Concert Dates, Concert Tour News, Artist Information

Slash is starting a solo career!

Guns ‘N’ Roses is kind of a tragic rock story. We say “tragic” because it’s kind of hard to feel sorry for a band that put out one truly great record, a couple okay placeholders, then kept fans waiting nearly two decades before releasing another album. But they could have been so much more, with hopes held especially high for Slash. Since leaving the band, he’s found work with the supergroup Velvet Revolver, but the latest news, according to Spinner, is that the guitarist is making a furtive effort to shed his GNR past and go out on his own.

“I just feel for people that don’t seem to get it,” they quoted him as saying. “All things considered, it’s been a really long time, and everybody’s moved on. At the same time I appreciate that I was part of a band that had such a huge impact and touched so many people, and I feel bad for them that it’s not around—but it is what it is.”

Slash has a new record coming out, so don’t be surprised if he goes on tour. Don’t be surprised if StubHub has concert tickets for that tour, either.

The AV Club chats up Hall and Oates

Whether listeners discovered them in their older sibling’s record collection or heard them in a bar with a really dated jukebox, Daryl Hall and John Oates has earned some massive ironic appreciation with today’s music fans. Part of it has always been the duo’s earnest look—a fine example of which is displayed at the top of the AV Club’s recent interview with them. Apparently, the two are releasing a four-CD boxed set of their work, spanning their entire career. The Club got in a lot of revealing questions, which H and O were both more than willing to give honest answers to.

Perhaps the most surprising answer is Hall’s feelings about being a professional musician. He says that to him, it’s always been work. It’s something he certainly takes seriously—maybe a little too seriously—but he just doesn’t take pleasure in music the way most radio listeners do. His actual quote: “I never enjoyed music…I’ve been a professional since I was 2 years old. It’s work. I come from a musical family, my mother was in a band… music to me was hard work. It was learning how to be in front of people, and how to deal with audiences. Practice, constant practice with instruments. It was never what most would call a pleasurable experience.”

It’s pretty interesting, so give it a read. If they head back out on tour, get concert tickets at StubHub.

Dashboard Confessional Postpones Tour

Dashboard Confessional is postponing its fall tour citing a “family issue” that is apparently beyond the band’s control.  The postponement comes just barely a week before the group’s latest album, titled After The Ending, arrives in stores Nov. 10.  They will be off for the rest of the autumn months and will return to the road in 2010.  They are still, however, planning to appear with the Louisville Orchestra this Saturday at Louisville’s Whitney Hall.  A note on the band’s website is directed at fans and says: “Due to a family situation that is beyond our control, we have to cancel our upcoming tour with New Found Glory, Never Shout Never, Meg & Dia and Single File.  We don’t take this lightly but family has to come first.  As this is a last minute development, we are still figuring out what we will do - as soon as we know, you will know.  We apologize to everyone who planned on coming to the shows.  We will find a way to make it up to you.”

Once they hit the road again, get your Dashboard Confessional tickets from StubHub.

First-Ever Full Concert for Leona Lewis

As hard as it may to believe, Leona Lewis played her first-ever full concert in her native Hackney, East London last night (Nov. 2), reports Billboard.com. Lewis first rose to fame in 2006, when she won American Idol-like U.K. reality show The X Factor and performed yesterday to promote the release of her new album. Lewis revealed the significance of playing at the renowned Hackney Empire Theatre, “I first performed here when I was 13. So it seemed fitting to come back and do my first live show here.”

Lewis started her show with “Brave” off her sophomore album, Echo, which is slated to arrive Nov. 16 in the U.K. via Syco/Sony Music and Nov. 17 in the U.S. via J Records. Lewis’ set list was comprised of nine songs, with three others from her new album, such as the lead single “Happy” (currently sitting at No. 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart) and “I Got You.” Lewis also performed her smash single “Bleeding Love” off her debut album, Spirit, as well as “Whatever It Takes” and the dance song “Outta My Head.”

Although no dates have been announces as of yet, Leona Lewis is expected to hit the road in 2010 so stayed tuned and get your Leona Lewis tickets at StubHub.

AV Club reviews Nirvana

It’s been 20 years since Nirvana first released an album. Just wanted to throw that out there and make sure all our readers felt old. It seems like just yesterday a trio of plaid-wearing, obscure record-quoting guys from the Pacific Northwest were taking over the country’s music scene. You know what that means: Time for some nostalgia!

Yes, the Sub Pop reissue of Bleach—as well as of Nirvana Live at Reading—capture a specific era as much as a specific band. But their music still sounds great, with Bleach much less fully formed than the breakout Nevermind, but still strong and full of that heavy, sludgy mix of punk and metal we all grew to love. The AV Club reviewed both discs, giving them high scores and noting that the reissue of Bleach includes some nifty extras, including photos and the band’s original record contract.

Live at Reading doesn’t include a whole lot that hasn’t already been seen, but if you watch past the credits, there’s apparently a clip of Kurt Cobain meeting with a boy suffering from cancer and his father. That seems like it would be a pretty moving moment, and give fans a further glimpse into what Cobain could be like personally.

Sadly, we’ll never see Nirvana tour again. But plenty of bands influenced by them have concert tickets available on StubHub.

Iggy and the Stooges (minus Ron Asheton) touring next year

Spinner reports that rock and roll madman Iggy Pop is going to be heading back out on tour with the Stooges, despite the loss of guitarist Ron Asheton earlier this year. Asheton was a key member of the band but was found dead in his home of a suspected heart attack. Iggy has been quoted in the press as saying that while he isn’t physically with them, his presence is definitely still felt at rehearsals.

“We’re all very sorry about Ron, his spirit within the group remains with the rest of us, and he is still a presence within the group without being on the physical plain,” Pop told the BBC recently. He also said that he hasn’t been around for rehearsals much due to some other interests that have occupied his attention, but the band has been rehearsing without him. They’re apparently going to be playing a one-off show at a music festival in Brazil before announcing a slew of tour dates for 2010.

It’s amazing that the guy can still do this at his age. But then again, he is Iggy Pop. If you see concert tickets for his show available on StubHub, make sure you pounce on them.

Rihanna’s First Interview to Air on ‘Good Morning America’

Rihanna has remained largely silent since her altercation with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown in February, but that is all about to change. MTV.com reports that according to a video promotion that arrived online over the weekend, the singer will appear on Good Morning America this Thursday (Nov. 5) promoting her new album, Rated R. The promo also revealed that Rihanna will appear on Friday’s (Nov. 6) edition of ABC’s 20/20. Last month the Rihanna Daily site reported the rumor that she would be appearing on GMA the day her new album arrives, November 23, but it looks like Rihanna will break her silence sooner. Brown was sentenced to 180 days of community labor following the incident, and Rihanna’s first single off her new album, “Russian Roulette,” appears to tackle the subject of abuse.

The voiceover in the promotion states: “Rihanna: Music superstar. Pop sensation. Now for the very first time, Rihanna tells her story.” While Rihanna will be speaking for the first time later this week, Brown has given several interviews, such as with Larry King Live, since the incident. In speaking with Larry King, Brown said, “I made a mistake and that’s just something I have to live up to and own up to and change and become a better person.”

Get your Rihanna tickets at StubHub.

Weezer is dedicated to fun more than cred

A lot of indie-rock blogs have been giving Weezer a lot of grief for their latest record—or, more specifically, for the way they’ve been promoting the record. The band has always had a pretty geeky, goofball sense of humor, and that’s been on display recently with their record’s title (“Raditude”), cover, and some very unique recordings of singles that have included guest stars like Kenny G. and Chamillionaire.

Pitchfork reports that they have been continuing the odd collaborations: “At a Halloween gig at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom, Gossip Girl star (and sometime pop singer) Leighton Meester came out to duet with Rivers on the band’s new single ‘(If You’re Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You To’.” Rivers is also reportedly working on a collaboration with Katy Perry, while “Pick You Up” was recently recorded with Adam Lambert. Can it be that Weezer has officially gone pop? And does it matter?

What do you think, fans? In any case, if you’re still hoping to see the band live, you’ll need to get some concert tickets at StubHub.

Karen O and Spike Jonze talk about Where the Wild Things Are

Pitchfork has a pretty cool clip of Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O. chatting with Where the Wild Things Are director Spike Jonze about the soundtrack to the movie. It received a ton of positive press from blogs online, including from Pitchfork, but two of the most popular songs on there had their sources in other bands. Karen O. says that “Worried Shoes,” which is a cover of a Daniel Johnston song, stuck with her when she heard the track while touring in support of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ It’s Blitz! She wasn’t sure what to do with it at first, but knew she would like to cover it at some point. When the opportunity to record some songs for the soundtrack came up, she made sure to include “Worried Shoes”—which has become known as one of the two most popular tracks from the record.

The other one is “All is Love,” which she found inspiration for in a Swedish band called Love is All, who included a song on their first record that inspired Karen O’s creation.

If you haven’t seen her live on stage, then you have been missing out. Make sure you get concert tickets for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at StubHub.

Peter Gabriel Reveals “Scratch My Back” Project

Peter Gabriel has recruited the help of some of his most famous friends for his upcoming Scratch My Back project.  According to NPR, the upcoming collection will include the participation of Radiohead, Neil Young, David Bowie, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, Randy Newman, Elbow, Talking Heads and Paul Simon.  Musician John Metcalf, who has been working closely with Gabriel on the project, noted on his website that, “the album will be acoustic, using only orchestral instruments (no guitars, drums or world instruments), and range in size from sparse chamber music to much fuller orchestral sounds.”  No definite release date has been scheduled for the project, but the track list is listed below.

1. “Heroes” - David Bowie
2. “Street Spirit” - Radiohead
3. “The Book of Love” - Magnetic Fields
4. “Flume” - Bon Iver
5. “My Body is a Cage” - Sara Lov
6. “Listening Wind” - Talking Heads
7. “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” - Randy Newman
8. “Apres Moi” - (maybe Regina Spektor)
9. “Waterloo Sunset” - The Kinks
10. “The Boy in the Bubble” - Paul Simon
11. “The Power of the Heart” - Lou Reed
12. “Philadelphia” - Bruce Springsteen
13. “Mirrorball” - Elbow

Keep current with all of the recent news involving Scratch My Back and be sure to get a pair of Peter Gabriel tickets from StubHub to see him live.