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Summer Season To See Surge In '80s Acts
Billboard ^ | 3/18/05 | Billboard

Posted on 03/18/2005 8:20:39 PM PST by freedom44

This summer, get ready to travel back in time. Although there have been package tours featuring '80s artists for years, the upcoming summer concert season marks a notable increase. Promoters say the acts' multigenerational appeal, strong catalog of hits and, perhaps most important, reasonable ticket prices are propelling the upswing.

As previously reported, the eighth annual Rock Never Stops tour, scheduled to hit 2,500- to 5,000-seat theaters in at least 40 cities starting in June, will feature Cinderella, Ratt, Quiet Riot and Firehouse.

Also in June, Def Leppard and Bryan Adams are launching a 26-date co-headlining tour of minor league ballparks.

"When we started eight years ago, this style of rock'n'roll was niche. There weren't a lot of people banging our doors down," says Mark Hyman, a partner at Paradise Artists, creator of the Rock Never Stops tour. "The fans used to be embarrassed to come; they didn't want people to know they love the music. With Motley Crue out there packing them in, that tells you that this music has once again arrived."

So-called "hair bands" and other rockers from the 1980s are rising in popularity on the touring circuit because their initial fans continue to go to concerts.

The 2003 edition of Rock Never Stops, with Whitesnake, Warrant, Kip Winger and Slaughter, grossed about $1.1 million and attracted nearly 85,000 people for 24 dates, according to Billboard Boxscore. Full results were not reported for the tour's 2004 outing.

Fans are now bringing their children to these shows, and a new generation is developing strong connections to these acts.

"These bands are the new classic rock of the current era," says John Domagall, manager of Firehouse at Artists Representation & Management and a former promoter for Rock Never Stops. "The people that really listen to those '70s artists aren't going to as many concerts. The demo for the '80s stuff are mostly in their 30s and 40s, and they are warmly receiving these acts. I've also got 12-year-olds wanting to see Motley Crue and Lynyrd Skynyrd so bad."

The shows themselves are also more theatrical, and perceived to be a good deal by consumers. Tickets for Rock Never Stops range from $35 to $45. Def Leppard/Adams has a base price of $45. Tim Heyne, Cinderella's manager at Union Entertainment Group, notes, "We will have pyro and other special things for Rock Never Stops. You're going to get a lot of pop for your dollar."

At each Def Leppard/Adams stop, a stage will be built on the field, and fans can sit in the outfield or in the stands. "Everybody wants to play Madison Square Garden, but there's a point when you want to do something that's a little different," Def Leppard lead singer Joe Elliott offers. The band's two-disc set "Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection" (Mercury/UME) will be released May 17.

Elliott says that although Def Leppard has generally toured alone, pairing with Adams makes sense and is even a way to draw in new fans. "A Bon Jovi or a Bryan Adams is what people would perceive is a right fit for us," he says. "We're comfortable accepting the way people think."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: genx; music
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To: rdl6989; ItsOurTimeNow; PresbyRev; tortoise; Fraulein; StoneColdGOP; Clemenza; malakhi; ...
Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.

21 posted on 03/18/2005 10:39:59 PM PST by qam1 (There's been a huge party. All plates and the bottles are empty, all that's left is the bill to pay)
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To: Awestruck

Be careful what you wish for. I got to see DL and I wish I would have taken earplugs. If it is a small area, the earplugs will save you a splitting headache later. And, yes, I still listen to them full blast at home, but not in concert again(without the plugs)!!


22 posted on 03/18/2005 11:04:02 PM PST by always paddle your own canoe (Love many, trust few)
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To: always paddle your own canoe

Thanks for the warning.... I'll think we'll be ok..this is an outdoor baseball stadium..and we'll be up in the stands.. believe me.. I'm nearly deaf from my concert days.. I always take earplugs just so I can make out the words....


23 posted on 03/19/2005 1:30:03 AM PST by Awestruck (Let Terri Live!)
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To: freedom44

Don't get me started on Journey.. sigh...


24 posted on 03/19/2005 1:31:50 AM PST by Awestruck (Let Terri Live!)
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To: qam1
Thanks for the ping.

Def Leppard and Bryan Adams are launching a 26-date co-headlining tour of minor league ballparks.

That sounds incredibly sad :(

25 posted on 03/19/2005 5:09:49 AM PST by silent_jonny
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To: weegee

R&R ping?


26 posted on 03/19/2005 5:18:48 AM PST by ncdrumr
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To: freedom44
Big Country BTTT....

Except Stuart killed himself in a closet in Hawaii a few years ago... No tour planed...

27 posted on 03/19/2005 5:24:27 AM PST by LowOiL ("I am neither . I am a Christocrat" -Benjamin Rush)
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To: freedom44

Journey was good until they got that screechy vocalist.


28 posted on 03/19/2005 1:23:00 PM PST by Disambiguator
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To: Senator Pardek
My back hurts, and my knee is throbbing because it's gonna rain soon.

You hillbilly.

29 posted on 03/19/2005 9:02:41 PM PST by Rex Anderson
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To: Rex Anderson
I gotta bend over reel tite to shoot ma knee with a 12 gauge when ah see storm clouds a-brewin'.

Family tradition and all...

30 posted on 03/20/2005 7:12:19 PM PST by Senator Pardek
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To: All
I am so there...


31 posted on 06/06/2005 11:31:30 AM PDT by RockinRight (Conservatism is common sense, liberalism is just senseless.)
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