Billy Idol announces new leg of the It’s A Nice Day To … Tour Again! tour

April 7, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Billy Idol is hitting the road again this summer.

The “Rebel Yell” rocker has announced dates for a new leg of the It’s A Nice Day To … Tour Again! tour, kicking off Aug. 7 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The trek will hit cities in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, and more, before wrapping Sept. 27 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

A Citi presale for tickets begins Wednesday at 12 p.m. local time, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 12 p.m. local time.

Idol launched the It’s A Nice Day To … Tour Again! tour in April 2025. In addition to the newly announced shows, he will headline the weeklong Hot in the City Las Vegas residency at the Fontainebleau from Aug. 28 to Sept. 5.

A complete list of dates can be found at BillyIdol.net.

Idol is currently nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Inductees will be announced April 13 on American Idol. In addition, his new documentary, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, is currently streaming on Hulu.

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo to serve as ‘American Idol’ mentors for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame episode

April 7, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo are set to appear on this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-themed episode of American Idol, airing April 13 live on ABC.

The pair, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, will perform on the show and serve as mentors to Idol’s top 11 finalists, who will perform songs from previous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

The episode will also feature the live announcement of the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.

This year’s Rock Hall nominees include Phil Collins, Billy Idol, The Black Crowes, Oasis, Wu-Tang Clan, New Edition, INXS, Iron Maiden, Melissa Etheridge, Jeff Buckley, Pink, Shakira, Luther Vandross, Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey, Joy Division/New Order and Sade.

Jon Bon Jovi takes fans inside Forever Tour rehearsals

April 7, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Jon Bon Jovi is giving fans a peek inside rehearsals for Bon Jovi’s upcoming Forever Tour.

The “Livin’ on a Prayer” rocker shared a short video from inside rehearsals on social media, captioning the post, “We cannot wait to see you all this summer .. Get your tix !!”

“Hey everybody, JBJ coming to you almost live from rehearsal,” Jon says in the clip, as he gives fans a look at the rehearsal space. “Me and the boys getting ready to be back on the big stage.”

“See you on the big stage soon,” he adds.

As he pans the room you can see keyboardist David Bryan and guitarist Phil X in the background.

The Bon Jovi Forever Tour kicks off with a nine-show stand at New York’s Madison Garden, running July 7-26. It then heads to Edinburgh, Scotland, and Dublin, Ireland, before wrapping with three shows at London’s Wembley Stadium, starting Sept. 4.

The tour is the band’s first trek since Jon Bon Jovi underwent vocal cord surgery in 2022.

Foo Fighters announce ’Your Favorite Toy’ in-store listening parties

April 6, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Here’s your chance to hear Foo Fighters’ Your Favorite Toy in your favorite store.

Dave Grohl and company have announced a series of listening parties for their new album held in record shops around in the U.S. on April 24, 25 and 26.

For the full list of participating locations, check out the Foo Fighters’ Facebook.

Your Favorite Toy, the follow-up to 2023’s But Here We Are, will officially drop on April 24. So far, three songs from the record have been released: “Asking for a Friend,” “Caught in the Echo” and the title track.

Foo Fighters will play a one-off show in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on April 28, followed by headlining sets at the Welcome to Rockville and BottleRock Napa festivals in May. They’ll launch a full North American stadium tour in August.

Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson discuss plans to pay tribute to Neil Peart during Fifty Something tour

April 6, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson plan to pay tribute to their late drummer, Neil Peart, during their upcoming Fifty Something tour, and in an interview with the Brazilian TV show Fantástico, they share some insight into how they plan to do that.

“Well, we’ve been talking about certain songs that we feel really, really give us the vision of Neil,” Lee says, noting, “twice a night we will pick a song to play sort of for him and we’ll present a visual tribute behind us, to Neil, whether it be to his lyrics or just to his playing or whatever.”

He adds they’ll “take a moment, you know, play these songs with him in mind, so the whole audience and us can remember him.”

Lifeson calls the tribute “a celebration of who he was as a person and a drummer, not so sad anymore.”

Drummer Anika Nilles will be sitting in at the drum kit in place of Peart, who died in 2020, and Lee and Lifeson say they considered whether or not to call themselves Rush on this tour without Peart.

“Of course there was a lot of discussion,” says Lee. “(At) one point we were coming up with all these ways of not calling it Rush. And then it seemed ridiculous because when you’re learning 40 Rush songs, what the hell are you supposed to call this thing you’re doing?” He jokes, “Yeah, let’s say we’ll go out, we’ll play 40 Rush songs, we’ll call it Iron Butterfly.”

He adds using the name Rush “was just the natural thing to do.”

Rush is set to kick off their Fifty Something tour on June 7 in Los Angeles with North American dates running through Dec. 17. The tour will also hit Europe and South America.

No, Steve Nicks is not releasing a new album on May 26

April 6, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Stevie Nicks fans were surprised on Monday to find this nugget — “Nicks’ latest album, titled The Ghost Record, is scheduled to be released on May 26, 2026″ — buried at the end of a People magazine article called “Where Are the Members of Fleetwood Mac Now?” The only problem is it’s not true.

ABC Audio has confirmed the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is not releasing an album on that day. In fact, there is no firm information about when a new Stevie album will be released. What’s more, May 26 — Stevie’s birthday — is a Tuesday; albums are typically released on Friday.

As for where the nonexistent album title came from, a year ago Stevie was inducted into the Pollstar Live! Hall of Fame in LA. During her acceptance speech, she said, “I’m actually making a record right now. I call it the ‘ghost record’ because it doesn’t really — it just kind of happened in the last couple of weeks.”

She added that she’d written seven songs that were “autobiographical, real stories where I’m not pulling any punches for probably the first time in my life.”

People subsequently removed the line from the article, but not before it was widely reported.

When Stevie does release a new album, it will be her first solo release since 2011’s In Your Dreams. She did release a single, “The Lighthouse,” in September 2024.

Meanwhile, the iconic singer has three shows lined up for April: April 18 in Thackerville, Oklahoma; April 22 in Austin, Texas; and April 25 at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Blondie remembers drummer Clem Burke on 1-year anniversary of his death

April 6, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Blondie is remembering their late drummer Clem Burke on the one-year anniversary of his death at age 70.

“It is difficult to believe a year has passed… there is a hole in our hearts. Yet his energy lives on—vibrant, resonating in ways we can’t fully understand,” the band wrote on social media alongside a picture of Burke. “You are deeply missed, @clem.burke.”

Blondie announced Burke’s death on April 7, 2025, revealing that he passed away “following a private battle with cancer.”

“Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable,” read the announcement from Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Chris Stein. “Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Burke, born Clement Anthony Bozewski, joined Blondie in 1975, shortly after they formed in New York City. He appeared on all of their records, the last one being 2017’s Pollinator. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Blondie in 2006.

Blondie is expected to release a new album, High Noon, in 2026. Stein has said that Burke played on the album.

Kansas reacts to ‘SNL’s’ ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ sketch

April 6, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Kansas’ iconic hit “Carry On Wayward Son” was featured on Saturday Night Live this weekend, and the band has reacted to the sketch.

In the segment, “Husbands,” a group of female friends are hanging out in a kitchen when they note it’s the first time all their husbands are joining them for the get together. As they wonder if the husbands are okay hanging out without them, the camera cuts to all the men in the den struggling to start a conversation.

Things eventually change when host Jack Black begins singing “Carry On Wayward Son,” and the men chime in and sing along. The husbands, which include Kenan Thompson, Andrew Dismukes, Tommy Brennan and James Austin Johnson, get so into it that in the end, they rip off their clothes to reveal they’re wearing rock and roll jumpsuits underneath.

Well, it seems the real Kansas was a bit jealous of their looks. The group shared the video on Facebook, commenting, “Where do we get those jumpsuits Jack Black and Kenan Thompson?”

“Carry On Wayward Son” appeared on Kansas’ 1976 album, Leftoverture, and peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. It went on to become a signature tune for the band.

Kansas is set to play Cleveland on Thursday. A complete list of shows can be found at KansasBand.com.

Journey’s Neal Schon responds to press speculation about band’s final tour

April 6, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Journey’s Neal Schon has addressed fans following a recent Rolling Stone article that looked into the behind-the-scenes drama of their current Final Frontier farewell tour.

The article featured interviews with Schon, Jonathan Cain and singer Arnel Pineda, who revealed he originally didn’t want to do the tour. Pineda said efforts to reach out to the band regarding his feelings were met with silence, so he felt he had no choice but to go on the road. When asked about it, Schon called Pineda’s feelings “very confusing” and noted they had all signed contracts for the tour.

Schon has since shared a post on social media, arguing that the article didn’t “reflect the full picture” of what was happening ahead of the tour; he also denied pressuring anyone into touring.

“Over the years, Journey has always been about the music and the fans first,” Schon wrote. “There’s been some recent press and speculation that doesn’t reflect the full picture. Touring at this level involves many moving parts, and decisions are made collectively with our team, including management, agents, and promoters.”

“Like any long-running band, there are moments where people feel the pressure differently,” he continued. “I respect that, and I have nothing but appreciation for what everyone brings to the stage.”

“For clarity, no one was ever prevented by me from making their own personal decisions,” he wrote. “At the same time, we were all advised by our representatives that there are contractual obligations tied to touring that need to be honored.”

Finally, Schon noted, “My focus has always been — and remains — delivering the best possible experience for our fans and keeping the music alive.”

Journey’s Final Frontier farewell tour hits Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Monday. A complete list of dates can be found at JourneyMusic.com.

Metallica announces two shows celebrating Mohegan Sun Arena’s 25th anniversary

April 6, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Metallica has announced two shows at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, in celebration of the venue’s 25th anniversary.

The concerts take place Nov. 19 and Nov. 21 and will feature completely unique set lists each night in keeping with Metallica’s No Repeat Weekend format. Suicidal Tendencies will open the first night, while Spiritbox will be on the bill for night two.

Members of Metallica’s Fifth Member fan club will have access to a presale beginning Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. ET. You can also buy tickets in person at the Mohegan Sun box office beginning Saturday.

For all ticket info, visit Metallica.com.

The Mohegan Sun performances are Metallica’s only scheduled U.S. dates of 2026 aside from their residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, which launches in October. The metal legends launch a European tour in May.

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