WALKER, MINNESOTA (June 10, 2010) – When classic rock fans gather this year at the 19th annual Moondance Jam, opening night headliner Sammy Hagar will be representing the old school of rock, while Buckcherry, Collective Soul, Hoobastank and Tonic will be there to show that modern rock bands love classic rock, too.
SAMMY HAGAR AND THE WABOS
The Red Rocker’s career started with Montrose in the S.F. Bay Area. He left for a solo career in 1975, and as soon as he became a star, Van Halen selected him as the man to take over for the departed David Lee Roth. VH became one of the biggest bands in the world with Hagar fronting the band, selling out arenas and amphitheaters with regularity and selling millions of records, before the band imploded in 1996. Hagar then resumed his solo career-he has toured regularly and released six records since forming the Waboritas. He also found time for an ill-fated reunion of Van Halen in 2004, and in 2008, formed the supergroup Chickenfoot with guitarist Joe Satriani, bassist Michael Anthony (from Van Halen) and drummer Chad Smith (The Red Hot Chili Peppers). The rock world’s most famous tequila salesman has found happiness onstage with the Waboritas (guitarist Vic Johnson, bassist Mona and drummer David Lauser), a versatile, tight unit that that can play the driving rock of Montrose, the meat-and-potatoes rock of Sammy’s solo career and the melodic metal of Van Halen. At Moondance, expect Sammy to put on his typical Cabo Wabo-styled party that features his solo hits, VH stuff, a Montrose chestnut and lots of tequila.
BUCKCHERRY
If sleaze rock band Buckcherry was a baseball player, its bio would read something like this-great rookie season, sophomore slump, a brief trip to the minors, back with a big splash and now a steady all-star performer. The band rode its debut single, the drug fueled “Lit Up” (“I love the cocaine”) all the way to number one in 1999, and the debut album sold well as the band toured regularly that year. It’s follow up slumped, however, and by 2002, Buckchery was on hiatus. Vocalist Josh Todd put out a solo album, and guitarist Keith Nelson kicked around Hollywood, but the duo finally realized the only thing to do was to put the band back together. With new members Stevie D. (guitar), Jimmy Ashhurst (bass) and Xavier Muriel (drums), the band came roaring back with the album 15, which featured the quintet’s biggest hit, “Crazy Bitch,” as well as “Sorry” and “Everything.” Black Butterfly, the band’s fourth album followed, and the group toured late last year with KISS, solidifying its reputation as a great live band with a dynamic stage show. The band has now scored six Top 20 hits since reconvening, and its fifth album, All Night Long, is due August 3. At its recent Rocklahoma appearance, the band played all of the hits, a few early songs from the debut and the new single, also titled “All Night Long.”
COLLECTIVE SOUL
Collective Soul was formed in the small town of Stockbridge, Georgia in the early ‘90s. The band’s first album, the independently released Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, proved popular enough on the local level that Atlantic Records picked it up the following year. Within months of its release, the album’s first single, “Shine,” became a modern rock and MTV staple, and the group found itself with a platinum debut, playing everywhere from arenas with Aerosmith to Woodstock 1994. The band followed that record with the self-titled sophomore effort the following year, which featured the hits “The World I Know” and “December.” That record once again went multi-platinum, but subsequent releases failed to sell as well, so the band took a five-year break (releasing only a greatest hits set in 2001). In 2004, the group returned to their roots, bringing in new guitar player Joel Kosche and releasing the stripped-down and dynamic Youth album, which featured the band’s comeback hit “Better Now.” The band’s self –titled eighth record has kept the group on the road for most of the last year due to the strength of the single “Welcome All Again.” The band has released 15 songs that have made into the mainstream Top 20, and most of these songs make up the band’s live show.
HOOBASTANK
Authors of the best-selling singles “Crawling in the Dark,” “Running Away” and “The Reason,” modern rockers Hoobastank will make its first ever appearance at MJ this July. Despite heavy chart success and a relentless touring schedule, the band’s second and third releases failed to sell as well as its debut; the band struck back with its fourth release, For(N)ever and the single “My Turn.” The group spent last summer opening for Creed on the band’s reunion tour. Expect a fast-paced, high energy set full of active rock hits during Hoobastank’s performance.
TONIC
Tonic is best known for its debut platinum album, Lemon Parade, and it’s massive hit single,” If You Could Only See,” as well as “Open Up Your Eyes.” Tonic spent years on the road promoting that first effort, but subsequent releases failed to match those of Lemon Parade, so after self-producing their 1999 album Sugar and releasing their third album Head on Straight in 2002, the band went on hiatus beginning in 2004, while its members pursued other musical endeavors. The band became active again in late 2008, embarking on a tour and releasing a greatest hits compilation. Their self-titled fourth studio album, Tonic, which features the current radio single “Release Me,” was released in May. Tonic will be one of the first major label acts featured in the 3 p.m. slot at MJ this year, as the promoters beefed up the line-up with 15 national acts.
The daily schedules are listed below:
Wednesday, July 14 (Pre-party)
10:30 p.m. – Hairball
9:00 p.m. – Mountain Ash
7:30 p.m. – Free Fallin-a tribute to Tom Petty
6:00 p.m. – The Minnesota Whiskey Piggz
Thursday July 15
11:00 p.m. – Sammy Hagar and the Wabos
9:00 p.m. – Buckcherry
7:00 p.m. – Collective Soul
5:00 p.m. – Hoobastank
3:00 p.m. – Tonic
Friday July 16
11:00 p.m. – REO Speedweagon
9:00 p.m. – Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo
7:00 p.m. – Don Felder’s “An Evening at the Hotel California”
5:00 p.m. – The Smithereens
3:00 p.m. – Pat Travers
Saturday July 17
11:00 p.m. – Lynyrd Skynyrd
9:00 p.m. – Jonny Lang
7:00 p.m. – Cinderella
5:00 p.m. – Black Stone Cherry
3:00 p.m. – Blackberry Smoke
Tickets are still available in a variety of packages. Concert goers can purchase Rockstar All Access, VIP, three day General Admission and single day tickets as well as camping and parking passes online or by contacting the Moondance ticket office. Moondance Jam has festival seating for General Admission ticket holders, meaning that front row access and lawn seating is available for everyone.
Free parking will be available this year at the Northern Lights Casino in Walker. Shuttles will take festival goers to and from the festival site; a regular schedule can be obtained on the first day of the festival.
Moondance Jam is held on the beautiful 300 acre Moondance Events festival grounds, situated in the middle of Chippewa National Forest near Leech Lake. The festival features thousands of campsites, well-kept facilities, two bars with regional entertainment, excellent security, many food and beverage vendors, an experienced staff and owners who have been organizing music festivals since 1992. The safe, fan friendly atmosphere and idyllic location are just a few reasons why people return year after year to the Walker Area for the Moondance music festivals.
