LOUDNESS, HYPOCRISY Canceled

Loudness performing May 19, 2011 at Ground Zero in Minneapolis.

This is bad news, indeed - not one, but two big show cancellations. First, Loudness has cancelled their show tomorrow, Saturday, April 27 at the Hi 5 Bar in Burnsville due to visa issues. This was to be the first night of Loudness's short U.S. tour, and it's unclear at this time if this will force the cancelation of other dates. The promoter, Viking Rocker Productions has posted the following notice on the ticket sale page at Vital Culture:

"Viking Rocker Productions was just informed today that National Recording Artist Loudness has cancelled their appearance on Saturday April 27th.

"Our sincere apologies regarding the short notice due to visa issues that LOUDNESS will have to cancel the upcoming scheduled show with you 
Loudness Management" 

Pre-ordered tickets will be refunded as needed you MUST turn in your ticket to get a refund to place of purchase. 

Our Sincere Apologies
Viking Rocker Producitons"

Downtread will still perform tomorrow at the Hi 5 along with Arena - this will be a free show.

Hypocrisy performing May 23, 2010 at Station 4 in St. Paul.

Visa issues today also forced the cancellation of the upcoming Hypocrisy tour as reported by Blabbermouth. The tour was scheduled to stop at Station 4 in St. Paul on Tuesday, May 7. According to this report Aborted has also dropped off the tour, but it will continue with Krisiun, Arsis, and Starkill. I'll post more details about this show when they are confirmed.

OVERKILL Drops Off Testament Tour, Minneapolis Date

As reported by Blabbermouth yesterday, thrash band Overkill has been forced to cancel the remaining dates off the current American tour with Testament, including Saturday's date (February 23) at First Avenue in Minneapolis. Overkill vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth is ill with pneumonia, and is unable to finish the tour. Flotsam & Jetsam and 4arm are still on as support for Saturday's show.

Cancellations Pour In - MACHINE HEAD, GREEN JELLY, SIX FEET UNDER

A lack of free time and recent illness have kept me out for a couple weeks, so it only seems appropriate to start off with some show cancellations. A couple of these are now recently past, but thought it's worth bringing them to your attention.

First, Machine Head will not be playing at Myth in Maplewood tonight, Wednesday, November 14 as support to Dethklok with The Black Dahlia Murder. A press release sent out to ticket holders yesterday from TicketWeb reads in part (note the new show time):

"Machine Head will not be performing with Metalocalypse/Dethklok and Black Dahlia Murder at the Myth in Maplewood, Minnesota on November 14, 2013 due to lead singer, Rob (sic) Flynn required emergency surgery for a hernia. Dethklok and Black Dahlia Murder will still be performing. Doors are at 7 pm, show is at 8 pm."

This is terrible news and, of course, I wish Robb Flynn all the best for a safe and speedy recovery. A recent story posted on Blabbermouth indicates the surgery was performed successfully today in Minneapolis, and that Machine Head will rejoin the tour on November 24 in Portland, Oregon.

I've never seen an official reason, but Green Jelly disappeared from Station 4's calendar recently. They were due to play the St. Paul venue last night, Tuesday, November 13. Information about the rest of Green Jelly's tour dates seems sketchy, but they will be playing tonight, Wednesday, November 14 at Bubba's Bar and Grill in Sauk Rapids. Doors open at 8 pm for a 21+ show that's $10 at the door. If you're in the St. Cloud area or in the Northwest suburbs you're within easy driving distance. According to Pollstar, Green Jelly then plays the Holiday Inn in Alexandria, Minnesota on Thursday, November 15, The Pickled Parrot Bar & Grill in Fargo, North Dakota on Friday, November 16, and the VFW in Bismarck, North Dakota on Saturday, November 17. Not a typical tour routing that's for sure!

Adding to the concert calendar confusion, the Six Feet Under, Wretched, Agitate, and Ghost Hook show on Monday, November 12 at Station 4 in St. Paul was also cancelled. I can't shed light on why this show was cancelled, but the rest of tour is apparently on. Cattle Decapitation had earlier dropped off the tour about a week and a half ago due to on stage comments by Six Feet Under vocalist Chris Barnes and an alleged back stage confrontation. Part of what Cattle Decapitation vocalist Travis Ryan posted on the band's Facebook page according to this Blabbermouth story is, "He [Chris Barnes] immediately RAN out the door and fled to his bus like he does every night when the two fans that are left for their show are trying to get him to sign something." Let's say this type of behavior, avoiding fans by dashing on his tour bus, is not new for Barnes. I heard a similar story independently from two trusted, firsthand sources after a show way back on the Haunted tour at a stop in Topeka, Kansas.

Concert Announcements - July 27, 2012

The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis just announced a local show with Emergent, Vaudeville, Thira, Whither The Tide, and R.A.G.E. on Friday, August 10.

Hard rock band Saving Abel plays an 18+ show at Station 4 in St. Paul on Friday, August 17. Advance tickets are only $5.

Yesterday it was announced that the Dethklok, Lamb Of God, and Gojira tour was cancelled due to Lamb Of God’s singer Randy Blythe ongoing legal trouble in the Czech Republic, where he continues to be held in jail. All three bands were scheduled to be a part of Knotfest with Slipknot on Saturday, August 18 in Somerset, Wisconsin, and I’ve removed them from the calendar listing. Hopefully replacement bands for Knotfest will be announced.

On Sunday, August 19, Texas Hippie Coalition will play at The Cabooze in Minneapolis.

Blue Felix plays a free show at Neisen’s in Savage on Thursday, August 23.

The Turf Club in St. Paul has instrumental warriors Zebulon Pike along with Jel, Pizza Boys, and Good Morning Gentlemen on Friday, September 14. This show will also feature a drum-off with Dave King, JT Bates, Martin Dosh, and Tim Glenn.

As if having Wino playing on Thursday, August 16 at the Turf Club in St. Paul wasn’t awesome enough – now godly doom metal pioneers Saint Vitus will play at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with Weedeater on Monday, October 1.

GWAR returns to First Avenue on Sunday, November 18 with Devildriver, Cancer Bats, and Legacy Of Disorder. This is an all ages show, and tickets go on sale today, Friday, July 27 at 12:00 noon.

Lastly, rock legends The Who will be performing Quadrophenia (and more) in its entirety at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Tuesday, November 27. Tickets go on sale at 10:00 am today, Friday, July 27.

In Concert This Week - July 27, 2012

This weekend has an insane amount of shows, so let’s get right to what’s coming up.

Glam jokesters Steel Panther and Throw The Fight play to a sold out crowd tonight, Friday, July 27 at the newly renamed and renovated Mill City Nights (formerly The Brick) in Minneapolis. There’s also a slew of great local shows tonight, too: Tepetricy, Eden, Blood Root Mother, Windowvyne, and DJ Diesel play the Fine Line in Minneapolis; Tomorrow Brings New Blood, Beastface, The Atlantis Theorem, Element 33, and Apothecary are at Station 4 in St. Paul; and The Cabooze in Minneapolis is hosting New Medicine for a benefit show with Toussaint Morrison, Sheeped, Dr. Wylie, Big Villian, Q’s Junction, and Chrome Lotus.

The Halfway Jam in Royalton continues this weekend with .38 Special, Molly Hatchet, and Blackfoot playing tonight, Friday July 27. Saturday, July 28 features the first show of Queensrÿche with new vocalist Todd La Torre, Stryper, Lynch Mob, and Enuff Z’nuff. There’s also a number of local second stage acts both night as well.

The Cinderella, Sebastian Bach, and Lita Ford show at Myth in St. Paul scheduled for Saturday, July 28 has been cancelled. I haven’t heard a word about what happened – the listing just disappeared from the Myth website and the tour is now scheduled to play at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City, Iowa instead.

The Bouncing Souls, Smoking Popes, The Menzingers, and Luther play First Avenue in Minneapolis, Saturday, July 28. Also taking place on Saturday: Station 4 in St. Paul is having a free memorial show to honor Allan Wilson with Metal Witch, Mousia, Eternal Voyager, and Minos; Ted Nugent returns to the area for a show at Treasure Island in Red Wing; and Tesla plays Vetter Stone Amphitheater in Mankato with Jason & The Scorchers.

Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon plays a solo show on Sunday, July 29 at the Rush City Tavern in Rush City. That same night Station 4 in St. Paul has a brutal show with Pathology, Enfold Darkness, Fallujah, Fit For An Autopsy, Aegaeon, Apothecary, Beauty Of Decay, and Sadistic Passage.

Monday, July 30 you can catch Taproot with Smile Empty Soul, Severah, 14 Clicks, Requiems’s End, and Terror Overising at Station 4 in St. Paul.

Theory Of A Deadman, Aranda, and Charm City Devils play at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis on Tuesday, July 31.

On Wednesday, August 1, Bane, Terror, Naysayer, and Rotting Out play the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. The Banshee show scheduled for Wednesday at Station 4 has apparently been cancelled. It’s been quietly removed from the Station 4 Facebook page, so I’ve removed it from the Concert Calendar.

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM Cancels Tonight's Minneapolis Show

Don't know how I didn't hear about this show in the first place (actually I do - short notice, venue that doesn't have metal shows, no publicity), but atmospheric black metal band Wolves In The Throne Room has canceled a recently scheduled appearance tonight in Minneapolis at Club Med. A statement posted on the band's Facebook page last night reads: "Our van broke down in Montana. We are forced to cancel the Minneapolis show. Many apologies to everyone." It remains to be seen whether any other shows will be affected by their van breakdown. The next shows on the tour itinerary are September 1 in Chicago at Reggie's Rock Club and September 2 in Louisville at Rudyard Kipling. Let's hope their next show in the Twin Cities is at a more appropriate and visible venue.


If you're not already there, there's still time to get down to Station 4 in St. Paul tonight for Vreid and Kampfar.