Phil Collins made his U.S. live debut as Genesis’ lead singer on the band’s first tour since Peter Gabriel‘s departure.
Gabriel announced his departure from Genesis in August 1975, following the tour in support of their sixth studio album, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. The first tour without him was in support of The Trick of Tail, with Genesis performing across North America and Europe.
Interestingly, on March 28, 1996, exactly 20 years after he made his live debut as frontman, Collins announced he too was leaving Genesis to focus on solo work and movie soundtracks.
That break lasted almost nine years, with Genesis launching a reunion tour in 2007. The band wrapped their final tour, The Last Domino? tour, on March 26, 2022, in London.
Bachman-Turner Overdrive has dropped their first new single in over 25 years.
The Canadian band, led by Randy Bachman, has released the new track “60 Years Ago,” which features Randy’s sons Tal and Koko Bachman, with BTO’s Fred Turner on vocals, and a guitar solo from Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and fellow Canadian, Neil Young.
“As a thank-you to Winnipeg, the city that shaped us, I wrote a song called ‘60 Years Ago,’” Bachman shares. “This song is our tribute to Winnipeg, the place where we grew up as teenagers in the ’60s, a time when the city’s music scene was exploding. It was the Liverpool of North America, a melting pot of incredible talents.”
“60 Years Ago” is available now via digital outlets. Proceeds from the song will go to The Bridge to Nowhere charity bike ride, which helps raise money to end chronic homelessness in Winnipeg, Canada.
Bachman-Turner Overdrive is set to kick off a Canadian tour on Tuesday in Victoria, British Columbia. They will hit the States this summer with The Marshall Tucker Band and Jefferson Starship. The tour kicks off July 18 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
A complete list of dates can be found at btoband.com.
Paul McCartney recently reissued his band Wings’ album Venus and Mars for its 50th anniversary, and he’s giving fans a way to enjoy the music together.
The rocker just announced a new global Venus and Marslistening party Friday at 1 p.m. ET. Those taking part are asked to share their favorite Venus and Mars songs, lyrics and memories.
Meanwhile, in a Q&A on his website, McCartney answered some questions about what it was like touring with Wings after the release of Venus and Mars, which saw the band going from clubs to stadiums.
“After The Beatles, we had this tiny little band that didn’t have any hits and didn’t even know each other, except for me and (wife) Linda (McCartney) obviously. And Denny Laine, who I knew a little,” McCartney shares. “We were almost an amateur outfit, but we knew we would work at it and we did. We built it brick-by-brick.”
“In 1976 we did the big American tour and it was like, ‘Wow, this is it!’ That was the payoff, after all that work,” he explains. “This crazy idea of just getting a few friends together and doing little clubs and building it and learning how to be a group – it worked.”
Finally he notes, “It was the justification of the way we’d done it, with the world’s craziest idea – that after you’ve been a Beatle, you go down to little clubs or places you don’t even have bookings, like on the university tour. It was very daring.”
A documentary about legendary New York concert promoter Ron Delsener is set for a May theatrical release.
Abramorama recently acquired the film, Ron Delsener Presents, directed by Jake Sumner. It has announced it will open with a weeklong engagement at Quad Cinema in New York City starting May 30, with the 86-year-old Delsener and some special guests taking part in Q&As during the run. It will then hit theaters in select cities nationwide.
The film gives music fans a behind-the-scenes look at Delsener’s 60-year career in live music and features interviews with a whole host of A-list musicians: Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Jon Bon Jovi, the late Jimmy Buffett, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Gene Simmons, Patti Smith, Cher and more.
“For generations most of the live music in New York City and most of its iconic venues were presided over by one individual and his small team, and that was Ron Delsener,” Sumner shares. “Ron’s personal story tracks the tale of live music from a cottage industry, to the dominant cultural force and global business it is today.”
He adds, “He is probably one of the only living sources of the live music business’s entirety, or at least a version of it.”
Back in September, The Guess Who founding singer Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman reached a settlement with their former bandmates Jim Kale and Garry Peterson over the use of the band’s name, and it appears that may be a catalyst for a reunion tour.
In an interview with American Songwriter, the 81-year-old Bachman reveals that he and Cummings are talking about hitting the road together again.
“[Burton is] finishing up his stuff this year, I’m finishing up my [Bachman-Turner Overdrive] stuff,” Bachman shares. “And we have a plan for 2026 to be The Guess Who, where … we do a set list of about 30 hit songs, and it’s probably gonna be a two- or three-hour Springsteen kind of marathonic show.”
He adds, “And we’re all geared to do that in 2026. It’ll be the unveiling of ‘The Guess Who are back.’”
In the lawsuit, filed in October 2023, Cummings and Bachman accused Kale and Peterson of tricking fans into thinking Cummings and Bachman were still performing with The Guess Who, when they were actually getting a “cover band.” The suit’s settlement resulted in Cummings and Bachman acquiring the trademark for the band’s name.
But until a reunion tour happens, Bachman is keeping busy. He’s launching a Canadian tour with his other band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, on April 1 in Victoria, British Columbia. He’ll also hit the States this summer with The Marshall Tucker Band and Jefferson Starship, startingJuly 18 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The band is also set to drop the new single “60 Years Ago” on Friday, with proceeds benefiting The Bridge to Nowhere charity bike ride, which helps raise money to end chronic homelessness in Winnipeg, Canada.
Foreigner’s original frontman, Lou Gramm, is returning to the band for their South American tour.
In a press release announcing that Foreigner’s 2009 three-disc set Can’t Slow had been certified Gold, the band’s current lead singer, Kelly Hansen, revealed that he’s been dealing with “some issues” and that Gramm will be helping out in his place.
Noting that he was “blown away” by the album’s success, Hansen shared, “I am so looking forward to continuing my journey with this incredible band. Some issues have forced me to limit appearances outside of the USA this year and this means unfortunately, I will miss Foreigner’s South American run.”
“However, our incredible bandmate Luis Maldonado has been recording some of our hits in Spanish and he will be handling most of the vocals along with Lou Gramm who will be guesting with Foreigner for those shows,” he explains. “I know they will smash it!”
Foreigner’s South American tour kicks off April 28 in Mexico City and runs through May 10 in São Paulo, Brazil. The band also recently announced a Canadian tour that begins Oct. 21 in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with vocalist Geordie Brown handling the singing duties.
AC/DC is set to kick off their Power Up tour of the U.S. on April 10 in Minneapolis, and they are resurrecting their High Voltage Dive Bar for the occasion.
The bar will be held at Machine Shop in downtown Minneapolis. It will be open on April 9 from 2 p.m. CT to 10 p.m. CT and then again on April 10 from 12 p.m. CT to 8 p.m. CT.
In addition to grabbing a drink, fans will be able to check out some AC/DC-related props, and get their hands on exclusive merch and special vinyl releases.
AC/DC previously set up their High Voltage Dive Bar in the U.S. ahead of the Power Trip festival in Indio, California, in October 2023. They also opened Dive Bar locations during their 2024 European tour.
The 13-date Power Up stadium tour is set to hit such cities as Arlington, Pasadena, Las Vegas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Chicago and more before wrapping May 28 in Cleveland.
A complete list of dates can be found at acdc.com.
The Who kick off a two-night stand at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Thursday to benefit Teenage Cancer Trust, and they’ve found another way to help raise money for the charity.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are selling 100 holographic gig posters, each one hand signed by frontman Roger Daltrey. Both posters, one for the March 27 show and one for the March 30 gig, feature throwback photos of the band and an image of Royal Albert Hall.
The posters, designed by Josh Townshend — the son of Pete Townshend‘s brother Simon Townshend —are available for preorder until May 1.
Teenage Cancer Trust is a nonprofit dedicated to providing specialized treatment and support for young people with cancer.
The Who has two other shows on the schedule for 2025, both in Italy: July 20 in Padua and July 21 in Milan. Daltrey also has several solo U.K. shows on the schedule, with a tour kicking off April 20 in Brighton, England. A complete schedule can be found at thewho.com.
Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo will be honored with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award by the global nonprofit WhyHunger, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
The award recognizes “philanthropic artists who have used their talent and global influence to inspire change and foster social justice.”
“We are deeply honored to receive the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and to stand alongside WhyHunger in their tireless fight to end hunger,” Benatar and Giraldo share. “Music has always been a powerful force for change, and we believe in using our voices not just to entertain, but to inspire action.”
They add, “WhyHunger’s mission aligns with our lifelong commitment to justice and equity, and we are proud to support their work in ensuring that nutritious food is a fundamental right for all.”
“Honoring Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award is a testament to their unwavering commitment to social justice and their powerful influence in igniting change through music,” Jenique Jones, WhyHunger’s executive director, adds. “We are thrilled to recognize their contributions at this year’s Chapin Awards Gala as we recommit ourselves to this work together.”
The pair will receive the honor at the annual Chapin Awards Gala on June 4 at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City. Tickets for the event are on sale now.
Previous Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award honorees include Elvis Costello, Jackson Brown, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger and Barbra Streisand.
When Elton John retired from touring, he didn’t say he’d never play live again — and that’s what he did on Wednesday night, taking the stage at the London Palladium with his musical collaborator Brandi Carlile to preview songs from their upcoming album, Who Believes In Angels?
The performance was recorded for the CBS and Paramount+ special An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile, premiering April 6. In addition to renditions of Elton’s big hits, Brandi’s songs and songs from the new album, they sat for a Q&A with Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy, who it turns out was named after Elton’s song “Daniel.” According to NME, during the chat Elton revealed he owns “somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000” pairs of glasses.
Celebrities in the audience for the show included Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, Jason Momoa, Sacha Baron Cohen and Lily James. Onstage, Brandi and Elton’s backing band included Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, former Chili Pepper and touring Pearl Jam band member Josh Klinghoffer and producer Andrew Watt.
According to NME, Elton and Brandi played new songs “Swing for the Fences,” “Little Richard’s Bible,” “Who Believes In Angels?” and “You Without Me.” Elton also treated the audience to “I Need You To Turn To,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me,” “Your Song,” “Bennie and the Jets” and “I’m Still Standing.” Plus, he and Brandi covered Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” and Jim Reeves‘ “He’ll Have to Go.”
Elton and Brandi will also perform April 5 on Saturday Night Live.
