Dare Rules

As I continue my quest to bring back glam, I remind you of Dare. Darren Wharton (formerly of Thin Lizzy) formed Dare in the mid-80s and by 1989, Out of Silence was on store shelves. The album is great and features the singles "Heartbreaker" and "Don't Let Go."

If you don't recall "Heartbreaker," here's the song:

Dare isn't a defunct act. In fact, the band released an album of new material last year called Arc of the Dawn. On Wharton's Myspace page, he writes that Dare's music features Celtic overtones. I don't know about all that -- to me it all just sounds like straight ahead rock. If you're American, you can buy the import of Arc of the Dawn through Amazon for just over $30. Of course, the album is also available as a download for way cheaper. I'd love to see Dare in concert but I doubt that will happen anytime soon.

Raise your hand if you've seen Dare in concert!

"Nothing is Stronger than Love" (official video)

The Last Vegas Release Video for "Whatever Gets You Off"

The Last Vegas rules! Their latest album Whatever Gets You Off drips sleaze glam and the guys are so nice, too. Now, the band has a new video -- of the title track, natch! Check out the official video along with some awesome behind the scenes footage. Music video production interests me, so I really enjoyed the "making-of" clip.

M3 Festival Ticketing Details Revealed - No GA Pit

Here are ticketing details for the M3 Festival set for June 19 at Merriweather Post Pavilion near Baltimore, Maryland. This information is available on the festival's official website:

Tickets go on-sale on Feb 20, 2010 at 10am

Check  www.m3rockfest.com or www.merriweathermusic.com to find out how you can get tickets in the coming weeks. There will be no General Admission pit this year and will be replaced by seats.

Pricing does not include service charges:
VIP - $175 per ticket
Pavilion Middle - $75 per ticket
Pavilion Side - $55 per ticket
Lawn - $35

There will be a limited number of tickets available during a PRE-SALE at the FOLLOWING prices for fans registered at m3rockfest.com:

VIP $150 per ticket - (details below)
Pavilion Middle - $75 per ticket
Pavilion Side - $160 for a four pack
Lawn - $100 for a four pack of GA lawn seats

Please register for pre-sale info and ticketing code at www.m3rockfest.com

There are a limited number of VIP tickets available to make sure fans have the best possible experience.
VIP tickets will replace the pit with guaranteed tickets in the first 10 rows. Each VIP Ticket will include:

Private entrance gate
1 – Official M3 Festival T-shirt
1 – Official M3 concert poster with Sharpie pen
Access to the M3 VIP deck located backstage. 
This deck is located 100 feet from stage so you will not miss any action. 
You will avoid lines for food, drink and restrooms at the VIP Club. 
There is not any free food or drinks with this program.

Access to the Meet and Greet lounge located next the VIP Deck where many of the artists will be signing autographs. The Producers of M3 have received commitments from a number of bands to attend this area.  With that said, the Producers make NO GUARANTEES which band will participate.

BUY VIP - If you want to ensure you get the best seats in the house along with easy access to concessions and restrooms as well as a chance to meet your favorite artists.

Quite frankly, I'm disappointed. When you're planning on attending a large-scale event such as M3 (or any other festival) with up to a dozen people, having ticketed seating makes things very complicated. I thought the GA pit worked out really nice last year - and the area sold out quickly. I was expecting a ticket price hike, but a hundred bucks is a lot.


For You Nikki Sixx Fans...

New Festival Concept: You Name It, You Brand It

While I was looking around at festival websites last night, I came across a spinoff of Milwaukee's Summerfest: Your Music Fest. Yep. This is a new festival set for June 4 and 5, 2010 and will feature all modern and alternative rock bands. The cool thing is that promoters are asking you - the fans - to name the fest and create its logo, too!

Here are the official rules right from  the Your Music Fest website:

This year, the Summerfest grounds will host a brand new Modern Rock and Alternative Festival on Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5, 2010.  This new festival will feature Alternative and Modern Rock bands and will include a nonstop lineup of national and regional headliners.  And since it’s a brand new fest, we’re leaving the name and branding up to YOU!

Here’s how it works:

• Fans will have the opportunity to brand this festival by creating both a name and logo (submissions MUST include both)
• If interested, you may submit it here
• Submissions will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. CST, Sunday, February 21 , 2010
• Staff of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. will determine the Top 3 submissions
• Public may vote from Monday, March 1, 2010 until Monday, March 8, 2010, to determine the winner
• The winner will be announced on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, on www.yourmusicfest.com and www.summerfest.com

Top 3 Finalists receive a “Music Lovers” prize package comprised of the following:

• Two (2) complimentary 2-day admission passes to the Festival, June 4 – 5. Transportation and accommodations are the sole responsibility of the Finalists.
• Six (6) complimentary three-day admission passes and four (4) complimentary single day admission tickets to Summerfest, June 24 – July 4, 2010, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  3-Day passes are valid for one admission per day and are non-transferable. Transportation and accommodations are the sole responsibility of the Finalists.
• Eleven (11) complimentary single-day parking passes for Summerfest.
• One (1) complimentary $100 Summerfest Gift Card.

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a VIP experience at the festival in June, including:

• Complimentary roundtrip airfare for two (originating in the Continental U.S.).
• Complimentary hotel accommodations in Milwaukee, June 4 -5, 2010 (one room; double or King).
• Tickets to the festival for them and a guest
• An assigned parking space for the festival
• VIP hospitality passes for them and a guest
• Backstage passes and Meet & Greets for select shows with Artists’ approval
• A themed profile on Summerfest.com and the festival’s web site
• Signed merchandise from the bands playing at the event

So, what do you think? Is this cool or lame? I tend to think this is a brilliant, recession-proof idea. After all, promoters are getting a dirt cheap name and brand identity and the person that wins will get ultimate bragging rights. As of right now, I have zero information of who could possibly be playing this new fest. Summerfest is the world's largest music festival and inks big time headliners. I will assume this means "Your Music Fest" will also ink top talent. Time will tell.

So Who Remembers Victory?

It's hard for me to find 80s metal bands I've not mentioned at least once on this site...but today I've got a new one for you: Victory. Remember these guys? The German band formed around 1984 and featured a slew of members that seemed to change a lot. In fact, the former member list could rival my high school graduating class. So anyway the band started to gain a following and played live all around the world.

I bring up Victory because I found myself listening to some of their tunes on YouTube last night. I remember "Don't Tell No Lies" from the hey day of MTV. Hearing it again all these years later just made me think of getting out of school at 3:30 and planting myself in front of the day's top video countdown. Listening to Victory as an adult, I don't quite understand why they never got huge in America. In all fairness, the songs are quite good and certainly commercial by metal standards.

"Don't Tell No Lies"

Here's "Never Satisfied." This song gets played during VH1 Metal Mania on rare occasion.

So back in 2002 or so, Victory reunited and recorded new music - seriously. The band released Instinct in 2003 - and they played at Wacken Open Air! A couple years later, the band played some more fests. I swear in the news section of the band's official website the top posting says a new album is done and will be called Don't Talk Science. That note was posted on October 7, 2009. I can't find any confirmation of this anywhere else - but hey - I believe it could happen. So...do you remember Victory?

Is Being in a Rock Band a Bad Career Choice?

Sometimes I come across pretty funny things online. Last night, I stumbled upon a forum where someone was asking if it was a wise move to choose "rock star" as a career path, much like doctor or ditch digger. I'm not sure you pick "rock band" or "rock star" as a career. Both are sort of the antithesis of a career. After all, most musicians say they joined bands to avoid working lame jobs in the first place! Still, to say success is less than guaranteed in the rock world is probably overstating expectations. Fact is, not very many people make enough money off music to live comfortably. Also, I think if you have to ask if it's a smart career move, music for the long haul probably isn't for you.

Let me be clear: I'm not mocking the poor 18 year old who started the thread. He even mentioned dressing up like an 80s rocker which sort of made my heart soar. Most people gave the kid some great advice: stay passionate about music, but stay in school and get a job, too. Quite frankly, I don't know what I would tell someone that came to me specifically for advice regarding a full time career in music. I'd probably tell them to go to dental school. I have said as much when people have told me they want a career in print/online/television journalism. After all, dental school is just a few years above regular college, the hours are decent and the pay is good enough to allow for multiple rock n' roll vacations.

I don't meant to sound negative here. The fact of it is, the people who make it in music break all the rules. They live on stale bread and cigarettes, put endless miles on an already worn out car and travel across the country, playing for anyone who will listen. I certainly don't have the cojones to make it as a rock star. Then again, I don't have the talent either. I guess that's why I admire my favorite musicians so much: they never asked how. They just did.