METALLICA, VAN HALEN, THE SCORPIONS & AEROSMITH = Most Successful Live Bands Of 2012

According to industry tracker Pollstar, METALLICA, VAN HALEN and AEROSMITH were the most successful live bands within the Heavy Music realm in 2012. Madonna, whose 2012 tour earned $296.1 million from 88 shows, was the highest grossing musical act.

The "Top 50 Worldwide Tours" earned a combined gross of $3 billion, which was down about 2 percent from $3.07 billion in 2011.
 
Total tickets sold info:

- 34.9 million which continued the decline from 35.48 million the previous year and is well off the pace from 2009 when the Top 50 sold 45.3 million. 

- The average global ticket price was $85.93 which was down 60 cents from last year but still well above the $73.83 charged in the more robust year of 2009.

Here are the Heavy Metal/Hard Rock artists on Pollstar's 2012 "Top 50 Worldwide Tours" chart:

#8 - METALLICA: $86.1 million from 30 shows
#15 - VAN HALEN: $49.9 million from 50 shows
#38 - SCORPIONS: $32.7 million from 74 shows
#44 - AEROSMITH: $31 million from 33 shows

Photo credit: Zulie Alvarez

Via Blabbermouth

Related links:
Pollstar

SAXON's “HEAVY METAL THUNDER – THE MOVIE” To Be Released Soon!

The silver eagle has finally landed for audiences worldwide!

After enjoying a limited “Fan Club Only” UK release, "Heavy Metal Thunder – The Movie", Saxon’s wonderfully unfiltered and intimate account of their ascent to the upper echalons of Heavy Metal, will finally enjoy an international release this December. The double-disc set features the soon-to-be-celebrated story of Saxon, while the second disc is packed with bonus features including a full-length performance (on St. George’s Day) from April 23rd, 2008. Rivetingly honest, and including the frank memories of every musician who has played in the band, Heavy Metal Thunder – The Movie pieces together the earliest incarnations of Saxon, from frontman Biff Byford’s teenage years in the coalmines of Yorkshire and Son Of A Bitch (the first incarnation of Saxon) all the way through to top 10 hits and world tours. “Our music was more sort of machinery banging together, wheels turning, machines making noise,” says Biff of those early, industrial days, “It’s what Heavy Metal is all about. Heavy Metal is all about hard, big sounds bashing your skull in. I used to work in factories where big machinery made lot of noise and I used to sing along to the noises they made.”

It is a documentary which looks for all the world as though it’s a superbly crafted script, as much a tale of pure, honest, working class triumph as just another Rock n’ Roll story. Heavy Metal Thunder – The Movie shows every facet of Saxon on their journey without once diluting the true characters who make up the band. “We basically played every dump and shithole that there is in England over a period, probably just short of eight years,” laughs Biff. “You know classic cliché of transit van, up and down and we used to play more or less every night. One gig might be a good paying gig and the other one might be no money or ten quid but it was an obsession, you had to play every day.” These wonderfully naïve young men sought nothing more than a great gig, a good time and maybe a nice girl, before suddenly finding themselves on tour in the US, exposed to the sorts of things which (quite frankly) Barnsley simply didn’t offer in 1980. And from that point, "Heavy Metal Thunder – The Movie", takes the viewer on a journey on a Rock n’ Roller of a journey encompassing it all from triumphs to tears to tea-bags and beyond.

Nothing is forsaken and nothing skipped. Despite the fact that to this day there remain problems between the Byford/Quinn and Oliver/Dawson parties, everyone tells the full unedited Saxon story with heartfelt honesty and integrity.

“We do have a great legacy,” says Byford, “whether you joined the band in 1994 or (as) an original member. There’s a legacy there and I’ve tried hard to not let people demean it and to spoil it and you have to look after that thing that is Saxon.”

Heavy Metal Thunder – The Movie will entertain, engage and charm fans and non-fans alike. That’s a truth as honest as the film itself…

FORMATS:

• DVD Digipack (2 Discs)
• Blu-ray

Related links:
Official Site of Saxon

HELMET & TOADIES Announce U.S. Takeover - Tour Dates Available!

Seemed like time for some more US shows, so Helmet are hitting the road with the Toadies through July and August. Full tour itinerary below! Tickets go on sale May 18th, with the exception of Ft Lauderdale and Denver which go on sale on May 19th. Tell your friends, and see you there!

- Fri: July 20 in Houston, TX at House of Blues
- Sat: July 21 in Pensacola, FL at Cptn Fun Beach Club
- Sun: July 22 in New Orleans, LA at Tipitinas
- Tue: July 24 in Jacksonville, FL at Jack Rabbits
- Wed: July 25 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL at Revolution
- Thu: July 26 in St Petersbugh, FL at State Theatre
- Fri: July 27 in Orlando, FL at House of Blues
- Sat: July 28 in Atlanta, GA at The Masquerade
- Sun: July 29 in Charlotte, NC at The Fillmore
- Tue: July 31 in Silver Springs, MD at The Fillmore
- Wed: August 01 in Philadelphia, PA at The Trocadero Theatre
- Thu: August 02 in New York, NY at Webster Hall
- Fri: August 03 in Boston, MA at Paradise Rock Club
- Sat: August 04 in Rochester, NY at Water Street Music Hall
- Sun: August 05 in Lansing, MI at Michigan Rock and Brew Fest
- Tue: August 07 in Cleveland, OH at House of Blues
- Wed: August 08 in Detroit, MI at The Crofoot
- Thu: August 09 in Chicago, IL at House of Blues
- Fri: August 10 in Indianapolis, IN at The Vogue
- Sat: August 11 in St. Louis, MO at Pop’s
- Sun: August 12 in Kansas City, MO at The Beaumont Club
- Tue: August 14 in Denver, CO at The Bluebird Theater



Related links:
Helmet's Official Site!
Toadies' Official Site!

Lineup Announced For The Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival; Win A Trip To The Fest!

The third annual Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival returns this August and September for more than 30 shows throughout North America. The main stage features multi-platinum Rock bands SHINEDOWN, GODSMACK, STAIND and PAPA ROACH, along with breaking band ADELITAS WAY. In addition, the Ernie Ball Stage and Jägermeister Stage in the festival area will include performances from multi-platinum headliners P.O.D., as well as up-and-coming artists FOZZY, DEUCE, REDLIGHT KING, MINDSET EVOLUTION (winner of the 2011 Best Buy Music Gear Battle Of The Bands Powered By Ernie Ball), IN THIS MOMENT, THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH, CANDLELIGHT RED, and a local battle of the bands winner.

Here is a video with some of this year's Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival bands (including FOZZY front-man CHRIS JERICHO) talking about the tour. Look for tour dates, venues and ticket on-sale information to be announced in the coming weeks.



To kick off the 2012 tour, the Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival will be giving away a trip for two to any show on the 2012 trek. The grand prize winner will receive round-trip airfare for two from a U.S. city to the UPROAR show of their choice, hotel accommodations, airport transfers, $500 spending cash, and VIP treatment at the show. Click here to enter and have a chance to win! to enter for a chance to win.

 Related links:

Official Site Of The UPROAR Festival

UPROAR Festival On Facebook

UPROAR On Twitter

UPROAR On YouTube

Celebrate The Most Metal Month At The MARCH METAL BEATDOWN II Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, Saturday, March 10 its time to celebrate the most Metal month of them all at “March Metal Beatdown II”! The festivities kick off at 7PM ET at The Trash Bar in Williamsburg with an open bar (PBR & Well Drinks). Around 8 PM ET and going all the way until whenever the hell we want, we have the following bands taking over your ears:

- TRIAL BY TERROR (Queens, NY)
- HYPOXIA (Colombia)
- WORLD LOST (Wilmington, DE)
- MUMMIFIED IN CIRCUITRY (Billerica, MA)
- THE COSMOS (Brooklyn, NY)

Come celebrate the beginning of Spring at yet another Horns Up Rocks Metal show/party! Only $10 AND there is FREE PBR/Well Liquor from 7-8 PM (you must be 21+)!
Additionally, the “March Metal Beatdown II” will be hosted by our founder Jo Schüftan and DJed by our Director of Design, Javier Samaniego!

Get your dancing shoes and see you THIS Saturday in Brooklyn, NY!
Click here to RSVP

Related links:
- Trial By Terror on Facebook
- Hypoxia on Facebook
- Mummified In Circuitry
- World Lost on Facebook
- The Cosmos on Facebook

TRIAL BY TERROR To Return This Saturday At “March Metal Beatdown II”!

This Saturday, March 10, New York Latino Metaleros TRIAL BY TERROR will be unleashing the beast at “March Metal Beatdown II”! The TBT boys are anxious to return to the stage in front of their beloved fans. Joining them will be:

- HYPOXIA (Colombia)
- WORLD LOST (Wilmington, DE)
- MUMMIFIED IN CIRCUITRY (Billerica, MA)
- THE COSMOS (Brooklyn, NY)

The event will take at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn, NY. And guess what, it is only $10 AND there is FREE PBR/Well Liquor from 7-8 PM (you must be 21+)!
Additionally, the “March Metal Beatdown II” will be hosted by our founder Jo Schüftan and DJed by our Director of Design, Javier Samaniego!

Get your dancing shoes and see you THIS Saturday in Brooklyn, NY!
Click here to RSVP

Related links:
- Trial By Terror on Facebook
- Hypoxia on Facebook
- Mummified In Circuitry
- World Lost on Facebook
- The Cosmos on Facebook