KISS and DEF LEPPARD Pre-Sale Password, North American Tour Announced

Gosh, do I feel like a loser for being away from things for a bit, so thanks for coming back! Obviously, the Concert Calendar needs some updating and I've got the usual backlog of things to post, but look for some cool things to come including some unreleased audio recordings (more on this to come!). For now, among a recently rediscovered stash of live recordings from the late 80s and early 90s are ones from Kiss, Def Leppard, and Badlands.

As you may have heard by now, Kiss and Def Leppard are teaming up for an extensive North American co-headlining tour this summer that runs from late June through the end of August. The itinerary includes a stop at the Target Center in Minneapolis on August 17; this is one of the few indoor shows of the tour if you prefer those to outdoor ones like I do.

Tickets for the Minneapolis date go on sale tomorrow Friday, March 21 at 12:00 noon CDT, but there is a 12-hour presale from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm CDT today, Thursday, March 20. Head on over to AXS and enter the password TONGUE.

Here is the complete list of the Kiss and Def Leppard dates:

June 23 - West Valley City, UT, USANA Amphitheater
June 25 - Denver, CO, Pepsi Center
June 27 - Ridgefield, WA, Sleep Country Amphitheater
June 29 - Auburn, WA, White River Amphitheater
July 2 - Concord, CA, Concord Paviliion
July 3 - Wheatland, CA, Sleep Train Amphitheater
July 5 - Irvine, CA, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 6 - Chula Vista, CA, Sleep Train Amphitheater
July 8 - Los Angeles, CA, The Forum
July 9 - Phoenix, AZ, Ak-Chin Pavilion
July 12 - Austin, TX, Austin 360 Amphitheater
July 13 - Dallas, TX, Gexa Energy Pavilion
July 15 - Cincinnati, OH, Riverbend Music Center
July 16 - Nashville, TX, Bridgestone Arena
July 18 - Atlanta, GA, Aaron's Amphitheater at Lakewood
July 19 - Charlotte, NC, PNC Music Pavilion
July 20 - Raleigh, NC, Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
July 22 - West Palm Beach, FL, Cruzan Amphitheatre
July 23 - Tampa, FL, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
July 25 - Bristow, VA, Jiffy Lube Live
July 26 - Holmdel, NJ, PNC Bank Arts Center
August 1 - Mansfield, MA, Xfinity Center
August 2 - Atlantic City, NJ, Boardwalk Hall
August 3 - Camden, NJ, Susquehanna Bank Center
August 5 - Saratoga Springs, NY, Saratoga Performing Arts Center
August 6 - Wantagh, NY, Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre
August 8 - Virginia Beach, VA, Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
August 9 - Scranton, PA, Pavilion at Montage Mountain
August 10 - Hartford, CT, Xfinity Theatre
August 12 - Toronto, ON, Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
August 13 - Darien, NY, Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
August 15 - East Troy, WI, Alpine Valley Music Theatre
August 16 - Tinley Park, IL, First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
August 17 - Minneapolis, MN, Target Center
August 20 - Des Moines, IA, Wells Fargo Arena
August 22 - Noblesville, IN, Klipsch Music Center
August 23 - Clarkston, MI, DTE Energy Music Theatre
August 24 - Burgettstown, PA, First Niagara Pavilion
August 26 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Blossom Music Center
August 28 - Maryland Heights, MO, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
August 29 - Tulsa, OK, BOK Center
August 31 - Woodlands, TX, Cynthia Wood Mitchell Pavilion

Tonight - TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA (2 Shows) and CHURCH OF MISERY with VULGAARI in Minneapolis

Chris Caffery performing with Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the State Theatre in Minneapolis on April 24, 2010. For a review of this concert, click here.

The seemingly unstoppable Tran-Siberian Orchestra plays two shows in Minneapolis today at the Target Center, one at 3:00 and the other at 8:00. Before dismissing this as rock-lite Christmas fare, keep in mind that Jon Oliva himself has stated that TSO, for all intents and purposes, is Savatage. Most of the Savatage principles are usually on the tours - Chris Caffery, Johnny Lee Middleton, Jeff Plate, Al Pitrelli, Alex Skolnick, and Zak Stevens alongside prominent metal vocalists such as Jeff Scott Soto and Kelly Keeling. Close your eyes, imagine Jon Oliva singing the songs, and it's not much of a stretch to hear Savatage as the foundation of TSO. If you long for the days of metal bands touring arenas with elaborate stages, TSO beats 'em all with hands-down the best, most dramatic stage and light show you'll ever see. This is also the last tour on which the band will play the The Lost Christmas Eve album. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster; it's all ages and tickets are $32–70.

Jeff Scott Soto performing as the Devil with Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the State Theatre in Minneapolis on April 24, 2010. For a review of this concert, click here.

TIP: Arenas almost always release choice, extra tickets on or near the sides of the stage once they see exactly how the stage fits in the arena - even if they show is sold out. I've gotten awesome seats to previous TSO concerts by buying them the day of the show!

BONUS TIP: Kurdt Vanderhoof, guitarist for Metal Church, can usually be seen running the soundboard for TSO! I don't know if he is this year, but if you see him, shout out "Metal Church!" and he'll give you a smile and a wave.

If slow, intense doom is your thing, don't miss out on seeing Japan's Church Of Misery together with local sludge/doom masters Vulgaari and Lungs at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. This is an 18+ show that starts around 9:00, and tickets are $18 at the door.

Tonight - ABSU in St. Paul; REO SPEEDWAGON, STYX, and TED NUGENT in Minneapolis

U.S. black metal band Absu returns to Station 4 in St. Paul tonight for a special two-set show. The first set will be career-spanning, while the second will feature Phase Two of the 2001 Tara album. Support comes from Maledicere, False, and Nuklear Frost. Doors open at 6:00, and it’s a 16+ show that will cost you $15 at the door.

Also tonight is a bill of superstars at the Target Center in Minneapolis – REO Speedwagon, Styx, and Ted Nugent. This is an all ages show that starts at 7:00, and tickets are $25–125.   

In Concert This Week - April 19, 2013

Tonight, Friday, April 19 is a big lineup of 70s/80s megastars REO Speedwagon, Styx, and Ted Nugent at the Target Center in Minneapolis. That same night black metal descends upon Station 4 in St. Paul with Absu, Maledicere, False, and Nuklear Frost.

New York punk band The Casualties play the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on Saturday, April 20 with support from Rocksteady Breakfast and Devil Blues Band. Also on Saturday, Station 4 in St. Paul has Haunted Wisconsin, Deretia, Ghost Hook, Invidiosus, and Compassion Dies. Further south, you can catch Face Of Oblivion, Byleth, and The Vile Impurity at the What’s Up Lounge in Mankato.

Seattle-based Solid State recording artist Emery plays Station 4 in St. Paul on Wednesday, April 24 with support from Wolves At The Gate, The Seeking, Peace Mercutio, and The Suit. The same night local doom/sludge band Witchden plays the Cause Spirits & Soundbar in Minneapolis with United Teachers Of Music and Wicked Inquisition.

Unpredictable rockers Mindless Self Indulgence play on Thursday, April 25 at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis with The Red Paintings.