Month: April 2024

Variety reports that Kiss have sold their music catalog, brand name, image and likeness to Pophouse Entertainment, the Sweden-based music investment firm behind ABBA’s “Voyage” hologram show,  in a deal estimated to be over $300 million. News of the deal arrives just four months after Kiss unveiled plans for an avatar concert similar to ABBA’s with digital versions of the group.

In a statement, Pophouse CEO Per Sundin said that the company plans to promote the group’s “iconic music, enigmatic personas, and expressive imagery for generations to come. Our partnership will fuse the rich history and iconic status of KISS with cutting-edge technology, allowing fans – now and in the future – to experience the band like never before.”  He added: “Kiss has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has throughout their 50-year career continued to push the boundaries in popular culture. The band’s enigmatic personas, unparalleled band attributes, and iconic imagery have made them a cultural force and a legendary act with multigenerational appeal. We will safeguard and enrich this legacy through future global endeavors, by breathing new life into their characters and personas while also leveraging and elevating the visual world of KISS.”

Kiss teased their forthcoming digital show at the final concert of their “End of the Road” tour in New York last year when the band’s current lineup — founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons as well as guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer — took the stage at the final night of their farewell tour in December at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden, they ended by revealing digitized avatars of themselves. The cutting-edge technology was created by George Lucas’ special-effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, in partnership with Pophouse. with the first digital Kiss show scheduled for 2027.

Kiss co-founder Gene Simmons said, “We have always been breaking new ground in popular culture, and this partnership will ensure that we continue to do so for years to come. Because what Pophouse is doing, is breaking rules. We already have several plans in development.”

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The 2024 Rocklahoma Festival, taking place from August 30 – September 1 at Rockin Red Dirt Ranch in Pryor, Oklahoma, has announced this year’s lineup.

Headlining this year’s fest will be Avenged Sevenfold (Friday night), Disturbed (Saturday) and Slipknot (Sunday). Full stage assignments and set times will be announced at a later date, but organizers did announce that Avenged Sevenfold, Evanescence and Halestorm will play on Friday; while Disturbed, A Day to Remember and Skillet head up Saturday; and Slipknot, Lamb of God and Mastodon will headline the final day on Sunday. Additional acts include Anthrax, Clutch, Kerry King, Coal Chamber, Pop Evil, Kim Dracula and many more also on the lineup thus far.

Rocklahoma weekend VIP and General Admission passes go on sale Friday, April 5 at 10AM Central Time at www.Rocklahoma.com. Fans can gain access to the Rocklahoma presale to secure the guaranteed lowest price by signing up for the Rocklahoma newsletter here.

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The Smashing Pumpkins have announced additional dates on their 2024 North American headlining tour taking place this summer and fall. The new round of shows will take place in-between their upcoming opening dates for Green Day on their own “Saviors Tour.”

The Pumpkins will play headlining shows in Montreal, Kansas City, Des Moines, St. Louis, Reno, Las Vegas, and more, kicking-off on July 31st in Muskoka, Ontario through September 27th in Las Vegas.

Presale tickets for the just-announced shows are available now, with the general onsale beginning Friday, April 5th at 10 a.m. local time at smashingpumpkins.com/tour.

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Twenty One Pilots announced they will hit the road for its 59-date ‘The Clancy World Tour’ in support of their upcoming album, Clancy.  The duo of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun posted on social media: ‘The Clancy World Tour is bringing us back to see so many of you. |-/ Get info and presale access here: twentyonepilots.com/tour’

The 59-date tour kicks off Aug. 15 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. with stops in Seattle, Phoenix, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and their hometown of Columbus, Ohio before wrapping up the North American leg on Oct. 12 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.  The international leg of the tour begins in Auckland, New Zealand, on Nov. 17 and will make stops in Australia the rest of the month. The tour resumes April 2025 in Germany, Italy, Spain, France and more before wrapping up with two shows at London’s 02 Arena on May 13 and 14.

The band also dropped the video for “Next Semester,” the second single from Clancy. The music video — directed by Andrew Donoho — kicks off with the band perfomring in a tiny, packed club; take a look at the video for “Next Semester” – here.

Presale tickets are available now, with general on sale beginning April 5 at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. More information about the tour and tickets can be found on Twenty One Pilots’ website.

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The Recording Academy announced the 2024 inductees for the Grammy Hall of Fame. Per Variety, Lauryn Hill‘s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” Guns N’ Roses’ “Appetite For Destruction” and De La Soul’s “3 Feet High and Rising” will all be inducted at the inaugural Grammy Hall of Fame gala and concert on May 21 at the NOVO Theater in Los Angeles.

Ten recordings in total will be inducted, including recordings from Buena Vista Social Club, Donna Summer, Charley Pride, Wanda Jackson, Kid Ory’s Creole Orchestra, the Doobie Brothers and William Bell. Per the Grammy Hall of Fame’s guidelines, eligible albums are said to “exhibit qualitative or historical significance and are at least 25 years old.”  This year’s induction class consists of six singles and four albums. All four albums were the artists’ debut studio albums.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a press release: “We’re proud to unveil the diverse mix of recordings entering the Grammy Hall of Fame in its 50th year. The music showcased here has played a pivotal role in shaping our cultural landscape, and it’s a true honor to recognize these songs and recordings, along with the profound influence each has had on music and beyond.”

The Grammy Hall of Fame was created in 1973 to honor recordings that were released prior to the inception of the Grammy Awards in 1958. The 2024 class will be saluted at the Grammy Museum’s inaugural Grammy Hall of Fame Gala and concert on May 21 at the NOVO Theater in Los Angeles.

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The Black Keys have announced a fall 2024 North American tour in support of their new album Ohio Players, which drops this Friday.  The band posted on social media: “It’s Official – INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS TOUR is coming. North America dates begin September 17th with special guests @theheadandtheheart for select cities. Tickets on sale Friday, April 5th at 10am local time. Join the FREE Lonely Boys & Girls Club now and receive early access to pre-sale tickets starting Wednesday, April 3rd at 10am local time through to Thursday, April 4th at 10pm local time. A limited number of VIP packages will also be available including premium tickets, sound check access, exclusive merchandise and more. @americanexpress card Member pre-sale starts April 2nd at 10am local through to April 4th at 10pm local.”

Ohio Players will mark the Black Keys’ 12th studio album and their first since 2022’s Dropout Boogie. The new album features contributions from Beck, Greg Kurstin and Noel Gallagher, and includes the previously-released singles “Beautiful People (Stay High),” “I Forgot to Be Your Lover” and “This Is Nowhere.”

The North American leg of the International Players Tour begins on Sept. 17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and concludes on Nov. 12 in Detroit. Indie folk band the Head and the Heart and Circa Waves will appear as special guests on select dates.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time, with pre-sales available now via Ticketmaster.

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