Classic Rock News

It’s common for superstar artists to raise money for charity by auctioning off prizes like a VIP trip to see them in concert. But Rod Stewart is going above and beyond that: He’s giving fans a chance to win the opportunity to sing with him live onstage in Las Vegas during his residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

Rod has teamed up with the website Prizeo to offer the amazing prize. He writes, “Not only will I cover your flights and accommodation in a stunning hotel in Las Vegas, but I’ll also give you premium tickets to enjoy my show from some of the best seats in the house. But wait, there’s more!”

“I’m also giving you the chance of a lifetime to join me on stage and sing along to one of my iconic hits!” he continues. “Imagine basking in the spotlight, surrounded by fellow fans, and sharing the electrifying energy that defines my concerts.”

So how do you get in on this deal? By donating money to The Prince’s Trust, which helps disadvantaged young people develop essential life skills and access job opportunities. A donation of $10 gets you 100 entries; $25 gets you 250 entries, and so on. Higher levels of donation also come with merch like T-shirts. 

You can also enter without donating, but you’ll have more chances if you pony up the cash.

Of course, before you enter, check your calendar and make sure you’re free on November 11, because that’s when the tickets are for.

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Eric Clapton will be hosting the seventh installment of his Crossroads Guitar Festival on September 23 and 24 in Los Angeles, and fans who can’t make it to California for the show will now be able to enjoy the music from the comfort of their own home.

The festival has teamed with Joe Hand Productions to bring the concerts to pay-per-view across cable and streaming outlets. Each show will be available for purchase starting at 7 p.m. ET each day, at a cost of $24.99 per day, or $39.99 for both days.

Clapton is set to headline both nights of the festival, with the lineup made up of artists like ZZ Top, Santana, Stephen Stills, Gary Clark, Jr., John Mayer Trio, Sheryl Crow, Robert Randolph, Roger McGuinn, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Vaughan, Joe Bonamassa and Jakob Dylan.

Proceeds from the shows, as well as an online auction, benefit The Crossroads Centre at Antigua, a rehab facility founded by Clapton. More information on the festival, including the complete lineup, can be found at crossroadsguitarfestival.com.

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Guitarist Joe Satriani is reuniting the original G3 lineup.

The original G3 tour launched in 1996, featuring three iconic guitarists: Satriani, Steve Vai and Eric Johnson. Now the trio is coming together again for a tour that will launch next year.

“Reuniting the original G3 line up is a dream come true for me,” Satriani shares. “I can’t wait to take the stage with Eric and Steve again!”

Johnson adds, “It’s going to be an honor to reunite with Joe and Steve and do the G3 tour together again. I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Vai noted, “It’s always an honor to contribute to a G3 tour, and to be with Joe and Eric again playing on stage is like living life to its fullest!”

The tour kicks off January 23 in Tucson, Arizona, hitting such cities as Las Vegas, Seattle and Oakland before wrapping with a two-night stand February 9 and 10 in Los Angeles.

As with previous G3 tours, each artist will perform a solo set, followed by a jam session with all three.

Ticket presales begin Thursday, September 14, at 10 a.m., with the general sale set for Friday, September 15, at 10 a.m. A complete list of dates can be found at g3tour.com.

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Any music fan who’s been to a Grateful Dead, or Dead-related, concert has no doubt noticed the smell of marijuana wafting through the air. Well, now The Dead is providing fans with a new way to enjoy their cannabis.

In what some may be surprised to find out is a first, the band will be launching a line of advanced vapes and infusers this fall, thanks to a new partnership with brand Grenco Science.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to finally bring this dream collaboration to fruition with the Grateful Dead,” Chris Folkerts, the CEO of Grenco Science, shares. “For over 10 years, we’ve been working towards this moment and it’s a true honor to create products for their devoted fans.”

Folkerts, a Dead fan himself, adds, “We were beyond excited to create innovative products that stay true to the essence of the Grateful Dead and their incredible legacy.” 

The Dead line of G Pen vaporizers and Stündenglass Gravity Infusers will feature the band’s iconic imagery.  More information will be available at gpen.com/GratefulDead and stundenglass.com/GratefulDead.

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Extreme has announced a 2024 U.S. tour in continued support of their new album, Six.

The outing, which marks the second leg of the “More Than Words” outfit’s Thicker Than Blood tour, runs from January 24 in Englewood, New Jersey, to February 29 in Las Vegas. Living Colour will also be on the bill.

“We have been absolutely blown away by all of the love and support during the first leg of the Thicker Than Blood tour,” says guitarist Nuno Bettencourt. “You all have shown up and brought it every night and we could not be more grateful. So with that, we are excited to announce the second US leg of the Thicker Than Blood tour with special guests Living Colour. Can’t wait to see you out there!”

Tickets go on sale Friday, September 15, at 10 a.m. local time, with various presales throughout the week. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Extreme-Band.com.

Six, the first Extreme album in 15 years, was released in June.

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U2 bassist Adam Clayton is showing off his artistic talents on an elephant to raise money and awareness for mental health issues.

The rocker has decorated and signed a 4-foot-tall elephant statue titled “All At Sea.” The piece, which he created with Irish artist Debbie Chapman, represents “what concerns him in the world issues like people displacement, refugees, climate change, world poverty.”

The elephant is being auctioned off for the mental health campaign Elephant in the Room, which hopes to “start the conversation on mental health from the school room to the boardroom.”

Clayton shares, “For me personally, art – in all its forms – brings both comfort and joy. I can think of no better way to raise awareness for the vital conversation around mental health and well-being.” 

Adam’s elephant is one of many being auctioned off to raise money for Samaritans, a U.K. charity which provides support for those in emotional distress or at risk of suicide. The auction is open until Friday, October 6, at 8 p.m. 

U2 is getting ready to head to Las Vegas. They open their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency at The Venetian on September 29. A complete list of dates can be found at U2.com.

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Pearl Jam‘s Mike McCready has announced a new signature guitar with Fender.

The Mike McCready Stratocaster is inspired by his own beloved ’60s Strat and recreates the worn, chipped-paint of the original guitar.

“Fender has remained a staple throughout my musical career, most notably when Fender’s Custom Shop recreated my first ever Stratocaster two years ago,” says McCready. “They did such an incredible
job replicating the sound and feel of the custom shop, even I get confused which one is the original!”

McCready adds, “Now, with the release of my artist signature, I’m deeply honored to not only further solidify my partnership with the brand, but to deliver a more approachable guitar to the hands of the next generation of guitar players featuring the state-of-the-art craftsmanship Fender is known for and a distinct tone that hold a special place in my heart.”

The Mike McCready Stratocaster goes for $1,899.99. For more info, visit Fender.com.

In related news, McCready talks about the upcoming new Pearl Jam album in an interview with Spin.

“The record’s gonna have some great examples of Matt Cameron‘s drumming that just blew my mind,” McCready says. “He took it up about 10 notches for this new record, and it really is because of [producer] Andrew [Watt‘s] enthusiasm, and … him jumping up and down and saying, ‘Try it again!’ and then saying ‘Oh, we got it!’ and on to the next thing.”

“[Watt] pushed us to play as best as we could,” he adds. “It’s hard for us to listen to other people because we have so many ideas ourselves.”

Pearl Jam’s most recent album is 2020’s Gigaton.

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Foo Fighters have announced two new U.S. headlining concerts.

The shows will take place September 28 in Santa Barbara, California, and October 10 in Houston. Tickets go on sale Thursday, September 14, at 10 a.m. local time.

For all ticket info, visit FooFighters.com.

Foo Fighters have played a number of one-off headlining dates and festival sets throughout 2023 in support of their latest album, But Here We Are. The performances have marked the first Foos shows with new drummer Josh Freese, who joined following the 2022 death of Taylor Hawkins.

The next date of the Foo Fighters’ schedule is September 15 at Chicago’s Riot Fest.

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The original members of Talking Heads — David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz — reunited at the Toronto Film Festival, September 11, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their iconic concert film Stop Making Sense. 

According to Consequence, the audience was up on their feet dancing during the world premiere of the newly restored 4K version of the film, with some of the band members reportedly joining in.

“When I was watching this just now, I was thinking, ‘This is why we come to the movie theaters. This is different than watching it on my laptop,’” Byrne said after the screening. “This is really different.” 

The screening was followed by a Q&A, moderated by Spike Lee, who called Stop Making Sense “the greatest concert film ever.”

While relationships in the band have been rocky over the years, Frantz told the audience, “It’s so good to be here with my bandmates tonight,” adding, “I’m very grateful to be here tonight and to be able to watch this and to enjoy it so much.”

Regarding the appeal of the film, Harrison noted, “one of the reasons of the lasting power of the film is you see that we are having so much fun on stage.” Weymouth added, “I love that show. It was magical. Everything about it was so special. Love. Between us and the audience.”

One thing that wasn’t revealed was whether this reunion will lead to any new concerts or music from the band. In fact, the subject wasn’t even brought up during the Q&A.

Meanwhile, the screening of Stop Making Sense played in IMAX theaters across North America and it sold out 25 screens at 165 locations, making it IMAX’s biggest live screening event ever, earning $640,839.

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Kansas will be extending the celebration of their 50th anniversary well into next year. The band just extended their Another Fork in the Road 50th Anniversary Tour, which will now keep them on the road through May, 2024. 

The new dates kick off February 2 in Pensacola, Florida, hitting such cities as Toledo, Ohio; Morristown, New Jersey; Albany, New York; Providence, Rhode Island, and more, wrapping May 18 in New Haven, Connecticut. The new additions also include the tour’s first stop in Kansas, with two shows in Salina, March 22 and 23.

“The way audiences have received the 50th Anniversary Tour has been spectacular,” Kansas drummer and original member Phil Ehart shares. “It only made sense to extend the tour into 2024.” He adds, “Heck, the first 50 dates didn’t even include the state of Kansas. You know we must perform there!”

Tickets for the new shows go on sale Friday, September 15, at 10 a.m. local time. The tour next hits Boise, Idaho, on Tuesday, September 12. A complete list of dates can be found at kansasband.com.

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