One of the most influential ’70s rock bands, Thin Lizzy, has been signed as the final mainstage act for Moondance Jam Rockin’ 18. It comes as a bit of a surprise since Thin Lizzy has not yet announced a tour of the United States for this year. Perhaps it is a one-off date, or maybe a longer our is in the works. It’s interesting to point out that Thin Lizzy now features the aggressive and skilled Tommy Aldridge on drums. Alridge left Whitesnake, another band that will be appearing at the Moondance Jam, in 2007. The Whitesnake-Thin Lizzy connection doesn’t stop there: Lizzy’s vocalist and guitarist John Sykes played for Whitesnake during the mid-1980s. Scott Gorham and Francesco DiCosmo round out Thin Lizzy. Gorham has been with the group since its 1970s heyday, and made an appearance on last week’s episode of VH1′s That Metal Show – you can watch it at this link.
As for the Moondance Jam, the bar has been set very high for this Walker, Minnesota festival. Although it had humble beginnings in the early 1990s, by 2000 it had become the premier classic rock festival in the United States. Nearly every rock act from the classic era has played Moondance at some point, and this year the lineup is particularly solid. With the cost of a 3-day pass at just $150, it’s quite possibly the best and most affordable way to catch some of your favorite rock groups in concert. Here is the line-up for 2009:
Thursday: Journey, Sheryl Crow, Kansas, Foghat
Friday: Judas Priest, Whitesnake, Lita Ford, Spin Doctors
Saturday: Yes, Asia, Thin Lizzy, Grand Funk Railroad
There’s truly something for every rock lover at this festival. Journey‘s very first 2009 summer appearance in the United States will be at Moondance, and don’t forget that two of the summer’s hottest touring packages will be making a stop: you’ll hear the very best in hard rock (Whitesnake & Judas Priest), and the very best in progressive rock (Yes & Asia). Rounding out the line-up are four more long-standing rock groups in the form of Thin Lizzy, Grand Funk Railroad, Kansas, and Foghat. Glam goddess Lita Ford will be present, along with the more modern stylings of Sheryl Crow and the Spin Doctors. One thing is for certain: you don’t want to miss out on Moondance this year!
Lastly I just want to mention that my own unofficial kick-off of the summer concert season is tomorrow, when I’ll be attending a April Wine and Head East show. There won’t be many breaks in the action until fall, and which isn’t a bad thing.
