Greetings Rockers ’N’ Rollers! Last month began with Camp Punksylvania, a 3-day punk festival (July 5-7) featuring over 60 bands and camping, that takes place in Gilbert, PA in the Poconos. This was the festival’s 4th year since its inception and included headliners The Bronx, 7 Seconds and Less Than Jake. The festival promoted by the Sherman Theatre in Stroudsburg did an amazing job and The Bronx (from Los Angeles) were incredible as always. Camp Punksylvania plans to return again next summer in 2025.
Harrisburg University Presents brought country Americana sensation Charley Crockett to Harrisburg’s XL Live on July 13. Crockett has released 12-studio albums and is currently touring the United States until Sept. 21. The Texas-native began playing the streets of New Orleans, Dallas and New York City as a teenager and eventually Paris, France. Crockett returns to Hollywood Casino in Charles Town, WV on Oct 18.
Two great local Harrisburg indie bands are gaining recognition and both played this past month. The After Hours played a free outdoor show at Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market on July 19 and Surface Noise played their second show ever that same night at Metropolis Collective in Mechanicsburg. Both bands then joined each other the following night July 20 for a show at HMAC’s Stage On Herr.
Australian punks, Amyl and the Sniffers, are back in America supporting Foo Fighters on their current tour. The band played a fantastic sold-out headlining show at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, NJ on July 20. And then ventured to Hersheypark Stadium to open for Foo Fighters and The Hives. An unbelievable sold-out Hersheypark Stadium at capacity for over 5 hours of great music.
Hardcore punk band, Drug Church, played two single one-off shows on July 20 & 21. The group from Albany, NY visited Amityville, NY and Lake Como, NJ playing an unforgettable set at Saltys Beach Bar. Drug Church are releasing their fifth studio album, ‘Prude’, on Oct 4 followed by a 25-date US Tour including Philadelphia Union Transfer Oct 27 and Baltimore Soundstage Oct 30.
And Brooklyn-based punk outfit, Wyldlife, also played a one-off show at Berlin in Manhattan, New York City on June 29. Wyldlife continue to play unforgettable shows any chance they perform – their next show is Aug 17 at Brooklyn’s Union Pool.
The Foo Fighters’ July 17 concert in New York at Citi Field was cut short by dangerous storms that rolled through the city. The Foos were mid-set when lightning slashed through the sky. “Alright, here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna do one more,” lead singer Dave Grohl said. As the band began to play “Everlong,” a visibly frustrated Grohl ultimately had to resign himself to the fact it was unsafe to continue. He urged fans to get back from the stage and get undercover. By 10:30pm, stadium officials were forced to cancel the show.
Jack Russell, a founding member of rock band Great White who has maintained a decades-long career on the road, announced that he is retiring from touring. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I must announce my retirement from the road. After a recent diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), I am unable to perform at the level I desire and at the level you deserve,” Russell said in a statement. “Thank you for letting me live my dreams. You have made my life a wonder.” Russell was the lead vocalist for the multiplatinum band Great White, which rose to prominence in the late ’80s with hit singles “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” and “The Angel Song.”
The comedy rock duo Tenacious D — made up of Jack Black and Kyle Gass — has canceled the rest of their tour after Gass’ remarks about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. While onstage at a concert in Sydney, Gass was presented with a birthday cake and asked to “make a wish” by Black. Gass responded, “Don’t miss Trump next time.” Black released a statement, “I was blindsided by what was said at the show. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form. After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold.” Gass apologized, “The line I improvised Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake. I don’t condone violence in any kind, in any form, against anyone. What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement.” The band was to play the Bryce Jordan Center in State College on Oct 26.
The Killers brought their “Rebel Diamonds” tour to London’s O2 for six nights, July 4-11, celebrating a 20-year career filled with hits. The band sold 105,000 tickets across all six nights – “the highest number for any music act at The O2 this year.” The Killers delighted fans with a different setlist each night, and even displayed the moment of England’s win against the Netherlands in the semi-finals of the UEFA EURO 2024 on July 10, followed by a transition into their much-loved hit “Mr Brightside” – “an iconic and euphoric moment at the world-famous venue that went viral around the world, and will no doubt go down as a significant moment in sport and rock history.”
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder told fans the illness that forced the band to cancel a run of European dates was like a “near-death experience.” During the band’s return to the stage in Barcelona, Vedder described the ailment. “Can I just say that last week almost felt like a near-death experience?,” he said. “It was very uncomfortable, and it got frightening. It felt like chest bronchitis. It felt like maybe you couldn’t breathe, and maybe you wouldn’t make it through the night, and maybe you’d have to go to the hospital.” The band returns stateside for the next leg of their U.S. tour August 22 in Missoula, MT.
The Voidz, which includes The Strokes frontman and songwriter Julian Casablancas, will be releasing a new album later this year and playing shows at iconic venues in Los Angeles and New York to promote it. The Voidz will drop their third album, Like All Before You, digitally on Sept. 20. The band will play at The Orpheum in Los Angeles on Oct. 16 followed by a show at The Apollo in Harlem, New York, on Oct. 18. Casablancas, who is the frontman and songwriter for The Strokes, formed The Voidz more than 10 years ago to further develop his music.
Heart’s remaining “Royal Flush Tour” dates have been postponed after lead singer Ann Wilson announced a cancer diagnosis. Wilson said she “underwent an operation to remove something that, as it turns out, was cancerous.” She said the operation was a success but doctors have recommended a course of chemotherapy, forcing the postponement of the tour and the cancelation of Heart’s support spots on the Journey/Def Leppard stadium run. “To the ticket buyers, I really do wish we could do these gigs. Please know that I absolutely plan to be back on stage in 2025.”
Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s “Love Earth Tour” will take a “big unplanned break,” affecting tour dates and festival appearances into late September. Young stated “When a couple of us got sick after Detroit’s Pine Knob, we had to stop. We are still not fully recovered, so sadly our great tour will have a big unplanned break. We will try to play some of the dates we miss as time passes when we are ready to rock again!” Neil and Crazy Horse recently released the raw, live-sounding Fu##in Up album, generating excitement for the tour with a signature energy and jamming quality fans love and expect from “The Godfather of Grunge.”
Post Malone is ready to release his debut country album, F-1 Trillion, due out Aug. 16, and he’s announced his tour in support of the album. The 21-date trek sees Post Malone making stops in amphitheaters and stadiums across North America, with performances at Hersheypark Stadium on Sept 20 and Scranton’s Montage Mountain on Sept 25.
AUGUST CONCERTS: Five Finger Death Punch / Marilyn Manson – Hersheypark Stadium Aug 2. Martini Bros / Jellybricks / Jet Silver – Hershey Vineyard Aug 3. Green Day / Smashing Pumpkins / Rancid / Linda Lindas – Hersheypark Stadium Aug 10. Wyldlife – NYC Union Pool Aug 17. Solar Federation (Rush tribute) – Red Lion Double Barrel Aug 17. Martini Bros – Harrisburg Beach Club Aug 24. Yam Yam – Harrisburg Abbey Bar Aug 24.
