Tonight - WARRANT & WINGER in Medina, CAIN Vocalist JIGGS LEE in St. Paul

It's been hard to be inspired to write recently, so apologies all around for the lack of any new content or updates. Quite honestly there hasn't been a whole lot in the metal world that's gotten me excited. Part of it has been the lack of exciting live shows the last 2–3 months. It dawned on me not too long ago that I've been relentlessly attending concerts for 30 years now. I feel blessed that I have quite literally seen almost every metal and hard rock band that I want to see (many times, in the case of my favorites), and more often than not, in the bands' prime. It may be hard to understand, but during the long, cold Minnesota winter it takes something special to drag me out of the house away from my family.

Mock if you will, but seeing Winger tonight has gotten me fired up. They're playing a co-headlining show with Warrant at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina. It's a 21+ show and Winger goes on first at 8:30 so don't be late! It may be hard to remember that before Winger became everyone's favorite band to mock, they were initially heralded as a technical musician's band when their debut album was released in 1988. Kip Winger and Paul Taylor had both spent time in Alice Cooper's band in the mid-80s, and as drummer for the Dixie Dregs Rod Morgenstein had racked up a string a Drummer of the Year honors. So I've never been shy about liking the band from the start, and three of the four original members still periodically put out great albums (2009's Karma is my favorite) and do small tour runs. I first saw the band opening for Cinderella with Bulletboys in 1989, again promoting In The Heart Of The Young with Kiss and Slaughter, and then headlining on the Pull tour. This 1993 show was especially memorable since I had won a radio contest and spent the Fourth of July at a barbecue picnic with the band the day of the show. Winger came through Station 4 in St. Paul a few years ago promoting the IV album in a fairly low-key show. Their last scheduled appearance in Medina for the Karma album together with Blackfoot was unfortunately canceled. Warrant is one band I've never seen, but I have seen current singer Robert Mason with Cry Of Love supporting Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers (with Journey guitarist Neal Schon in his band at the time). I've got some cool old Winger memorabilia I'll dig out for a "From The Vault" post, including an uncirculated audio recording from a tour for their first album.

Check out the video for "Rat Race" from the latest Winger album Better Days Comin'.

The only other show of note tonight is happening at the Amsterdam in St. Paul. Jiggs Lee, vocalist for local 70s cult hard rock band Cain, is playing as Jiggs Lee and Brothers Invasion with other local bands in a free benefit show for the American Cancer Society.

I'll get around to updating the concert calendar and getting some regular posts up. This looks to be a great year ahead for metal and hard rock!

Lineup for Grand RockTember 2 Festival at Grand Casino Hinckley Unveiled

Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley is reprising last year’s 80s-focused Grand RockTember Festival with (what else?) the Grand RockTember 2 Festival to be held this year over two days, Friday, September 12 and Saturday, September 13.

Blue Öyster Cult performing August 25, 2013 at the Minnesota State Fair. Check out the review of this show here, and click the pictures to see more photos (20).

The Friday show is a 70s classic rock bill with Sweet, April Wine, Foghat, and Blue Öyster Cult. Saturday’s show features Dee Snider, Jack Russell’s Great White, Lita Ford, Winger, Firehouse, Warrant, and Scrap Metal, which boasts an all-star lineup of singers Eric Martin (Mr. Big), Derek St. Holmes (Ted Nugent), Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), Mark Slaughter (Slaughter, Vinnie Vincent Invasion), and Gunnar Nelson and Matthew Nelson (Nelson). Single-day and two-day tickets will be available when tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster on Wednesday, June 4 at 10:00 am. You can get the latest information at the Grand Casino Hinckley site.

Tonight - Concerts Everywhere!

Tonight must be a record for the number of shows going on in the Twin Cities area - I have a total of nine events on the calendar! Here's the complete rundown of metal and rock shows tonight, in no particular order.

Milwaukee's Misery Signals bring a night of metalcore to The Garage in Burnsville with The Color Morale, Intervals, The Kindred, Elders, and To Release also on the bill. It's an an early (5:00 doors) all ages show, and tickets are $15 at the door.

The Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis has a brutal night of extreme metal with Ambassador Gun, Sadgiqacea, Hivelords, and Poney. This is a 21+ show that starts around 9:00, and it's only $8 at the door.

Costumed marauders Green Jellÿ take over the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with strong local support from Impaler, Screaming Mechanical Brain, Iguana, and Rock And Roll Whores. This is an 18+ show; tickets are $13 at the door and it gets underway at 7:30.

More comedy metal is occurring tonight at Pov's 65 in Spring Lake Park with Psychostick together with Outside The Murder and Strate-Jak-It. Tickets are $13 at the door for this 8:00 show that is 18+.

Poison singer Bret Michaels teams up with Warrant and Firehouse for an all ages performance at the Lakefront Music Fest at Lakefront Park in Prior Lake tonight at 6:30. Tickets are $20 at the gate.

As we get farther from the Cities, Hemlock from Las Vegas plays the Wicked Moose in Rochester with Embrace The Ending and Fail To Decay. It's $10 at the door, and starts around 9:00.

Down in Mankato, alternative punk band Meat Puppets play the What's Up Lounge with Turned Out T.V. and Enemy Planes. Tickets are $12 at the door.

Heading east to Cadott, Wisconsin, Rock Fest continues with Korn, The Offspring, Theory Of A Deadman, Pop Evil, Nonpoint, 4th Floor, and Bumblefist making for a long day that kicks off at 12:00 noon.

Lastly, Moondance Jam up north in Walker, Minnesota has for its second full day Slash, Bachman & Turner, Blue Öyster Cult, Johnny Rivers, and Sweet starting the day at 3:00.

Grand RockTember Music Festival Announced - September 14

An impressive lineup of 80s metal bands is geared up for the Grand RockTember Music Festival on Saturday, September 14 at the Grand Casino Amphitheater in Hinckley. Acts confirmed so far are Winger, L.A. Guns, Firehouse, Warrant, Dokken, Lita Ford, and Skid Row, with more bands to be announced! Plan on spending the day there, as show time is 2:00 pm. Ticket information has yet to be released, but tickets go on sale June 20.

Ex-Warrant Singer Jani Lane To Sing For Great White; Great White And Warrant To Play Together November 12 In Medina

Blabbermouth is reporting this morning that former Warrant singer Jani Lane will step in as the replacement for Jack Russell on the remaining live dates of Great White’s 25th anniversary tour. Earlier this month Jack Russell underwent emergency surgery to repair a perforated bowl, and a six to eight week recovery is expected. XYZ vocalist Terry Ilous filled in for Russell earlier this month, but it had been unclear if he would be able to continue.

This will set up an interesting situation on November 12, when Great White and Warrant are scheduled to play together at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, Minnesota. Warrant’s website does not list this tour date, but you can view the confirmed pairing of these two bands at the Medina Entertainment Center website.

Great White will perform Saturday, September 25 in Farmington at Rocktoberfest, and then will be back with Warrant on Friday, November 12 at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina.