Greetings Rockers ’N’ Rollers! Last month began with Devo at The Met in Philadelphia on May 1. The new wave band has existed since 1973 and is currently in the middle of their “50-Years of De-Evolution Tour” consisting of 18 shows. A fantastic visual show with great hit songs like “That’s Good,” “Whip It’ and “Gates of Steel.” The 2nd annual ‘Sing Us Home’ music festival held by Phiadelphia-native Dave Hause also took place that same weekend in the suburb of Manayunk. The 3-day festival took place on Venice Island and featured many artists including The Bouncing Souls, Frank Turner and Dave Hause and the Mermaid. However, the amazing new event had a bit of bad luck with thundershowers cancelling Saturdays evening festivities. The Bouncing Souls did their best to get as many songs in before the storm – but the band completed the evening indoors with a small intimate acoustic show. Hardcore punk band Turnstile played a free concert on May 10 in their hometown of Baltimore. Over 10,000 fans engulfed Wyman Park Dell for a truly incredible event. Turnstile promoted their new album releasing on June 6 and raised over $35,000 for the homelessness people of Baltimore. Turnstile will play Brooklyn’s K Bridge Park on June 5 to celebrate their new album ‘Never Enough.’
English punk band, Bad Nerves, played Baltimore’s Metro Gallery on May 11 with support from Spiritual Cramp. Bad Nerves were simply amazing with unreal energy and truly great songs from their 2-album history. The band just finished their 28-date ‘Still Nervous USA 25’ Tour on the West Coast at Las Vegas’ Punk Rock Bowling Festival. AC/DC also visited Maryland the next night at Landover’s NorthWest Stadium. Quite possibly the final North American tour for the legendary Australian rock band. Formed in 1973, AC/DC now features members Brian Johnson, Angus Young, Stevie Young, Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction) and Matt Laug (Alice Cooper) on the current ‘Power Up Tour.’ The band began the world tour last May 2024 and will play 52-shows before its completion on Aug 21 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Brooklyn’s own, Wyldlife, played their first shows of the year in Philadelphia May 16 and New York City on May 17. A sold-out crowd filled Manhattan’s Bowery Electric for the release of Wyldlife’s latest record ‘Sorted.’ The band visits Milwaukee and Chicago next month for two shows with Criminal Kids. Australian punk band, Amyl and the Sniffers, returned to North America for their ‘Cartoon Darkness World Tour’ of 27-shows and sold-out every headlining show. The band played Philadelphia’s Franklin Hall on May 16 and the Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD on May 19 and concluded the tour in Nashville on May 23.
Central PA’s own Logan Betz has brought his solo project ‘The Last Post’ to fruition the past two months with numerous dates and a new debut album. His solo ‘The Wayfinder Tour’ played 16-shows all over including Atlantic City, Washington DC to Buffalo, NY and included a full-band on May 9 in Columbia, PA at SRCC. The Last Post is considered Emo pop with catchy melodies and emotionally-driven lyrics. Indie rock singer, MJ Lenderman, played Harrisburg for the first time on May 14 to a sold-out crowd at XL Live. He has released 5 solo albums and is a member of the band Wednesday, Lenderman currently a non-touring member but still plans to record with the group.
After a comeback performance at the M3 Festival in Maryland on May 3 and four years after announcing his retirement, former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth is returning to the road. Roth announced a 12-show run including Atlantic City Etess Arena on Aug 8 and Bethlehem, PA Wind Creek Center on Aug 17. Prior to M3, Diamond Dave’s last performance came as the opener on KISS’s pandemic-interrupted 2020 tour. His last headline run was in 2006, though he did have residencies in Las Vegas.
Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro has confirmed the band has “no chance” to reunite after singer Perry Farrell attacked him on stage last September. The incident happened in Boston, which led to Jane’s Addiction cancelling the remaining tour dates.
Grammy-winning hard rockers Halestorm will tour the U.S. and Canada this fall in support of the band’s sixth studio album. The Red Lion, PA band releases their new album, Everest, on Aug. 8 and the 20-date tour begins in September with violinist Lindsey Stirling. Halestorm will also support Iron Maiden on European tour stops and participate in the Black Sabbath’s “Back to the Beginning” farewell show at Birmingham, England’s Villa Park in July.
The Who have announced what they are calling a “truly grand finale” of a six-decade career, a North American summer concert tour titled “The Song Is Over.” The Who co-founder and guitarist Pete Townshend says: “Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time. For me, playing to American audiences began back in 1967 has always been incredible. I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. Roger and I are in a good place, despite our age, eager to throw our weight behind this fond farewell to all our faithful fans.” Although drummer, Zak Starkey, (and son of Ringo Starr) was fired by The Who for a second time in the past month. Pete Townshend stated “Zak is 20 years younger and has a great future with his new band and other exciting projects. Roger and I wish him all the luck in the world. Scott Devours, who plays for Roger Daltrey’s solo shows, will replace Zak. Please welcome him.” Dates include: Aug 19 – Newark, NJ Prudential Center Aug 19, Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center Aug 21, and Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall Aug 23.
The Foo Fighters will perform live for the first time since August 2024 at Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix Oct. 4. The bill also includes Crowded House and Alan Walker. Elton John and Smashing Pumpkins are scheduled to headline the weekend, performing on race day.
Bad Bunny set a touring record in 2022 and has already sold more than 2.6 million tickets for 54 stadium shows in 18 countries across four continents. The Puerto Rican superstar is achieving milestones that have only been achieved by artists like Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay and Michael Jackson. In Mexico, Bad Bunny set a record with nearly four million fans queued on Ticketmaster for the onsale of eight shows in Mexico City and had the biggest day for an onsale in the country’s history, selling out six nights at the iconic Estadio GNP Seguros in just a matter of hours. The reggaeton and trap singer, Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is on the road to promote his latest album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. The album, which celebrates Puerto Rican culture, was released in January to critical acclaim.
Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter Tour,” opening five-show engagement at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, grossed a whopping $55.7 million, making it the highest-grossing concert engagement of the year so far. The overall number of tickets sold for the tour opener was 217,143, an average of 43,428 per night. Ticket prices for the concerts ranged from a low of $50 to a top price of $801. The 35-time Grammy Award winner had the second highest grossing tour of 2023 with her “Renaissance World Tour” in 2023, grossing $580 million from 2.8 million sold tickets at 56 stadium performances. Her 32-show trek, set to run through July, with multiple shows in New York and Washington, D.C.
A CBGB Festival is heading to Under the K Bridge Park in Brooklyn, New York, on Sept. 27 with performances from Iggy Pop (marking his first NYC Show in over a decade), Jack White, Sex Pistols, The Linda Lindas, Melvins and more. The infamous punk club, CBGB was founded in 1973 on the Bowery, helping to launch the careers of the Ramones, Blondie, Patti Smith, Talking Heads and more. CBGB Festival pays tribute to punk’s originators with three stages.
Penn State is changing the name of its historical Beaver Stadium. In March, Penn State trustees accepted a $50 million gift from local home improvement company West Shore Home to expand the full name of the facility to West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. The deal, which begins this fall and runs through 2039, is the second largest gift ever received by the university’s athletic department. Beaver Stadium was named for a former governor and university trustee since 1960. The 15-year deal is front-loaded to help fund the $700 million renovation of the stadium. Beaver Stadium has hosted big concerts, like Luke Combs’ April 2024 that sold 73,339 tickets and grossed $9.2 million.
Godsmack’s Sully Erna announced that drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola have left the band after nearly 30 years to live quieter lives. Larkin and Rombola said they quit Godsmack last year because they “didn’t want to tour anymore.” Godsmack recently kicked off their 2025 European tour with drummer Will Hunt (Evanescence) and guitarist Sam Bam Koltun (Dorothy) filling in. Larkin elaborated, “Tony turned 60. I’m 58. Look, it’s not a physical thing. We wanna be home with everything that we love. I’ve been touring for 40 years. This wasn’t a bad thing. We’re brothers for life with Sully and Robbie. It’s just a new chapter for Godsmack.” Larkin joined Godsmack in 2002 and Rombola since the mid-1990s. Larkin recently played with Snot at Welcome to Rockville in Florida, filling in for Jamie Miller, who is touring with Bad Religion.
San Francisco has unveiled plans for Dead & Company to perform at Golden Gate Park’s Polo Fields on Aug. 1, 2 and 3. The proposed plan would celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead, and goes before the Recreation and Park Commission on May 15. Dead & Company’s three-day show in 2023 generated $31 million in local economic activity, with the city projecting these three shows could generate tens of millions in economic activity for the area. Mayor Lurie stated, “From Haight-Ashbury and the Grateful Dead house to Ingleside, where Jerry Garcia grew up, the Grateful Dead is embedded in San Francisco’s history. Sixty years later, we’re still enjoying their music – and this summer, we get to enjoy the music of Dead & Company once again. This weekend will celebrate our city’s creative spirit, boost our local economy, and bring generations of fans together. This is more than just a concert – it’s a San Francisco homecoming.”
Lady Gaga on May 4, 2025 delivered a historic free concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Copacabana Beach, with an estimated 2.5 million in attendance making it the highest-attended concert by a female artist in history. Gaga posted, “Nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night’s show – the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil. The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away.” Gaga’s historic night apparently tops that of Madonna, who on May 4, 2024 did a free concert at Copacabana beach to cap off the final night of her “Celebration Tour” in front of 1.6 million fans, and The Rolling Stones whose 2006 stop there also drew more than 1.5 million.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its list of 2025 inductees, with Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden and The White Stripes to be inducted on Nov. 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon will receive the Musical Influence Award.
JUNE Concerts: Haute & Freddy – NYC Slipper Room June 3. Turnstile – Brooklyn K Bridge Park June 5. The Ocean Blue – Wayne, PA Festival June 7. Mannequin Pussy – Harrisburg XL Live June 8. Band of Horses – Lancaster American Theatre June 11. The Badlees / Rusted Root / The Wailers – New Cumberland Iron Bridge June 13-14. Bret Michaels – Grantville Hollywood Casino June 14. The SoapGirls – Thomasville Race Horse Tavern June 16. Gene Loves Jezebel – Red Lion Double Barrel June 22. Faster Pussycat – Millersville Phantom Power June 28.
