Not sure which concerts to hit this summer? Or maybe you just need a quick refresher on which bands are hitting the road? Either way, Melodic Rock Concerts has you covered with this recap of the upcoming summer’s tours. It’s already May, and in just a few weeks many of the season’s package tours will be starting out their first leg of touring in the United States. Such package tours are abundant this year, and since choosing just one won’t be easy, attending a whole grouping of these shows is encouraged to obtain the maximum amount of rock this summer. Let’s break it down, tour by tour:
Def Leppard, Poison, Cheap Trick: Fans of rock anthems from the ’80s and power ballads from the ’70s alike will be coming out in droves for this triple bill. Starting out on June 23 in Camden, New Jersey, the tour makes its way throughout the United States to 40 arenas and amphitheaters. Poison’s Bret Michaels will also be doing dozens of solo gigs in between dates to keep ultra-busy. According to Leppard vocalist Joe Elliot, “We’re gonna be touring with some new friends and some old friends and can guarantee it will be the Rock Tour of the summer.” – Date Listing
Styx, REO Speedwagon, 38 Special: It may not be the first time that Styx and REO Speedwagon have toured together, but by joining forces with opener 38 Special and releasing a new single which bears the name of the tour (“Can’t Stop Rockin’“), fans can expect a lengthy mix of classics and new material. Rock Band is the proud presenter of this outing, which begins tomorrow night in Amarillo, Texas and wraps up in July. All three bands will continue doing shows on their own in the last months of summer, however, and there are even a couple more shows together in the works for September. “It’s been nine years since the Arch Allies tour and it just seemed like the right time to team up with our friends in REO and hit the road again,” said Tommy Shaw. – Date Listing
Aerosmith & ZZ Top: It may not seem as if these two giants need to announce a tour together, but fans are certainly glad that they did. Both acts could fill arenas on their own, but together they create a truly massive summer tour. From June to September, Aerosmith will be tearing it up with screaming rock classics and ZZ Top will be pleasing the fans with their rich blend of rock and blues. Steven Tyler added: “You know, [it's going to be] the most bad-ass rock ‘n’ roll you ever heard in your life. It’s gonna be like e-to-the-z-ooh-tweedle-e-dee. It’s like Aerosmith A to Z, it’s the weird, you know, the weird to the beard.” – Date Listing
Judas Priest, Whitesnake: The metal gods unite with the epic goodness of Whitesnake on the road for a tour that promises to be one of the summer’s most memorable. Vocalists David Coverdale and Rob Halford are true rock legends, and they will each lead their band into a frenzy of rock classics laced with fresh twists. Both bands released new albums last year, so fresh will indeed be the word to describe these killer shows. Coverdale had this to say: “The US is our home and it is a priority for us to achieve the same success here as we have throughout the rest of the world. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to play here again.” – Date Listing
Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood: The pairing of these two guitar greats is another highly anticipated event of the summer. The tour is very brief (covering just the last two thirds of June), but the shows promise to be electric as Clapton and Winwood play off each other with steaming guitar riffs. The dates are limited to 14, but the tour does make its way to all parts of the United States quite well, with an emphasis on the west coast and the Midwest. “It’s a little bit surprising, the way there seems to be this big amount of anticipation, but I’m certainly very excited about it,” quipped Steve Winwood. – Date Listing
Motley Crue (Crue Fest 2): If there’s one band from the 1980s that has most been able to connect with new and younger fans, it’s Motley Crue. They’ve done it again this year as they embark on a second round of Crue Fest shows, evenings of menacing, in-your-face rock that mix the classic with the contemporary. Godsmack, Theory of a Deadman, Drowning Pool, and Charm City Devils are joining in on the action this time around for the non-stop action from July to September. If that isn’t enough enticement, Motley will be playing 1989′s Dr. Feelgood in its entirety each evening. – Date Listing
Journey and Heart: A night of hits performed with incredible energy is in order whenever Journey or Heart perform, and although both bands are doing a large amount of shows on their own this summer, they will also be touring together for 10 to 15 shows. It’s the second leg of the Revelation tour for Journey, a band that experienced a rebirth of sorts last year with a hugely successful tour (with Heart and Cheap Trick) and album. Guitarist Neal Schon has revealed that the tour isn’t the only thing Journey fans should be excited for, saying “[we've] been working on alot of Journey song ideas for sometime now and we will write our next album while on tour this year. It promises to be a rocker.” – Date Listing
