There’s magic in the air in Dublin. The kind where your heart just feels so happy—your hands tingle with joy, and for some reason you just can’t help but smile. It’s Bon Jovi and they’re ready to rock.
Read More
Bon Jovi THINFS tour blog: Nijmegen Trains, Planes and Bon Jovi
New merch—best. hoodie. ever.
From one small town to another for the next round of Bon Jovi. It took two planes, one train and a walk to make it to the next town. Unfortunately we arrived quite late so we didn’t get to explore Nijmegen much This town looked super fun, but we only had one night to sightsee.
We walked downtown, took a peek at the river and had “snacks” at an authentic Holland bar. In the spirit of trying new things, we placed an order of Dutch bitterballen. It may be a fan favorite, but for me, I’ll stick to Italian meatballs.
The venue, Goffertpark was conveniently set up in a large park, thankfully near toilets, local food trucks and a gas station. The queue here started especially early compared to other shows. Fans arrived between 6-7 and my friends and I stumbled into line around 10. We woke, had a nice breakfast, checked the weather and headed out for the venue.
We arrived and got number 52, but were pleased to still make it up front. Due to weird timing and the fan club line suddenly moving, we missed our lunch break and rushed into the venue. The VIP barricade was set up on Shanks’ side this time so we made it 2nd row in front of Phil X.
In between roll calls we stopped to get the new THINFS hoodie. It’s super cozy and has a cute new logo on it. Thank goodness for this last minute decision because it surely saved us come show time.
Taking cover from the rain.
Welcome to the Netherlands where it’s nice all day and rains the moment the show starts. Boy did it pour. “0% chance of rain,” I thought to myself as I scoffed. A kind fan leant us a trash bag and the remnants of a ripped poncho as we took cover as the opening act took the stage. I feel like every single person in the venue except me, Sophie and Luca were prepared for rain!
About halfway through the openers I started to get super dizzy and get foggy vision. We forgot about lunch. I stumbled out of the crowd with a handful of money and pushed my way to a vendor line. They don’t take cash or card, go figure. The staff shouted that I needed tokens and said it was toward the back of the venue. I looked behind me and saw a sea of what felt like a bajillion people and decided to take my chances and just get back to my spot.
This is when I met my miracle friend who was the most prepared and eloquent woman I’ve met. She not only had a bag of snacks, but has glucose tablets for her and all her new friends. Blessing. We chatted about NJ and the band and exchanged info. Shout out to @LSHarteveld you’re awesome and saved me this show.
The show started at 8:13 with big smiles from JBJ! Phil X debuted his sunglasses and black bucket hat. The crowd ate it up!
My favorite thing to do from this spot is to wave ferociously to David Bryan. Give that boy some love. It’s also fun to make silly faces at him. Too many people in that section have tunnel vision for that crazy frontman, so be sure to give the other boys a holler.
At the end of We Weren’t Born to Follow Phil X tried to change guitars and got all tangled up in his scarf. JBJ’s reaction to Phil’s struggle was hysterical. Definitely reminded me why the Incredibles don’t wear capes.
About an hour into the show, JBJ joked about the impending storm that was behind the crowd, seemingly coming our way. The band had the best introductions this night out of all of the shows.
“ [Tico] is proof that thunder and lightning answer to him. You didn’t see it but we did. These big, black clouds were comin’ toward the stage for like the first 45 minutes. He just looked at them and pointed his stick, and they went that way. The heart and the soul of this band—Tico Torres.” - JBJ
Shout out to Tico for scaring the storm away.
Sweet glorious sunshine.
There must have been an inside joke with David Bryan for this. After introducing half of the band, JBJ joked, “No that’s all. That’s all you get.” The crowd roared!
“On the keys if you please. You know him! Do I even have to say his name?! *DAVID* I don’t even have to say his name. I bet his name, his face is on the currency here in the Netherlands. What’s his name?! *DAVID*. We must have shouted his name 5 times! David Bryan on the keyboards.
Captain Crash strikes again!
The first beats of I’ll Be There For You starts and you can hear the crowd excitedly cheer along. Under gorgeous skies JBJ passionately stomped down the catwalk adding in extra lyrics. The massive crowd, sang back the words so loudly that even watching the video gives me goosebumps.
This night, we came prepared for Captain Crash. We passed our baggie of confetti around and gleefully tossed into into the air. The aftermath of Captain Crash and I hear the guy next to me, “It’s like a unicorn threw up on me.”
Another silly moment was shortly after JBJ put his black hat on and danced, making the hat fly off!
Talk about a rad ending, ALWAYS. Watch this video- then stop, process and watch it again. JBJ is singing his heart out and laying it all out on the line for us. He belted out the song with all of his effort and it was wonderful. Between the absolutely passionate vocals, beautifully executed guitar solo on the catwalk and the excitement in the air... it was the perfect way to end the night.
Of course for Sophie and I, the night wasn’t over. I finally found the token station and we got three orders of fries with this mayonnaise on it. After what felt like the longest walk ever…in the wrong direction, a police officer directed us to the train station we were trying to find. Except we ended up on a bus (honestly had no idea where it was going) and somehow ended back up in the center of town. The universe looks out for me, ha.
Don’t miss the band live, they’re on fire and headed to a town near you.
Bon Jovi THINFS Tour: Sønderborg, Denmark: What An Epic Lineup
“If you ever asked me if I’d ever think Bon Jovi and Def Leppard would tour together, I probably would have laughed. Dreams do come true.”
Denmark = So Much Rain.
There’s nothing more of a bummer than dying of thirst after a show and accidentally ordering a sparkling water instead of a still water. It’s funny to discover the small nuances within English in different countries.
Sønderborg is a quiet, quaint town on the waterfront about 16 miles away from Germany. It’s a very small town that’s had a ton of history of battles during war time. The place where the stage was set up was an original location of a battle.
It seemed like a very odd place to host a brilliant 80’s lineup of Def Leppard and Bon Jovi, but boy did fans show up in droves. I have to say, I was disappointed by the disorganization of the venue. Between the language barrier and a lack of a liaison between the different lines and venue, it was a crazy trying to organize the queue. Thank goodness for the JBJ fan club last minute taking over and taking great care of the fan club ticket holders—unfortunately that wasn’t me this show.
The queue started bright and early and Sophie and I joined the non-fan club line with numbers 5&6. It wasn’t too chilly, but boy did it rain during the queue. Despite an umbrella and rain coat, my shoes and jeans got soaked. Pro tip and lesson learned: always bring extra socks and never wear jeans—the get tighter when they’re wet. Thank goodness I had a rain coat from Stavanger.
The only place nearby to take shelter during the queue was a Burger King. I found myself there trying to dry off before gate opens. Shout out to this Bon Jovi fan who had an extra pair of socks and spared me from a miserable night with wet feet. Sophie and I got Burger King crowns and crossed off Burger and wrote Beauty. I thought it was brilliant. Unfortunately, the rain got to our crowns and made the melt and flatten.
We lined up at the gates and after what felt like the longest wait ever, the gates were open. ALL OF THEM. The fan club ticket holders got in first, but then the security staff opened at least 30 shoots at the same exact time. I could feel the blood rushing through my veins as I full off sprinted toward the gold circle. I felt like a horse in a race because all the vendors on the sides were hooting and hollering as we ran. Thankfully I’m a runner so I was able to make it to the wristband station and onto the catwalk barricade without any issues. Under gorgeous skies, it was show time.
Def Leppard always puts on a high energy set full of hits. This time around they nearly played the entire Hysteria album in its entirety. Joe Elliot came out in sparkly sneakers, a shiny star button up and looked like an absolute rock star. Him and the band engaged with the crowd all night and certainly warmed the crowd up for Bon Jovi.
I really think both shows were so great because both bands wanted to look good in front of the other. It was an amazing performance by both.
Bon Jovi time, baby. A sea of people as far as the eye could see.
Something is different this tour with Bon Jovi and the band. There is an awe-inspiring energy surrounding them and a sense of sincere happiness that you just can’t help but smile when you’re there. It’s a weird sense of being proud of the band—for keep on keeping on despite all the chaos erupting around them.
A highlight of the night for me was the Someday I’ll Be A Saturday night jam session. JBJ walked down the catwalk, guitar in hand, and waved for the boys to join them. It was the happiest moment I could have imagined.
A fan favorite for sure, Rollercoaster finally made its way back into the setlist. I love this record and think it’s one of the best Bon Jovi albums, ever. I’m thrilled to see the new songs in the setlist.
I forgot how much I loved Have A Nice Day until I saw it live again. (Spoiler alert, I impulse got it tattooed soon after this show.) The background animations are super cool and make for nice photos. The double guitar solos between Phil X and Shanks are insane.
Following HAND is Keep the Faith, which keeps the high energy rolling. I love that everyone gets a special part in this song. Guitar solos for the win!
Captain Crash time and yes, we had confetti. Shout out to the fellow American Bon Jovi fans: DeeDee, Kellene, and Pam, who shared the bag with us so we could bring the fun down our line. The sparkly confetti, ever so messy, shined in the air as the sun caught the edges.
I’d Die For You made it into the setlist and it was strong willed and powerful. The backing vocals beautifully supported JBJ and you could hear the crowd erupt with excitement with the start of the keyboards.
The most hysterical part of this show was leaving…because there was seemingly no official exit. Fans left in any way possible—for us, over a trampled bike rack, down a dark ditch under trees and crawling up a wet mound of grass. No kidding. With your right hand you had to hold this branch from hitting you in the face, and as you blindly took a step, you’d fall into a sea of water and…an unknown ditch. Then you had to crawl your way back up and stumble onto the road. I can’t make this shit up.
Poor Sophie punctured a hole in her hand on the slide down. I had to laugh, she popped her head up after crawling up the hill and announced, “There’s a hole in me hand!”
Rock and roll baby… onto Nijemgan Holland!
A local review of the show!
Bon Jovi THINFS Tour: Stavanger, Norway: 3 Miracles and Hiking Trip Gone Wrong
Sometimes the best adventures are the ones that go in unexpected ways.
After the incredibly lengthy drive to JFK airport I soon learned the trade off of flying on budget airlines.
10kg weight limit for the carry on AND personal item together. My bags clocked in at 15kg. With a determination to avoid checking a bag, I piled on 12 Bon Jovi tshirts, a hoodie and leather jacket. Well, I could hardly move my arms. I then stuffed my pockets with socks, toiletries and snacks and headed back to the weigh station. Still overweight. My camera was the offender. I went back to my bench and wrapped my camera around my neck and bumped into my new friend Bill, who helped me stuff everything on me.
I cleared the bag check, and 14 layers and all, made my way through security. I can only imagine what they thought of me, sweaty, unable to move my arms and stuff with everything.
After an eight and a half hour flight to Oslo, I connected to another plane for a short flight to Stavanger. On that flight I sat next to two rock and roll looking girls who, after chatting with, I learned were die hard Jovi fans who were also attending the show! I waved goodbye to my new friends and went to meet a Twitter friend.
I met Maryann @MaryStat at the airport who gleefully greeted me and said she was just waiting for her two other friends. Go figure, her two friends were the ladies who I just chatted with on the plane the whole time.
I started this trip with an adventure in mind and convinced Maryann to go hiking with me. Just the day before I found a close by mountain that had great reviews, great view and looked seemingly easy. Jet lagged and all, we set off to Preikestolen also known and Pulprit Rock. A walk, ferry and bus ride away and we were at the base of Pulpit Rock. Under gorgeous blue skies and sunshine we made our way up the grueling path to the mountain. Moderate difficulty it stated, but it was brutal.
Get your squat game on if you’re planning on going here. After arriving to the top, we realized it was almost 8pm, so we rushed down the mountain. After reaching the bottom we realized that there were no busses running and only a few cabs in town. In a desperate attempt to get back, I begged a local hotel to call a cab to take us to a ferry—that may or not be running. The most expensive cab ride later, we arrived to the ferry under dark skies. We waited for about an hour before taking the ferry back. 2 am the day before show day, jet lagged and all, it was time before bed. Miracle number one, I made it back to the hotel.
10am sharp, my eyes felt like they shattered as I opened them. Jet lag. Oof. I packed my bags and got ready for my first European show. Little did I know, it was rainy season. As I was waking out the door with my leather jacket and hoodie, Maryann offered her poncho and joked I’d probably need it. Boy was she right.
I met up with Sophie from Liverpool the first day and we caught the train to Stavanger. We stocked up on snacks and made our way to the venue. Miraculously, there was nobody in line!
#1 & #2 in the fan club early entry gold circle queue!
Thanks to an amazing fan who had an extra ticket, I got an upgrade to the fan club entry. I received number 2 in the fan club golden circle entry line and Sophie received number 6 in the golden circle entry line. Within an hour of being there, it started to rain...cold rain. We waited in line and had a quick lunch at Pasta Pasta (amazing food.) When we can back, another miracle. Another fan had an extra fan club golden circle ticket and gave his #1 spot to Sophie! We’d be the first people in line behind VIP. Miracle number two— bless Bon Jovi fans.
The venue was super organized and walked us into the venue in an orderly manner. Sophie and I’s gut instinct was to go dead center on the catwalk. It was perfect, really.
A Norwegian band opened and they were epically fun, but the rain dampened everything. Thankfully, Maryann’s rain poncho helped a bit, but it was still a cold wet day.
Dead center on the catwalk.
The stage is about 5-6 feet high and has the VIP section on one side. Tonight it was on Phil X’s side.
The screen has a live feed that pulls in #BonJoviMemories from Twitter so be sure to post at the show to be featured!
From the first few seconds of the opening screen you could tell this fan was a die hard group. During Raise Your Hands EVERYONE was participating. You never find anything like this in the US.
It’s My Life and We Don’t Run were back to back in the set and made for some awesome energy. The visuals to We Don’t Run are so brilliant, it’s exciting to see it in the setlist.
“The wetter the better,” says JBJ as the rain comes down even harder.
“Oh patron saint of lonely souls, tell this boy which way to go. Guide the car, you got the keys, farewell to mediocrity. Kicking off the cruise-control and turning up the radio. Got just enough religion and a half tank of gas come on, let’s gooooo!”
This was my only show seeing Keep the Faith from the center and boy, is it awesome. Phil X runs down the stage and starts the mega solo. Next up is Shanks who swaggerly glides down the walkway. Of course, we cannot forget David Bryan who gets a keyboard solo to end the jam session. My favorite part is at the end when Phil points to David as he jams!
Lay Your Hands On Me
It’s time to go to Johnny’s Church of Rock and Roll! First off, the visual for this are GORGEOUS. I love the stained glass look. Lay Your Hands On Me started and we could only hope that JBJ would run down into the crowd. At this point in the show, it was at the absolute worse weather conditions. Rain—coming down extra hard. The cat walk seemed flooded so it was no surprise that he didn’t come down. The whole crowd was doing the clapping though, which was neat.
Now, Captain Crash is always a joy, but even more so in Europe. Numb, wrinkly hands and all, we waved like a sea of people. Sadly we were fresh out of confetti this show, but we knew we’d stock up for the next few.
Bad Medicine kicked off and JBJ had that glimmer in his eye. He trotted down the catwalk and went off stage on stage left, which is unusual for him! Miracle number 3: right place, right time. JBJ walked around the barricade and actually stopped to grab and shake Sophie’s hand. It was a beautiful moment for sure. As he walked by he low-fived my hand and walked across the rest of the stage. Our first show and we got hand touches. Spoiler alert, he didn’t come down near us the other shows (or at all) so it really was perfect place perfect time!
Ending on a super high note, the band’s last song was These Days. It is sincerely one of my favorites live—up there with Saturday Night. Here in Europe, you don’t even have to bring a sign, it’s almost a staple in the setlist. Phil’s round orange guitar comes out and you KNOW it’s game time.
The show ended and we left completely soaked and cold, without a care in the world because we just got our faces rocked off by Bon Jovi. However, I’ll never make such a rookie mistake again—the day after I bought a Norwegian rain coat that saved me for the rest of the shows.
On the road again, next up, Sønderborg, Denmark!
Rock N’ Roll Leaders: ZouZou Mansour is Not Like Anybody Else
Name: Soraia (Zou) Mansour
Occupation: Singer, songwriter, and performer in Soraia
Family: My band, of course.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education in English at St Joseph’s University but mostly the school of rock and roll.
Favorite Moments: Opening for Bon Jovi and Halloween in Auggen, Germany.
Quote: Learning to work in the music industry is difficult. “Everything that drowns me taught me how to swim.”
If you want to find Soraia Mansour, she’s likely hunkered down chasing down her dream with her band. The mastermind behind Philadelphia rock band Soraia is an absolute workaholic who is always juggling multiple roles.
Music is in Mansour’s soul and she learned that from an early age. “Since I was in second grade, I wanted to sing, but all the girls that I knew had a high pitched voice. Because my voice was different, I thought I wasn’t a singer,” Mansour says. “I remember being scared to death so I just pushed through, started pursuing music and kept doing it.”
“At heart I always knew I was a songwriter, singer, and performer,” she says.
She makes sure she oversees all the projects so she can ensure everything is going smoothly. She explains, “I play the role of the general manager, executive producer and a creative visioneer to make sure everything comes together at the end of the day.”
Her day-to-day responsibilities often include a lot of planning and business work, but it’s knowing that she could inspire people that keeps the fire burning in her.
“I want to write something that’s true and honest. I write for the impact on people who are going to hear the song, to positively change them in some way,” she explains.
Her fans often attend multiple shows, hanging around to talk with her afterward, asking about her history, how she got started and what her lyrics mean.
“Most people who are in my life are in my band or I met through music or a show,” Mansour explains. Even some of the band members were fans before joining and now they mean so much to her. “This band is a family and we all have to be here for each other,” she says.
The results of her work can be seen by her past. Her band has opened for Bon Jovi, worked with Steven Van Zandt and toured across the world. But most recently, Mansour’s latest album, Dead Reckoning, received national attention.
“When I just started doing open mics I remember sitting on the couch thinking, if I ever make Rolling Stone Magazine I’ll know I made it. It was never about money or being signed to a big label,” she explains.
“Here I am 16 years later, published in Rolling Stone. When I got the news I dropped the phone and started crying. I made it,” she says. Today, Mansour’s picture is featured front and center for the ‘Year of Rock, 2017’ story.
Mansour’s hard work is paid off by her success.
She explains, “Big labels had put their noses up at us, but our success reminds us that they really missed out.”
Mansour encourages artists to keep at their dreams and never give up, especially if it’s not a traditional job.
“No matter how difficult, you have to just go for it, for the music's sake, for your sake,” she says.
Want to meet Soraia? Catch them on tour:
Five Shows You Don’t Want to Miss this Summer
We all know concert season is just around the corner! It’s time to pack up your concerts bags to catch the latest artists as they hit the road this summer.
Start saving up and planning your concert calendar so this summer you don’t have to miss out on any of these acts.
Here’s five bands you don’t want to miss:
Todd Kerns performing in Alberta, Canada
Age of Electric
You may not have heard of these guys, yet! The Age Of Electric turned 28 years old in the past few days and are back on tour to celebrate. Born out of Calgary, Canada over 20 years ago, these guys reunited after going their separate ways in different bands. They are certainly bringing punk rock band to Canada and soon the States. Check outAge of Electric when they pass through your city. There are a few more dates left on the tour, including a newly announced show in Ottawa!
Bon Jovi
The band recently released their newest album, This House is Not for Sale (#THINFS). The boys are back on the road playing all the hits, the new songs, and a couple of those rare gems. The newly revamped lineup now brings Bon Jovi to a total of 7 touring members ensuring a full sounding set. On stage you'll find a double bass drum, four keyboards, bongos, and wind chimes and the iconic white microphone: what else could you ask for? Of course new guitarist Phil X and John Shanks bring the rock edge back—expect the crazy guitar solo’s that Bon Jovi has missed since Sambora's departure.
Green Day
The punk rock band seems completely revitalized with a new attitude after having issues the past few years. Armstrong’s on stage antics are fun and fan-friendly. The band often invites young aspiring artists on stage to jam with them which encourages and inspires a new generation of musicians. Their set is two and a half hours of anything and everything.
Fan Plays Billie's Guitar on Stage , Green Day, Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA; March 25th, 2017; Revolution Radio Tour
Joan Jett plays BB&T Pavillion 2016
Boston and Joan Jett
This dynamic duo paired up to bring the 70’s and 80’s rock scene back to life. Joan Jett recently toured the states with Cheap Trick so it’s only fitting that her band brings the same styled artist on the road. With both bands still going strong, these double headliners makes sure you get your money’s worth.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Celebrate fourth of July weekend with Tom Petty at the Wells Fargo Center! The setlist will be sure to include everything from the fan favorites to the hits. Plus, if you’re lucky Joe Walsh will appear as very special guest at your show! This show is almost sold out so grab your tickets fast.
Who do you most look forward to seeing this summer? Leave a comment below!
Whitford St. Holmes Plays Intimate Show in Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
June 30, 2016
Whitford St. Holmes is a supergroup that you may not have never heard of, yet. The underrated heroes and musical extraordinaries that held together huge groups like Aerosmith and Ted Nugent’s band come together to form this group.
Fronted by Derek St. Holmes, ex-player of Ted Nugent’s band and supported by Brad Whitford of Aerosmith on guitar, the two make a dynamic team. For live shows they are joined by Brent Fitz of Slash’s band on drums and Buck Johnson of Aerosmith on keys.
This isn’t the first time the band have released or toured in support of an album. The classic rock duo of Whitford and Holmes are the root of this band and began with their debut self titled album in 1981. Their latest album, Reunion, is properly named as it is a celebration of the reunion and tour of the two.
The live show is nothing but excitement. The pure talent of the artists can be seen as almost every night they deviate from the setlist and go off playing requests and anything that pops into their heads. With just a look to each other the band can shoot off any song.
In the middle of their set they play a tribute to the bands that are their ‘day jobs." With a kick of a drum, Buck Johnson on keys takes the mic and sings along to Aerosmith’s “Last Child.” The jam continues with “Train Kept A Rollin.”
The show is filled with solos highlighting every member and playful stories involving the writing process of some of the songs.
If you missed them, there’s still time. The tour continues until the end of July.
http://www.whitfordstholmes.com/
Written Setlist:
Shapes
Rock All Day
Hells on Fire
Tender is the Night
Not for you
Keep On Movin’
Whiskey Woman
Sharp Shooter
Catch my Fall
Shy Away
Slow Blues
Shake It
Last Train
Hey Baby
Train
Stranglehold
Rock The Farm 2015:
Farmingdale, NJ: August 29th, 2015
Special guest David Bryan joined the Matt O'Ree Band on stage to headline Rock The Farm in New Jersey.
An entire day of live music, comedy, and fun activities came to an end with Bon Jovi's keyboardist, David Bryan who took the stage to perform a set of Bon Jovi songs. The performance included Runaway, Bad Medicine, Bed Of Roses, Wanted Dead Or Alive and a cover of Travelin Band by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
The show raised money for the CFC Loud and Clear Foundation which helps bring awareness to the growing heroin problem in today's society. The community event raises money for the non-profit organization to continue to help combat addiction by providing help to individuals in need.
A sold out show at the Stone Pony celebrating the 40th anniversary of Born To Run raised $11,180 for the cause! In Farmingdale the large check was presented to the crowd.
For more information and to donate visit http://www.cfcloudnclear.org/
SLASH - World On Fire Final U.S. Date: Southside Ballroom
May 24, 2015
The beginning U.S. dates of the World on Fire tour came to an end in the heart of America in Dallas, Texas. Fans from all countries and states found themselves lined up early in the morning despite the weather to be packed into the Southside Ballroom to catch the final show.
Ending with three dates in Texas Slash, Myles Kennedy, and the Conspirators recent tour covered fourteen states and included the spots in some of America’s best rock festivals like Rock on The Range, Welcome to Rockville, and New Jersey’s finest MMRBQ. With a couple off days, the band will soon expand the tour overseas and into seventeen countries. What first started with a solo album from Slash, expanded into a full band of touring musicians who put on a killer two hour show.
This tour is in support of Slash’s third solo album, entitled after the single, “World on Fire”. The album made the top ten charts world-wide and has received much air play throughout rock stations. This is the second album which features The Conspirators: bassist Todd Kerns, drummer Brent Fitz, and touring rhythm guitarist Frank Sidoris. Both Kerns and Fitz, recorded on the album and joined on for another tour. While the ticket and marquee says Slash, make no mistake, the five members of the band are a team of talented musicians who make the show unforgettable.
What makes these shows so unique is the perfect balance between Guns N’ Roses songs, Slash songs, and intertwining guitar solo’s to create the mystic and essence of a Slash show. You get the best of both worlds with powerhouse vocalist and skilled guitarist, Myles Kennedy who has a dynamic vocal ability to cover such a large range of songs.
The show opens with the hit single You’re A Lie off the previous album, Apocalyptic Love. Kicking it into high gear right away, Night Train begins and Slash jumps and runs all over the stage, blaring out solo’s.
For the many fans who follow the tour, it’s nice to see the band changes up the next few songs in the setlist a bit each night. Off the new record, Avalon and Wicked Stone get played with fans fist pumping and screaming the lyrics back. The newer songs fit well with the set with them having the distinct rock and roll sound that only Slash can make.
It’s not just the typical Guns N Roses that get played, but the underrated Double Talkin’ Jive makes an appearance into the setlist. Myles Kennedy, Slash, and Frank Sidoris all jam together on guitar leaving the crowd in awe. Keeping the crowd engaged with the classics, You Could be Mine follows.
Look no further for a band full of skilled musicians, bassist Todd Kern’s steps up to the plate with his chance to show his talents on stage. While he typically does backing vocals, he's fit to be a lead singer. The stage is all his for a couple songs where he can show his vocal abilities. Kern’s sings, Welcome To The Jungle and Dr Alibi, a song written by Slash and Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister.
The set takes a turn and allows Kennedy and Slash to voice their animal-rights campaign support in their song, Beneath the Savage Sun. The passionate performance of the song tells about the ivory trade that kills 96 elephants a day. The haunting vocals and tender lyrics accompanied by a raw guitar sound makes for a special performance. To support the cause and see the video the band recently made can be seen below:
DONATE NOW: http://ifaw.org/ivory - Iconic rock guitarist Slash and singer Myles Kennedy composed this song to help IFAW stop the needless slaughter of elephants for their ivory tusks and raise awareness of the global elephant crisis.
Rocket Queen begins and Slash takes center stage and kicks out a savvy ten minute solo, his hands running up and down the neck of his guitar. This is one of the songs that has stood the test of time and only get’s better as the years go on.
Bent to Fly is a song about “coming of age”, says Myles Kennedy to the crowd. The lyrically driven, deeper meaning touches the crowd. It may come off as a ballad but has a nice bite to it, and is absolutely beautiful live. Adding more to the new songs, World on Fire begins as Kennedy leads the fans into a melodic sing-along. The energetic performance perfectly encompasses what it’s like to be at a Slash show.
A double-neck guitar is placed into Slash’s hands as he picks out the first few lines to the fan-favorite Anastasia, as the crowd erupts. Myles Kennedy joins on guitar while the three guitarist rip through the song. In true Slash fashion, the gold top Les Paul is on stage, Kern’s blows his whistle, and Sweet Child of Mine begins.
The tour does not fail to forget about another of Slash’s works, Velvet Revolver. The deep bass line leads band introductions and the guitar kicks in for Slither. The band thanks the crowd and says their goodbye only to quickly join the stage again for a final song.
One of the most recognizable guitar tunes begins with the chords from Paradise City and the crowd clapping in sync. Confetti blast into the air with the venue soon being filled with shiny red and white rectangle confetti pieces with SLASH written on it swirling in the air. Slash sets his wailing guitar against the amp and make the final bow. The band made their rounds around to the fans in the front, touching hands, throwing picks and sticks, and showing their gratitude for the years of support.
Catch Slash’s World Tour over seas in the upcoming months. Rumors suggest there will be more United States date in the fall so stay in touch at http://slashonline.com/ for an official announcement.
Dallas (2015)
Setlist
You’re A Lie
Night Train
Avalon
Standing in the Sun
Back From Cali
Wicked Stone
Too Far Gone
Double Talking Jive
You Could Be Mine
Dr. Alibi
Welcome to the Jungle
Beneath The Savage Sun
The Dissident
Rocket Queen
Bent to Fly
World on Fire
Anastasia
Sweet Child of Mine
Slither
Paradise City
Photos are from shows: East Stroudsburg, PA; Sayerville, NJ; New York City, NY; Baltimore, DE; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX.
Sixx A.M. Modern Vintage Tour: East Coast
SIXX AM:
East Coast Dates and More:
Embarking on their first headlining tour, the Sixx A.M. Modern Vintage tour came to an end with five East Coast dates. The band rocked a sold out show at the Starland Ballroom (NJ) and Palladium (MA), followed by three packed show at the Best Buy Theatre (NYC), Electric Factory (PA), and The Fillmore Silver Spring (MD).
The success of the tour should come as no surprise, Sixx A.M. fans have waited for this tour for seven years. What makes this band so unique is the diverse group of fans who find peace with the lyrics. Some passionate fans even arrived to venues up to ten hours early, numerous days in a row in order to secure a spot in the front row. Fans world-wide united during this tour with international fans from France, Germany, and Ukraine making trips in order to see the show.
The band formed in 2007 after Nikki Sixx, bassist of Motley Crue published his first novel, The Heroin Diaries. The Heroin Diaries is a compilation of the diaries Sixx had written during the 80’s when his addiction was at its highest. Diary entries along with Sixx’s drug-free self-reflection, and friends views on events are included. For Sixx, this was a new outlet for expression where beautiful ideologies of hope and recovery inspired many.
Producer James Michael, Guns N Roses guitarist DJ Ashba, and Nikki Sixx make Sixx A.M., purposely named after each member’s last name. They were friends for many years and decided to work together to create a soundtrack to release in addition to Sixx’s book release. This became their first record which would lead up to their follow-up album, This Is Gonna Hurt for another of Sixx’s novels.
Philadelphia, PA
The band never had intentions of becoming a touring act until thousands of fans spoke about how the music changed their lives. It was time for them to become a live act when the band released their newest album, Modern Vintage. The new album has a new experimental sound, having songs that range from hard rock to bluesy rock. The fans have spoken that they love the music. Fans bought the record in masses and sold out many of the venues where the band was set to play: Sixx A.M. is very much so wanted.
Silver Springs, MD
The setlist includes songs from all albums and each show has its own unique, special performances thanks to the band's on stage antics. Whether it be pushing each other around, allowing a young child to sing on stage, or to participate in some crowd surfing, each show has something special.
The lights dim, the curtain drop and the packed venues filled with the opening vocals to X-Mas in Hell. First on the stage is touring drummer, Dustin Steinke who pounds away at his raised drum set which allows him to be seen by all fans in the venue. The two powerful female touring vocalist, Melissa Harding and Amber VanBuskirk join the stage to back up James with melodic vocals.
Worcester, MA
The band morale is at a high and can be seen from the way the band acts onstage. Sixx and Asbha are constantly joking around on stage and have smiles all around. The band’s Instagram page shows that the current favorite tour bus activity is tasing each other.
The elusive frontman, James Michael appears on stage in his black leather trench coat, fingerless black gloves, and reflective aviator sunglasses. With the entire New Jersey crowd fist pumping, Michael encourages the crowd to let go.
“It’s been about fucking time, dontchya think?” Michael screams to the New Jersey crowd.
The band burst into Let’s Go and rages on through the setlist. Tossing his sunglasses into the sold out crowd, the charismatic front-man struts across the stage and goes into songs off the new record.
Sayerville, NJ
This is Gonna Hurt blast through the amps and the crowd joins in for a sing along of one of the band’s biggest hits. Sixx grooves across the stage, bass in hand kicking and throwing water bottles which doused the tightly packed, and dehydrated crowd. Watch out if you're in the front few rows, you're going to get wet!
Michael, an accomplished pianist sits down for a heartfelt performance of Dead Man’s Ballet. The true passion of the performance of the song can be seen with Michael fiercely singing:
"Yeah, you, you miserable father, The one who ignored me for half of my life. Now I, I can't even look at you, Why? Why? Why?"
Following, a soft entrance of Accidents Can Happen begins as the crowd sings the lyrics back to the singer. Fans throughout the venues are moved to tears by the heartfelt performance. The band continues to light up the place with one of their, jazz-rock songs, Miracle.
Ashba who explains that he more comfortably speaks through his guitar rather than with words tells the crowd, “Thank you so much for coming out here. I thought instead of doing a speech I would tase the shit out of my guitar tech.” With the taser not with in immediate reach he went on to say: “I’m not much of a talker, but fuck, thank you so much for coming out and supporting Sixx A.M.” In response, the crowd roars back with cheers and clapping.
Worcester, MA
Back up to the high energy songs the band starts Gotta Get It Right, the single off the new record. The passionate fans sing the lyrics back with much excitement.
Throughout the show Ashba, prances across the divider between the floor and the bar for a more intimate experience for fans who were unable to be close up.
Sixx takes a special moment to address the crowd about how they have played such a major role in creating the band that is Sixx A.M. today.
Philadelphia, PA
“Me and James and DJ, we all knew each other as musicians but more so we were best friends and we made music together basically just for us… As we were writing it we began to start understanding our past and we realized that we all have a shattered, fucked up, cracked past. Maybe you have somebody fucked up in your family, or maybe you’re fucked up, or maybe you were and you changed but everybody wanted to hold you down and that was my story. I was aways told I was less than—and we wrote a song called Life is Beautiful.”
“And now look at what the fuck you have created. So if you don’t mind next year we will drop our fourth record and we will announce a world fuckin’ tour. Just when I thought I was gonna retire, fuck that shit. Sixx. A.M is here to stay!” Sixx goes on to explain that it was the thousands of fans who showed up to his book signings to tell their stories that inspired the band to hit the road. With Motley Crue's Final Tour ending this year, Sixx will have more time to dedicate solely to working on Sixx A.M.
Silver Springs, MD
The band goes on to include some fan-favorites off their previous record with Help Is On The Way. A beautiful piano opening started Goodbye My Friends, and moved the crowd to awe of Michael’s extraordinary vocal range.
The band goes into the final part of their set, filled with their big-name hits. The intro to Stars begins and fans already get their cameras out to catch a photo of what was to come. The chorus kicks in and suddenly the venue is filled with thousands of black paper stars falling.
The encore begins with Michael again at the piano playing the fan-favorite song, Skin. In Sayerville, an eager fan makes a run for the stage, jumps and finds himself being grabbed and taken out while Michael in complete focus, barely bats an eye at the disruption. Ashba takes a seat atop the piano and effortlessly spews out a guitar solo, extending it for the fans who desperately don’t want the show to end.
Philadelphia, PA
Ending on a high note with Life Is Beautiful, an inspirational song that was not only the first Sixx A.M. song to get radio play, accidentally so, but it was the song that lead the band to decide to tour and further their works into a full album. The crowd sang the entire chorus back for the band as they gave it there all for a grand finale.
New York City, NY
The United States tour is coming to its end but the band explained there will be a world tour next year. The band will take some time to regroup and will continue work on a fourth studio album. Until then, we must wait until 2016 until they hit the road for another tour.
For more information about Sixx A.M. visit www.sixxammusic.com
Set List
X-Mas in Hell
Let’s Go
Give Me A Love
Relief
This is Gonna Hurt
Pray for Me
Dead Man’s Ballet
Accidents Can Happen
Miracle
Live Forever
Gotta Get it Right
Drive
Help is On The Way
Goodbye My Friends
Lies Of The Beautiful People
Stars
Skin
Life is Beautiful