Archive for January, 2012

Music’s biggest night will rock out to some of music’s biggest names once again.

Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean will all perform on this year’s Grammy Awards telecast, organizers have announced. Aldean and Minaj are first-time performers on the annual music gala, while the rest will be making return engagements.

As usual, they’re all vying for awards that night as well. Dave Grohl’s Foos and pop phenom Mars have six nominations each; hip-hop eccentric Minaj has four; country singers Aldean and Swift have a pair of nods; and pop idol Clarkson is up for one trophy.

Conspicuous by their absence — at least so far — are top contenders Kanye West (who has seven nominations, but was snubbed in major categories) and Adele (who is the belle of the ball with six noms but has been sidelined by throat surgery). But the event is still a month away, so there are likely plenty of lineup changes and announcements still to come.

The 54th Grammy Awards will be handed out Feb. 12 at L.A.’s Staples Center, with the event televised live on CBS and Global. As always, we’ll be there providing live coverage before, during and after the big event.

darryl.sterdan@sunmedia.ca
@darryl_sterdan
facebook.com/darryl.sterdan

Nickelback fans will be living in the Here and Now this spring and summer.

The polarizing post-grungers from Hanna, Alta., are hitting the road again in April on a tour that includes a six-pack of Canadian dates, promoters have announced.

The 39-day trek kicks off April 10 in Moline, Ill. The first Canadian shows are an April 21 stop at Montreal’s Bell Centre and a gig at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre the following night. After heading back to the U.S., the band returns to Canada in May for shows out west, eventually wrapping up their tour June 26 at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.

Tickets for all shows go on sale Saturday Jan. 21 at Ticketmaster, though fan club presales begin on Friday Jan. 13. Tickets for the four western shows will cost $29 – $99 plus fees and taxes. Tickets for the ACC show are listed at $71.75 – $115.75 (including fees and taxes) on Ticketmaster’s web site. Tickets for the Montreal show will set you back $44.50 – $89.50 before fees and taxes. VIP packages will also be available. Opening acts on the tour will be Bush, Seether and My Darkest Days.

Nickelback recently released their seventh studio album Here and Now, which debuted at No. 2 in the U.S. and at No. 1 in Canada. Over their career, they’ve sold more than 45 million albums worldwide and were named top group of the decade by Billboard in 2009.

Despite (or perhaps because of) that success, singer-guitarist Chad Kroeger and co. are one of the most reviled bands in music, loathed by critics and even other musicians. Earlier this month, Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney waded into the fray, claiming in an interview that “rock ’n’ roll is dying because people became OK with Nickelback being the biggest band in the world.” Nickelback’s response? “Thanks to the drummer in the Black Keys [for] calling us the biggest band in the world.”

Nickelback’s Canadian tour dates:
April 21 | Montreal | Bell Centre
April 22 | Toronto | Air Canada Centre
May 15 | Edmonton | Rexall Place
May 16 | Calgary | Scotiabank Saddledome
May 18 | Saskatoon | Credit Union Centre
June 26 | Vancouver | Rogers Arena

darryl.sterdan@sunmedia.ca
@darryl_sterdan
facebook.com/darryl.sterdan

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will traverse much of the Great White North this spring.

The symphonic rock ensemble is bringing its Beethoven’s Last Night production to six Canadian cities in April and May, according to the group’s website. The run kicks off April 7 in Abbotsford and crosses Western Canada, winding up with two Ontario performances in May, including a Casino Rama show. See below for a full list of dates, cities and venues.

The brainchild of New York composer and producer Paul O’Neill, TSO has made its name with an annual Christmas tour that fuses progressive rock, Broadway theatrics and rock-concert spectacle. Beethoven’s Last Night, a rock opera that finds the famed composer’s battling with Mephistopheles for his immortal soul on the final day of his life, is the band’s first non-holiday live production, though fans can likely expect the same amount of pomp, circumstance — and pyro.

Tickets for the Casino Rama concert go on sale Jan. 28 for $67 – $78 at Ticketmaster. Prices and onsale dates for the other shows haven’t been announced yet.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Beethoven’s Last Night Canadian Tour Dates
April 7 | Abbotsford | Entertainment & Sports Centre
April 9 | Edmonton | Jubilee Auditorium
April 10 | Calgary | Jubilee Auditorium
April 13 | Winnipeg | MTS Centre
May 11 | Rama | Casino Rama
May 12 | Windsor | Caesars Colosseum

darryl.sterdan@sunmedia.ca
@darryl_sterdan
facebook.com/darryl.sterdan

It’s a dark day for Black Sabbath fans: Guitarist Tony Iommi has been diagnosed with cancer.

The 63-year-old rocker’s illness was revealed in a post on the band’s Facebook page Monday morning, and arrives on the eve of the heavy metal godfathers’ much-anticipated reunion tour and album.

“With the news that Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi has been diagnosed with the early stages of lymphoma, his bandmates would like everyone to send positive vibes to the guitarist at this time,” the post reads. “Iommi is currently working with his doctors to establish the best treatment plan — the “IRON MAN” of Rock & Roll remains upbeat and determined to make a full and successful recovery.

“This comes as Black Sabbath — Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) — are writing and recording their first album in 33 years in Los Angeles (still set for release this fall) with producer Rick Rubin. They will now go to the UK to continue to work with Tony. Further information will be released as it becomes available.”

The band announced their reunion on Nov. 11 last year. Their forthcoming album would be their first record together since 1978’s disappointing Never Say Die. Black Sabbath are slated to kick off a world tour with an appearance at England’s Download Festival in June.

darryl.sterdan@sunmedia.ca
@darryl_sterdan
facebook.com/darryl.sterdan