Greetings Rockers ’N’ Rollers! The past month included the three best local bands currently playing in Central Pennsylvania .. Jet Silver, Steel and The Super High-Tech Jet Fighters. New Cumberland held its second annual ‘The Best St. Patricks Day Party Ever’ on March 15 with two concert stages on their streets. Bands featured consisted of The Swisher Sweets, The Martini Bros, Slick Willie, Crippled But Free and Jet Silver. The local town did a great job accommodating the thousands who filled the streets supporting local businesses and artists. Jet Silver were incredible with a fantastic set and sadly rumored to be one of their last shows. The band recently released their song ‘Save Me’ streaming on all platforms for the 25th anniversary of their debut album. Jet Silver are currently working on 4 singles over the next months and then the whole record will be available to stream. That same evening XL Live hosted Kilmaine Saints with Bubba and The Super High-Tech Jet Fighters for another St Patrick’s celebration. Bubba was a great surprise coming out of retirement after many years of playing the local scene in the 90’s. The Super High-Tech Jet Fighters were fantastic, heightening their music to a new level with a big stage and big sound. The local garage punk band also played Harrisburg’s Strawberry Square on March 21 as part of its Music Series. The evening also featured Framed Innocent and Strangest Hearts. The Strawberry Square Music Series happens once a month, each month with different artists and free to the public. Philadelphia-area cover band, Reddio, made their debut in Reading on March 23 playing a great set of popular classic rock songs at New Bertie’s Inn. Local heavy metal cover band, Steel, played Ramona’s Basement in Harrisburg on March 8 with support from Junk Punk. Both bands played great sets and I’m very grateful to have had them both. Junk Punk recently released his solo debut album ‘Maximum Pumped Rock’ on March 1st and Steel has been rocking both Maryland and Pennsylvania for over 20 years! The Mechanicsburg-based band plays Mechanicsburg Picnic Grounds on May 3 and Mechanicsburg Legion on May 23. And, Junk Punk returns to downtown Harrisburg on April 26 at JB Lovedrafts.
Pennsylvania native Bret Michaels announced his Pa. Rock The World Homecoming Summer Super Party, coming to Hollywood Casino on June 14. The Poison frontman and Mechanicsburg native will be joined by friends Night Ranger, Quiet Riot, surprise guests and hometown heroes to make this a can’t miss show. “To my family and friends in central Pennsylvania, I am so fired up to be the opening weekend of an incredible summer of great music,” Michaels said. “We are gonna rock your world with my good friends Night Ranger and all their hit songs, and Quiet Riot with all their hit songs, and then they will all join me on stage for a big song at the end of the night.” The event will focus on celebrating all things central Pa., including musicians, hometown heroes and veteran appreciation. LIVE and Collective Soul will team up for a tour of 30 amphitheaters across the U.S. and Canada this summer. The “Summer Unity” tour also includes Our Lady Peace and Greylin James Rue as support. LIVE spent much of 2024 on the road with Stone Temple Pilots and Soul Asylum. The final date of the tour takes place Aug 29 at Hollywood Casino at Penn Race Course in Grantville, Pennsylvania. Counting Crows are touring in support of the band’s upcoming album Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!, which is Counting Crows’ first full-length album since Butter Miracle: Suite One in 2021. The band’s breakout album August and Everything in 1993 sold more than 20 million records worldwide. The tour, which features special guests The Gaslight Anthem on most dates, visits Hollywood Casino in Grantville, PA on July 3 and Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD on July 10. Heavy metal icons Pantera will tour U.S. amphitheaters and select arenas this summer on a 29-date run alongside Swedish Viking metal pioneers Amon Amarth. The tour begins July 15 at The Pavilion At Star Lake in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, and includes Hersheypark Stadium on July 25. The band — which includes classic members vocalist Philip H. Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown, along with guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Charlie Benante — is touring stadiums in support of Metallica this spring and will join Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s historic final show July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, alongside Metallica, Slayer, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Lamb Of God, Anthrax, Mastodon and more.
Hershey concerts in 2025 .. HERSHEYPARK STADIUM: Post Malone/Jelly Roll/Sierra Ferrell (May 28), Avril Lavigne/Simple Plan/We The Kings (June 7), Kendrick Lamar/SZA (June 16), Luke Bryan/Vincent Mason/Mae Estes (July 12), Brandon Lake/Phil Wickham/Josiah Queen (July 18), Pantera/Amon Amarth (July 25), Shania Twain (July 26), Big Time Rush/Katelyn Tarver/Stephen Kramer Glickman (Aug 1), Willie Nelson/Bob Dylan (Aug 9), HARDY/Koe Wetzel/Stephen Wilson Jr./McCoy Moore (Sept 6). Hozier (Sept 19). GIANT CENTER: Volbeat/Halestorm/The Ghost Inside (Aug 16), Keith Urban (Oct 2), Warren Zeiders (Nov 22), HOLLYWOOD CASINO PENN HEROES STAGE: Bret Michaels (June 14), Steve Miller Band (Aug 16)
David Johansen, the last surviving member of the glam punk band the New York Dolls who later performed as his alter ego, Buster Poindexter, died at the age of 75. Johansen died Feb 28 at his home in New York City. It was revealed in early 2025 that he had stage 4 cancer and a brain tumor. “When you’re an artist, the main thing you want to do is inspire people, so if you succeed in doing that, it’s pretty gratifying,” Johansen once stated. In 2004, former Smiths frontman and Dolls admirer Morrissey convinced Johansen and other surviving members to regroup for the Meltdown Festival in England, leading to three more studio albums. Rolling Stone would list the New York Dolls self-titled debut album at No. 301 of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. He is survived by his wife, Mara Hennessey, and a stepdaughter, Leah Hennessey.
Def Leppard has announced a run of summer U.S. shows with special guests Bret Michaels, The Struts, and Extreme on select dates. The tour takes place in amphitheaters across the country including Broadview Stage in Saratoga Springs, NY on July 22. In celebration of a quarter century as a band, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will tour theaters in the UK and North America this summer. The “Hidden In Pieces” tour consists of 16-dates culminating in New York City July 29 and 30 at Beacon Theatre. Eric Clapton is headed back to the U.S. for a brief run of 6 U.S. dates including Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center Sept 13 and NYC Madison Square Garden on Sept 19. The guitar legend will be joined by special guest The Wallflowers. Clapton recently released his 22nd solo album, which features six new songs and eight previously released singles and includes collaborations with Jeff Beck, Van Morrison, Bradley Walker, Judith Hill, Daniel Santiago, and Simon Climie. The Offspring have announced a North American leg to the “SUPERCHARGED Worldwide In ‘25 Tour,” with 34 dates across North America. Special guests Jimmy Eat World and New Found Glory join the band on the mostly-amphitheater tour. Dates include Scranton, PA Montage Mountain on July 20 and Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion on July 29.
Deftones have sold out many arenas on their current tour and have announced a second leg to their 2025 North American tour for a combined 51-shows. The extended dates will be supported by The Barbarians of California, and Phantogram and IDLES will support on select nights. Nearby cities include Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center on Apr 4, Washington DC Capitol One Arena Apr 6 and Baltimore CFG Bank Arena on Sept 11. Last August, Deftones and System of a Down co-headlined a sold-out concert at Golden Gate Park to a massive success, grossing $9.6 million off 50,186 tickets sold. Cyndi Lauper is wrapping up her “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour” as the singer announces the final leg across North America. Lauper will take her final bow with two nights at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Aug. 29 and 30, with a stop at Philadelphia’s Mann on July 20 before then. Jake Wesley Rodgers will join Lauper as a special guest on her final 25 dates. Pixies are hitting the road this summer for 41-dates with Kurt Vile as support June 13 to Aug 1 and will be joined by My Chemical Romance at Rogers Center in Toronto on Aug. 22. Dates include Philadelphia The Fillmore July 22 & 23 and Washington DC The Anthem July 25 & 26 and Pittsburgh Stage AE on Sept 12. Neil Young and his new band The Chrome Hearts will tour Europe and North America this summer on the “Love Earth World Tour.” The last iteration of the “Love Earth” tour — with Young’s long-time backing band Crazy Horse — went on hiatus in June 2024 due to illness, forcing the cancellations. Young said Crazy Horse would return but has instead opted to go out with a new band. Dates include New York Jones Beach Aug 23 and Bethel, NY Bethel Center Aug 24. More dates are expected.
Guns N’ Roses are parting ways with longtime drummer Frank Ferrer. The band shared the news in a statement “Guns N’ Roses announce the amicable exit of Frank Ferrer, the longest-serving drummer in their storied run,” they said. “The band thanks Frank for his friendship, creativity and sturdy presence over the past 19 years, and they wish him success in the next chapter of his musical journey.“ Frank first joined GNR during a show in June 2006 helping anchor the rhythm section during subsequent tours, including their recent outings featuring the reunited trio of Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan. His last show with the band took place Nov. 5, 2023 in Mexico. Guns N’ Roses did not yet announce a replacement for Ferrer.
APRIL CONCERTS: Michael Monroe – Pittsburgh Jergels Apr 3. Jay Aston – Philadelphia City Winery Apr 8. Jeffrey Gaines – State College The Attic Apr 11. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – Shippensburg Luhrs Center Apr 11. Tommy Conwell and Young Rumblers – Lancaster Village Apr 12. MangoDog – Harrisburg Ramonas Basement Apr 19. Junk Punk – Harrisburg JB Lovedrafts Apr 26. Timmy’s Creep Show / Framed Innocent / Surface Noise – Mechanicsburg Metropolis Apr 26.
