Classic Rock News

German hard rockers the Scorpions kick off their nine-date “Sin City Nights” Las Vegas residency this Saturday, March 26, at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

The shows, which will feature Skid Row as the opening act, will mark the launch of the Scorpions’ 2022 tour in support of their new studio album, Rock Believer, and their first trek since the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020.

Frontman Klaus Meine tells ABC Audio that the Vegas residency not only will give the Scorpions the chance to debut some new songs, but also will feature “a whole new production,” including a “new stage set” and an LED screen that will display “some cool scenes.”

Meine adds that the production will offer “so much creativity and so many great ideas, and we can wait to see it…ourselves.”

The powerhouse singer also says playing a Vegas residency is a great experience because “the casinos…treat their artists like royalty,” and “it’s nice for a change not to travel, where…every other day…you wake up in a different city.”

In addition, Klaus notes that fans from around the world can come to Las Vegas and “see a couple of shows, go gambling [and] just have fun.” He adds, “We can understand why so many great entertainers, they love to be in Vegas and play there for weeks and weeks.”

The Scorpions’ Las Vegas shows are scheduled for March 26, March 30 and April 1, 3, 7, 9, 12, 14 and 16. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.com. After the residency, the band will launch a lengthy European tour leg that begins May 10 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Meine also reports that the Scorpions are planning to mount a “real” North American trek during the “second half [of] this year.”

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A previously unseen performance by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will be part of the “MusiCares: Music on a Mission” virtual benefit event that will be livestreamed on Wednesday, March 30, at 8 p.m. ET the Mandolin platform.

The fundraiser, which is being presented by the MusiCares organization in partnership with the Gibson guitar company, will feature various never-before-seen performances by artists including k.d. lang, Brandi Carlile, Shawn Colvin, Jason Isbell, Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums, and Fantastic Negrito, as well as the aforementioned Petty and his group, and many more.

The event will celebrate both the power of music and legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, who is being honored as the 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year at a star-studded gala scheduled for April 1 in Las Vegas. All proceeds from ticket sales for the “Music on a Mission” show will go to in-need members of the music community. General admission tickets cost $25; visit Mandolin.com to buy tickets and for more info.

Petty’s performance with The Heartbreakers comes from the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year gala, which honored Tom. Petty died in October 2017 at age 66.

The first “Music on a Mission” virtual event was held last year in place of the MusiCares Person of the Year gala, which was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Music on a Mission started as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and we were blown away by the support from the music community, industry professionals and of course music fans,” says MusiCares executive Laura Segura. “We’re so thankful that Gibson recognizes the importance of this event to both fans and professional musicians and that they’ve signed on to help us make Music on a Mission a reality again this year.”

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British New Wave veterans The Fixx will release their first new studio album in almost a decade, Every Five Seconds, which is due out on June 3.

In advance of the album, the band has released a track called “Closer” as a digital single.

Commenting on the themes of the songs on the upcoming release, Fixx frontman Cy Curnin says, “Life can either be a series of broken obsessive thoughts or it can be a wonderful mosaic of moments. Every Five Seconds reflects this human paradox. The constant struggle between bewilderment and betterment.”

You can pre-order Every Five Seconds now.

The Fixx is best known for its string of hits during the 1980s, which included four songs that reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 — “Saved by Zero,” “One Thing Leads to Another,” “Are We Ourselves?” and “Secret Separation.”

The group’s most recent previous album was 2012’s Beautiful Friction.

Here’s the full track list of Every Five Seconds:

“A Life Survived”
“Closer”
“Take What You Want”
“Wake Up”
“Suspended in Make Believe”
“Lonely as a Lighthouse”
“Cold”
“Spell”
“Woman of Flesh and Blood”
“Neverending”

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Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl apparently is set to release an EP this week under the moniker Dream Widow, which is the fictional heavy metal band featured in his real-life group’s new horror-comedy film, Studio 666.

According to Variety, Grohl will drop the EP this Friday, March 25, via digital formats, while physical versions are expected to be released later in 2022.

Ahead of the premiere of Studio 666 last month, Grohl released a thrash-metal-inspired track as Dream Widow called “March of the Insane,” and he told Rolling Stone that he was hoping to release a full Dream Widow album at the same time that the movie premiered.

That didn’t happen, but it looks like more Dream Widow songs will be available in just a few days. Meanwhile, Studio 666 is available now on demand.

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The initial dates and lineups have been announced for the 2022 edition of Willie Nelson‘s Outlaw Music Festival Tour, which will feature ZZ Top at select events.

The trek is confirmed to visit 19 cities this year so far, beginning with a June 24 event in the St. Louis suburb of Maryland Heights, Missouri, and scheduled through a September 23 performance in Philadelphia.

ZZ Top will be part of the lineup at six stops — in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, on July 29; Cincinnati on July 30; Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, on July 31; Gilford, New Hampshire, on August 12; Bethel, New York, on August 13; and Darien, New York, on August 14.

Gov’t Mule, the band fronted by former Allman Brothers Band singer/guitarist Warren Haynes, also will be performing on July 29, 30 and 31.

As usual, Nelson and his family band will headline all of the shows. Other artists on the various lineups include Chris Stapleton, The Avett Brothers, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Billy Strings, Brothers Osborne, Steve Earle & the Dukes, Larkin Poe and more.

Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 25, at 10 a.m. local time. VIP packages also will be available. Citi card members will be able to purchase presale tickets starting this Tuesday, March 22, at 10 a.m. local time; visit CitiEntertainment.com for more details.

“The Outlaw Music Festival Tour has always been about family and friends coming together for a great day of music and fun, and with the amazing group of artists joining us, this year promises to be our most special Outlaw Tour to date,” Willie says. “I just can’t wait to get back on the road again.”

More dates for the tour are expected to be added.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers hail from Los Angeles and now they will be honored in their home city with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a ceremony that will take place on Thursday, March 31.

The band had previously been announced to receive a Walk of Fame star in 2008 but never set a date to accept the honor.

“Our hometown Hollywood boys are finally coming to collect their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” says Walk of Fame Producer Ana Martinez. “We have been waiting for them to break away from their busy schedules to dedicate their star and we are thrilled to welcome them to our Walk of Fame family.”

A number of celebrities will be on hand to help the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers unveil their star, including actor Woody Harrelson, funk legend George Clinton — who produced the Chili Pepers’ 1985 album Freaky Styley — and Thelonius Monster frontman and addiction counselor Bob Forrest. The ceremony will be livestreamed at WalkofFame.com.

On April 1, one day after the Red Hot Chili Peppers unveil their star, they will release their latest studio album, Unlimited Love.

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Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason‘s current band, Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, has announced rescheduled dates for its 2022 North American tour, which originally was supposed to have taken place in January and February before being postponed because of “uncertainty surrounding the [COVID-19] pandemic.”

The rescheduled trek, dubbed The Echoes Tour, now will kick off on September 22 in Boston, and is mapped out through a November 1 concert in Vancouver, Canada.

The outing now features 28 dates, eight of which are taking place in the following newly added cities: Columbus, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Detroit; Buffalo, New York; Indianapolis; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Austin, Texas; and Santa Barbara, California. Six previously announced dates won’t be rescheduled.

Tickets for the new shows go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 25, at 10 a.m. local time.

Previously purchased tickets for rescheduled concerts that will be held at the same venue that was originally announced will be valid for the new dates. Ticket holders for shows that are being moved to different venues will receive automatic refunds and also will be offered access to an exclusive pre-sale for tickets to the rescheduled date at the new venue. More information will be sent via email to ticket holders soon. For any other questions about ticketing inquiries, please contact the point of purchase.

“We are really looking forward to returning to North America and we’re happy to be able to now announce these new dates for later this year,” says Mason. “We wanted to make sure to come back when it’s safe for our fans, the band, and our crew.”

Saucerful of Secrets also will be touring from April through July this year in Ireland, the U.K. and mainland Europe.

Visit TheSaucerfulofSecrets.com for a full list of dates.

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Santana‘s latest studio album, the star-studded collaborative project Blessings and Miracles, was initially released on CD and digital formats in October of 2021, but the record now also has been issued as a two-LP vinyl set.

A standard black-vinyl edition can be purchased at various online music sellers, including Santana’s official online store, while limited-edition colored-vinyl versions are available at Target and Barnes & Noble. Target is selling a white, blue and yellow LP collection, while Barnes & Noble’s version is pressed on blue-and-yellow splatter vinyl.

In addition, Santana’s online store is offering a black-and-blue-colored LP set that will be shipped in April.

The vinyl versions of Blessings and Miracles include one bonus track, a song titled “Yo Estare” featuring guest vocals by ex-Fifth Harmony member Ally Brooke.

Among the album’s most noteworthy tracks is “Move,” which features Carlos Santana re-teaming with his “Smooth” collaborator Rob Thomas, as well as contributions from pop band American Authors.

Blessings and Miracles also features collaborations with Steve Winwood, Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett, Living Colour‘s Corey Glover, country star Chris Stapleton, late jazz legend Chick Corea, hit songwriter Diane Warren and more.

Santana will kick off a new North American tour in support of the album this Friday, March 25, in Kennewick, Washington. Th etrek runs through an April 16 show in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The band’s upcoming 2022 schedule also includes Las Vegas residency performances in May, and a North American co-headlining tour with Earth, Wind & Fire running from June to August.

Here’s the full track list of the vinyl version of Blessings and Miracles:

Disc 1

Side A
“Ghost of Future Pull”/”New Light”
“Santana Celebration”
“Rumbalero” (featuring Salvador Santana & Asdru Sierra)
“Joy” (Carlos Santana & Chris Stapleton)
“Move” (Carlos Santana, Rob Thomas, Zac Barnett & American Authors)

Side B
“A Whiter Shade of Pale” (featuring Steve Winwood)
“Break” (featuring Ally Brooke)
“Yo Estare” (featuring Ally Brooke)
“She’s Fire” (Diane Warren, G-Eazy & Carlos Santana)

Disc 2

Side A
“Peace Power” (featuring Corey Glover)
“America for Sale” (featuring Kirk Hammett & Mark Osegueda)
“Breathing Underwater” (featuring Stella Santana, Avi Snow, MVCA)
“Mother Yes”

Side B
“Song for Cindy”
“Angel Choir” (featuring Gayle Moran Corea)/”All Together” (featuring Chick Corea)
“Ghost of Future Pull II”

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Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were among the winners at 33rd annual Producers Guild Awards, which took place on Saturday, March 19, in Los Angeles.

Billboard reports that the producers for the Disney+ documentary series The Beatles: Get Back were honored with the award for outstanding producer of non-fiction television. McCartney and Starr, along with the respective widows of John Lennon and George Harrison — Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison — were part of the Get Back production team, as was series director Peter Jackson.

The Beatles: Get Back, which premiered last November as a three-part event on Disney+, focused on the January 1969 sessions that yielded the band’s Let It Be album and the group’s historic surprise rooftop concert in London.

Another honoree at the event was Peter Afterman, the producer of the documentary Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers, who was presented with the award for outstanding producer of televised or streamed motion pictures.

The film, which looks at the recording of the late Tom Petty‘s 1994 solo album Wildflowers, got its worldwide premiere in November as a free streaming event on Petty’s official YouTube channel.

Another music-related film the producers of which were acknowledged at the ceremony was Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), which won the award for outstanding producer of documentary motion pictures.

That movie, which also is nominated this year for the Oscar for Documentary (Feature), focused on the 1969 New York City event The Harlem Cultural Festival, a six-week-long, star-studded series of concerts that included performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, The 5th Dimension, B.B. King and many others.

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Eagles bassist Timothy B. Schmit will release a new solo studio album titled Day by Day on May 6.

The 12-track collection features guest contributions from a variety of well-known artists, including Jackson Browne, Lindsey Buckingham, John Fogerty, longtime Tom Petty keyboardist Benmont Tench, Doobie Brothers multi-instrumentalist John McFee, blues-rocker Kenny Wayne Sheppard and acclaimed session drummer Jim Keltner.

Schmit has released the album’s lead track, “Simple Man,” as an advance digital single, while a companion music video has premiered at his official YouTube channel.

“Simple Man” is an introspective folk-rock tune featuring lead guitar from from Buckingham and harmony vocals from ex-Beach Boys touring members Chris Farmer and Matt Jardine — son of founding Beach Boy Al Jardine.

The video captures Schmit in and around his home studio in rural Los Angles County, and includes scenes where Timothy appears to be singing with two other versions of himself.

Day by Day also includes a song titled “Grinding Stone,” which features Schmit harmonizing with Browne and Fogerty.

Timothy’s daughter Jeddrah also sings backing vocals on the album.

Day by Day is Schmit’s seventh solo album overall, and his first since 2016’s Leap of Faith. It was recorded at his home studio during breaks on the Eagles’ tour schedule.

Reflecting on his songwriting, Timothy says, “I try to latch on to whatever’s floating my way through the ethers. I just want to make good music and put a smile on people’s faces. I love the process and feel extremely lucky to be able to make new music as an older guy, and this is very satisfying.”

CD and two-LP versions of the upcoming record can be pre-ordered now at Timothy’s online store.

Here’s the full Day by Day track list:

“Simple Man”
“The Next Rainbow”
“Heartbeat”
“Mr. X”
“Question of the Heart”
“Something You Should Know”
“I Come Alive”
“Feather in the Wind”
“Grinding Stone”
“Taste Like Candy”
“Conflicted”
“Where We Belong”

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