The Rolling Stones have announced Gary Clark Jr. as the opener for the first show of their upcoming U.S. tour.
The show takes place April 28 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Clark is originally from Austin, Texas.
Following the Houston date, the Stones will play New Orleans Jazz Fest in May, followed by U.S. stadium performances throughout May, June and July. They’ll be supporting their new album, Hackney Diamonds, which was released in October and marked their first collection of original material in nearly 20 years.
Clark, meanwhile, put out a new record, JPEG RAW, in March. He’ll launch his own U.S. tour in May.
While fans may think that Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora are permanently estranged, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Ahead of the April 26 streaming debut of their documentary Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, Jon told Entertainment Tonight that he and Sambora watched the first three episodes of the documentary together. He said it was the first time he saw Sambora — albeit onscreen — apologize for leaving the band in 2013.
“It was never about money, it was never about a girlfriend. He had issues … and he literally didn’t show up. We were playing for 20,000 people and there’s a black hole on the stage,” Jon told ET about Sambora’s departure.
“Substance abuse or anxieties or single parenting, all those things weighed on him, losing his dad. These were all very hard things,” Jon continued. “But in fairness, why would I take away the livelihoods of … the band…? [What about] … the millions of people that bought a ticket? What am I going to do? Shut it down because you don’t want to go to rehab?”
However, Jon said that in the past 10 years he and Richie have been able to heal their relationship. As Jon told ET, “You read, you talk to professionals, you sit with yourself, you learn to understand from a different perspective that his choices weren’t made out of animosity either.”
Bon Jovi’s new album, Forever, is coming out June 7, but Jon says he won’t tour until his voice is 100% back following the vocal surgery he had in 2022.
As he put it, “I won’t compromise who we are as a band live, because I’d like to think we’re a pretty darn good band.”
Prince’s ’80s-era band The Revolution is set to headline two special shows celebrating the 40th anniversary of Prince’s classic album Purple Rain.
The band — Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Bobby Z, Brownmark and Dr. Fink — will take the stage at Minneapolis’ legendary venue First Avenue on Friday, June 21, and Saturday June 22, as part of Paisley Park’s Celebration 2024, which runs from June 20 to June 24.
“We are honored to celebrate Purple Rains’s 40th anniversary and keep the music, legacy and spirit of Prince alive,” The Revolution share.
“We’re excited for fans to join us for Prince Celebration 2024 and are thrilled to be working with The Revolution and First Avenue in celebrating Prince and the 40th Anniversary of Purple Rain,” Prince’s former manager and lawyer, L. Londell McMillan,adds. “It is an exciting moment, as it was always a top priority to have the team united and aligned together to properly present their legacy with Prince.”
Tickets for the June 21 show are included in the VIP and general admission Celebration 2024 tickets. Tickets for the June 22 show go on sale Friday, April 12, at 11 a.m. CT.
Madonna‘s April 9 show in Miami, Florida, turned into a tribute to those affected by the 2016 mass shooting at gay nightclub Orlando’s Pulse, which left 49 people dead. At the time, the shooting was the deadliest terror attack in the U.S. since 9-11.
People reports that Madonna invited survivors of the shooting and the loved ones of the victims to the Miami show and then spoke about it from the stage. It’s a topic she seemingly feels strongly about, both as an LBGTQ+ ally and the world’s foremost purveyor of dance music.
“I want to draw attention to that moment because nightclubs and music and dance are what bring us together,” she said. “They shouldn’t be places or things that we do that bring us sadness and tragedy and murder and death and pain and suffering and trauma.”
She continued, “I make dance music. My job is to bring people together, to make people dance, to make people happy, to not judge. This s*** is not supposed to happen. Don’t forget about it.”
She added, “I will always stand for the gays, always, because the gays have always stood for me.”
From the stage, Madonna shouted out some of the survivors and spoke about how the shooting had affected their lives, including physically and mentally.
The Queen of Pop then called for everyone to remember that “we’re all guilty of discrimination in one way or another … therefore, I ask you all to remember you responsibility, and I ask you all to remember you have the ability to shine light in the world and to make a difference.”
Madonna followed her comments with a performance of Gloria Gaynor‘s “I Will Survive.”
The iconic singer’s Celebration Tour continues April 14 in Austin, Texas.
A new Grateful Dead book penned by late songwriter Robert Hunter is due for release later this year.
Hunter wrote The Silver Snarling Trumpet: The Birth of the Grateful Dead—The Lost Manuscript of Robert Hunter in the early ’60s, and its existence has been the subject of a lot of speculation amongst Deadheads. The book had been in Hunter’s attic for years, but it’s finally going to see the light of day.
Hachette Books is set to release The Silver Snarling Trumpet on October 8, giving fans insight into the origin story of the band and Hunter’s partnership with Jerry Garcia. It will feature a foreword by Dead &Company’s John Mayer, with an introduction by author and former Dead publicist Dennis McNally and an afterword by Hunter’s close friend Brigid Meier.
Hunter is best known for writing such Grateful Dead classics as “Dark Star,” “Ripple,” “Truckin’,” “Uncle John’s Band” and more. He passed away in September 2019 at the age of 78.
In addition to the book, Hunter’s 1974 debut solo album, Tales of the Great Rum Runners, is getting a deluxe reissue on June 7. It will feature a newly remastered version of the album along with 16 previously unreleased recordings. The first track released from the record is a remastered version of “Standing at Your Door.”
Tales Of the Great Rum Runners (Deluxe Edition) be released as a two-CD and two-LP set, and will also get its first-ever digital release. It is available for preorder now.
Ever wonder what Lenny Kravitz does to get those chiseled abs? Well, he just gave us all a peek into his workout, and it’s very Lenny Kravitz.
The rocker, who turns 60 on May 26, shared a video on Instagram of him at the gym doing situps while holding a barbell over his head. While that may seem normal, what is out of the ordinary is his workout gear: leather pants, a mesh shirt and boots.
“Thank God for today! Grateful. Never been better,” he captioned the video. “There are no shortcuts so seize your day. It is all possible. Love!”
The clip got quite the reaction from Kravitz’s fans, many of whom commented on his unconventional gym attire.
“My man never breaks character. Full time rockstar!” one person commented, while another added, “Man! Boots and leather pants while working out is crazy! Always on brand!”
And another joked, “Only Lenny can work out in that and nobody bats an eye.”
Lenny and those leather pants are getting ready to drop the new album Blue Electric Light on May 24. It is available for preorder now.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers just announced the rescheduled dates for their Peace Out tour, which was put on hold last September after frontman Steven Tyler fractured his larynx.
The tour is set to resume on September 20 in Pittsburgh and wrap February 26 in Buffalo, New York. Just like the original plan, the new dates include a New Year’s Eve show in their hometown of Boston. Aerosmith has also added three new shows to the trek: the opening date in Pittsburgh as well as shows in Philadelphia and Orlando.
The Black Crowes will once again join Aerosmith as special guests on the tour, with the exception of the opening night, where Teddy Swims will open.
Tickets purchased for the original run will be honored for the rescheduled dates. Tickets for the new shows go on sale Friday, April 12, at 10 a.m. A complete list of dates can be found at aerosmith.com.
Aerosmith announced in May that the Peace Out tour would be their goodbye to the road. They launched the trek on September 2 in Philadelphia before halting the tour on September 29. At the time, Tyler said he was “heartbroken” by having to postpone and added, “I promise we will be back as soon as we can!”
Peter Gabriel, KISS and Nirvana were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Gabriel had previously been inducted in 2010 as a member of Genesis and was now being inducted for his solo career, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin on hand to do the honors. Gabriel also performed at the ceremony, treating the crowd to “Digging in the Dirt,” “Wash on the Water” with Martin and “In Your Eyes” with YoussouN’Dour.
KISS was inducted by Rage Against the Machine‘s Tom Morello. All four original members — Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley — attended, although they did not perform.
Nirvana’s induction was handled by R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, with surviving members, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, and guitarist Pat Smear, performing four tracks with guest vocalists, including St. Vincent, Lorde, Sonic Youth‘s Kim Gordon and Joan Jett.
Other inductees that evening included Hall & Oates, Linda Ronstadt and Cat Stevens, as well as BruceSpringsteen’s E Street Band, who were inducted into the Musical Excellence category.
The Rolling Stones are looking back at their first performance in China with a new video set to premiere on YouTube April 11 at 8 a.m. ET.
The band just shared a trailer for From London to Shanghai – The Rolling Stones’ Historic Concert to the Other Side of the World, which appears to document what it took to put on their April 2006 concert at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.
The video will feature interviews with The Stones’ longtime production manager Dale “Opie” Skjerseth, as well as the godfather of Chinese rock, Cui Juan, who opened the show and joined the band for “Wild Horses.”
The trailer notes that ahead of the show the band was given a list of songs they couldn’t play, including “Brown Sugar” and “Honky Tonk Woman,” with Mick Jagger noting that “Beast of Burden” and “Let’s Spend The Night Together” were also on the list. They were, however, allowed to play “B****,” with the video showing a clip of the performance.
The Stones’ first concert in China was part of their A Bigger Bang tour. They had originally planned to play China three years earlier, but those shows didn’t happen because of the SARS epidemic. They have since returned to China, playing the Shanghai Mercedes-Benz Arena in 2014.
And speaking of The Rolling Stones on tour, the band will kick off the Hackney Diamonds tour on April 28 in Houston, Texas. A complete list of dates can be found at rollingstones.com.
The Beatles fans who haven’t yet caught the Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil show LOVE need to book a trip to Sin City quickly.
Cirque du Soleil just announced that the show is set to end its 18-year run at The Mirage on July 7, ahead of the hotel’s transformation into the new Hard Rock Las Vegas.
The Beatles LOVE opened in 2006, featuring a soundtrack produced and mixed by The Beatles’ original producer, George Martin, and his son Giles Martin. More than 11.5 million people have taken in the show, which combined the band’s music with aerial artistry, colorful visuals and high-energy choreography.
“It’s been an honor for all of us at Cirque du Soleil to collaborate with The Beatles and Apple Corps Ltd. on what can only be described as a masterpiece,” Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group CEO Stéphane Lefebvre shares. “We are grateful to the creators, cast, crew and all involved in bringing this show to life and we know The Beatles LOVE will live on long after the final bow.”
Tickets for shows through June 29 are on sale now, with tickets for the final week of performances expected to go on sale in the coming weeks. More info about tickets can be found at cirquedusoleil.com/beatles-love.
