The Springfield Museums have a very entertaining music oriented guitar-related exhibit entitled: Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked The World. Based on the sheer size of the exhibit it will encompass space in both the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum and the Springfield Science Museum. The exhibit will feature numerous guitars, interactive displays, and will also have the world’s largest playable guitar. Check out www.springfieldmuseums.com for more information including pricing.
On sale soon:
Vampire Weekend moves up to the bigger venues and will play The Agganis Arena in Boston, which is part of Boston University. The show is scheduled for May 15 and will set you back $53.15 for either general admission floor or arena seats.
Welcome back Fall Out Boy! Pete Wentz, Patrick Stump and company will bring their brand of RAWK to the House of Blues on May 26. Tickets will be priced at $42.50 and $52.45 with an on sale date of Feb 8.
Train’s Mermaids of Alcatraz Tour with opening acts The Script and Gavin DeGraw makes it way to The Comcast Center in Mansfield on July 27. Tickets go on sale Feb 8 with ticket prices ranging from $32.00 to $89.70
The Breeders hit The Royale in Boston on May 9. Tickets are $30.50 for anywhere in the house and will go on sale Feb 8.
Swedish rockers Ghost are touring to promote their new release titled Infestissuman (Latin for hostile). They have a scheduled stop at The Royale in Boston on May 5. Tickets go on sale Feb 8 and will cost $25.30. On a side note, Ghost has had to change their name in the U.S. for legal reasons and will know be known as Ghost B.C.
Currently on sale:
The touring version of Green Day’s American Idiot will be performing at The Bushnell in Hartford from Feb. 26 through March 3. Tickets are as low as $20.00 for balcony and $75.00 for orchestra section. This does not include service charges.
Adrenaline Mob with former Dream Theater drummer extraordinaire Mike Portnoy will RAWK Toad’s Place in New Haven on March 12. Tickets are super cheap at $20.00.
Coheed and Cambria will play the House of Blues in Boston on March 14 and March 15. Tickets for both nights are $34.00 and $46.80.
Only in Boston…. The Dropkick Murphy’s headline the TD Garden on March 15. Let me repeat that, HEADLINE the TD Garden. Like I said, only in Boston. Tickets are priced at $51.10 and $56.20.
Enter The Haggis will play the newly renovated Palace Theater in Stafford Springs on March 15. Tickets are $25.60 and available through Ticketfly.
Of note locally:
Go out this weekend and make it a point to watch some live music. Whether it is a cover band or an up and coming original band, just do it. Support the local scene. This is a small sampling of places to RAWK out this weekend or any weekend: Geraldine’s in West Springfield, The Southwick Inn in Southwick, The Sierra Grille in Northampton, Maximum Capacity in Chicopee and Club Meadows in East Longmeadow.
I do have to say, what happened to the RAWK shows at Pearl Street in Northampton? That place used to be amazing for getting nationally recognized RAWK bands. My guess is they have changed their booking agent. It seems such a shame that a place like Pearl Street that used to compete with The Palladium in Worcester, Toads in New Haven and other Boston RAWK spots for bands has given up and only on occasion puts together a decent show. If this tells you anything (and not about my age) but I recall seeing Jane’s Addiction tear down that place on one of their first tours.
Rawk music releases:’
Do yourself a favor and check out the new release from the old school metal band, Flotsam and Jetsam. Their new fan funded release entitled Ugly Noise is far from ugly. This has some of the strongest material Flotz has ever put out. Some highlight tracks are Gitty Up, Rabbits Foot and the albums title track, Ugly Noise. Flotz will be opening for Testament on Feb 16 at the Palladium in Worcester.
Also check out Hatebreed’s The Divinity of Purpose. Released on Jan 29, this pummeling masterpiece has the Connecticut natives at the top of their game. Keeping their true hardcore sound, the following tracks are sure to please all Hatebreed fans: Own The World, Before The Fight Ends You and Dead Man Walking. Hatebreed will be part of the annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on April 19 at the Palladium in Worcester.
