Classic Rock 93.9

Billy Corgan is bringing Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness to the opera.

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman will celebrate the 30th anniversary of his band’s 1995 album with a series of performances at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago, taking place over seven shows between Nov. 21-30.

“Opera and rock both tell stories of heightened emotions,” Corgan says. “I am excited for both fans of my music and traditional opera fans to hear some truly inspired work; for the balance here is to honor both traditions in a magisterial way.”

For more info, visit LyricOpera.org.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness marked the third Pumpkins album, and spawned singles including “1979,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” “Tonight, Tonight” and “Zero.” It’s been certified Diamond by the RIAA.

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An official teaser has just been released for the upcoming documentary John & Yoko: One to One.

The clip features archival footage of New York in the ’70s, plus a snippet of John Lennon and Yoko Ono dancing in the park and a clip of Lennon performing the track “Cold Turkey.”

The film, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald, follows the 18 months John and Yoko lived in New York’s Greenwich Village in the early ’70s. It culminates with the pair’s 1972 One to One concerts, which were Lennon’s only full-length performances after The Beatles‘ 1970 breakup. The film features never-before-seen and fully restored footage of the concert.

John & Yoko: One to One is set to open exclusively in IMAX theaters on April 11. It will eventually expand to additional theaters, and will air on HBO and stream on Max later in the year.

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Gibson has teamed with Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes for his first-ever signature guitar.

The Gibson Warren Haynes Les Paul Standard has features that were tailored to the rocker’s preferences and has a ’60s Cherry finish, with mahogany body and neck. It has the look and feel of a ’50s-era Les Paul, but with modern features. 

“I’ve always been a Gibson guy—I got hooked on that sound as a teenager and have been playing them ever since,” Haynes shares. “Needless to say, I’m honored to be partnering with Gibson to release my Signature Les Paul Standard.”

“I’m really enjoying playing this guitar on stage and looking forward to using it in the studio. I’m equally psyched that other guitar players will now have the opportunity to own and play one as well,” he adds.

The Gibson Warren Haynes Les Paul Standard is available now at Gibson Garage Nashville and London, as well as at authorized Gibson dealers and online at Gibson.com.

And speaking of Haynes onstage, he’s set to perform at Unbroken Chain: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Phil Lesh at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, on March 17. He will then launch a tour with the Warren Haynes Band on April 4 in Savannah, Georgia. He’s also set to perform at The Brothers shows, celebrating the music of the Allman Brothers Band, April 15 and April 16 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. A complete list of dates can be found at warrenhaynes.net.

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Sting has added some new dates to his Sting 3.0 tour, which has him backed by longtime collaborator Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas.

The new additions include a third show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, on May 22, as well as a Nov. 18 show in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The upcoming Sting 3.0 tour is now set to kick off May 19 with the three-night stand at Red Rocks, with the first leg wrapping June 1 in Phoenix. Sting will then return to North America for a second leg that begins Nov. 14 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and runs through Nov. 23 in Gary, Indiana.

Sting’s schedule did get a little lighter, though. Billy Joel just postponed four months of shows due to a medical condition, and that included four co-headlining concerts with Sting. The cancellation of a May 23 show in Salt Lake City likely made the third Red Rocks show possible.

Next up, Sting will team with Shaggy to headline the Reggae Rise Up 2025 festival in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Thursday. A complete list of dates and ticket info can be found at sting.com.

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A new restaurant and venue inspired by the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia is set to open in Chicago’s West Loop area in March and the initial lineup of performers has just been announced.

Garcia’s Chicago, the brainchild of Peter Shapiro, who’s also behind The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, the Brooklyn Bowl chain and more, will open March 21. The first of three shows will be headlined by Grahame Lesh, son of the late Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh.

According to the venue’s website, “Garcia’s Chicago is a concert venue and restaurant celebrating Jerry Garcia’s extraordinary legacy, reflecting his heritage, eclectic artistry, and the vibrant community that surrounded him throughout his life.”

Shapiro and his company Dayglo Presents worked with the Garcia family on the venue. The website notes, “[E]very element of Garcia’s Chicago has been thoughtfully designed to tell a story, embracing the spirit of Jerry and the worlds he inhabited.”

In addition to the Grahame Lesh & Friends shows, the initial Garcia’s lineup features shows by The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench, Grace Potter and The Grateful String Band.

Tickets go on sale March 14. A complete lineup can be found at garciaschicago.com.

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KISS is delving into their archives to treat their fans to another classic live performance. The rockers announced the sixth installment in their Off The Soundboard live bootleg series, which this time will focus on a classic concert from 1985.

KISS – Off The Soundboard: HemisFair Arena, San Antonio, Texas – December 3, 1985 was recorded during the band’s Asylum tour, and is the first soundboard release to feature Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Eric Carr with guitarist Bruce Kulick, who joined the band in 1984.

The album features performances of new Asylum songs like “Uh! All Night” and “Tears Are Falling,” along with KISS classics like “Detroit Rock City,” “Rock and Roll All Night,” “Lick It Up” and more.

KISS – Off The Soundboard: HemisFair Arena, San Antonio, Texas – December 3, 1985, shipping March 28,  is currently available to preorder on KISS’ website as a 3-LP colored vinyl set that comes with a t-shirt.

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Bachman-Turner Overdrive is getting ready to release some new music.

The “Takin’ Care of Business” rockers, led by Randy Bachman, will release the new single “60 Years Ago,” on March 28, with proceeds benefiting The Bridge to Nowhere charity bike ride, which helps raise money to end chronic homelessness in Winnipeg, Canada.

The song features Randy and his 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.

“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,” Randy shares. “It was the Liverpool of North America, a melting pot of incredible talents. Everyone I’ve talked to who spent time in Winnipeg and witnessed that musical explosion is excited to hear this song, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it.”

“60 Years Ago” is available for preorder now.

Bachman-Turner Overdrive is set to kick off a Canadian tour on April 1 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.

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Mötley Crüe guitarist John 5 is launching a museum showcasing his personal collection of KISS memorabilia.

The Knights in Satan Service Museum will be open in Los Angeles on May 5-9, May 12-16, May 19-23 and May 27-30, with John himself leading guided tours of over 2,500 pieces amassed over nearly 50 years.

“In June 1977, when I was 7-years-old, my mom took me to Sears where I saw a record store display for KISS’ album Love Gun,” John says. “I loved monsters and music and begged my mom for the record. Hearing it for the first time was a total epiphany for me. And any time a birthday or Christmas rolled around, I got a new KISS poster or merch.”

“Collecting became a huge part of my life. It’s also helped me connect with the world as I’ve found pieces from Argentina to Chile, Taiwan to Japan,” he continues. “With KISS not touring anymore, the only real place to see this collection and go down memory lane is to come to the museum in Los Angeles. Hang out with me, I’ll answer questions, we’ll talk and I’ll tell stories.”

For more info, visit John5Store.com.

John will have some time to exhibit his KISS collection with Mötley Crüe postponing their Las Vegas residency from March and April to September and October. The delay is due to vocalist Vince Neil undergoing an unspecified medical procedure.

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Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett is heading out on the road this fall to celebrate Genesis’ classic album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer just announced dates for the Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights and Solo North American tour, which kicks off Oct. 4 in Ithaca, New York, and wraps Nov. 22 in Portland, Oregon.

Like the name suggests, the tour will have Hackett performing songs from 1974’s The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, as well as other classic Genesis tunes and music from his solo career.

Ticket presales are happening Wednesday and Thursday, with tickets going on sale to the general public starting Friday.

A complete list of dates can be found at hackettsongs.com.

Released Nov. 22, 1974, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway was a concept album based on Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel‘s idea about a Puerto Rican youth named Rael who goes on a journey of self-discovery.

On March 28, Genesis will celebrate the album’s anniversary with the release of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition, which includes a remastered album, a Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos mixes done under the supervision of Gabriel and Tony Banks, and never-before-released demos.

It is available for preorder now.

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Ringo Starr’s Ringo & Friends at the Ryman premieres Monday on CBS, and fans are getting another sneak peek at the special.

The network just released a clip of Ringo joined by rocker Jack White for a performance of the Carl Perkins track “Matchbox.” Starr previously recorded his take on the song for The Beatles‘ 1964 EP Long Tall Sally.

Ringo & Friends at the Ryman premieres at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+. It was recorded during Ringo’s two nights at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in January, following the release of his new country album, Look Up.

Other “friends” joining Ringo include Sheryl Crow, Mickey Guyton, Brenda Lee, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Rodney Crowell and The War and Treaty.

Both Ryman shows ended with an all-star performance of The Beatles song “With a Little Help from My Friends,” with proceeds from the song benefiting California wildfire relief efforts.

Ringo is getting ready to hit the stage once again this summer. He’ll kick off a new tour with his All-Starr Band on June 12 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. A complete list of dates can be found at RingoStarr.com.

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