah Kahan on his European tour. They have performed with Lizzy McAlpine on her Tiny Desk appearance, harmonized with Kacey Musgraves and Laufey among many others. The Habits released their debut album All For Something via Mom+Pop records in May of 2024. The band hit the road supporting Vance Joy and Lake Street Dive while finishing 2024 with a headline tour of Australia. Their latest single, ‘For Sale Sign’ with Lizzy McAlpine is out now.
Tickets for the 2025 summer tour dates go on sale to the public on Friday, December 13th at 10AM local time. For all upcoming routing, please see dates listed below and visit https://tour.jamestaylor.com/ for more information.
JAMES TAYLOR SUMMER 2025 TOUR DATES
5/5/2025 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
5/7/2025 – Palm Desert, CA – Acrisure Arena
5/8/2025 – Highland, CA – Yaamava Theater
5/10/2025 – San Diego, CA – Rady Shell
5/11/2025 – San Diego, CA – Rady Shell
5/13/2025 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
5/14/2025 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
5/16/2025 – Stanford, CA – Frost Amphitheater
5/17/2025 – Lincoln, CA – The Venue at Thunder Valley
5/19/2025 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheatre
5/21/2025 – Nampa, ID – Ford Amphitheater
5/23/2025 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheatre
5/25/2025 – Seattle, WA – Chateau St. Michelle Winery
5/26/2025 – Seattle, WA – Chateau St. Michelle Winery
6/13/2025 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks
6/14/2025 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks
6/17/2025 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Center
6/19/2025 – Highland Park, IL – Ravinia
6/21/2025 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest*
6/23/2025 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
6/24/2025 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
The whimsical singer-songwriter AURORA graced the stage of the Beacon Theatre for two nights amid her sold out What Happened to the Heart? world tour.
If you’re in search of an act straight from a storybook, look no further than AURORA. With a signature sound akin to a woodland fairytale, a voice that positively twinkles, and whimsical yet cutting lyricism, AURORA revels in the magical and channels the mystical in every sense of the words.
Born and raised in Norway, Aurora Aksnes exists within an ethereal sonic sphere entirely of her own. Beginning her songwriting and dance journeys at the age of six, creation is in her blood.
A self described “forest person,” AURORA has compared her home place of Drange to Narnia, spending her time in her home when not spent adventuring through the woods.
Releasing her fifth album What Happened to the Heart? in June of this year, AURORA’s most recent release and its subsequent headlining tour stems from a letter co-written by indigenous activists titled “We Are The Earth” which described the earth as “the heart that pulsates within us,” creating the inspiration for the album’s core concept.
Announced alongside the album was the What Happened to the Heart? world tour, which has and will continue to take AURORA throughout Europe, the United States, and South America- including a date at Manhattan’s own Beacon Theatre, which was soon expanded into a two-show run for its impressive demand.
Before the show even began, the Beacon Theatre was positively teeming with excitement. Folks were dressed in everything from band tees to ball gowns, couples were wandering the packed foyer excitedly pointing towards the merchandise table, and children were gasping in awe of the theater’s grandeur atop parents’ shoulders.
With opening support by neo-soul and hip hop artist Biig Piig, the evening’s festivities were off to a wonderfully mesmerizing start as she encouraged audience members to stand up and dance if they so wished in between tracks like the wonderfully smooth “Roses and Gold” and the hard hitting “Decimal” that had light production for days.
Prior to AURORA’s exciting step on stage, the lights dimmed to allow a nostalgically hazy projection begin to play. The excitement was palpable, but fans kept sound to an absolute hush to experience the visual to its fullest extent before she twirled her way on stage to an explosion of cheers.
Delivering a hauntingly magical performance of “Church Yard” and “Soulless Creatures,” AURORA’s main support was a small set of other vocalists that turned the theatre into an echo chamber.
With a full set list of 21 tracks, AURORA’s musicality and vibrancy both vocally and in her stage presence was on full display paired with the Theatre’s groundbreaking new Sphere Immersive Sound system.
Dazzling fans for the second night in a row with her shimmering voice, dazzling spins and leaps, and effortless sense of musical presence, AURORA made the New York dates of her What Happened to the Heart? tour ones to remember.
AURORA – Beacon Theatre – Friday, December 6, 2024
Bluegrass legend Alison Krauss and her band Union Station have announced their first tour in 10 years, the Arcadia 2025 Tour, alongside special guest Willie Watson with an extensive list of dates that include two stops in New York State.
A multi-instrumentalist, producer, and singer, Alison Krauss is a modern bluegrass legend. With 27 Grammy Awards of 42 nominations, the title of International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductee, and a whopping 14 albums under her belt, itâs no wonder as to why.
Krauss partnered up with the band Union Station tangentially with the release of her first solo works, reworking themselves to Alison Krauss & Union Station soon after and quickly becoming a cornerstone unit of the bluegrass and country scenes.
Known for their boundary-transcending sound, Alison Krauss & Union Station went quiet after the release of their 2011 album Paper Airplane that saw major critical success. Over the years, the unit brought their talents to stages across the globe, but similarly took a pause on performances as a unit in 2015. However, both of these hiatuses are about to change.
In an exciting announcement, the unit has made impressive progress on their newest album release slated for 2025 in addition to an impressive tour titled Arcadia that will take Alison Krauss & Union Station across the United States and Canada over the course of 73 shows, including two nights in Manhattan and Lewiston.
Having recently joined the ranks of the band and soon to be traveling North America alongside them is the vocalist and guitarist Russell Moore, best known for his work as the frontman of IIIrd Tyme Out. Being the most awarded male vocalist in the history of the International Bluegrass Music Association, Mooreâs skills will make for a stellar addition to each nightâs performance.
If all of that wasnât exciting enough, Alison Krauss & Union Station have announced that support for the tour will come in the form of special guest Willie Watson. Fans can look forward to hearing tracks brand new and time-honored all the same as the band kicks off their performances in the spring.
âIâm so grateful to get to make music again with my comrades of 40 years. Theyâve always accomplished incredible work individually and have been constantly traveling because of it. Weâre very inspired to experience this new exciting chapter in the bandâs history.â
– Alison Krauss
Tickets for Alison Krauss & Union Stationâs exciting Arcadia tour are available now. The band will be making two stops in New York, first at the historic Beacon Theatre in Manhattan on September 12 and then at the Artpark Mainstage Theater in Lewiston on September 21.
For more information on dates, to-be-announced special guests, and ticket purchasing opportunities, be sure to check out Alison Kraussâ official website here.
The expansive full list of Arcadia 2025 Tour dates are below.
TOUR DATES
Thursday, April 17, 2025 | The Louisville Palace | Louisville, KY
Friday, April 18, 2025 | The Louisville Palace | Louisville, KY
Saturday, April 19, 2025 | Mershon Auditorium | Columbus, OH
Friday, April 25, 2025 | Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park | Atlanta, GA
Saturday, April 26, 2025 | Live Oak Bank Pavilion | Wilmington, NC
Sunday, April 27, 2025 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre | Cary, NC
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | Bell Auditorium | Augusta, GA
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | The Adderley Amphitheater | Tallahassee, FL
Friday, May 2, 2025 | The Wharf Amphitheater | Orange Beach, AL
Saturday, May 3, 2025 | Brandon Amphitheater | Brandon, MS
Sunday, May 4, 2025 | BJCC Concert Hall | Birmingham, AL
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 | Orpheum Theatre | Memphis, TN
Monday, May 12, 2025 | First Security Amphitheater | Little Rock, AR
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | The Criterion | Oklahoma City, OK
Thursday, May 15, 2025 | Saint Louis Music Park | Maryland Heights, MO
Friday, May 16, 2025 | Walmart AMP | Rogers, AR
Saturday, May 17, 2025 | Starlight Theatre | Kansas City, MO
Thursday, May 29, 2025 | Smart Financial Centre | Sugar Land, TX
Friday, May 30, 2025 | Whitewater Amphitheater | New Braunfels, TX
Saturday, May 31, 2025 | The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory | Irving, TX
Tuesday, June 3, 2025 | PNC Pavilion | Cincinnati, OH
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 | Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater | Decatur, IL
Friday, June 6, 2025 | BMO Pavilion | Milwaukee, WI
Saturday, June 7, 2025 | The Chicago Theatre | Chicago, IL
Sunday, June 8, 2025 | The Ledge | Waite Park, MN
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 | Vetter Stone Amphitheater | Mankato, MN
Wednesday, June 11, 2025 | Bayfront Festival Park | Duluth, MN
Friday, June 13, 2025 | McGrath Amphitheatre | Cedar Rapids, IA
Saturday, June 14, 2025 | Denny Sanford Premier Center | Sioux Falls, SD
Sunday, June 15, 2025 | The Astro Amphitheater | Omaha, NE
Monday, June 16, 2025 | Hartman Arena | Park City, KS
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO
Friday, June 20, 2025 | Dillon Amphitheater | Dillon, CO
Saturday, June 21, 2025 | Kit Carson Park | Taos, NM
Friday, July 11, 2025 | Arizona Financial Theatre | Phoenix, AZ
Saturday, July 12, 2025 | The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park | San Diego, CA
Sunday, July 13, 2025 | Greek Theatre | Los Angeles, CA
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | Santa Barbara Bowl | Santa Barbara, CA
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 | The Mountain Winery | Saratoga, CA
Friday, July 18, 2025 | Grand Theatre | Reno, NV
Saturday, July 19, 2025 | Redding Civic Auditorium | Redding, CA
Sunday, July 20, 2025 | Edgefield Amphitheater | Troutdale, OR
Tuesday, July 22, 2025 | Wine Country Amphitheater | Walla Walla, WA
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 | Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden | Boise, ID
Saturday, July 26, 2025 | Theatre at the Brick | Bozeman, MT
Sunday, July 27, 2025 | BECU Live at Northern Quest | Airway Heights, WA
Tuesday, July 29, 2025 | Grey Eagle Resort & Casino | Calgary, AB
Thursday, July 31, 2025 | TCU Place | Saskatoon, SK
Friday, August 1, 2025 | Centennial Concert Hall | Winnipeg, MB
Tuesday, August 19, 2025 | Massey Hall | Toronto, ON
Thursday, August 21, 2025 | Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park | Indianapolis, IN
Friday, August 22, 2025 | Ascend Amphitheater | Nashville, TN
Saturday, August 23, 2025 | The Tennessee Theatre | Knoxville, TN
Sunday, August 24, 2025 | The Tennessee Theatre | Knoxville, TN
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 | Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium | Chattanooga, TN
Thursday, August 28, 2025 | The Dome | Virginia Beach, VA
Friday, August 29, 2025 | Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront | Richmond, VA
Saturday, August 30, 2025 | Earl Scruggs Music Festival | Mill Spring, NC
Saturday, September 6, 2025 | Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre | Sterling Heights, MI
Sunday, September 7, 2025 | Jacobs Pavilion | Cleveland, OH
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | Wolf Trap | Vienna, VA
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 | The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark | Philadelphia, PA
Friday, September 12, 2025 | Beacon Theatre | New York, NY
Tuesday, September 16, 2025 | Veterans Memorial Auditorium | Providence, RI
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | Leader Bank Pavilion | Boston, MA
Friday, September 19, 2025 | BankNH Pavilion | Gilford, NH
Saturday, September 20, 2025 | The Green at Shelburne Museum | Shelburne, VT
Sunday, September 21, 2025 | Artpark Mainstage Theater | Lewiston, NY
Tuesday, September 23, 2025 | Salem Civic Center | Salem, VA
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 | Credit One Stadium | Charleston, SC
Friday, September 26, 2025 | The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre | St. Augustine, FL
Saturday, September 27, 2025 | The BayCare Sound | Clearwater, FL
Sunday, September 28, 2025 | Hard Rock Live | Hollywood, FL
For the past quarter century, a trio of future-forward NYC-based musicians have been deftly navigating the boundaries between King Tubby-style dub, Delta Blues, electronica, 70s-styled jazz fusion, metal, ambient, noise- and progressive-rock to the delight of discerning audiences and delighted critics alike. On Saturday, December 7, this triumvirate, Harriet Tubman, provided a 90-minute set of unparalleled sonic and melodic creativity for the culmination of the latest season of soul-stirring concerts at Poughkeepsie’s Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center curated by Elysium Furnace Works.
Harriet Tubman was formed 25 years ago by some of the most versatile and ferocious players on the scene: guitarist/vocalist Brandon Ross (Cassandra Wilson, Lounge Lizards), bassist Melvin Gibbs (Decoding Society, Henry Rollins), and drummer JT Lewis (Sonny Sharrock, William Parker, Whitney Houston). They take their moniker from Harriet Tubman, an African-American woman born into slavery who was renowned as a liberator of other slaves who, like she, chose to seek freedom by escaping to the North. She accomplished this with the help of a secret network of safe houses, or “stations,” on what was known as “The Underground Railroad.” Together, the trio has waxed five critically acclaimed albums, including I Am A Man (1998), Ascension (2011), and their latest, The Terror End of Beauty (2018).
Many of the original compositions performed commence with tightly structured melodic heads before departing for improvisations that venture into noisy, fierce dissonance. But for all the stylistic departures and daring atmospherics, the underlying melodies and phrasing are a mournful and beautiful blue. Maybe like Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys, a favorite comparison often pulled up by critics, Harriet Tubman is a blues band in disguise – a genuinely original one unchained from the 12-bar, 1-4-5 form, one completely abetted rather than undermined by the technology they wield.
In his work with vocalists like Cassandra Wilson and Jewel and his excellent solo discs like Costume (2004), Ross is coveted for his delicate acoustic guitar work. In Tubman, he is unleashed and fully electrified. He’s most often the one creating the backdrop, with washes of gentle chording and loops that serve as the sonic undercurrent for Tubman’s tunes. Then he turns his Fender Twin to 11 and stomps on his numerous distortion pedals, filters and wah-wah to conjure soaring solos that square the root of Hendrix, Sonic Youth, saxman Albert Ayler, and another great avant-garde guitarist of a generation only slightly before, Michael Gregory Jackson.
Once called the “egg in the meatloaf” by his one-time band leader, the late Ronald Shannon Jackson, Gibbs’s bass playing is as solid and rootsy as it comes. He uses his five-string fed through a massive Ampeg speaker cabinet to provide rib-shaking sub-harmonic riffery. These are usually unadorned and repetitive four to five-note lines that anchor the band. However, much of the uniqueness of the Tubman sound comes when Melvin stretches the limits of the bass. His lines are often heavily distorted and looped, and he frequently holds down the harmony for the band with his chording on tunes like “Farther Unknown.” On several, Gibbs was the main texture, laying down his repetitive echoed drenched textures, often with a string generator, over which he laid down furious sheets of sound solos.
Drummer Lewis provided an adept circle of rhythm to keep the trio firing on all cylinders. But what may be most impressive is his restraint. Several times in the set, JT just sat out completely, adding a more intimate dimension for the duet and interplay created by his guitarist and bassist.
Standouts in the set were the aforementioned “Farther Unknown” and “Green Book Blues,” the latter is a nod to the famous travel guide written in the 1930s that helped African-American road trippers get safely from one place to another. This tune included a great deal of melodic tension, with a cool reverse-delay effect on Ross’s guitar during his fuzzy, screamy solo providing a ghostly ambience.
The trio offered up an excellent take on the bluesy ballad, “Where We Stand,” from their acclaimed 1998 debut disc, “I Am A Man.” Ross’ melody evolves slowly, with subtle volume swells, over Lewis’ chattered cymbal work. It was an unhurried purple lament, a sad lullaby with spacey overtones. A higher energy approach came to the fore with “Adapted,” the set opener also from their debut disc, and “The Terror End of Beauty” the title track of their latest album.
After a brief flowing intro, “Adapted” kicked in, driven by a strong, kind of prog-rock, odd meter beat by Lewis and Gibb’s busy percolating bass. Ross’s solo was brisk, leaning on blues and chromatic side-stepping smears. This tune showcased JT’s deft drumming, with his building to numerous crescendos introduced with tight rolls to fire Ross’ soloing. “The Terror End of Beauty” was introduced as a tribute to the late avant-garde guitar pioneer Sonny Sharrock. An evocative climbing and descending minor chordal pattern played by Gibbs devolves into a fierce noise extravaganza, one that was pure Sharrock and made a Sonic Youth rave-up sound like Yacht Rock. Noise and dissonance led to even more furious strumming and, finally more dark, unnerving majesty when Ross, like Sonny, employed a slide and some furious fist bashing and atonal tapping on his guitar.
Seeing a healthy crowd support this kind of exploratory music in the Hudson Valley was heartwarming. Some audience members even traveled up from the Big Apple for this event. James Keepnews and Mike Faloon, the duo behind event curator Elysium Furnace Works, should be commended for their dedication to bringing “vanguard artists” like this immensely talent trio to our area.
On Sunday, Dec. 15 from 3- 5 pm, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (BKCM) will present its inaugural Holiday Extravaganza featuring Caroling, Klezmer, Calypso, tea, dance lessons, and more.
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music‘s multicultural celebration invites New Yorkers of all ages to enjoy a variety of musical performances in its historic Park Slope Victorian mansion, including the surrounding gardens and front stoop. Guests can look forward to shows from BKCM’s Klezmer Hanukkah Ensemble, David Bertrand’s Calypso holiday band, and Christmas carolers, among others.
Attendees can visit the delicious Tea Station provided by Tea Arts & Culture and can also participate in dance lessons offered by Asase Ya Cultural Arts Foundation. Additionally, everyone is welcome to join in a special sing-along of Handel’s Messiah, suitable for all ages and skill levels. Guests will also be able to engage in holiday crafts from around the world and can bring their children to explore various musical instruments available at BKCM.
“The more, the merrier,” says Chad Cooper, Executive Director of the BKCM. “We love the holiday season at BKCM, but we truly embrace the spirit of togetherness year-round. We regularly host community events for our neighbors across the city to sing, dance, and enjoy each other’s company through the shared experience of live music. So, whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah—whether you’re a professional musician or simply a singer in the shower—we hope you’ll join our festivities. You won’t find five floors of music anywhere else!”
This inaugural holiday event follows in the tradition of other beloved celebrations at the Conservatory, including its annual benefit, House Party, and the yearly outdoor summer music festival, Open Stages.
Proceeds from the event will support the nonprofit’s programs and its mission to transform lives and build community through the expressive, educational, and therapeutic powers of music. To ensure accessibility for all, the Conservatory is offering pay-what-you-wish ticket pricing for the Holiday Extravaganza, with a suggested donation of $20 per ticket for those who are able. You can RSVP and learn more here.
Rock powerhouses Breaking Benjamin and Staind have announced their upcoming co-headlining “Awaken The Fallen Tour.” The tour sees a single date in New York at SPAC on May 23. The bands are joined by special guests Wage War and Lakeview.
The 20-city tour kicks off on April 26 at Brandon Amphitheater in Brandon, MS making stops across the U.S. in Nashville, Tampa, Cincinnati, Green Bay, and more before wrapping up in Kansas City, MO at T-Mobile Center on June 1.
Staind is comprised of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist and backing vocalist Johnny April, and drummer Sal Giancarelli. The band was formed in 1995 in their hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts. Over the course of their career, Staind has released eight studio albums and twelve top 10 singles, selling over 15 million albums worldwide.
STAIND & BREAKING BENJAMIN âAWAKEN THE FALLENâ TOUR DATES:
Sat Apr 26 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater
Sun Apr 27 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Tue Apr 29 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Coliseum
Wed Apr 30 – Evansville, IN – Ford Center
Sat May 03 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
Tue May 06 – Lubbock, TX – United Supermarkets Arena
Wed May 07 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
Sat May 10 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater
Sun May 11 – Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Center Propst Arena
Tue May 13 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre â RESCHEDULED DATE
Wed May 14 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre â RESCHEDULED DATE
Sat May 17 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Mon May 19 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
Wed May 21 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
Fri May 23 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC
Sun May 25 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Tue May 27 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center
Wed May 28 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
Sat May 31 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Council Bluffs – Stir Cove Event & Concert Venue
Sun June 1 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
For more information on the upcoming “Awaken The Fallen Tour” and to purchase tickets, click here.
On Nov. 13, Gina Birch, founding member of influential punk band The Raincoats, released a cover of Yoko Ono‘s “Listen, The Snow is Falling” through Jack White‘s Third Man Records.
The single, written by Ono and recorded with the Plastic Ono Band, was originally released as the b-side of John Lennon’s 1971 single “Happy Xmas (War is Over).” This single marks Birch’s first release since her solo debut album, I Play My Bass Loud, in 2023.
In 2023, Birch, with bandmates Marie Merlet and Jenny Green, chose to play “Listen, the Snow is Falling” at Tate Britain during the Yoko Ono exhibition. Birch thought it would be great to play one of Ono’s songs during the performance even though it was August.
Feeling particularly connected to Ono at the time, Birch selected the song for its haunting beauty, noting that it was released as a b-side. “Who doesn’t love a b-side?” she remarked. Birch had also been asked to write about Yoko Ono for the Tate magazine and had recently painted a full-length portrait of her for her exhibition featuring “Goddesses and Inspirations” at Gallery 46.
Inspired by the performance, Merlet suggested they record the song as a Christmas single. Birch noted that she had never made a Christmas single before, making it feel particularly fitting. They recorded it in Birch’s basement, collaboratively coming up with ideas. The track was mixed by Merlet and then mastered by Warren Defever at Third Man Mastering in Detroit.
In addition to a headlining tour in the UK, Birch has supported artists like Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, and This Is The Kit. She was also part of Tate Britain’s high-profile exhibition “Women in Revolt,” which celebrated 20 years of feminist art and activism. Her piece, “3 Minute Scream” (1977), was showcased as the poster image for the exhibition.
Nineteen eighty-seven was undoubtedly “the year of the Anthrax.” The Queens thrash metal band released their third album, Among The Living, which elevated them from underground thrash metal heroes to wider acclaim.
The first show of that tour was at a club in Rochester, in May 1987. In Albany they played a half-filled Palace Theatre that same month and then toured both nationally and internationally for the rest of the year. Among the Living garnered wider record sales and great reviews, and they had a surprise hit when b-side hip-hop/metal crossover song “I’m The Man” broke big. By December 1987 Anthrax were headlining large theaters and small arenas – including this packed-out show at Poughkeepsie’s Mid-Hudson Civic Center.
This show had a bulletproof triple-bill, with two fantastic opening acts: Bay Area thrashers Exodus, promoting second album Pleasures Of The Flesh, and the mighty Swiss heavies, Celtic Frost on their Into The Pandemonium tour.
Exodus guitarists Rick Hunholt and Gary Holt – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Exodus and Celtic Frost switched playing first and second throughout this tour, and in Poughkeepsie Exodus opened. They blasted through a quick 6-song set, mostly tracks from the new Pleasures album like “Faster Than You’ll Ever Live to Be,” but some tracks from that classic first album Bonded By Blood (“Piranha,” “And Then There Were None”) and a cover of AC/DC’s “Overdose” dedicated to Celtic Frost drummer Reed St. Mark, for his birthday.
Exodus vocalist Steve Souza – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Celtic Frost played next, and this was their classic Tom Warrior/Martin Ain/Reed St. Mark lineup, and they were amazing. They opened with “The Usurper,” from second album To Mega Therion, an absolute blast of real metal greatness and played a mix from all three of their records. Then-new album, Into The Pandemonium, was different from the guttural early thrash of the first two records, definitely not a sell-out or commercial compromise (they’d do that the next year with the shitty Cold Lake record), but kind of adventurously artsy-fartsy, or “avant garde” as all the reviews called it.
However, the adventurous third record didn’t translate live as well as those earlier songs, so the set had a few new songs (including their cover of Wall of Voodoo’s “Mexican Radio,” and the more traditionally thrash “Inner Sanctum”) but relied more on earlier songs like the crushing “Circle of the Tyrants” and the chugging, head-stomping show-closer “Procreation (of the Wicked).”
Celtic Frost drummer Reed St. Mark – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Drummer Reed received a “Happy Birthday” salute-song onstage, with silly string from the other bands, before Frost concluded their set. Great stuff from a band at their peak, but sadly this lineup’s last show was a few days later when this tour ended, after which drummer St. Mark and iconic bassist Martin Ain departed the band, and mainman Tom Warrior assembled a new lineup which would produce the 1988 blunder Cold Lake, an ill-advised foray into hair metal which destroyed the band’s reputation for some time.
Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Anthrax then hit the stage to huge mosh pits with new album title track “Among The Living,” and played mostly songs from their second and third records: “Caught in a Mosh,” “Indians,” “Medusa,” “Armed & Dangerous,” etc., with only “Metal Thrashing Mad” from first album, Fistful of Metal. The response was huge, and the set finished with key thrasher “A.I.R.,” which had a mid-song sidetrack into “I’m The Man” (singer Joey Belladonna taking over drums while the other band members took the mic and guitarist Danny Spitz chugged along on guitar), back into “A.I.R.,” followed by an encore cover of the Sex Pistols’ “God Save The Queen” and the total thrash of “Gung-Ho!” to conclude the night. A ripping set, and a legendary thrash metal triple-bill.
Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna – photo by Mark Kurtzner
Anthrax setlist: Among The Living, Caught In A Mosh, Metal Thrashing Mad, I Am The Law, Madhouse, Indians, Medusa, NFL, Armed & Dangerous, A.I.R., I’m The Man, A.I.R. (cont’d), God Save The Queen, Imitation of Life/Gung Ho!
“Give peace a chance, not shoot people for peace. All we need is love. I believe it. It’s damn hard, but I absolutely believe it… We’re carrying that torch, passing it from hand to hand, to each other, to each country, to each generation. That’s our job.”
There is no better way to capture the whit of music legend and galactic dreamer, John Lennon, than amidst his own words. In hindsight, a dramatic quote proves ever important on the icon’s 40th death anniversary. His words spark a flame in young and old, seasoned and aspiring; to carry on a tradition, to be one, to share your quirks through this thing we call music. It’s why you’re here, reading.
Three days later, Lennon was shot dead in the archway of the Dakota apartment building, in New York’s upper west side. Living with wife Yoko Ono, and inseparable, they were on their way back from a recording session when Lennon was pointlessly gunned down.
John Lennon – December 5, 1980.
“Welcome to the inner sanctum!”
Lennon’s words in comparrison were wilful, he knew exactly what he was doing. Even pro-Beatle Lennon, wanted to get away from any grounds on his blooming self exposition. It’s a continuous flow of self exploration that Lennon created over. It seems overly introverted, yet Lennon learned about himself in a roundabout, extroverted way. “We write lyrics, and I write lyrics that you don’t realise what they mean until after… like ‘Walrus.’ The whole first verse was written without any knowledge, and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows‘— I didn’t know what I was saying, and you just find out later.”
As we delve into Lennon interviews over the years it is clear why he has reached monumental stature. According to Writer Jonathan Cott, Lennon was unlike almost any other artist, “he allowed himself to be interviewed at crucial points in his life in order to reveal and, perhaps, define for himself where he was in his world,” Shadow In The Night.
Jann Wenner said his interview with Lennon was “The most important, and the peak, of the whole concept of the Rolling Stone Interview. He [Lennon] went all the way to the theory of it, to the hilt.” Wenner never did another one, except with the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia.
John Lennon’s Self Portrait elusive in value, yet monumental in pop-culture.
Mark Chapman, a troubled American “Beatles fan” had travelled from Hawaii to NYC. After Lennon kindly signed his copy of Double Fantasy, Chapman would seek out the star and fire five hollow-point bullets from a .38 special revolver. Four hit Lennon in the back. Chapman claimed he was angered by Lennon’s lifestyle and public statements, thus remained at the scene, reading The Catcher in the Rye until he was arrested. Lennon was pronounced dead on scene. The world was devastated.
Yoko: There’s no bullshit.
John: There’s no bullshit.
But, this was bullshit.
It wasn’t until ten years ago that these last interviews began to see light. With each passing year Lennon would grow stronger in our hearts. His music, and moreover, his philosophy would continue to inspire for generations to come.
“Ive never claimed divinity. I’ve Never claimed purity of soul. I’ve never claimed to have the answer to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can, but only as honest as I can—
John Lennon, Dec. 5, 1980.
With earlier Rolling Stone interviews, on Sept. 17 and 18, 1968, John Lennon was much less raw in his response. His light and airy nature was apparent, walking around the room of his apartment, singing “Hold Me Tight,” and sitting on the floor to chat, despite two hours’ sleep.
Still distinctively Lennon, he remised about his past and heightened personal nature of his work. Lennon is direct. It’s wasn’t a child’s feeling, it was mine. “It was writing about my past, so it does get the kids because it was me at school, my whole bit,” on “Good Morning, Good Morning,” and the same with “Penny Lane.”
“We really got into the grove of imagining Penny Lane— the bank was there, and that was where the tram sheds were and people waiting and the inspector stood there, the fire engines were down there, it was just reliving childhood.”
“I don’t like the Blood, Sweat and Tears shit. I think all that is bullshit. Rock & roll is going like jazz, as far as i can see, and the bullshitters are going off into that excellentness which I never believed in and other going off… I consider myself in the avant grade of rock & roll.”
Here John begins, and was the only to explicitly, demystify his Beatles persona. “We were like kings of the jungle back then,” and later on when asked if Lennon would take it all back he says: If i could be a fuckin’ fisherman, I would. If I hat the capabilities of being something other than I am, I would.
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy
Nothing you can make that can't be made
No one you can save that can't be saved
Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy
A mass of John Lennon interviews is worth the read. Don’t listen or analyse too much, just be free in the moment like he was. Put a record on and recount Lennon’s LSD trips, gripes with The Beatles, his love for Yoko and pure artistic outlook on the world. It’s enlightening.
John Lennon is the musical equalizer. He says it how he sees it, and sadly he unexpectedly paid for those words 40 years ago today. The simple minded Lennon (in principle) fancied classic rock like “Spirit in the Sky,” and was “influenced by acid and got psychedelic, like the whole generation, but really, I like rock & roll, and I express myself best in rock.
“Because that’s what’s happened, all these songs just came out of me. I didn’t sit down to write. They all came out , like the best work that anybody ever does, wether it is an article or what, it’s just the best ones that come out.”
The dream is NOT over.
Why Can’t Lennon be alone, without Yoko?
I can be, but I don’t wish to be. Theres is no reason on earth why I should be without her. There is nothing more important than our relationship, nothing. We dig being together all the time, and both of us could survive apart m but what for? Im not going to sacrifice love, real love for any… 🙂 …
Rest In Peace John Lennon: to the one you loved most and to a world you continually inspire.
Months earlier marked Lennon’s 80th birthday. On October 9, a live stream from London’s Hard Rock Hotel celebrated the 2nd annual Dear John concert. The event supported a heartfelt charity, War Child U.K., an organization that helps impoverished families across war zones throughout the world.
Blurred Vision frontman, Sepp Osley, hosted the virtual show featuring tributes from Peter Gabriel, Richard Curtis CBE, Maxi Jazz of Faithless, Lindsay Ell, PP Arnold, Lawrence Gowan (Styx), Andy Fairweather Low, KT Tunstall, Larkin Poe, John Ilsley of Dire Straits, Nick Van Eede (Cutting Crew), Mollie Marriott and Laura Jean Anderson.
