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.

Tonight - GODSMACK in St. Paul, GREEN JELLY in Mankato, First Day of Rockfest and Moonjam Jam

Today kicks off an early start to a big concert weekend! First, Godsmack has scheduled a headlining show between some festival dates tonight at Myth in St. Paul with support from Saint Caine. Tickets are still available for $42 at the door - doors are at 6:30 and it's an all ages show.

Comic metal band Green Jellÿ tonight makes the first of two area appearances at the What's Up Lounge in Mankato. This is a 21+ show that starts around 10:00, and it's $10 at the door.

Obey the Cowgod!! Green Jellÿ performing January 31, 2000 in San Diego.

The annual four-day Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin starts at 3:30 today with a lineup of Three Days Grace, Seether, Halestorm, All That Remains, and Aranda. Tickets and camping passes are still available at the gate, with prices varying according to the number of days and type of ticket.

Further North in Walker, Minnesota, the Moondance Jam main stage starts today at 3:00 with Mötley Crüe, Cheap Trick, Buckcherry, Shooting Star, and the mighty Cain. As with Rock Fest, all tickets and camping passes are available at the gate.

Moondance Jam Kicks Off Tonight

Now in its 22nd year, Moondance Jam in Walker, Minnesota kicks off this year's festivities tonight, Wednesday, July 17 with the "Pre Jam Party" featuring cover band Hairball, The Fabulous Armadillos, and Transit Authority. Moondance Jam has always focused on classic rock bands, and I've always appreciated how they always seem to book some fantastic, lesser-known bands from the 70s, and all bands get long sets (there's two hours scheduled between every band). This year is no exception with the inclusion of Minneapolis' cult legends Cain, Shooting Star, and Sweet. I'd love see to most of the bands playing, but this style of festival show has several things that I hate: (1) it's an outdoor show, (2) the location is far from civilization, and (3) I don't want to camp or stay in a crappy motel. In addition to the main stage bands listed below, there are four side stages that feature additional acts. If you're a classic rock fan and you have three or four days to commit, Moondance Jam is well worth your time.

Click on the photo to see more pictures of Cain performing at their first reunion show on September 17, 2010 at their induction into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame (27).

Moondance Jam Main Stage Schedule:

Thursday, July 18
3:00 Cain
5:00 Shooting Star
7:00 Buckcherry
9:00 Cheap Trick
11:00 Mötley Crue

Friday, July 19
3:00 Sweet
5:00 Johnny Rivers
7:00 Blue Öyster Cult
9:00 Bachman & Turner
11:00 Slash

Saturday, July 20
3:00 The Atomic Punks
5:00 Head East
7:00 Halestorm
9:00 Theory Of A Deadman
11:00 The Offspring

Concert Announcements - April 26, 2013

Brace yourself for massive updates to the concert calendar (see the complete calendar on the right)! There's a huge variety of shows that have been confirmed during the last week, including additions to Moondance Jam and Halfway Jam and hints that Blue Öyster Cult will be playing the Minnesota State Fair.

Neisen’s in Savage has lined up a big night of local metal on Saturday, May 11 with Blue Felix, Throw The Fight, Gabriel And The Apocalypse, and A Sound Theory.

The Mandy Lion, Scream At The Sun, Hooligans Union, and Crashmatic show at Station 4 in St. Paul scheduled for Monday, May 13, along with all May concert dates, has been CANCELED. A post on the Mandy Lion Facebook page has the press release from Hard Attack Entertainment, the band’s new booking agency:

“Unfortunately, Mandy and his former booking agency had reached a stalemate in the their professional relationship after only a hand-full of dates were scheduled across the USA. We (Hard Attack) do not feel we have enough time to get the fill in dates booked properly at this point. There is just no way that we can logistically or financially make it a sensible run of dates as it stands now. We do however want to let EVERYONE know that we will have Mandy back out on the road starting in late June and there will be 14-17 shows booked accordingly.”

Mandy adds:

“I would like to apologize to the fans, venues and promoters for the delay. This was not an easy decision for us to make but unfortunately prior associates booked single sporadic dates with too much down time in between concerts and routing which makes it impossible to honor the dates. We are, however, very excited to let everyone know that Hard Attack Entertainment is currently rescheduling a tour with proper routing. We are looking at only a few weeks delay before we are coming to your town. I want to thank you all for being patient and kind. Looking forward to seeing you all soon!”

French technical death metal band Gorod invades Station 4 in St. Paul with Inanimate Existence, Kamikabe, Vale Of Pnath, Sadistic Passage, and Solar Slaughter on Tuesday, May 28.

Local metal band Tepetricy has lined up a show with Heaven’s Gate, Embrace The Ending, and Minos at the Wicked Moose in Rochester on Friday, May 31.

Quirky punk legends The Dead Milkmen return for a show at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Friday, June 7. No support bands have been announced at this time, and tickets go on sale today, Friday, April 26 at 12:00 noon through etix.

Pop punk band Face To Face plays the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on Saturday, June 22 with Teenage Bottlerocket, Blacklist Royals, and Joshua Black Wilkins. Tickets go on sale today, Friday, April 26 at 12:00 noon through etix.

Underrated 70s progressive rock legends Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash and Nektar play together on Sunday, June 30 at Famous Dave’s BBQ & Blues in Minneapolis (this is the Uptown location).

As reported here yesterday, industrial shock superstar Marilyn Manson plays Myth in St. Paul on Tuesday, July 2. It looks like support will come from Picture Me Broken, and tickets go on sale today, Friday, April 26 at 12:00 noon through etix.

Impaler performing July 17, 2011 at Station 4 in St. Paul. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (10).

Following their July 18 show at the What’s Up Lounge in Mankato, costumed metal band Green Jellÿ (of “Three Little Pigs” fame) is now also confirmed to play the next night, Friday, July 19 at Station 4 in St. Paul with Impaler, Iguana, The Rock & Roll Whores, and Screaming Mechanical Brain (their The Policy Of Universal Hate is reviewed here, 9/10).

Cain singer Jiggs Lee performing at the band's first ever reunion show at their induction into the Mid-America Music Hall Of Fame on September 17, 2010 in Minneapolis. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (27).

Moondance Jam, taking place July 17-20 in Walker, has added some interesting bands to the bill each night. On Thursday, July 18, rounding out the bill topped by Mötley Crüe and Cheap Trick are Buckcherry and 70s cult bands Shooting Star and Cain! The lineup for Friday, July 19 is Slash & Myles Kennedy, Bachman & Turner, Blue Öyster Cult, and Sweet. Saturday, July 20 has The Offspring, Theory Of A Deadman, Halestorm, and Head East. There’s still a couple slots remaining to be filled, and the bands playing the pre-jam party on Wednesday, July 17 have yet to be announced.

Survivor singer Jimi Jamison performing a solo show at the Minnesota Music Cafe in St. Paul on March 1, 2013. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (48).

The main stage lineup of Halfway Jam in Royalton over July 25–27 has been finalized. Thursday, July 25 features Pop Evil, Saliva, and Smile Empty Soul; Friday, July 26 has Tesla, Survivor, Great White Featuring Jack Russell, and BulletBoys; Saturday, July 26 features Loverboy, Ratt, Steelheart, and Electric Eye. Second stage bands have yet to be announced, and tickets, including one- and three-day passes, VIP, and camping, are on sale now.

Steelheart performing July 17, 2010 at G.B. Leighton's Pickle Park in Fridley. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (13).

The one and only ZZ Top play Myth in St. Paul on August 6. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 3.

The official Blue Öyster Cult page has them performing at the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25. I can’t find any other confirmation of this, but I’ll have more information as it’s released.

Concert Announcements - March 9, 2013

 Station 4 in St. Paul has lined up a night of local metal on Thursday, March 14 with Prophets Of Aether, Solar Slaughter, Odin, Compassion Dies, Pandemic, and Monster Of Creation all slated to play.

Danny Spitz, former Anthrax guitarist, brings his new band Red Lamb to Station 4 in St. Paul on Sunday, March 24 with support from Candy Machine Guns, Prophets Of Aether, Monster Of Creation, and Pandemic.

Swedish sleaze/glam band Crashdiet invade G.B. Leighton’s Pickle Park in Fridley on Wednesday, April 3 with Crucified Barbara and Snakeskyn Whiskey.

Blabbermouthrecently reported that Dying Fetus vocalist John Gallagher will be filling in for Suffocation’s Frank Mullen on concert dates from April 6–12. This will, of course, include the Monday, April 8 show at Station 4 in St. Paul with Exhumed, Jungle Rot, Rings Of Saturn, and Adimiron.

Otep makes a stop on what is to be her final tour at Pov’s 65 in Spring Lake Park on Friday, April 12 with One-Eyed Doll and Picture Me Broken.

Support bands for the Saturday, May 11 Pain Of Salvation show at Station 4 in St. Paul have been announced, and they are Kingcrow, Imminent Sonic Destruction, and Violet Fade.

Thankfully, not many metal shows happen at Epic in Minneapolis, but on Sunday, May 12 Asking Alexandria brings along a big bill with Motionless In White, Whitechapel, Chimaira, and I Killed The Prom Queen.

Australia’s Sick Puppies return to town on Monday, May 13 at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis.

For those up north, Sevendust and Pop Evil play Clyde Iron Works in Duluth on Wednesday, May 15.

Following a hiatus, the North Star Room in Mounds View has started booking show again. The first one of note is Christian metalcore band Those Who Fear with A Hill To Die Upon, Normandy, Climactic, Correlations, At Mourning’s End, and The Number Seven on Saturday, May 18.

Hard rockers Bobaflex play Station 4 in St. Paul on Thursday, May 23.

Locals Throw The Fight will be appearing at Bamboo Betty’s in Circle Pines on Friday, May 31.

Following their recent show in October as Classic Petra (with original vocalist Greg X. Volz), Petra (with long-time vocalist John Schiltt) return to the Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park as part of their 40th Anniversary Tour on Friday, June 7 with special guest Bread Of Stone.

Bloodline Severed, Wake The Sleeper, Eyes Like Tides, Valor Tracks, and more locals bands to be announced will be the North Star Room in Mounds View on Saturday, June 8.

Bands are beginning to be announced for this year’s Moondance Jam in Walker, Minnesota from Wednesday, July 17 to Saturday, July 20. So far, Mötley Crüe and Cheap Trick will play on July 18 and The Offspring and Theory Of A Deadman perform on July 20. Tickets and camping site are on sale now, and prices go up starting March 16.

Most of the line up for this year’s Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin taking place over four days, Thursday, July 18 to Sunday, July 21, has been announced. July 18 will feature a headliner to be announced, Seether, Halestorm, All That Remains, and Aranda. July 19 has Korn, The Offspring, Theory Of A Deadman, Pop Evil, Nonpoint, 4th Floor, and Bumblefist. Kiss headlines July 20 with Megadeth, Stone Sour, Hellyeah, Warrant, Vaudeville, and 7 Sins. The final night, July 20, has Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake, Skillet, Device, Otherwise, and Dirtee Circus. Tickets and camping sites are on sale now.

More Christian metalcore comes to the North Star Room in Mounds View when War Of Ages, Our Judgment, Every Knee Shall Bow, Reaping Asmodeia, Climactic, and Revival play on Saturday, July 27.