Author Archives : Dana

WENDY DIO AND JEFF PEZZUTI DISCUSS RONNIE JAMES DIO’S HOLOGRAM

Sari Cohen of AXS spoke with Wendy Dio and Jeff Pezzuti, the CEO of Eyellusion, about Ronnie James Dio’s hologram.

AXS: Jeff, tell me about Eyellusion and what your mission is with the company?

Jeff Pezzuti: Eyellusion is the only hologram entertainment company solely focused on the live music market. We address full end-to-end hologram production needs, from streaming of live or pre-recorded shows to full digital re-creation of artists who have passed away. We’re working with an expanding roster of artists to help open up new revenue streams, expand touring capabilities and meeting fan demand. The Eyellusion team brings decades of global music industry and live touring experience, combining deep expertise with cutting-edge production and hologram display capabilities. Eyellusion’s mission is to ensure legacies and music giants of today get passed to the next generation. With the uncertainty of the current radio format, creating a new revenue stream for artists will allow more people to see their favorite artists, in any genre, in a live setting.

AXS: Tell me about your journey so far?

JP: Our debut production was the Ronnie James Dio hologram performing at Wacken 2016 with the Dio band, consisting of the guys he played with the last 17 years. We’re in production on a full Ronnie James Dio hologram tour that will play worldwide starting later this year. Beyond our work on the Ronnie James Dio hologram, we are in serious talks and contract negotiations with many other major artists and management and hope to have more to share on that front in the near future.

AXS: Can you tell me how you and Wendy came together and how your individual strengths make you such a great team?

JP: We’re huge Ronnie James Dio fans at Eyellusion. I reached out to Wendy to discuss our idea about putting Ronnie back onstage via hologram, in a way that would really honor his music. I flew to L.A. to meet with her at her office – she was on board almost right away – and the rest is history. Wendy and I complement each other well. Another key member of our team is Todd Singerman of Singerman Entertainment. He’s been a huge asset to the company.

AXS: Wendy, can you share with me what this whole experience has meant to you? What do you hope fans and future fans can take away from the hologram experience?

Wendy Dio: This is an amazing experience, for the fans who knew and loved Ronnie and for the ones that never got a chance to see him in a live concert. Ronnie is back on stage with the Dio Band, keeping his music and his memory alive.

AXS: What’s the latest news on the upcoming tour?

JP: The tour is currently being routed and we are hoping to make an announcement for an end of year kickoff in the coming months. This is not just about the U.S. It is truly a world tour. Ronnie’s fans are spread around the world and we intend to bring this exciting show to as many as we can. The show will not only feature Ronnie and his band but also live singers like Tim “Ripper” Owens [Judas Priest] and others to complete the overall show vision. The show will feature effects and stage design that Ronnie made famous in the ‘80s and will also incorporate new technology into what will be some pretty awesome special effects. It will be a fun experience for all ages, and a way to experience the incredible catalog [Rainbow/Black Sabbath/Dio] that Ronnie made famous. We will feature both the expected songs, as well as some crowd favorites that will be surprises.

Read more at AXS.

source: axs.com

RATT ANNOUNCES SPRING TOUR DATES

The newly reunited Ratt, featuring three members of the band’s classic lineup — singer Stephen Pearcy, bassist Juan Croucier and guitarist Warren DeMartini — has scheduled the following tour dates:

Apr. 26 – The Paramount – Huntington, NY
Apr. 27 – Theatre of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
Apr. 28 – The Sherman Theater – Stroudsburg, PA
Apr. 29 – M3 Rock Festival – Columbia, MD

May 28 – Rocklahoma – Pryor, OK

Jun. 1 – Limelight – Peoria, IL
Jun. 2 – Concord Music Hall – Chicago, IL
Jun. 3 – Rockfest – Kansas City, KS
Jul. 7 – Uncle Sam Jam – Woodhaven, MI
Jul. 12 – Rock Fest – Cadott, WI

Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini played their first official show as the reunited Ratt on February 11th at Treasure Island in Welch, Minnesota. They were joined on stage by former Quiet Riot guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on RATT’s last studio album, 2010’s Infestation, and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, White Lion and Megadeth, among others.

Ratt’s recent legal troubles over the band’s moniker have been well documented, but in November it appears that members DiMartini, Pearcy and Croucier were granted permission to use the name over former bandmate, Bobby Blozter.

In February, Blozter posted the following message to his Facebook page.

“Hey Rattlers:

Just a small bit of info regarding the three bland mice show over the weekend and where things stand on the legal side 🙂
Thing look a lot worse than you think. If those lying thieves or anyone not privy to this knows whats going on, it sure as fk ain’t over. It it were, where’s the judgement?

PREDICTION: Injunction granted W.B.S. Inc RATT on tour all year.

Can’t give it all but, I can say with a true tongue, this is definitely not over. Very good surprises coming.
I saw a video of a couple of songs. Groundhog day.

SOS, Snoor

The Crypt Keeper Pearcy and his 15 year old stage garb,

UGHHHH

Puking

Newz soon. FAHQ

WSJC
BB”

AIRBOURNE PAY TRIBUTE TO LEMMY KILMISTER IN THEIR LATEST VIDEO, “IT’S ALL FOR ROCK N’ ROLL”

It’s All For Rock ‘N’ Roll, the new video from Australian hard rockers Airbourne, can be seen below. The song was written about Lemmy, a man the band looked up to, befriended and loved, having shared stages with Motorhead on numerous occasions over their decade-plus career, both in Europe and Australia; when they needed someone to drive a large truck (recklessly, of course) in their Runnin’ Wild video (2007), Lemmy was the first name on the list, and he duly obliged with a memorable, authority-baitin’ cameo.

Motorhead’s famous “bomber” lighting rig, a noted part of ‘HEAD history since the late ’70s, was enthusiastically lent to Airbourne by the Motorhead camp, adding real emotional weight to both the It’s All For Rock N’ Roll clip and the song itself — an anthemic number recorded to honour one of rock’s most revered and influential figures, and also to celebrate the hard rock genre as a whole, the loyalty and the legacy…

Says Airbourne frontman Joel O’ Keeffe, “When Motorhead played, Lemmy was there for the fans and the fans were there for him. It didn’t matter what was happening in the world at that point, because Motorhead was onstage; the crew had everything dialled in, and the crowd were there and lovin’ it — all for rock ‘n’ roll…

Whenever we were on tour, we looked forward to seeing the festival posters with the big MOTÖRHEAD logo on there, and now there’s just a big black hole. ‘We are Motorhead, and we play rock n’ roll’, we were so used to hearing that, and when it’s not there anymore, it hits you hard… Lemmy meant so much to us, and so much to rock ‘n’ roll itself…”

It’s All for Rock ‘N’ Roll appears on the band’s latest album, Breakin’ Outta Hell, which landed in the Top 10 in both the U.K. and the band’s native Australia after its September 2016 release.

Also, watch Lemmy’s cameo in 2007’s Runnin’ Wild video from their Runnin’ Wild album.

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN ANNOUNCES “WORLD ON FIRE” TOUR DATES

Following the overwhelmingly positive reception to his latest album, World On Fire, legendary Swedish guitar virtuoso Yngwie J. Malmsteen has announced a spring 2017 U.S. headling tour. Yngwie and his ensemble of top-tier musicians will perform pieces from the legendary neo-classical stylings of Rising Force (1984) as well as songs from the fierce World On Fire, and material from everything in between.

Malmsteen last toured the States in 2016 on the Generation Axe tour alongside Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi, playing to more than 70,000 people over 27 dates. Now, Malmsteen is hitting the road once again, and the “World On Fire” tour promises to be one of his most explosive yet!

The dates are as follows:

May 5 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
May 10 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
May 11 – Newton, NJ – Newton Theatre
May 16 – Montreal, Canada – Corona Theatre
May 20 – Covington, KY – Madison Theatre
May 21 – St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theatre
May 23 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
May 28 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues

Jun. 1 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
Jun. 2 – Beverly Hills, CA – Saban Theatre
Jun. 4 – Ventura, CA – Majestic Ventura Theatre
Jun. 6 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
Jun. 9 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey Live!
Jun. 10 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall

POISON ANNOUNCES FIRST HEADLINING DATES IN A DECADE

Poison, one of rock’s most high energy and iconic bands, will be performing all their greatest hits as they headline select dates for the first time in over a decade. This Spring will see all four original members, Bret Michaels, Bobby Dall, Rikki Rockett & CC DeVille, join together to play these limited headline dates in the US & Canada.

These select dates will coincide with Poison’s co-headlining tour with Def Leppard and special guest Teslathroughout the Spring and Summer. The first Poison headline date will be Raleigh NC on April 28th, followed by Charlotte NC on April 29th. Huntington WV (May 7th), Albany, NY (May 9th), Rapid City SD (May 26th),and Grand Forks ND (May 27th) have all been added as stand-alone headline dates with several more in the works.

Although they have co-headlined in the past with Def Leppard, Motley Crue and KISS to name a few, these will be their first headline dates in select markets in over ten years. States singer Bret Michaels “I’m really looking forward to the Poison tour. It’s going to be incredible playing all the hits and putting on a hell of a high-energy rock show for the three generations of awesome fans.”

Poison who started as a street level independent band has remained one of the music industry’s top acts, with multi-platinum album sales and sold out tours since first bursting onto the music scene. They have sold over 40 million records and DVDs worldwide, and have charted twelve Top 10 hits and are set to perform some of their greatest hits including Nothin’ But A Good Time, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Talk Dirty To Me, Unskinny Bop and Something To Believe In.

For more information on the band, visit poisonweb.com.

SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD AND BEHEMOTH ANNOUNCE SUMMER TOUR DATES

There are many perilous ways one can spend time off – Volcano-boarding down Cerro Negro, Nicaragua’s active volcano, or maybe bungee jumping from a helicopter over the bubbling crater of Chile’s Villarrica. How about a visit to Sao Paulo’s Snake Island, home of some 4000 golden lancehead vipers whose venom can melt human flesh, or shark diving without a cage in South Africa. But nothing is quite as hazardous or risky as a night in the pit at a Slayer concert. Add to that the ferociousness of Lamb of God and Behemoth, and you’ve got a Satan-approved triple bill of Biblical proportions.

The six-week expedition will rage across North America beginning July 12th in Bemidji, MN, winding up in Phoenix, AZ on August 20th. Slayer and Lamb of God will also play Wisconsin’s Rock Fest 2017 (7/13) and Rock USA 2017 (7/15), and then meet up with Behemoth at the Chicago Open Air Festival on July 16th. Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 3rd; log on to slayer.net/tour or all purchasing details.

Slayer guitarist Kerry King says, “As metal tours go, this is the one that your fellow metal heads will be bragging about if you miss it. Not very often I get to go on tour where we are all friends to start. That being said, the potential for greatness at these events is mind blowing. I look forward to being a part of it, and hanging with old friends- bands as well as fanatical fans! Let the festivities begin.”

Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe states, “It’s been a while since we’ve toured with the almighty Slayer, and even longer since we’ve hit the road with our friends in Behemoth- I can’t wait. This tour is gonna be the feel-good event of the summer- the gigs are gonna be like the Haight-Ashbury during the Summer of Love in ’67. Ok, so that’s complete bulls–t, it’s gonna be absolutely nothing like that, so don’t show up with flowers in your hair looking for free hugs or anything stupid like that. It will definitely be a good f–king time though (as long as your definition of a good time means brutal, caustic, and hideously loud music)- see ya there!”

Finally, Behemoth singer Adam “Nergal” Darski adds, “It is with the utmost pride we are announcing the Slayer, Lamb Of God and Behemoth Summer tour. We are beyond excited to be joining this bill with these living legends and… our friends one more time! We are also stoked about coming back to North American shores for the last time before kicking off the next album cycle. Come and join this EXTREME metal feast with us!”

Confirmed dates are as follows.

July:

12 Sanford Center, Bemidji, MN
13 Rock Fest 2017, Cadott, WI (Slayer and Lamb of God on this bill)
15 Rock USA 2017, Ford Festival Park, Oshkosh, WI (Slayer and Lamb of God on this bll)
16 Chicago Open Air Festival, Toyota Park, Chicago, IL (Slayer, Lamb of God and Behemoth on this bill)
18 Express Live!, Columbus, OH
20 Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC
21 St. Augustine Amphitheater, St. Augustine, FL
23 Electric Factory Outdoors, Philadelphia, PA
25 Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Boston, MA
27 Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
28 Pier Six Pavilion, Baltimore, MD
30 Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN

August:

1 Providence Medical Center Amphitheater, Bonner Springs, KS
2 1stBank Center, Denver, CO
4 The Joint, Las Vegas, NV
5 The Forum, Los Angeles, CA
9 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
11 The Cuthbert Amphitheater, Eugene, OR
12 WaMu Theatre, Seattle, WA
14 Encana Events Center, Dawson Creek, BC Canada
15 SMS Equipment Stadium, Fort McMurray, AB Canada
17 KettleHouse Amphitheater, Missoula, MT
19 Isleta Amphitheater Albuquerque, NM
20 Comerica Theater, Phoenix, AZ