Category Archives: Music

RIVERSIDE FOX: City negotiating with Live Nation

The Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside. (2011/File Photo)

There’s big news coming out of the Riverside City Council meeting tonight–colleague Alicia Robinson is at the meeting, reporting that the city is in talks with mega-promoter LiveNation to run the Fox Performing Arts Center, the Riverside Municipal Auditorium and the Fox Entertainment Plaza, which includes the black box, exhibit and event space.

Alicia is Tweeting from the meeting that the city should have contract in 4-6 weeks for Fox operator. It will be a three-year-long contract. If the Live Nation deal falls through, the city may still talk with Comcast-Spectacor or VenuWorks.

She’s reporting that the four smaller operators were shut out from the interview process. They included McCoy Rigby Entertainment, which brought theatrical entertainment to the Fox for a season and books the La Mirada Theatre, Golden Crown Productions, which books a number of concerts in Temecula Valley Wine Country, Theatrical Arts International, which booked the California Theatre of the Performing Arts in San Bernardino, and Swanson and Associates.

Alicia also reported that the council directed city to negotiate at least one local person in management with the Live Nation deal.

Here’s what you need to know about Live Nation:

They’re HUGE. They bring in top entertainment around the world. They have deals with mega-artists, too, including Madonna and U2.
Live Nation operates San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore (formerly known as Glen Helen Pavilion, Blockbuster Pavilion, Hyundai Pavilion), the nation’s largest outdoor amphitheater. Like the Fox, the venue itself is owned by the local government. In this case, San Bernardino County. This year there have been four major concerts/music events that have happened so far (Paid Dues and Beyond Wonderland moved there from the NOS Events Center, Mumford & Sons and Tim McGraw were booked as concert events). There are four other events, spanning over five days (Rockstar Mayhem Festival, Brad Paisley, Iron Maiden and Rock the Bells’ two-day fest) already booked and announced for the venue. This makes it the busiest year at the amphitheater in the six years I’ve been covering music at The Press-Enterprise.
Live Nation books well-known music venues in the Southland, including the Hollywood Palladium, The Wiltern, the House of Blues and more. They have a variety of music going into their venues.
On a personal note, every time I’ve emailed or called Live Nation to inquire about covering a show at San Manuel Amphitheater, the folks there have always been responsive. They are also good about letting the media know about on-sale dates and upcoming shows.

So what do you think of the city trying to work a deal with Live Nation? Do you think this means more shows and big entertainment for the Fox? Any local musicians out there have experience working with Live Nation?

Who do you want Live Nation to book at the Riverside venues?

RIVERSIDE: Bacon sizzles at Mission Tobacco Lounge

Bacon will play its first show at Mission Tobacco Lounge in Riverside on Saturday, June 22. (Amy Ashcraft/Contributed Image)

If you’ve spent some time around downtown Riverside in recent months, you might have noticed a recurring image of a pig that is a little bit creepy (like, straight out of the Silverchair video for “Tomorrow” pig-creepy).

The swine icon is the calling card of Riverside band Bacon, which is having its first official show at the Mission Tobacco Lounge on Saturday, June 22 in Riverside.

There’s something very early-’80s D.C. punk about the track “Black Gold Nuggets.”

Learn how to get your song on itunes at ReverbNation.com

The band started out as a four-piece but is now a trio, featuring Eric Amelang, who is known for his photography work, as well as Robert Chocek & Jeff Ashcraft of AppleKore.

Judas Beefcake, Flying Brains and Sayonara Tokyo are also on Saturday’s bill.

9 p.m. Saturday, June 22, Mission Tobacco Lounge, 3630 University Ave., Riverside, free, 21 and older only.

Visit www.facebook.com/baconband for more on the band.

AUDIO FILES: Listen to Divide the Day, Grieve for Tomorrow

Divide the Day is playing the Vans Warped Tour on Friday, June 21. (Contributed Image)

Divide the Day is playing the Vans Warped Tour on Friday, June 21. (Travis D Photo/Contributed Image)

The Vans Warped Tour visits Pomona in just two days. Yesterday I posted about Assuming We Survive and the Chase Walker Band and today’s spotlight is on two other Inland artists performing this week at the Pomona Fairplex–Divide the Day and Grieve for Tomorrow.

Divide the Day has signed with two major record labels in recent years and has had their music on national television, like “WWE Smackdown.”

The Inland band is playing Warped on Friday, June 21.

Visit www.dividetheday.net for more information.

Also, Grieve For Tomorrow is playing Warped on Thursday June 20. They were one of the contestants in X103.9’s Localpalooza last year and also were hand selected to play Warped.

I can’t resist their cover of Haddaway’s “What Is Love?”

Log on to www.grieve4tomorrow.com for more on the band.

Vans Warped Tour, 11 a.m. June 20 and 21, Pomona Fairplex, $35 for a one-day pass, $69 for a two-day pass, all ages. Visit www.vanswarpedtour.com for more information.

Take a look to see the other local artists on the Warped Tour this week.

SAN BERNARDINO: Brad Paisley tickets on sale June 21

Brad Paisley performs on day 4 at the 2013 CMA Music Festival at LP field on Sunday, June 9, 2013 in Nashville, Tenn. He will visit San Bernardino in August. (AP Photo)

One of the biggest country music stars is headed to the Inland Empire this summer.

Brad Paisley brings his “Beat This Summer” tour to San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Saturday, Aug. 24. The tickets go on sale Friday, June 21 at 10 a.m. and will be available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.livenation.com.

He is supporting his latest release, “Wheelhouse,” which came out in April. “Beat This Summer” is the anthem off the album.

Chris Young, Lee Brice and the Henningsens will join Paisley for the tour.

Paisley, who headlined the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in 2012, who is always a crowd-pleaser, is making the fans part of the show. There’s a free Brad Paisley Lightshow app that turns fans phone into a colorful beacon.

Visit http://lights.bradpaisley.com/ to download the app.

Paisley and Live Nation are donating $1 per ticket to Live Beyond, a nonprofit group based in Nashville that helps bring medical care, clean water and more to communities in Haiti.

Tickets will be $26-$69.75, before fees.

The tickets go on sale Friday, June 21 at 10 a.m. and will be available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.livenation.com.

AUDIO FILES: Listen to Assuming We Survive, Chase Walker Band

Assuming We Survive performs at X1039’s Localpalooza at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012. (2012/File Photo)

The Vans Warped Tour is coming to Pomona Thursday, June 20 and Friday, June 21 and we have a bunch of locals on the bill.

Here’s a look at two of the artists: Assuming We Survive and the Chase Walker Band.

Assuming We Survive has had a busy year. The Rancho Cucamonga band just released the new EP “Get Busy Living” for the summer that has some notable guest stars—Dan Arnold from A Static Lullaby and Tyson Stevens from Scary Kids Scaring Kids. This is the band’s second year in a row playing Warped. They will be on the Ernie Ball stage on Friday, June 21.

Visit www.assumingwesurvive.com for more on the band.
Here’s the title track from the new EP:

The Chase Walker Band will also be at Warped this week. Led by Riverside bluesman Walker, the band will play Warped on Thursday, June 20. Walker, who is in his teens, is an incredibly gifted guitarist. The Chase Walker Band will also be playing the Irvine Lake Blues Festival in August, as well as Yucaipa’s July 4th celebration and the Norco Fair.

You have to hear his take on Jeff Beck’s “Blues Deluxe.”

Visit the Chase Walker Band’s website for more information.

Vans Warped Tour, 11 a.m. June 20 and 21, Pomona Fairplex, $35 for a one-day pass, $69 for a two-day pass, all ages. Visit www.vanswarpedtour.com for more information.

Take a look to see the other local artists on the Warped Tour this week.

COACHELLA 2014: Will The Replacements reunion join lineup?

The Replacements have reunited. Will they play Coachella 2014? (Twin Tone Records/Contributed Image)

We’re still a few months off from knowing who will be playing the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (in fact, we are probably about seven months away), but why should that stop the fun speculation?

A few days ago, the news broke that punk-spirited Minneapolis icons The Replacements were reuniting for their first performance in more than 20 years at the punk-leaning Riot Fest in Chicago. (The band is also playing the Denver and Toronto Riot Fest dates).

I think Riot Fest is just a warm-up for the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Rolling Stone’s story about the reunion even said that ‘Mats bassist Tommy Stinson said Coachella had offered “silly money” but that Riot Fest was “It was just the timing and the aligning of the planets.”

I have to think that one of the planets that aligned was what Axl Rose calls Guns ‘N’ Roses. Stinson has been playing with Axl and Friends since 1998. With GNR having Australian dates through the end of March of this year, I just don’t think the ‘Mats would have been able to do Coachella 2013.

Hopefully, Stinson and Westerberg will continue to have warm fuzzy feelings and make it to Indio next spring. I wouldn’t mind hearing some Westerberg solo stuff, either. Do you think The ‘Mats will play Coachella 2014? What would you want to hear them play? Post in the comments below.

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More Coachella 2014 items of interest:
Coachella 2014: Who do you think will play? (My early picks are Arcade Fire and Daft Punk)
Coachella 2014: Advance sale has ended
Coachella 2014: Dates, pre-sale ticket information announced

For more Coachella news, photos, interviews and information, visit the iGuide Coachella page. If you want to follow me on social media, I’m at @vanessafranko on Twitter, the Audio File on Facebook and on Google+.

And now, the song that has been stuck in my head since the ‘Mats announced their reunion–“Alex Chilton.” I never travel far without a little Big Star.

SAMMY HAGAR: Red Rocker visits Fontana, Riverside

Sammy Hagar shows off the “Hagar Way” street sign in Fontana. (City of Fontana/Contributed Image)

Between the launch of our blog redesign and a big string of shows, it’s been a little hectic. However, Sammy Hagar was in the area a couple of weeks back to celebrate the centennial of Fontana, his hometown.

Hagar was the Grand Marshal of the parade celebrating 100 years of Fontana on Saturday, June 1.

Grand Marshal for 100 Fontana days was outasight! Check out pics of the surprise they gave me!http://t.co/eQn3ktMtMl pic.twitter.com/ywUAmoZugD

— Sammy Hagar (@sammyhagar) June 4, 2013

Hagar even posted about it on his website at RedRocker.com.

Nothing is as gratifying as being honored in your home town. For me it’s right up there with the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. Having a street named after ya (Hagar Way)– come on!!! Fontana has changed so much since 1970 when I left. If you would have blindfolded me, brought me there and showed me around I would not have known where I was.

Read the rest of what Hagar had to say about the honor.

The last time I interviewed Sammy a few years ago, we talked about Fontana and how he still drives by where he used to live on Valencia Avenue, Anastasia Avenue and Lemon Street when he is in town visiting siblings in the area.

He’s very down to earth and has never forgotten his Inland roots.

Hagar also stopped by the Mission Inn in Riverside during his trip.

After Chad's rumors I stopped in at the Riverside Mission Inn to get my Personal Jesus on. pic.twitter.com/czHvA0fKaf

— Sammy Hagar (@sammyhagar) June 4, 2013

MUSIC: Irvine Lake Blues Fest features Inland Artists

Jay Gordon will perform at the 2013 Irvine Lake Blues Fest. (Contributed Image)

The Irvine Lake Blues Festival returns on Aug. 23 and 24.

Jay Gordon, of Riverside, is among the artists performing at the Irvine Lake Blues Fest this summer. He is also one of the organizers behind the 16th annual festival, which is a fundraiser for the Blues Hall of Fame.

There is a blues jam on Aug.23 and two stages of performances on Aug. 24.

The performers include the Deacon Jones Blues Band, Atomic Road Kings, 44’s, Jay Gordon and Blues Venom, Mighty Mojo Prophets, Darrell Mansfield, Mike Reilly Band, New Blues Revolution, the Anonymous Band, Chase Walker Band, Dave Widow and the Line Up, Jumping Jack Benny, Black Cat Mojo, The Blues Savants with Junior Watson and Papa J and Friends.

Tickets just went on sale for the show. General admission is $20 in advance and gets you in both days. Parking is $10. A VIP pass, which does include parking, is $100.

Visit www.irvinelakebluesfestival.com for more information.

HEMET: Beisbol plays a home series

Jeff and Ryan Burian, who grew up in Hemet, are members of the band Beisbol. (Contributed Image)

If you picked up The Press-Enterprise today, June 14, you might have seen my interview with Ryan Burian from the band Béisbol.

He and his brother Jeff grew up in Hemet, where Ryan went to Hemet High, Jeff was at West Valley, Hemet and San Jacinto.

Béisbol has two shows in the area this weekend–at The Dial in Murrieta on Saturday and at Alaythia Music in Hemet on Sunday. One of the guys playing with them in their live band is Bryan Stone, who was a member of beloved Hemet band A Billion Ernies.

Béisbol is about to release debut album “Lo-Fi Cocaine” on June 25th. I’ve heard the record and it’s hooks are certainly addictive. There’s a wide range of influences on the record, from what the brothers Burian dub “Whitney Houston bass lines” to some Steely Dan and classic rock overtones as well.

I talked with about Béisbol “Lo-Fi Cocaine” in the column this week, too.

Check out their song “That Feeling,” which is available as a free download.

Visit www.beisbolinternet.com for more on the band.

Here are details on the shows this weekend:

7 p.m. Saturday, June 15, The Dial, 41679 Date St., Suite B, Murrieta, $5 before the first band, $7 after, all ages.

8 p.m. Sunday, June 16, Alaythia Music, 121 N. Harvard St., Hemet, 951-925-6200, all ages.

PE LIVE: Watch Ant Dolla

Ant Dolla performs on the set of PE Live. (Vanessa Franko/Staff Photo)

Check it out, Ant Dolla, who is also known as Anthony Dollar, stopped by for his second time at PE Live.

He performed some rhymes off his new album, “Speakabomb,” as well as freestyle.