Eric Church To Double Down With 2019 Tour, Nashville Nissan Stadium Show

Eric Church. Photo: Anthony D’Angio

Eric Church, who will release his new album Desperate Man on Oct. 5, has just announced his 2019 Double Down Tour. The trek will visit 19 cities, with back-to-back show nights in each venue, equaling 37 shows. Church will again forego an opening act, as he did on his landmark 2017 tour.

He will also make one headlining stop at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on May 25, 2019 with tickets on sale October 19 at 10 a.m. CT.

In keeping with Church’s commitment to giving his fan club — known as the Church Choir — priority access, they will be able to purchase tickets during the fan club presale.

To keep scalpers at bay and to ensure tickets end up in the hands of real fans, after the fan club presale, tickets will be sold during Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan presale. All fans interested in priority access to tickets should get verified. Registration begins Friday, Sept. 21 at 10 a.m. CT.

Tickets inside Church’s stage will be made available exclusively to Church Choir members and only through the brand new Eric Church app. Church Choir members will also have the opportunity to take advantage of exclusive hotel deals in all Double Down Tour cities plus additional surprises related to the tour. More information is available at ericchurch.com.

Eric Church’s 2019 Double Down Tour dates are as follows:
January 18, 2019 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center+
January 19, 2019 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center+
January 25, 2019 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center+
January 26, 2019 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center+
February 1, 2019 Boston, MA TD Garden+
February 2, 2019 Boston, MA TD Garden+
February 8, 2019 Minneapolis, MN Target Center+
February 9, 2019 Minneapolis, MN Target Center+
February 15, 2019 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena+
February 16, 2019 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena+
February 22, 2019 Cincinnati, OH U.S. Bank Arena*
February 23, 2019 Cincinnati, OH U.S. Bank Arena*
March 1, 2019 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center+
March 2, 2019 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center+
March 8, 2019 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena+
March 9, 2019 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena+
March 15, 2019 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum+
March 16, 2019 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum+
March 22, 2019 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena*
March 23, 2019 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena*
March 29, 2019 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum+
March 30, 2019 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum+
April 12, 2019 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center*
April 13, 2019 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center*
April 19, 2019 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena*
April 20, 2019 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena*
April 26, 2019 Greenville, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena*
April 27, 2019 Greenville, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena*
May 3, 2019 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena+
May 4, 2019 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena+
May 10, 2019 Denver, CO Pepsi Center*
May 11, 2019 Denver, CO Pepsi Center*
May 17, 2019 Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center*
May 18, 2019 Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center*
May 25, 2019 Nashville, TN Nissan Stadium#
June 28, 2019 George, WA The Gorge Amphitheatre#
June 29, 2019 George, WA The Gorge Amphitheatre#

+on sale October 5 at 10 a.m. local time
*on sale October 12 at 10 a.m. local time
#on sale October 19 at 10 a.m. local time

AEG Names AXS As Official Mobile Ticketing And Resale Partner

AEG has named AXS as its official North American resale ticketing partner for sports franchises and select venues owned or operated by the organization, eliminating the use of StubHub for the venue owner.

Through the partnership, AXS becomes the official resale ticketing provider for multiple AEG facilities including STAPLES Center (Los Angeles), PlayStation Theater (New York), Target Center (Minneapolis), and Sprint Center (Kansas City), Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater (Denver), The Showbox (Seattle) as well as for the Los Angeles Kings and the LA Galaxy sports franchises, and dozens of other venues around the country. Last month, the LA Kings became the first AEG Sports property to utilize this platform.

Through AXS Mobile ID, a digital ticket technology, and FanSight, a purchase experience that includes both standard and resale tickets on one platform, AEG now offers fans a single source for guaranteed authentic tickets for 30 of its U.S. venues.

“AEG is always looking to deliver the best experience for fans and we needed a partner that both understands the complexities of the ticketing marketplace and has the technology to remove friction from the ticketing process,” said Dan Beckerman, CEO of AEG. “AXS’ patented Mobile ID technology and the FanSight unified marketplace was the obvious solution to streamline the entire experience of buying, selling and managing tickets for fans and our venues.”

“For the better part of a decade we have been a partner to some of the top venues, artists and teams around the world, helping connect fans with live experiences,” said Bryan Perez, CEO of AXS. “Now we further improve the process by making it easier for fans to buy, sell and transfer tickets for thousands of events at AEG operated venues. Our continued investment in technology and a superior consumer experience has put us in a position to expand our partnership with AEG.”

MercyMe Plans Spring ‘Imagine Nation’ Tour

MercyMe will set out on their 2019 Imagine Nation Tour March 7, hitting over 30 cities during its three-month run. Crowder and Micah Tyler will join the group for the tour, which will visit Los Angeles, Portland, Orlando, Baltimore and more throughout the Spring.

The band just garnered its seventh AMA nomination following two previous wins and are also up for two awards at the upcoming 49th Annual GMA Dove Awards, including Artist of the Year. Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) will exclusively air the show on October 21I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, the film inspired by frontman Bart Millard’s real-life story behind the beloved MercyMe song, is also up for a People’s Choice Award.

Their single, “Best News Ever” will impact radio on Oct. 5. The song is found on their album LIFER and is the follow-up to “Grace Got You” which spent seven weeks atop Billboard‘s AC Monitored Chart.

MercyMe’s “Imagine Nation Tour” 2019:
* all dates subject to change.
March 7 – Bossier City, LA
March 8 – Beaumont, TX
March 9 – Baton Rouge, LA
March 14 – N. Charleston, SC
March 15 – Fayetteville, NC
March 16 – Asheville, NC
March 17 – Macon, GA
March 21 – Green Bay, WI
March 22 – Bemidji, MN
March 23 – Rochester, MN
March 24 – Peoria, IL
March 28 – Memphis, TN
March 29 – Springfield, MO
March 30 – Oklahoma City, OK
March 31 – Rio Rancho, NM
April 4 – Glendale, AZ
April 5 – Los Angeles, CA
April 6 – San Diego, CA
April 7 – Sacramento, CA
April 11 – Orem, UT
April 12 – Boise, ID
April 13 – Portland, OR
April 14 – Kent, WA
April 25 – Lexington, KY
April 26 – Highland Heights, KY
April 27 – Ft. Wayne, IN
April 28 – Rosemont, IL
May 2 – Mobile, AL
May 3 – Jacksonville, FL
May 4 – Orlando, FL
May 5 – Tampa, FL
May 9 – Toledo, OH
May 10 – Allentown, PA
May 11 – Baltimore, MD

Kelsea Ballerini To Join Kelly Clarkson’s Meaning Of Life Tour

Earlier today (Friday, Sept. 14) Kelly Clarkson announced her first headlining tour in three years, titled Meaning of Life Tour, after her most recent album. She also revealed that country hitmaker Kelsea Ballerini, as well as The Voice winner Brynn Cartelli, will join as special guests.

The 28-city tour launches Jan. 24, 2019 in Oakland, California. The trek includes a stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on March 29.

Meaning of Life is the album I always wanted to make and I am so excited to finally be able to tour it!” Clarkson said via a release. “Even while recording it, I couldn’t wait for people to experience the music live, to not only hear it, but feel it. It has taken almost a year of planning, and I can’t wait to see y’all on the road!”

Pre-sale ticket access begins Sept. 17, with public on-sale beginning Sept. 24.

The Meaning of Life Tour Dates:

1/24/19 – Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena**
1/25/19 – Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center**
1/26/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ STAPLES Center*
1/30/19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena**
2/1/19 – Glendale, AZ @ Gila River Arena*
2/7/19 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center**
2/8/19 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center**
2/9/19 – Southaven, MS @ Landers Center**
2/14/19 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena*
2/15/19 – Green Bay, WI @ Resch Center**
2/16/19 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center*
2/21/19 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena**
2/22/19 – Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena**
2/23/19 – St. Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Arena**
2/28/19 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center*
3/2/19 – Wichita, KS @ INTRUST Bank Arena**
3/7/19 – Uniondale, NY @ NYCB Live Nassau Coliseum*
3/8/19 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden**
3/9/19 – Allentown, PA @ PPL Center*
3/14/19 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena*
3/15/19 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena*
3/16/19 – Baltimore, MD @ Royal Farms Arena**
3/21/19 – Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena**
3/22/19 – Indianapolis, IN @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse**
3/23/19 – Cincinnati, OH @ U.S. Bank Arena**
3/28/19 – Duluth, GA @ Infinite Energy Arena **
3/29/19 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena**
3/30/19 – Greenville, SC @ Bon Secours Wellness Arena**
**with Kelsea Ballerini and Brynn Cartelli
*with Brynn Cartelli

Garth Brooks’ Notre Dame Concert Sells Nearly 85,000 Tickets In Less Than Three Hours

Tickets went on sale for Garth Brooks‘ upcoming inaugural Notre Dame concert on Friday (Sept. 14), and in less than three hours, the event had sold just under 85,000 tickets.

Brooks commented, “Just when you think you have seen it all as an entertainer, today happens! I can’t wait to see all of you in October.”

Brooks’ show, the first-ever concert event to be held at Notre Dame Stadium in Indiana, will take place Saturday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. ET. The concert is sponsored by Amazon Music.

There are a few single seats left. Tickets can only be purchased at ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks or either Ticketmaster Express 1-866-448-7849 or 1-800-745-3000. The concert will be rain or shine.

Tickets cost $79.95 plus a $4.00 facility fee and a $15.00 service charge for a total of $98.95.

Exclusive: Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley Talk Joining Thomas Rhett’s Tour As DJ Duo “ADHD”

ADHD. Pictured (L-R): Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley

For the next few weeks, songwriters Jesse Frasure and Ashley Gorley are adding an interesting “side gig” to their status as hitmakers.

Under the moniker ADHD, Frasure and Gorley have joined the fall leg of Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes Tour, serving as DJs—spinning tunes to amp up the crowd before the show and to keep the party going between sets.

“Hang out on the bus with us for a few hours and you know why we called it ADHD,” Frasure laughs.

“We’ll be midway through a verse and we’ll see a squirrel out the window and get distracted,” chimes Gorley.

As songwriters, Gorley and Frasure have penned over 50 No. 1 songs including several chart-topping favorites from Thomas Rhett’s catalog including “Crash & Burn,” “T-Shirt,” “Unforgettable,” “Marry Me” and most recent No. 1, “Life Changes.”

Early in his career, Frasure booked DJ gigs under the moniker Telemitry to make income alongside a growing career in publishing and songwriting. His popularity grew and was booked for gigs with Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Alyssa Milano, Todd English, Jeremy Pivens, Kim Zolciak, Cee Lo among others. Meanwhile, Gorley was behind the turntables by the time he was 12, and continued spinning tracks for parties during high school and college.

“Thomas Rhett asked us about DJing on his tour,” Frasure recalls. “I did a run with him on the first leg of the Life Changes Tour and he said, ‘You should come do it again.’ I said, ‘I will if Ashley comes and does it with me.’ It was a joke, but it kind of evolved…”

Gorley adds, “Thomas Rhett was like, ‘Ashley won’t do that.’ I’ve always loved hip-hop and that was how I cut my teeth learning songs and tempos and keys. I learned a lot about songwriting through learning how to match up songs. Jesse did, too, so when Thomas Rhett said he didn’t think I would do that, I was like, ‘When’s the first show?’”

Each night, ADHD will set up four turntables in the middle of the arena. Frasure says having two DJs ups the challenge and the fun.

“Nowadays with technology, you can automatically beat match, so [having two DJs] forces you to get back to an old-school thing…beat matching by ear and trading songs back and forth,” says Frasure.

“It’s a little bit of a challenge.” Gorley agrees. “Jesse will play a song and I’ll immediately be like, ‘Oh man, what should follow this?’ So it becomes a bit of a game. It will be fun going back and forth.”

By day, they will be collaborating on new music (including co-writes with Thomas Rhett) on the tour bus booked for the outings. Fans may hear a few some snippets of the tunes they pen during those morning writing sessions.

“It’s a fun tester,” Frasure says. “We will plant little easter eggs, some things that might never be released or some things that might be released down the line—just different remixes.”

Tackling the turntables at night also serves as a refresher when they return to the writing room.

“When you are getting to spin songs you love, it becomes a way of reminding yourself, ‘What is it about this song that I always love hearing?’” Gorley says, “and then you can check the songs you are writing against the songs you love, that you are getting to spin, to see if you’re feeling those same kinds of gut reactions to them.”

“DJing has always taught me the difference between a smash and a popular song,” Frasure says. “Our job is just to keep the culture of fun going, so the fun thing about a great DJ experience is when they check the ego at the door. We know [songs] we love or favorite remixes we’ve done. So you can plan some things ahead of time, but you have to also be able to read the fans and every town is a little different.”

The fall run of Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes Tour will visit Bangor, Maine on Thursday, Sept. 13 and stretch through October.

All Them Witches Announce New Video, Album, Tour

Nashville rock band All Them Witches released a new music video today (Sept. 12) for the track “Diamond.” Directed by All Them Witches drummer Robby Staebler, “Diamond” heralds All Them Witches’ fifth studio album, ATW, out Sept. 28 via New West Records.

“Visually I wanted to present the song in a cinematic and contemplative way,” says Staebler, “something that people enjoy re-watching and finding new details in. I wanted a lush landscape and a peaceful and patient environment to work in. Something that would bleed its own blood into the final product by simply existing in the place. I shot the video on 16mm film on location and in studio. Film bleeds its own blood too and I think this video holds the real feelings of the song, the environment and the medium.”

“I wanted ‘Diamond’ to show two sides of a common problem I have with my ego and personality,” adds All Them Witches singer-bassist Charles Michael Parks, Jr. “The first is being content with where I am, physically and mentally, and the second being a constant drive to leave, to go anywhere other than where I am, to let my scattered thoughts draw me to a comparable scattered lifestyle. If forced to go to town, I seem to develop the city equivalent of allergies and slowly take note as my windpipe or nasal cavities shut down. I don’t get sick at home and I seem to always get sick on tour. Music does not exist in the country though. I can’t get on stage in the cow pasture and let my aggression out, so I go on tour to satiate a lust for a non-sedentary lifestyle and stay home to drown out the sensory Hellscape of the city. Both personalities can and do appear at random, and both can take the wheel and lead me anywhere.”

All Them Witches will hit the road for their North American headlining tour, kicking off Friday, Oct. 12 at Lake Perris, California’s Desert Daze alongside artists Tame Impala, Warpaint, Connan Mockasin, and more. Then, they will cross the Atlantic next year for a European tour, set to begin April 11 in Helsinki, Finland.

 

All Them Witches World Tour 2018-19
October 12 – Lake Perris CA – Desert Daze Festival
October 14 – Sacramento, CA – Monster Energy Aftershock Festival
October 31 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn
November 1 – New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks
November 2 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall: Upstairs
November 3 – Austin, TX – Antone’s
November 4 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada
November 7 – Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge
November 8 – Las Vegas, NV – Beauty Bar
November 9 – Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
November 10 – San Diego, CA – The Casbah
November 13 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
November 15 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
November 16 – Seattle, WA – Freakout Festival
November 17 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
November 19 – Boise, ID – Neurolux
November 20 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
November 21 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
November 23 – Kansas City, MO – Riot Room
November 24 – St. Louis, MO – Blueberry Hill Duck Room
April 11 – Helsinki, FIN – On The Rocks
April 13 – Oslo, NOR – John Dee
April 14 – Stockholm, SWE – Debaser
April 15 – Copenhagen, DK – Hotel Cecil
April 17 – Leffinge, BE – De Zwerver
April 18 – Sint-Niklaas, BE – De Casino
April 19 – Hasselt, BE – MOD
April 22 – Paris, FR – Maroquinerie
April 24 – Madrid, ESP – Caracol
April 25 – Barcelona, ESP – Razzmatazz 2
April 26 – Nimes, FR – Paloma Club
April 27 – Milan, ITA – Bloom
April 29 – Vienna, AT – Arena
April 30 – Prague, CZ – Rock Cafe
May 1 – Poznan, POL – U Bazyla
May 2 – Warsaw, POL – Hydrozagadka (Noebo*)
May 4 – Nijmegen, NL – Sonic Whip Festival @ Doornroosje
May 6 – Brighton, UK – The Haunt
May 8 – Manchester, UK – Band On The Wall
May 9 – Cardiff, UK – Clwb Ifor Bach

Phil Vassar, Lonestar Announce Holiday Tour

Phil Vassar and Lonestar will embark on the “The Not So Silent Night Tour” in November. To celebrate, Vassar and Lonestar are releasing their Christmas single, “Not So Silent Night,” on Nov. 2. Both the tour and single will benefit The Salvation Army.

The 10-plus city tour kicks off in Biloxi, Miss. on Nov. 30. Throughout each show, audiences will be treated to Christmas standards, non-traditional holiday tunes, as well as the artists’ hits.

“After years of being friends with Phil and being a fan of his talent as well, we are truly excited to go on this Christmas tour and share the stage with him,” said Lonestar. “Fans should get ready for a lot of laughs, great music and of course a ‘Not So Silent Night!'”

Lonestar, comprised of Richie McDonald, Michael Britt, Keech Rainwater and Dean Sams, released their first Christmas album, This Christmas Time, in 2000.

Vassar, who has headlined Christmas tours since 2009, released his first Christmas album, Noel, in 2011. Last Christmas season, he and Kellie Pickler headlined a sold-out holiday tour.

“I’ve known these guys forever, and we’re going to have a blast on the road performing for our fans. It’s even more meaningful that we’re getting into the Christmas spirit and giving back to The Salvation Army – that’s what it’s all about,” shared Vassar.

“THE NOT SO SILENT NIGHT TOUR” DATES:
Nov. 30: IP Casino @ Biloxi, Miss.
Dec. 2: Wildhorse Saloon @ Nashville, Tenn.
Dec. 6: Potowatomi @ Milwaukee, Wis.
Dec. 8: Grand Falls Casino Resort @ Larchwood, Iowa
Dec. 14: Memorial Hall @ Plymouth, Mass.
Dec. 15: Memorial Auditorium @ Lowell, Mass.
Dec. 16: Santander PAC @ Reading, Penn.
Dec. 19: Peoples Bank Theatre @ Marietta, Ohio
Dec. 20: Westbury Theater @ Westbury, N.Y.
Dec. 21: Palace Theatre @ Canton, Ohio
Dec. 22: Weinberg Center @ Frederick, Md.

Molly Tuttle, Bully, Diarrhea Planet Among Openers For Jason Isbell’s Six-Night Ryman Run

As announced earlier this year, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit will return to the Ryman Auditorium in October for a six-show run on Oct. 22-24 and 26-28. Today (Sept. 10), Isbell announced that the all Nashville-based opening acts for the shows will include (in order of appearance): Molly Tuttle, JEFF The Brotherhood, Bully, Amanda Shires, Diarrhea Planet, and Melanie Faye.

The series has become an annual mainstay for Isbell fans. From 2014 through 2017 the band has sold out 14 consecutive nights at the Ryman.

On Oct. 19, Southeastern Records will release Live From The Ryman, the group’s new live album. Live From The Ryman was primarily recorded during the group’s six sold out-nights at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in 2017. The album features 13 live versions of songs from their last three critically acclaimed, award-winning studio albums – Southeastern (2013), Something More Than Free (2015), and The Nashville Sound (2017).

Jason Aldean Proves He’s A Hometown Hero At Nashville’s High Noon Tour Stop

Jason Aldean is a hometown hero. When he sings, the 41-year-old Macon, Georgia native’s voice speaks to the shared desires of the human experience, catered towards middle American culture. He is country music’s frontrunner, infusing inspiration to hopes of living out ones dreams.

Perhaps most inspiring about Aldean’s set is the hope it brings. The showman unfolded a drama with his set list, infusing hometown pride while indulging fantasies about escapism at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Sept. 7.

The finely tuned set glamorized dirt bikes, back roads, drag racing, eighteen-wheelers, powerstroke diesels, thermoses and water towers to delight of a sold-out audience. Of course, the Broken Bow Records superstar’s consistent brand is more inclusive, covering loves gained and lost with titles like “The Truth” or his latest single “Girl Like You,” which goes for adds today (Sept. 10).

Aldeans High Noon Tour has touched down in over 30 towns from coast to coast this summer, ever proving “Hicktown[s]” can be found outside of “Flyover States.”

The set impresses with the appropriate, hard-driving intro “Gettin’ Warmed Up” and takes fans through “Lights Come On,” a title about a “six-string circus” coming to town, seducing and glamorizing the allure of love and money that come with show business. With confidence, Aldean delivers “Rearview Town,” finally looking in the mirror one last time at a town of “broken hearts and rusted plows” he never thought he’d leave.

Aldean then drops you off at “Crazy Town.” A song about becoming a star in Nashville, the track is Aldean’s equivalent of Reba’s rags-to-riches tale “Fancy” as he sings: One year they repossess your truck/and the next you make a couple million bucks.

For the most part, each title speaks of fondness from where Aldean came from. Songs like “Tattoos On This Town” reflect on hallowed ground while “Amarillo Sky” remembers the struggle it took to live out those dreams, no matter the scale. “They Don’t Know” gives street cred, speaking from the inside, while graphics of mud slingers dance behind on video walls. He’s not just singing redneck anthems, he is speaking for many still inside those small towns.

As a whole, his setlist tells a story of human experience—struggle, self identification and pride. Aldean’s voice remains strong, 13 years in to his career and his longtime New Voice band plays tightly and subtly choreographed, to make the most impact for a show, worthy of earning Entertainer of the Year, for which Aldean reigns for ACM the past three years, and is nominated for at the CMA’s on Nov. 14 (final round ballot closes Oct. 23).

The whole production speaks to the superstar status of Aldean. The video walls and lighting were top notch. Unfortunately, pyrotechnics of any kind—CO2, flames or fireworks—were left behind on this tour, which is also touching a handful of extra large stadium venues.

Special guests Lauren Alaina and Luke Combs complemented the first-class show perfectly. Combs’ fans impressively cheered as loud as a crowd for a teenage heartthrob, and Alaina’s voice soared as she beamed with personality.