Tours: HE IS LEGEND Announce July/August U.S. Tour, St. Paul Show August 17

North Carolina-based rock band He Is Legend have announced a U.S. trek dubbed the “Mega Deaf Tour” as the band prepares for the release of a new album. The month-long tour starts July 25 in Atlanta, and support will come from Maylene & The Sons Of Disaster and Wilson. All dates are listed below, and St. Paul is included on the tour with a stop on Sunday, August 17 at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall. No further ticket information for the St. Paul show is available at this time.

Watch the lyric video for "Something Witchy" by He Is Legend.

You can watch the lyric video for “Something Witchy” above, which will appear on the band’s new album. “Something Witchy” is available as a digital single now through iTunes and Tragic Hero Records, where you can also get your hands on a limited edition bundle of the digital single with a t-shirt and poster.

July 25 – Atlanta, GA, The Masquerade

July 26 – Ybor City, FL, Orpheum

July 27 – Jacksonville, FL, Underbelly

July 29 – Nashville, TN, Exit/In

July 31 – San Antonio, TX, Limelight

August 1 – Austin, TX, Dirty Dog Bar

August 2 – Dallas, TX, Trees

August 3 – Houston, TX, Walters

August 6 – Tucson, AZ, The Rock

August 7 – Phoenix, AZ, Joe’s Grotto

August 9 – La Jolla, CA, Porter’s Pub

August 10 – Pomona, CA, The Glass House

August 11 – Sacramento, CA, Assembly

August 12 – Salt Lake City, UT, Urban Lounge

August 13 – Denver, CO, Marquis Theatre

August 14 – Kansas City, MO, Riot Room

August 15 – St. Louis, MO, Fubar

August 16 – Joliet, IL, Mojoes

August 17 – St. Paul, MN, Amsterdam Bar & Hall

August 19 – Newport, KY, Thompson House

August 20 – Cleveland, OH, Agora Ballroom

August 21 – Louisville, KY, Phoenix Hill Tavern

August 22 – Fayetteville, NC, The Drunken Horse Pub

Tours: ULI JON ROTH Cancels North American Guitar Gods Tour, Reveals Plans to Return to U.S. in Spring 2015

Uli Jon Roth performing February 16, 2013 at Neisen's in Savage, Minnesota. Click on either picture to see more photos of Uli and his band (63).

Surely this is the most disappointing concert news of the year. Uli Jon Roth, legendary solo artist and former Scorpions guitarist, made the announcement on his Facebook page that he’s been forced bow of his upcoming tour with Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Gary Hoey, and Bumblefoot:

“Unfortunately we are forced to cancel my participation in this tour due to unforeseen circumstances which are beyond our control. We don’t know why, but work visas got mysteriously delayed for no apparent reason to the point where we were left with no other reasonable choice but to cancel at this late stage. In over 30 years of obtaining US visas this has never happened to me, but I guess there’s always a first.

I would have love to play for the North-American audience on this tour, like so many times before, but I’m my three guitar-playing friends will be just fine without me and will more than make up for it with their considerable skills. I’m wishing them best luck and lots of inspiration!!!”

Uli responded in the comment thread to his post with the news that he’s planning to return to North America early next year:

“I’ll be back some time in the Spring! See you then hopefully.”

The Guitar Gods tour featuring Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Gary Hoey, and Bumblefoot comes to the Skyway Theatre in Minneapolis on Monday, June 23.

Tours: CLUTCH Return to the Road in September, Play Minneapolis September 15

Clutch performing in 1998 at the Granada Theater in Lawrence, Kansas.

Everyone’s favorite stoner/grunge rockers Clutch have announced another round of U.S. tour dates to promote last year’s Earth Rocker album. Starting in Providence, Rhode Island on September 5, the routing takes them mostly through the Midwest before ending in Baltimore on September 27. Support on the tour will come from Lionize and American Sharks, and also includes appearances at the Riot Fests in Toronto, Chicago, and Denver. The tour hits First Avenue in Minneapolis on Monday, September 15, and tickets are on sale now through etix. The full list of dates follows.

September 5 – Providence, RI, Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel

September 6 – Clifton Park, NY, Upstate Concert Hall

September 6-7 – Toronto, ON, Riot Fest

September 9 – Knoxville, TN, Bijou Theatre

September 10 – Lexington, KY, Buster’s Billiards & Backroom

September 11 – Toledo, OH, Headliners

September 12-14 – Chicago, IL, Riot Fest

September 13 – Grand Rapids, MI, The Orbit Room

September 15 – Minneapolis, MN, First Avenue

September 16 – Sioux Falls, SD, The District

September 18 – Kansas City, MO, Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland

September 19 – Omaha, NE, Sokol Auditorium

September 19-21 – Denver, CO, Riot Fest

September 22 – Springfield, MO, Gillioz Theatre

September 23 – Indianapolis, IN, The Vogue

September 25 – Huntington, NY, The Paramount

September 26 – Norfolk, VA, The NorVa

September 27 – Baltimore, MD, The Shindig Music Festival

Former AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE Guitarist Joins Band Onstage, Guitarist Involved in Security Scuffle

UPDATE: Pictures from the show have been added.

Click on any of the pictures to see more live photos of American Head Charge (46).

American Head Charge just ended a rowdy hometown show in Minneapolis at the Skyway Theatre that saw guitarist Karma Singh Cheema scuffling with security to the point of being restrained.

Guitarist Karma Singh Cheema (below) being helped to the stage following a scuffle with security in front of the stage during "Seemless" (above).

The incident occurred near the end of the hour-long set when former guitarist Benji Helberg joined the band on stage for "Seamless", from The War Of Art album. During the song Karma set his guitar on the stage and stage-dove into the crowd. A security guard (facing the crowd) did not see this, and began shoving the guitarist out of the security pit when he didn't leave. Karma responded hotly and a shoving match ensued during the song, and additional security rushed up to restrain the guitarist and help him back on the stage. The show ended without incident and Karma jokingly "psyched" the security guard when they shook hands after the song.

Former guitarist Benji Helberg joined the band to play "Seemless".

American Head Charge was performing as special guest to Wayne Static, and the band received a raucous welcome from the start. At one point a bass guitar found its way into the crowd and singer Cameron Heacock threateningly warned the audience that "No one is leaving with that," and it was passed above the crowd back to the stage.

I'll have a full show review with pictures posted in due course.

THE DAGGER Apes DEEP PURPLE's "Burn"

Photo taken from The Dagger's artist page on the Century Media site.

While listening to the latest episode (June 2014) of the Century Media podcast, my ears picked up upon hearing a cool song, "Ahead Of You All" from a new Swedish band called The Dagger. Their self-titled debut album will come out July 22nd in North America. The band includes members of Dismember and Grave, but drop your death metal expectations at the door because this is one righteous NWOBHM throwback. You can tease out all sorts of late-70s and early-80s influences from Judas Priest to the obscure. What really grabbed my attention was the blatant homage to Deep Purple.

Listen to the Soundcloud posting of "Ahead Of You All", and at the 3:23 mark you'll hear a nearly identical passage to that following Jon Lord's organ solo in the 1974 classic "Burn" by Deep Purple. Compare the 3:23 mark in "Ahead Of You All" to what comes at the 4:24 mark of "Burn" (from YouTube).

I usually despise when bands ripoff others' tunes, but this is so cleverly done that it's hard not to smile. "Ahead Of You All" is obviously written out of love for early British metal, and I'm really looking forward to hearing the rest of The Dagger's album when it's released.

Weekly Concert Update - June 7, 2014

The What’s Up Lounge in Mankato has announced a crazy night of death metal and grindcore with Ambassador Gun, Glutton For Punishment, Human Bashing, Cantharone, Exmordium, and The Rising Plague on Saturday, June 28.

Mill City Nights in Minneapolis has Buckcherry returning to town on Thursday, August 7. No opening bands have been announced yet, and tickets are available now through AXS.

Rock band Saving Abel has added a second area show on Thursday, August 28 at the House of Rock in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. No other information is available at this time.

Hard rock legends Boston storm into Prior Lake at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel Showroom on Friday, August 29. Tickets went on sale through Ticketmaster today, Saturday, June 7 at 10:00 am. This show is near the end of a mammoth three-month-long U.S. tour for the band. Click here to check out some cool videos of PBS interviewing guitarist Tom Scholz for their web-series “The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers”. The coolest video is “Sound Machine”, which features Tom talking about some of his custom make equipment he uses to get unique guitar sounds, and where he reveals that his favorite moment as an engineer was when he received two warranty cards for his company’s equipment from Jeff Beck!

Rock bands Hawthorne Heights and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus team up for a tour that brings them to The Garage in Burnsville on Tuesday, September 2. Rounding out the bill are New Empire, Famous Last Words, The Ongoing Concept, and Everybody Run. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketfly.

Clutch will be back in town, this time at First Avenue in Minneapolis, on Monday, September 15 with support from Lionize and American Sharks. Tickets are on sale now through etix.

Clutch performing on The Elephant Riders tour in 1998.

Underground alternative rock icons The Afghan Whigs return to town for a concert at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Saturday, October 11. The band reformed a couple years ago, and will be promoting their first album since 1998, Do To The Beast. Their show two years ago at the Varsity Theater sold out, so get your tickets early; they’re on sale now through etix.

Dave Davies, vocalist and guitarist for The Kinks, will play the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, on Friday, November 7. No further information is available at this time.

This show has been rescheduled for Friday, November 29

Former Journey and Tyketto vocalist Steve Augeri will rock Clyde Iron Works in Duluth on Friday, November 29. Guns 'N' Garters will open the show. This is a rescheduled show originally to take place on June 6, so check with the venue about refunds or to find out if tickets you already purchased are good for the new date.