M3 Party Alert: Wildstreet to Play!

Remember when BBG! reader Rock-It mentioned he was planning an M3 pre-party? Well, he delivered! Check out this ad mat he sent me last night. When more details become available I'll pass along. I wish I was getting into town on the 12th, but I can't leave until very early on the 13th. I do have some friends heading in to town on the 12th and I bet they can give us a full report on this show. Check it out: Wildstreet!

*I want to be clear that this is not an official M3-produced event.*

Another Festival: Bike n' Roll

We're in the thick of festival announcements now...last night I stumbled on another one: Bike n' Roll. This fest is located at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan. This is the second year for the event. It will take place June 9, 10 and 11. The festival actually repeats June 16, 17 and 18 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Scheduled to perform at Bike n' Roll is Great White, Slaughter, KEEL, Stephen Pearcy, Jani Lane,Nelson, Dizzy Reed, In The Red, Sevin, One (Metallica Tribute Band), Union Guns, Sargent Avenue, SHRAM and The Rents. Apparently more bands will be added as well. (I don't think the cover bands are playing the Madison version of the event).

I think if you like to ride, this would be a fun weekend. Extra points if you are in the midwest and don't have the time or money to travel all the way to M3 or another Glam fest. It seems the best part of Bike n' Roll is the cost: advance general admission one-day tickets are just $24. You can get a two-day pass for $39. There are VIP packages too that include food and drinks and those are also really cheap.

There are some other things planned at Bike n' Roll beyond music including a burn out pit, custom and vintage school bike show, vendor alley and more. Get on your bikes and ride!

Rocklahoma 2011 Bands Announced

Here is the Rocklahoma 2011 band list:

Motley Crue, Staind, Whitesnake, Seether, Papa Roach, Saving Abel, Skillet, Sick Puppies, Sebastian Bach, Black Label Society, Drowning Pool, My Darkest Days, Rev Theory, All That Remains, Escape the Fate, Cavo, The Gracious Few, Hail the Villian, Pop Evil, Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, Taddy Porter, Crooked X, Texas Hippie Coalition, New Medicine, Art of Dying, Electric Touch, One Less Reason, Gypsy Pistoleros, Alias, Wildstreet, The Glitter Boys, Gunner Sixx, Black Tora, Mad Max, Aura Surreal, Firstryke, Aska, Pretty Little Suicide, Area, Blue Tiger, Bad Things, Cutlass, Mock Star…and more.

Tickets go on sale February 18 at 10 a.m. CST.  Here's the official press release:

ROCKLAHOMA returns May 27-29 to kick off summer with the nation’s biggest Memorial Day Weekend party at “Catch the Fever” Festival Grounds in Pryor, OK! 2011 marks the 5^th Anniversary of the three-day camp & rock festival that will feature a mix of the best classic bands and today’s top active rock artists.  ROCKLAHOMA is proud to be presented by Bud Light.   The initial ROCKLAHOMA lineup includes: Mötley Crüe, Staind, Whitesnake, Seether, Papa Roach, Saving Abel, Skillet, Sick Puppies, Sebastian Bach, Black Label Society, Drowning Pool, My Darkest Days, Rev Theory, All That Remains, Escape The Fate, Cavo, The Gracious Few (featuring members of Live and Candlebox), Hail the Villain, Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, Taddy Porter, Pop Evil, Crooked X, Texas Hippie Coalition, New Medicine, Art of Dying, Electric Touch, One Less Reason, Gypsy Pistoleros, Alias, Wildstreet, The Glitter Boys, Gunner Sixx, Black Tora, Mad Max, Aura Surreal, Firstryke, Aska, Pretty Little Suicide, Arena, Blue Tiger, Bad Things, Cutlass, Mock Star and more special guests to be announced.  

“2011 promises to deliver the biggest ROCKLAHOMA punch to date!” says Joe Litvag, Senior Vice President of AEG Live and Co-Executive Producer of ROCKLAHOMA. “Not only have we stepped up our game with the top active rock artists on the charts this year like Seether, Papa Roach and Sick Puppies, but we’ve also taken the classic artists to a new level of insanity with the likes of Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake, and a few surprises yet to come! The ROCKLAHOMA loyalists asked for it, and we heard them loud and clear…This is the perfect balance of talent that will give something to every rock fan in the region!”   General Admission and VIP packages for ROCKLAHOMA go on sale Friday, February 18 at 10am CST at all Ticketmaster outlets and www.rocklahoma.com. General Admission 3-day ticket prices start as low as $99.50. Fans can save by buying early as ticket prices will increase in the coming weeks. Camping tickets may be purchased by calling the ROCKLAHOMA Camping Office at (866) 310-2288, where fans can choose their exact campsite.  

The VIP tickets and packages for the 2011 festival are sure to please the most rabid rock fans.  This year’s VIP packages include:  

 Groupie Package(1 Person) - VIP Reserved Ticket - Access to air-conditioned VIP Catering Tent - Private Backstage Lounge Access - Weekend Pit Access  

Roadie Package(1 Person) - VIP Reserved Ticket - Access to air-conditioned VIP Catering Tent - Private Backstage Lounge Access - Private Restroom Access - Weekend Pit Access - VIP Deck Access - Event Poster, T-Shirt and Festival Mug - Commemorative Laminate  

Rockstar Package (2 Person) - All amenities from Roadie Package - Three Night Stay at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa - Shuttle Service to and from festival - Best Seats in the House   For a detailed list of amenities included in the 2011 ROCKLAHOMA VIP ticket packages, please visit www.rocklahoma.com.  

“We’ve always tried to offer the greatest experience to our ROCKLAHOMA VIPs,” comments Mark Nuessle, President of Catch the Fever Festival Grounds and Co-Executive Producer of the festival.  “This year we’ve brought back the air-conditioning to our VIP catering tent and backstage lounge, by popular demand, and we’ve expanded our packages to include Pit access, Best Seats in the House, and even hotel accommodations and transportation this year!  For those who want to be pampered, ROCKLAHOMA will take good care of you!”  

ROCKLAHOMA is located just 45 minutes northeast of Tulsa, in Pryor, OK.  The “Catch the Fever” Festival Grounds is a premier destination for a multi-day festival and includes on-site camping with access to restrooms and shower house, a general store for campers, VIP reserved seating, hospitality areas and much more.  Established in 2007 as a classic rock destination festival with the motto “life, liberty and the pursuit of rock,”

ROCKLAHOMA was revamped for 2010 as organizers teamed with AEG Live to create an event encompassing a much broader mix of classic, current and up-and-coming rock artists.    For additional information, please visit www.rocklahoma.com.    

Rocklahoma 2011 Announcement Later Today

The Rocklahoma announcement is today at 8 a.m. CST. I suspect the bands will be much of the same that were recently announced for Rock on the Range.

Rocklahoma is held annually in Pryor, Oklahoma. This is the fifth year for the event. It is now produced by AEG Live.

Come back at 8 a.m. CST and we'll discuss who is playing the event.

First Ever Carolina Rebellion Announced

AEG Live and Right Arm Entertainment just own the festival business now. If you're around the Carolinas, you might be interested in this one: the Carolina Rebellion. Check it out - here's the release:

Avenged Sevenfold, Godsmack, Three Days Grace and Stone Sour are among the hard hitting rock artists confirmed for the first ever Carolina Rebellion. Set for Saturday, May 7 at Metrolina Expo in Charlotte, NC, Carolina Rebellion will offer fans throughout the Carolinas, and the entire mid-Atlantic region, a full day of non-stop rock on three stages. 

The current lineup for Carolina Rebellion is as follows: Avenged Sevenfold, Godsmack, Three Days Grace, Stone Sour, Seether, Bullet For My Valentine, Theory of a Deadman, Alter Bridge, Hinder, Skillet, Saving Abel, Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry, My Darkest Days, Cavo, Rev Theory, Pop Evil, Art Of Dying and more.  The festival will feature two main stages for the biggest acts in rock today, both sponsored by Monster Energy. 

“Strap yourself in and hold on tight...Godsmack is coming to Carolina Rebellion to kick y'all a new asshole!!” says Sully Erna of Godsmack.

Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge comments: "We are very much looking forward to performing at the Carolina Rebellion in Charlotte. We are honored to be sharing the stage with many great bands that night and it promises to be a memorable event."

"It seems the Carolinas are in need of a rock festival to call their own and we are honored to unleash the Rebellion to the great rock fans of this area,” says Gary Spivack, co-executive producer of the event for Right Arm Entertainment. “With our partners at AEG we locked into an amazing outdoor venue just minutes from downtown Charlotte.  We are so proud of this lineup.  From Godsmack to Avenged Sevenfold to Three Days Grace to Stone Sour....it's nonstop...one great band after another."

Joe Litvag, co-executive producer of the event for AEG Live, added, “While we’re excited to be fostering such an incredible lineup of artists, it’s also imperative that we keep the rock fans in mind by delivering a tremendous value with Carolina Rebellion. The credit goes to my partners at Right Arm Entertainment and Allen Corbett, my colleague at AEG Live in the Carolinas, for keeping the vision of an affordable rock experience.  To see this caliber of talent for this low of a price is truly amazing!”

Tickets for the general admission festival go on sale Friday, February 18 at 10am EST at all Ticketmaster outlets and at www.carolinarebellion.com. Tickets are available starting at $49.50 for a limited time.  VIP ticket and hotel packages will also be available for purchase at this time.

The full details of the 2011 Carolina Rebellion VIP hotel and ticket packages are as follows.  Prices are available at www.carolinarebellion.com.  

 SILVER PACKAGE (2 People)

- 1 Hotel Room - 1 King Bed (Saturday, May 7, 2011)

- 2 Carolina Rebellion General Admission Tickets

- 2 Carolina Rebellion T-Shirts

 GOLD PACKAGE (2 People)

- 1 Hotel Room - 1 King Bed (Friday, May 6-Saturday, May 7, 2011)

- 2 Carolina Rebellion General Admission Tickets

- 2 Carolina Rebellion T-Shirts

PLATINUM PACKAGE (4 People)

- 1 Hotel Room - 2 Double Beds (Friday, May 6-Saturday, May 7, 2011)

- 4 Carolina Rebellion General Admission Tickets

- 4 Carolina Rebellion T-Shirts

 Metrolina Expo is centrally located off of Interstate 77, between Interstates 85 and 485, just north of downtown Charlotte.  For directions to the site, please visit www.carolinarebellion.com.

Carolina Rebellion is proud to be sponsored by Jägermeister and FYE and is produced by Right Arm Entertainment and AEG Live, the same team that produces the highly successful Rock On The Range in Columbus, OH.



Stryper Prepare to Release 'The Covering'

Despite a few push-backs, Stryper is finally ready to release The Covering. The album will be released February 15 via Big 3 Records.

If you haven't heard, The Covering is, of course, an album of covers. Now, I'm going to be blunt: I am not a big Stryper fan. Michael Sweet is a phenomenal musician, but I just really can't heavily get into the band. But, I'm glad I saw them live once (at Rocklahoma) and I can take them in small doses. And, I honestly think The Covering is a brilliant idea because it pairs really famous metal songs with a lesser-known band. What does that equal? Exposure of course.

The first single off The Covering is "Heaven and Hell" (Black Sabbath) and it is basically awesome. You know what else is awesome? The version of "Carry On Wayward Son" (Kansas).

If you check out the album page on Amazon, you can preview the singles. I am going to go out on a limb here and say Stryper's version of the Kansas classic is one of my favorite cover songs...ever. It's just that good. In fact, I'm digging these covers so much I may go back and try to rediscover the Stryper catalog. After all, my whole life is soaring vocals and big guitar solos and Stryper does that pretty well, so maybe I've been shortsighted. It's kind of exciting when I think about it: it's like discovering a band for the first time. Everything is fresh. 

Are you planning on purchasing The Covering when it is released?

Let's Talk Van Halen!

How cool is it that one of Eddie Van Halen's guitars is going to the Smithsonian?! First, let me say that I love the Smithsonian complex. I try to visit at least one museum every time I visit Washington, D.C. - and D.C. is my favorite city in America.

The National Museum of American History will be displaying the "Frank 2" - that's Eddie's red, black and white guitar with all the stripes. The name Frank 2 is from Frankenstein of course. You know, Eddie's brilliant guitar that came out of constant work and modifications. Frank 2 was used in Van Halen's most recent tour. It will be displayed at the museum's Division of Culture and the Arts. Apparently it won't be immediately on public display - but I'm sure it will be someday.

And on the heels of the awesome Smithsonian news, there's word the guys in Van Halen are planning an Australian tour. And we all know Eddie didn't want to tour again until there was new material, so I guess a new album is imminent. Apparently the tour starts down under in August. To me this means VH will swing around to the states not long after...woo hoo! This would more than make up for a probable abysmal tour season that we're looking at this summer.