Duran Duran announce UK tour dates

by Cindy Robinson

Duran Duran are set to return to the stage with a number of tour dates set for May this year. The British band have revealed 11 dates where they will be performing across the UK. It’s the bands first tour of their homeland in a few years and looks to be a sellout. Fan club pre-sales begin later this week via the bands site.

The band featuring Simon le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor will begin their worldwide tour with a handful of special performances in the USA including the The VH1 Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam on February 3rd, in Grand Prairie, TX and the famous Southern California Coachella festival on April 17, 2011.

Duran Durans new album is called All You Need Is Now (produced by Mark Ronson) and is available now on iTunes. An extended edition physical CD is expected in March 2011. The 80’s hitmakers still have a massive fan base and have remained popular through the decades with great albums like the Wedding Album in the mid 90’s with the massive hit Ordinary World and more recently with the Astronaut album. Their new album All You Need Is Now looks destined to be another of their smash successes craftily blending sounds that could easily have come from their early hit album Rio while incorporating a modern twist to the music.

The full dates are as follows:

• 18th May 2011 Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
• 19th May 2011 Glasgow SECC
• 21st May 2011 Birmingham LG Arena
• 22nd May 2011 Nottingham Capital FM Arena
• 23rd May 2011 Liverpool Echo Arena
• 28th May 2011 London The O2 Arena
• 30th May 2011 Brighton Centre
• 31st May 2011 Bournemouth International Centre
• 1st June 2011 Cardiff International Arena
• 3rd June 2011 Manchester MEN Arena
• 4th June 2011 Sheffield Motorpoint Arena

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INXS To Tour Australia; Honoring Michael Hutchence

by Cindy Robinson

January 22nd would have been the 51st birthday of the late INXS singer, Michael Hutchence. His charismatic style, strong vocals, sexy swagger and heartbreaking smile are missed round the world by legions of INXS fans but his birthday is a day to remember the joy and passion Michael infused in his vocal performances. A day to remember the plethora of chart topping hits this band created, share the memories with friends and enjoy classic songs like Don’t Change, Never Tear Us Apart and New Sensation. Today we celebrate some of Australia’s finest exports, Michael Hutchence, the band INXS, and all that they’ve given to music in their 30 year career with over 30 million albums sold worldwide. Happy Birthday Michael! We miss you.

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INXS, with sometime singer, J.D. Fortune are about to embark on their first tour in over 3 years that begins in Australia on January 25th at the Robert Oatley Winery in Mudgee, NSW, Australia. The tour continues as follows: 

• January 26 2011,   Centennial Vineyards, Bowral, NSW, Australia
• January 29 2011, Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia       
• January 30 2011,   Sirromet Wines, Mt Cotton, QLD, Australia
• February 03 2011, Kings Park & Botanic Gardens, Perth, WA, Australia
• February 05 2011, Annie’s Lane, Clare Valley, SA, Australia                   
• February 06 2011, Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, VIC, Australia             
• February 12 2011, All Saints Estate, Rutherglen, VIC, Australia
• February 18 2011, Movistar Arena, Santiago de Chile, Chile
• March 02 2011, Sound Academy, Toronto, ON, Canada

The band are promoting their latest CD, Original Sin, an album of reworked classic INXS songs featuring guest vocalists such as Matchbox 20’s Rob Thomas and Pat Monahan from Train along with sultry voiced Australian Dan Sultan on the early INXS track Just Keep Walking. With scattered dates in Chile, Toronto, Canada and a possible date in Portugal in June, it looks like this band may be headed around the world to a summer concert theater near you but their lackluster management, Chris Murphy of Petrol Records ought to get on the ball and release the full tour schedule and get some promotion going. Heavy hitters like My Chemical Romance, Duran Duran, U2, Katy Perry and newcomer Bruno Mars are heating up the summer schedules.

Do you have a favorite INXS story or song? Share a memory with us on this day to remember the late great Michael Hutchence.

Who are you most excited to see on tour this summer? Send us the info, maybe we can get some reviews going on them too!

Win A Trip To The Grammys From Delta Airlines!

Image via Wikipedia

by Cindy Robinson

 

Have you ever wanted to attend the GRAMMY^® AWARDS? Now is your chance to attend one of the biggest events of the year because Delta Airlines is giving away a trip to the 53rd Annual GRAMMY^® AWARDS to be held in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 13th! You can enter the contest here on Delta’s Sky magazine website. The trip includes two tickets, airfare and deluxe hotel accomodations for two. Further contest details and rules are listed below and on Delta’s site.

 

This year’s line-up includes performances from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Eminem, Cee Lo Green and Arcade Fire. Top nominees this year are Eminem who leads this year with 10 nominations. Other top nominees include Bruno Mars with seven and Lady Gaga, Lady Antebellum and Jay-Z, who each have six, while Green and Perry are up for four. Arcade Fire and Miranda Lambert each have three nominations.  Justine Bieber is nominated for two awards including Best New Artist and Favorite Pop Vocal Album.

 

Who are you excited to see at this year’s Grammys? Do you love everyone’s favorite Firework, Katy Perry? Can’t wait to see how many outfit changes Lady Gaga will go through or do you just have Bieber fever?

 

From Delta’s site, here is further information on the contest. Good luck to all who enter!

Party With the Rock Stars
Win a Trip to the GRAMMY^® AWARDS!

Don’t watch music’s biggest night of the year from your couch. Now’s your chance to watch the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards LIVE at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011.

Enter for your chance to win two tickets to the GRAMMY Awards and the official GRAMMY Celebration after-party, along with airfare and three night deluxe hotel accomodations.

No purchase required. The GRAMMY Getaway sweepstakes commences at 12:01 AM on January 1, 2011 and ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday, January 23. Must be U.S. resident 18 or older to enter. Sponsored by Delta Air Lines and Delta Vacations.

GRAMMY and the gramophone logo are registered trademarks of The Recording Academy and are used under license.

Mick Karn of the band Japan loses his battle with cancer

Mick Karn, the former bassist of the late 70’s early 80’s band Japan has passed away at the age of 52. His official Facebook page posted that Mick passed away peacefully in his Chelsea, London home this afternoon.

Mick Karn (image courtesy of Mick Karn)

“It’s with profound sadness that we have to inform you that Mick finally lost his battle with cancer and passed away peacefully at 4.30pm today, 4th January 2011 at home in Chelsea, London.  He was surrounded by his family and friends and will be deeply missed by all.”

Mick was an innovative and eclectic bass player who rose to fame in the late 70’s with the glam rock band Japan. Just last year Mick contributed to the David Bowie tribute album on his version of the Bowie classic, Ashes to Ashes.

A look back at the classic Japan track, Gentlemen Take Polaroids, that has stood the test of time. Thank you for your contributions to music Mick, you will be missed. Messages of condolence for his family can be left in the message section of Mick’s official site.