Blacktop Mojo
Formed in late 2012 by vocalist Matt James and drummer Nathan Gillis in the small East Texas town of Palestine, Blacktop Mojo’s fiery blend of sludgy grooves, classic rock guitar riffs, and southern metal shredding falls somewhere between Soundgarden and Lynyrd Skynyrd to form a sound deemed by some as “Texas Grunge”. The music draws on a multitude of genres and styles to form a hodgepodge of dirty, heavy rock and roll mixed with sensual and at times even, carnal blues. After their debut album “I Am” in 2014, The band spent a few years cutting their teeth in dive bars, dancehalls, and honky tonks around Texas. In 2017, during the recording of their sophomore record “Burn The Ships” the guys quit their day jobs, moving into a small house together in Palestine. The house created an unbreakable fellowship between the band and a culture of constant creativity. Released via their label Cuhmon Records, “Burn The ships” yielded two top 40 singles on the Mainstream Active Rock charts including “Where The Wind Blows” (#27) and a cover of the Aerosmith classic, “Dream On” (#31). After the album cycle and touring for “Burn The Ships” concluded, the guys returned home in 2018, where they locked themselves in the band house for six months to write their third record, “Under The Sun”. The record yielded them another top 40 single in “Can’t Sleep” (#27) and the band continued touring in the US through the beginning of 2020. Locked down with the rest of the world and unable to continue touring, the guys began work on their fourth, self-titled album, which is slated to be released in Summer of 2021.
Everclear with The Ataris
Art Alexakis – Vocals, Guitar Davey French – Guitar Freddy Herrera – Bass Brian Nolan – Drums Considering Everclear has written and recorded some truly iconic ’90s alt-rock hits, it would be all too easy these days for the band to be a victim of its past successes, relegated to performing as a glorified jukebox, existing to satisfy the nostalgic cravings of Gen Xers everywhere. But singer-guitarist Art Alexakis isn’t about to start phoning it in now. Everclear continues to tour extensively, and while it’s a virtual surety that no Everclear gig is complete without a rendition of “Santa Monica” and “Father of Mine,” lately the band has found that exploring the full range of past material—especially the “deep cuts”—not only gives fans a rare treat, it also injects new life into the band’s live dynamic. “By mixing it up and digging into the catalogue, it still makes it fun and relevant for us, and I think for the fans as well,” says Alexakis. “It’s still important to play the hits, but by playing those other songs as well, it makes it all seem more vibrant and real. Even though I recorded some of those songs 20 years ago, I haven’t played them in a long time, so it’s like reinventing the wheel. I’m having more fun now than I have in years. I think all of us are.” Formed by Alexakis in 1991 in Portland, Oregon, Everclear has enjoyed a lengthy career spanning 11 studio releases, numerous videos, thousands of shows and accolades that include a 1998 Grammy nomination. Like a true survivor, Alexakis has soldiered on through multiple lineup changes over the years: During the “classic” era, the band also included Craig Montoya on Bass and Greg Eklund on drums; the current touring lineup features longtime members Davey French (guitar) and Freddy Herrera (bass), as well as drummer Brian Nolan (also with American Hi-Fi), who has performed with Everclear on multiple past tours.
CANDLEBOX – THE LONG GOODBYE TOUR
18+Throw out any preconceived notions you may have about who Candlebox is. Wolves, the band’s seventh album which debuted at #7 on the Billboard Chart, is rife with brutal lyrical honesty and songs that run the gamut from dirty rock stompers to timeless, radio-ready pop-rock tunes. Wolves captures the live energy of a band embracing all its influences and coalescing them down into the most potent form. “These are songs that I love that the band loved. We didn’t stop ourselves from recording anything if we dug it; we allowed each song to dictate to us what it needed musically, instrumentally,” explains singer Kevin Martin. Wolves is a modern rock album that also contains “that really sparkly acoustic, Radiohead kind of dreamy guitar and ethereal stuff; we pulled from everything that inspired us, from Neil Young to brand-new bands.”
Winger
18+Winger’s musical pedigree was practically unmatched in 80’s metal… the band crafted a debut album that combined hard-pop melodies with plenty of proggy, technically dazzling instrumental work” – Rolling Stone Magazine. Winger is an American hard rock band from New York City. Their debut album, Winger, came out on Atlantic Record’s label in 1988 and achieved platinum status in the United States and gold in Japan and Canada. Winger stayed on the Billboard Top 200 chart for over 60 weeks, where it peaked at #21. It spawned such hits as “Seventeen” and “Headed for a Heartbreak”. To support the album, the band toured for over a year with Bad Company, Scorpions, Cinderella, Bon Jovi, Poison, Skid Row and Tesla. In 1990, Winger was nominated for an American Music Award for “Best New Heavy Metal Band”. Their follow-up album, In the Heart of the Young, was released in 1990 and just like their first album, reached platinum. It peaked at #15 on Billboard’s Top 200 and hits off this album include “Can’t Get Enuff”, “Miles Away” and “Easy Come Easy Go”. To support this album, Winger toured the world for 13 months, playing over 230 dates with KISS, Scorpions, ZZ Top, Extreme and Slaughter. The change in musical climate of the mid-90’s led the band to go on hiatus in 1994 after the release of their third album Pull, which peaked at #83 on Billboard’s Top 200. In 2001, the band reunited, completed several very successful tours and have not looked back since. Winger has made a name for themselves with relentless touring, while winning back fans and critics alike because of their exceptional musicianship, Kip Winger’s powerful vocals and the band’s incredible songwriting. In 2006, they released their 4th studio album, IV, which is the most musically progressive album of Winger’s career. Lyrically, much of the album is sung from the perspective of U.S. soldiers stationed overseas. In 2009 Kip Winger was presented by U.S. General Harold Cross with an honorary plaque and U.S. flag that had flown in Iraq for the song “Blue Suede Shoes”, which honors the service and sacrifice of the United States armed forces and their families. In 2009, Winger released their 5th studio album, Karma. This album was hailed as their best studio album released. The band toured the US, Europe and South America to support the album. In 2014, Winger released their 6th studio album, Better Days Comin’, which entered at #4 on the Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums Chart and at #85 on Billboard’s Top 200. “A hard-hitting album… Winger’s blood is still pumping…so are the tunes” – Kerrang! Magazine. The band continues to tour and just finished writing their seventh album, which is expected to be released in the first half of 2023. “This is a band who refuse to merely glide on past glories… Winger push their own boundaries.” – Classic Rock Magazine
Yacht Rock Revue
18+ What is left for Yacht Rock Revue to prove? This top-notch group of musicians has already rocked onstage with John Oates, Eddie Money (RIP), and both versions of the band Player. They’ve trademarked the term “yacht rock,” both metaphorically and literally. From humble beginnings in a basement, touring in partnership with Live Nation and Sirius XM, they now headline sold-out shows across the country. Yacht Rock Revue’s first original record is ten songs inspired by the smooth sounds of the 70’s and 80’s. They’ve brazenly titled it Hot Dads In Tight Jeans and it returns Yacht Rock Revue to their roots in original music. “I had a midlife crisis. That’s why we made this album,” says Nick Niespodziani. “Everyone in the band is a dad now, so we needed to make this happen, before we become grandpas. I’ve sung ‘Escape’ by Rupert Holmes at least a thousand times, and if that isn’t paying your dues, I don’t know what is.” It’s rare that musicians in their 40s chase their rock star dreams. You’d have to be crazy to try. Yacht Rock Revue began in the least-yachtiest of states, 2,000 miles from breezy Marina del Rey. Niespodziani and Pete Olson met in the fourth grade in suburban Indiana, went on to Indiana University in the late Nineties, formed the band Y-O-U, then escaped – Rupert Holmes reference intended – to Atlanta. One night, Y-O-U tucked their tongues deep in their cheeks and played a show of Yacht Rock songs. The rowdy (a nice way of saying drunk), sold-out crowd loved it. When the club owner asked them to do it again, Niespodziani didn’t want to. But the club owner had an ace up his sleeve: money. Over the years, YRR have turned themselves into human wine spritzers, mastering Yacht Rock’s slick chords and mellow grooves, and partying like it’s 1979. What began as a joke among friends soon put a ripple in the zeitgeist, starting a national trend through YRR’s concerts, lauded as “unabashedly joyous affairs” by Entertainment Weekly. They accumulated an extensive wardrobe of white belts and polyester shirts. Yacht Rock Revue were revered and well-compensated! Their life was a tenor sax solo! This is what every musician wants. But even as YRR was sailing the smooth seas of tribute-band superstardom, and the band members all became dads, Niespodziani was still writing original songs. These new tunes had the spirit of Yacht Rock, but were more modern. They brought the songs to a hot producer, Ben Allen, who’s worked with Gnarls Barkley, Animal Collective, and Neon Indian. Allen gave the songs a lustrous shine, for both new audiences and their ever-loyal fans, the Nation of Smooth. Niespodziani and Olson even co-wrote a song, “Big Bang,” with Yacht Rock master Matthew Wilder, famous for his massive 1983 hit “Break My Stride.” “Step,” the record’s first single, is a peppy number replete with falsetto and bumping bass, a cross between the Bee Gees and Steely Dan’s “Peg.” It’s also the mission statement for the album in a way, because it’s about deciding who you want to be, and making space for that in your life. Hot Dads In Tight Jeans is as plush and shiny as Kenny Loggins’ beard. While others in YRR’s position stick with the tried-and-true, Niespodziani hopes the album will let them welcome aboard new fans, too. To paraphrase a notable mariner… they’re gonna need a bigger yacht. “Here’s how I see it,” Niespodziani concludes, sliding into a waiting limousine. “We have only one fewer hit than Player did, and Player is immortal. We built this Yacht Rock thing on the power of memories and good vibes. None of that is changing; we’re just gonna make a few new memories as well.”
Blues Traveler with Jono Manson **POSTPONED from May 3rd.**
18+36 years ago, the four original members of Blues Traveler—John Popper, Chandler Kinchla, Brendan Hill, and the late Bobby Sheehan—gathered in their drummer’s parent’s basement in Princeton, NJ to jam. From these high school sessions emerged a band that would go on to release a total of 14 studio albums, four of which have gone gold, three platinum, and one six-times platinum-selling more than 10 million combined units worldwide. Over an illustrious career, Blues Traveler has played over 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people, and, in “Run-Around,” had the longest-charting radio single in Billboard history, which earned them a Grammy® for “Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.” Their latest album Travelers Blues (Round Hill Records) was released in 2021 and featured reimagined and recharged classics from the American blues songbook and a few surprises. The group’s first official blues album, it was nominated for a Grammy® for “Best Traditional Blues’ Album” in 2022. Their movie credits include Blues Brothers 2000, Kingpin, Wildflowers and others. A television favorite, they have been featured on “Saturday Night Live,” “Austin City Limits,” “VH1’s Behind the Music” and they hold the record for the most appearances of any artist on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Jono Manson is a prolific singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, producer and performer. During a storied career spanning over five decades he has played everywhere from the local dive to Madison Square Garden and has amassed an impressive discography that includes major label and indie releases on three continents. Jono has produced albums for Grammy winners and local heroes, American Idol finalists and Folksingers, Italian pop stars and Pakistani Sufi folk-rockers.
Hardwired Metallica Tribute
18+ Hardwired Metallica TributeDoors: July 13, 2023 7:00 PMOnline Scheduled Ticket Price: Suite Access: $70.00 ADVANCED: $15.00 DAY OF: $22.00 18+Hardwired is a High Energy and hard hitting Metallica Tribute from Tampa, Florida. Playing all eras of Metallica’s iconic 40yr career. No one does it better than Hardwired.Please join us at Manchester Music Hall for a fun night as this band performs a Metallica Tribute. Get ready to Rock out!!
Jackyl
18+ It’s been 30 years since Jackyl shot out of Georgia with its wild, untamed and uncouth approach to rock ‘n’ roll. Equal parts hard rock, heavy metal and Southern rock, Jackyl formed in 1991 and brought back rock ‘n’ roll back — back to its down-to-earth, wild, fun-loving origins. Full of spit and swagger — and a “dirty” sense of humor to boot — Jackyl quickly earned a deal with Geffen Records. Jackyl’s live shows were already legendary before the ink dried on the Geffen contract. The 1992 self-titled debut album went platinum and featured notable rock radio hits like “Down on Me,” “When Will It Rain,” “I Stand Alone” and, most notably, “The Lumberjack,” during which vocalist Jesse James Dupree performed a chain-saw solo. Dupree’s chain-saw escapades on album and in concert became one of many Jackyl trademarks. With the release of ‘Jackyl’ hit the road and barely left it since. Just long enough to record new albums. Touring mates in those early days included Aerosmith, Kiss, ZZ Top, Ted Nugent and Damn Yankees. 1993 saw “Mental *@%.!” featured on ‘The Beavis & Butt-head Experience,’ a compilation album of songs tied in with MTV’s hit cartoon series; it was eventually certified triple platinum. 1994 was one of the most important years in the band’s career. The second album, ‘Push Comes to Shove,’ hit the streets and went gold. That August, Jackyl turned in one of the most acclaimed performances at Woodstock ’94 in Saugerties, NY, and the resulting double album ‘Woodstock 94’ went platinum and included “Headed for Destruction” (a track from ‘Push Comes to Shove’). The live recording ‘Night Of The Living Dead’ was released exclusively in Europe on Mayhem Records in 1996. It wasn’t long before Jackyl followed A&R legend John Kalodner (who had signed them to Geffen) to Sony Music’s imprint Epic Records. ‘Cut the Crap’ was released in 1997 and benefited from two industry heavyweights overseeing its recording: producer Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica) and mixer Kevin Shirley (silverchair, Aerosmith). This album spawned the rock radio hit “Locked and Loaded,” which included guest vocals by AC/DC’s Brian Johnson. It was the first time Johnson had ever recorded with any artist but AC/DC since he joined the band 17 years earlier. A collection of B-sides titled ‘Stayin’ Alive’ appeared on Shimmering Tone Records in 1998 but the biggest highlight of the year was Geffen’s release of the best-of collection ‘Choice Cuts’ and the related promotional events Jackyl did to help promote it. The band earned two Guinness Book of World Records citations and the designation “The Hardest Working Band in Rock ‘N’ Roll” for performing 100 shows in 50 days as well as 21 shows in 24 hours. Dupree says the most grueling of the two was 21 shows in 24 hours; Jackyl completed that task in Texas, and the shows were all done with full lights and sound. For a band that built its reputation as road warriors, it’s surprising that a full-length live album meant for worldwide release did not appear until 2004 with the separate release of the ‘Live at the Full Throttle Saloon’ CD and DVD on Sanctuary Records. ‘Live at the Full Throttle Saloon’ was recorded and filmed in summer 2003 in Sturgis, South Dakota, as part of the legendary annual biker rally festivities held there. In 2010, the band completed their release titled “My Moonshine Kicks Your Cocaine’s Ass”. Staying true to their working band roots, ever since 2008 Jackyl has been on the road playing the summer festival circuit as well as many other choice, off-season venues.
Nightrain – The Guns N’ Roses Tribute Experience
18+NIGHTRAIN’S Tribute show to Guns n Roses has been taking the US by storm for years running. Performances have ranged from The House Of Blues, MTVs Famous Club LaVela, The FC Dallas Stadium, to this year’s Carolina Rebellion, sharing the bill with Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, & Buckcherry to name a few. Nightrain continues to make their stamp in today’s ever growing Tribute Market. The accurate vocals and hypnotic swaying of Axl both capture the audience’s attention from the first beat down to the last note. Slash’s classic riffs and perfect showmanship (and let’s not forget the top hat) will make everyone do a double take. However, Axl and Slash are only part of the show. The tight rhythm of Izzy, Duff, and Steven are the glue that keeps this true concert tribute together. Izzy’s laid-back style…a 6’ blonde Duff…the energy of Steven “popcorn” Adler completes this visually and musically accurate line-up. This band’s vibrant stage presence and accuracy to everything about Guns N’ Roses leaves the entire crowd pleased.
Kolby Cooper
18+Kolby Cooper lost his childhood and found his voice. Cooper was 14 when cancer took his dad, and he channeled that painful loss into songwriting. He was 18 with the responsibility of a wife and baby on his shoulders when he used his high school graduation money to record an EP. And now, barely old enough to buy a round for the band, Cooper is pouring his signature blend of scorching break-up anthems and gut-wrenchingly relatable songs into a new record for BBR Music Group. Far from the typical music industry inroads, Cooper has been riding the fast track from a small Texas town driven by necessity and inspired by his father’s working-class principles. “Losing my dad and then becoming a dad made me think, ‘This just can’t be a fun thing.’ I mean, it’s fun – but it has to be a job too,” Cooper said with candor. “I have to work my ass off. I’m not just trying to pay rent.” In three short years, Cooper has accomplished what has eluded seasoned Nashville insiders amassing more than 110 million Spotify streams and playing numerous, sold-out show around the country, with thousands of fans singing along to his searing, wry lyrics. Drawn to his unrestrained, fresh sound, Cooper is earning early praise for his rough-hewn velvet vocals, layered over wailing electric guitar, and a buoyant Texas bottom-end. His new record is Country with clear influences from his Lonestar State roots. The result “is authentic to me,” said the humble outlier. “I’m older and understanding more about myself, and the music, and what I want to say. This is exactly what I set out to sound like.” At 22, he is coming into his own as a master storyteller and an angry advocate for the heartsick as he writes each of his songs— from the deeply personal “Boy from Anderson County,” an autobiographical look at how love can propel a boy into becoming a better man, to “Good For You,” a sneering, steel-guitar slice of resentment, and the dreaded “it’s not you, it’s me” pathos of “Excuses,” which was inspired by his guitar player’s sudden breakup. Cooper is refreshingly kind and happy for someone who can readily tap into rage and angst. He embodies and moves confidently between contradictions from the defiant to the forlorn. “People ask me, ‘Why do you write these breakup songs? You must have a bad past with exes,’” he said laughing. “I’ve been dating my wife since we were seniors in high school. I write from the perspective of what I see – a lot of tough relationships in a small town that I witnessed firsthand.”
