Magic Concert Calendar

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - 05/20/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Monday, May 20, @ 08:00 PM

Tom Petty, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, is a masterful singer/songwriter. His inventive brand of roots-oriented classic rock has thrilled fans throughout the world and won numerous music-industry awards including a GRAMMY® and a MTV Video Award. "Free Fallin'," "Don't Come Around Here No More" and "You Don't Know How It Feels" are just a few of Petty's many hit songs.

Beacon Theatre, $59.00 - $135.00, All Ages

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - 05/21/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Tuesday, May 21, @ 08:00 PM

Beacon Theatre, $59.00 - $135.00, All Ages

Chicago - 05/22/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Chicago - Wednesday, May 22, @ 08:00 PM

Sands Bethlehem Event Center , $60.50 - $96.00, All Ages

Chicago - 05/24/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Chicago - Friday, May 24, @ 08:00 PM

Borgata Events Center, $56.00-$76.00, All Ages

Chicago - 05/25/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Chicago - Saturday, May 25, @ 08:00 PM

NYCB Theatre, $59.50-$69.50, All Ages

Chicago - 05/26/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Chicago - Sunday, May 26, @ 08:00 PM

NYCB Theatre, $59.50-$69.50, All Ages

The Package Tour: New Kids On The Block With Guests 98° & Boyz II Men - 06/01/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

The Package Tour: New Kids On The Block With Guests 98° & Boyz II Men - Saturday, June 1, @ 07:30 PM

Nassau Coliseum, $24.50-$94.50, All Ages

Patti LuPone with the NJSO - 06/02/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Patti LuPone with the NJSO - Sunday, June 2, @ 03:00 PM

Patti LuPone with the NJSO

Sunday, June 02, 2013 at 3:00 PM
Location: State Theatre

$88 / $74 / $58 / $42 / $20
Standard State Theatre seating sections may not apply.

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New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Patti LuPone, vocalist

Co-presented by State Theatre and NJSO. Broadway legend Patti LuPone joins the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for a spectacular concert of songs from her life both on and off stage. The two-time Tony® Award-winner (Eva Peron in Evita and Rose in the 2008 revival of Gypsy) has been called “the American musical theatre’s greatest living star.” LuPone’s other Broadway credits include, the original Fantine in Les Miserables, Oliver, Sweeney Todd, and Anything Goes. Conductor to be announced.

GROUP DISCOUNTS:
12-29 people: $88 / $67 / $52 / $38 / $18

30+ people: $88 / $59 / $46 / $34 / $16

Group Discount Hotline: 732-247-7200, ext. 517 (groups@statetheatrenj.org)

PACKAGES:
VIP: Sold Out (2 box seats, Donor Lounge, drinks/snacks)
Tickets Plus: $142 (2 mid-orchestra tickets, 2 glasses of wine, chocolate) Order online >
Dining: $215 (2 mid-orchestra tickets, a $100 dining gift certificate, 1 rose) To order call: 732-246-7469
Getaway: From $199 (2 mid-orchestra tickets, hotel accommodations) Order online >

Underwritten by:

Underwritten by:

DAVE RETCHER

Cold beer? Nice Chardonnay? Or perhaps a Malibu Bay Breeze!
Our full service bars are open one hour prior to show time through intermission.

We strongly recommend ages 13+ for this show. Child seating policy details >

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Beethoven Orchestra Bonn
'S Wonderful! 'S Marvelous! Gershwin!

State Theatre, $20.00-$88.00, All Ages

Farmers Insurance Presents Rascal Flatts - 06/02/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Farmers Insurance Presents Rascal Flatts - Sunday, June 2, @ 07:00 PM

Super group Rascal Flatts announced today they will extend theirFarmers Insurance Presents “Changed Tour” with a winter leg of 20 dates starting January 10 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Special guest The Band Perry will join Rascal Flatts for the 2013 leg of the tour.

Rascal Flatts is known for their highly energetic performances and state-of-the-art production. The
Minneapolis Star shared, “country music’s best-selling trio of all time brought lots of harmonies, a little humor and imaginative video. They came across as committed, fun-loving, crowd-pleasing entertainers.” And the Orange County Register claimed Rascal Flatts performance of “What Hurts The Most” in their encore at the mid-September show at Verizon Amphitheater “definitely helped put the show over the top as the best country performance of the fading summer season.”

PNC Bank Arts Center, $20.25-$69.50, All Ages

Dave Matthews Band - 06/06/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Dave Matthews Band - Thursday, June 6, @ 07:00 PM

Formed in Virginia in the early 1990's, Dave Matthews Band quickly developed an intensely loyal, grassroots following intrigued by its eclectic sound and compelling live performances. Today, with 14 million tickets sold, the Grammy Award winning Dave Matthews Band is consistently one of the top draws on the concert circuit. 2005's Stand Up, the group's most recent studio album, was Dave Matthews Band's fourth consecutive studio album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200. It was followed in 2006 by the band's first-ever retrospective - The Best of What's Around, Vol. 1 - a double disc set capturing many of the band's hits, including "What Would You Say," "Crash Into Me" and "American Baby."

PNC Bank Arts Center, $40.50-$75.00, All Ages

Summerland Tour 2013 – Alternative Guitars - 06/11/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Summerland Tour 2013 – Alternative Guitars - Tuesday, June 11, @ 07:30 PM

Summerland Diamond VIP Experience
Buy VIP Diamond Tix >
Includes:
• One Premium Reserved or General Admission Ticket
• One Meet and Greet with Everclear
• One Photo Opportunity with Everclear
• An Intimate Acoustic Performance by Everclear
• One Tour Poster
• One copy of "Invisible Stars" autographed by Everclear
• One Summerland Water Bottle
• One Summerland Tote
• One Commemorative Laminate
• Crowd Free Merch Shopping (where available)
• Early Entry Into The Venue (where available)

Four 90s rock powerhouse bands all in one concert! Everclear, Live, Filter, and Sponge—turn on radio stations across the country and you’re still likely to hear hits from these four bands. With songs like “Father of Mine,” “Santa Monica,” “Lightning Crashes,” “I Alone,” “Hey Man, Nice Shot,” “Take a Picture,” “Plowed,” and “Molly”—and the list goes on and on—Summerland 2013 represents a huge value for music fans and a great summer’s night out.

EVERCLEAR
(Art Alexakis, lead vocals/guitar; Dave French, guitar/vocals; Freddy Herrera, bass/vocals; Sean Winchester, drums/vocals; Josh Crawley, keyboards/vocals) With hits like the modern rock radio staples “Santa Monica,” “Everything to Everyone,” “I Will Buy You a New Life,” “Father of Mine,” and “Wonderful,” Everclear has sold more than nine million albums globally. Last year the band released Invisible Stars, their first album of new material in six years.

LIVE
(Chris Shinn, lead vocals; Chad Taylor, guitars; Patrick Dahlheimer, bass; Chad Gracey, drums) Exploding onto the 90's alternative music scene with a string of hits such as “I Alone,” “Lightning Crashes,” “Lakini’s Juice,” “Dolphins Cry,” “Operation Spirit,” “Selling the Drama,” “White, Discussion,” and “All Over You,” Live is back touring with their signature spiritual sound headed up by new lead singer, Chris Shinn, formerly of Unified Theory.

FILTER
(Richard Patrick, lead vocals/guitar; Jonathan Radtke, guitar; Phil Buckman, bass/backing vocals; Jeff Fabb, drums) Brandishing an extensive body of material spanning five albums and several motion picture soundtrack contributions, Filter's most revered tracks include “Hey Man, Nice Shot,” “Take A Picture,” “Welcome To The Fold,” and The Crystal Method collaboration “(Can't You) Trip Like I Do.” Filter's sixth studio album The Sun Comes Out Tonight is slated for release in June 2013.

SPONGE
(Vinnie Dombroski, lead vocals; Kyle Neely, guitar; Andy Patalan, guitar; Tim Patalan, bass; Billy Adams, drums) During the boom of the mid-90’s, this Detroit based alternative rock band went Top 5 on the charts with songs, “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles).” With their catchy hooks and bone-crunching riffs, the band went platinum on their debut album, Rotting Piñata. Sponge is now touring in support of a brand new release, Stop the Bleeding.

GROUP DISCOUNTS:
12-29 people: $75 / $59 / $41 / $32
30+ people: $75 / $52 / $36 / $28
Group Discount Hotline: 732-247-7200, ext. 517 (groups@statetheatrenj.org)

State Theatre, $75 / $65 / $45 / $35, All Ages

The Package Tour: New Kids On The Block With Guests 98° & Boyz II Men - 06/13/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

The Package Tour: New Kids On The Block With Guests 98° & Boyz II Men - Thursday, June 13, @ 07:30 PM

Izod Center , $26.00-$96.00, All Ages

The Package Tour: New Kids On The Block with guests Boyz II Men & 98° - 06/15/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

The Package Tour: New Kids On The Block with guests Boyz II Men & 98° - Saturday, June 15, @ 07:30 PM

The Wells Fargo Center, $29.50-$92.50, All Ages

Ford F-Series Presents Toby Keith with Kip Moore - 06/21/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Ford F-Series Presents Toby Keith with Kip Moore - Friday, June 21, @ 07:00 PM

One of the top touring draws of his era, Toby Keith is preparing to put the hammer down on a new tour called, appropriately, the Hammer Down Tour. Presented by longtime partner Ford F-Series, the run begins on June 8 in Ozark, AR.

High-profile stops include Chicago, Washington DC, and Sturgis Buffalo Chip. Prior to the start of the tour, Toby will be headlining the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, a night at the four-day festival Country Thunder in Florence, AZ, and a night at the blockbuster Stagecoach festival in Indio, CA. Forbes' 2012 top-earning country artist thanks in no small part to his standing-room-only tours, Toby takes to the road again with dates set through September. Joining him on this party is special guest Kip Moore.

Touring in support of his current album Hope On The Rocks, Keith will bring his acclaimed live show and its breakneck set list of hits, not the least of which is the album's title track single, "Hope On The Rocks." Like most of his crowded stable of smashes, the song was written by the man himself.

Toby Keith remains the primary creative force behind a remarkable career that, in 2012, reached new milestones: His "Red Solo Cup" certified itself as the biggest viral event in country music history. His 10th annual USO Tour again brought him to international hotspots to boost the morale of America's fighting men and women.

PNC Bank Arts Center, $39.00-$89.00, All Ages

Bruno Mars - The Moonshine Jungle World Tour - 06/24/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Bruno Mars - The Moonshine Jungle World Tour - Monday, June 24, @ 07:30 PM

Wells Fargo Center, $40.00 - $130.00, All Ages

Jimmy Buffett - 06/25/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Jimmy Buffett - Tuesday, June 25, @ 08:00 PM

Susquehanna Bank Center, $45.00-$160.00, All Ages

Frampton's Guitar Circus with Robert Cray - 06/27/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Frampton's Guitar Circus with Robert Cray - Thursday, June 27, @ 08:00 PM

Beacon Theatre, $39.50 - $125.00, All Ages

One Direction - 2013 Tour - 06/28/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

One Direction - 2013 Tour - Friday, June 28, @ 07:00 PM

Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, $50.00-$110.00, All Ages

Kid Rock - 06/29/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Kid Rock - Saturday, June 29, @ 06:45 PM

PNC Bank Arts Center, $20.00, All Ages

Bruno Mars Moonshine Jungle World Tour - 06/29/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Bruno Mars Moonshine Jungle World Tour - Saturday, June 29, @ 08:00 PM

After a string of behind-the-scene jobs -- everything from writing songs for Brandy to impersonating Elvis -- singer/songwriter/producer Bruno Mars put his name on top of the charts in 2010 by collaborating with rapper B.o.B. for the single “Nothin’ on You.” Born Peter Hernandez in Waikiki, Hawaii, Mars’ kicked off his career at the age of four fronting his uncle’s band as the Island’s youngest Elvis impersonator. Ten years later, he was impersonating the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, with the Legends in Concert show. After graduation, his uncle convinced him to move to the Mainland and follow of his dream of becoming a singer. Months of frustration and going nowhere followed before Mars met songwriter Phillip Lawrence, the man who would convince him to try his hand at writing songs for other artists. The two would dub themselves the Smeezingtons and co-write “Long Distance” which would be recorded in 2008 by R&B singer Brandy. The gigs came in fast after that and in 2009, when the duo co-wrote “Right Round” for rapper Flo Rida, they had their first number one hit on their hands. A year later, Mars would co-write and sing on B.o.B.’s number one hit “Nothin’ on You,” and would do the same for Travie McCoy with his cut “Billionaire.” Also in 2010, he released his debut solo EP It's Better If You Don't Understand which featured more pop material mixed with the R&B. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi

Barclays Center, $40.00 - US $130.00, All Ages

Kid Rock - 07/09/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Kid Rock - Tuesday, July 9, @ 06:45 PM

Susquehanna Bank Center, $20.00, All Ages

Taylor Swift: The Red Tour - 07/13/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Taylor Swift: The Red Tour - Saturday, July 13, @ 06:30 PM

Taylor Swift has been singing all her life, motivated by her grandmother, who was a professional opera singer. She began performing locally around her town and county at the age of ten, and at age 11 sang the national anthem before a Philadelphia 76ers game. By the time she was 12, she had picked up the guitar and began practicing four hours each day, until her fingers started to bleed. Swift's parents began to support her music, and recognized her talent, perseverance, and budding future as a professional musician. The family began making regular visits to Nashville, TN, where Swift would perform casually and meet with songwriters in the area. The family decided to move to an outlying Nashville suburb, which accelerated Swift's career. While performing at a showcase at Nashville's Bluebird CafÃ©, Swift caught the eye of music industry veteran Scott Borchetta. He had plans to create a new label and decided Swift was one of the first acts he wanted to sign. Still a high school student fascinated by love (which she uses as her muse), she released her debut single, "Tim McGraw," in August 2006, followed by a self-titled album that October. ~ Megan Frye, All Music Guide

MetLife Stadium, $46.50-$99.50, All Ages

Summer Break Tour: Big Time Rush & Victoria Justice - 07/13/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Summer Break Tour: Big Time Rush & Victoria Justice - Saturday, July 13, @ 07:00 PM

PNC Bank Arts Center, $49.50 - US $99.50, All Ages

Broadway Rocks - 07/18/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Broadway Rocks - Thursday, July 18, @ 08:00 PM

Broadway’s celebrated Music Director Todd Ellison and State Theatre will present three very special evenings of Broadway in Concert (Broadway Rocks, Broadway Romance, and Broadway's Greatest Hits). Each spectacular and unique event features Ellison with a band and several Broadway singers to be announced.

Hailed by The New York Times as one of “Broadway’s electric conductors,” Todd Ellison is one of the most accomplished and sought after Music Directors working today. Currently Music Director and Conductor of the new Broadway production of Annie, Ellison’s other credits include Monty Python’s Spamalot, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, La Cage aux Folles, and 42nd Street, among others.

State Theatre, $50 / $45 / $40 / $35 / $25, All Ages

Legends of the Summer: Justin Timberlake & JAY Z - 07/19/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Legends of the Summer: Justin Timberlake & JAY Z - Friday, July 19, @ 08:00 PM

Yankee Stadium, $49.00-$279.50, All Ages

fun. with very special guests Tegan and Sara - 07/19/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

fun. with very special guests Tegan and Sara - Friday, July 19, @ 08:00 PM

The Mann Center, $29.50-$39.50, All Ages

Train: Mermaids of Alcatraz Tour with The Script and Gavin DeGraw - 07/23/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Train: Mermaids of Alcatraz Tour with The Script and Gavin DeGraw - Tuesday, July 23, @ 06:00 PM

Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, $20.00-$75.00, All Ages

Train: Mermaids of Alcatraz Tour with The Script and Gavin DeGraw - 07/24/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Train: Mermaids of Alcatraz Tour with The Script and Gavin DeGraw - Wednesday, July 24, @ 07:00 PM

Susquehanna Bank Center, $40.00- $90.00, All Ages

Imagine Dragons - 07/25/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Imagine Dragons - Thursday, July 25, @ 07:30 PM

Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, $39.50 - US $49.50, All Ages

The Mrs Carter Show World Tour Starring BEYONCÉ - 07/25/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

The Mrs Carter Show World Tour Starring BEYONCÉ - Thursday, July 25, @ 08:00 PM

Wells Fargo Center, $45.00-$250.00, All Ages

JONAS BROTHERS - 07/26/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

JONAS BROTHERS - Friday, July 26, @ 08:00 PM

Borgata Events Center, $75, $85, All Ages

The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour Starring BEYONCÉ - 07/31/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour Starring BEYONCÉ - Wednesday, July 31, @ 08:00 PM

BEYONCÉ

I AM... SASHA FIERCE

* * * * *

"When I started the record," says Beyoncé about her new double album I AM... SASHA FIERCE, "I knew that, artistically, I had to grow. Even though I've been very successful and very fortunate, I want to still be challenged and still be nervous and still be anxious about all the things that make my career exciting."

One of 2008's most anticipated new album releases, I AM... SASHA FIERCE is Beyoncé's first new studio collection since her Grammy-winning multi-platinum-selling B'DAY debuted at #1 on charts around the world shortly after its international release on September 4, 2006 (in celebration of Beyoncé's 25th birthday).

Each of the discs on Beyoncé's new double album reveals a distinctly different side of her personality, character and sensibility, a forum for the yin-and-yang of her developing artistry.

One of the discs, titled I AM..., provides Beyoncé with a musical showcase for a group of intimate heartfelt ballads while the SASHA FIERCE disc gives voice to Beyoncé's up-tempo dance-oriented other side.

"SASHA FIERCE is my alter ego," says Beyoncé, "and now she has a last name. I have someone else that takes over when it's time for me to work and when I'm on stage, this alter ego that I've created that kind of protects me and who I really am. That's why half the record, I AM..., is about who I am underneath all the makeup, underneath the lights, and underneath all the exciting star drama. And SASHA FIERCE is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I'm working and when I'm on the stage. The double album allows me to take more risks and really step out of myself, or shall I say, step more into myself, and reveal a side of me that people only know me see."

With I AM..., Beyoncé reveals a variety of musical aspects and interests that may take her fans by surprise. Citing a range of influences including "folk songs and alternative songs and acoustic guitar...stuff that's different from what I sing," Beyoncé has produced, written, recorded and performed a finely crafted selection of contemporary ballads that combine the best elements of pop and soul music while expanding the possibilities of both genres.

"You can hear with 'If I Were A Boy,' (one of the album's first singles), it's not a traditional R&B song," she offers. "It's difficult to grow and to break out and do new things because people have strong expectations. I feel like at this point, I wanted people to hear songs with stronger lyrics and songs that made you feel. I love singing ballads because I feel like the music and the emotion in the story is told so much better. It's a better connection because you can hear it and it's not all these other distractions. I really wanted people to hear my voice and hear what I had to say."

For her I AM... collection, Beyoncé collaborated with some "writers and producers that I normally hadn't worked with" including producer Toby Gad on "If I Were A Boy" and UK songwriter Amanda Ghost on "Disappear," which reminds Beyoncé "of the Beatles a tad bit," "Satellites" and "Ave Maria," in which Beyoncé re-imagines a classic aria in a new and original musical setting. "When I knew that certain things I wanted to say, I couldn't say myself, I invited other writers to come in," she says. "Lyrically, it's the best album I've ever had. If a song didn't say anything or mean anything to me, I didn't put it on the record."

According to Beyoncé, "SASHA FIERCE is kind of the opposite, she's more the other side because sometimes you don't want to think; sometimes you just want to feel good. She's the party girl, she's Bootylicious. She is but I'm not. She's my alter ego. I'm finally revealing who I am."

The lead-in track on the SASHA FIERCE disc is "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," Beyoncé's scorching anthem of personal empowerment. "That song is all about: 'I've been with you all this time, you're taking too long and now I'm looking hot and you see it and you gotta suffer because you shoulda put a ring on it,'" Beyoncé explains. "In my life, when I put on the stilettos, it's all about being confident, sometimes overly confident, and hearing all the things that women need to hear to boost themselves and go out and to move on."

"SASHA FIERCE is fun. There's an up-tempo song called 'Radio' that basically talks about my childhood. It just seems like a feel-good record but when you really listen to the lyrics, it's about me growing up. In my household, I didn't go to all of the parties and I didn't do all the things that a lot of the other teenage girls did because I was so in love with my radio and my music. I was so in love with this radio and my parents were happy that I was into something positive. I try to make up-tempo records that feel good but underneath they're still saying something. SASHA FIERCE is a collection of the kinds of songs that I'm usually known for and I love just as much as the more intimate side of me."

Songs on Beyoncé's I AM... include "If I Were A Boy," "Halo," "Disappear," "Broken Hearted Girl," "Ave Maria," and "Satellites." Beyoncé's SASHA FIERCE records include "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," "Radio," "Diva," "Sweet Dreams," and "Video Phone."

Producers and writers collaborating with Beyoncé on I AM... SASHA FIERCE include Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Stargate, C. "Tricky" Stewart & Terius "The Dream" Nash, Rodney "DarkChild" Jerkins, Sean "The Pen" Garrett, Solange, Jim Jonsin, Rico Love and Ryan Tedder.

I AM... SASHA FIERCE is Executive Produced by Beyoncé Knowles and Mathew Knowles for Music World Productions, Inc.

* * * * *

In addition to the multiple artistic achievements on I AM... SASHA FIERCE, Beyoncé has recently completed work on a pair of high profile movie projects including her role as R&B legend Etta James in Darnell James' "Cadillac Records." According to Beyoncé, becoming Etta James on-screen, "was a challenge for me emotionally because Etta had a lot of challenges in her life, things that I've never experienced. I had to really dig deep so that I could have the right performance and represent her well. One thing she taught me is her fearlessness; she was Etta all the time. She was bold and she did not try to change who she was for anyone. She was one of the queens. If it weren't for her crossing over -she was the first African-American woman to cross over on the radio, I wouldn't have the opportunities that I have. It was the best performance I think I've done on screen. It gave me the strength and the confidence to step out of my comfort zone even more."

Izod Center , $45.00-$250.00, All Ages

The Black Crowes & Tedeschi Trucks Band - 08/09/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

The Black Crowes & Tedeschi Trucks Band - Friday, August 9, @ 06:30 PM

PNC Bank Arts Center, $29.50-$85.00, All Ages

Honda Civic Tour Featuring Maroon 5 - 08/10/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Honda Civic Tour Featuring Maroon 5 - Saturday, August 10, @ 07:00 PM

Maroon 5 have released two multi-platinum studio albums (2002's Songs About Jane and 2007's It Won't Be Soon Before Long), scored a string of hit singles ("This Love," "She Will Be Loved," "Harder to Breathe," "Sunday Morning," "Makes Me Wonder"), won three Grammy Awards, and sold 15 million albums around the world. Now the Los Angeles quintet is back with its third-studio album, entitled Hands All Over — a killer hybrid of rock, pop, funk, and R&B, that showcases the band's considerable strengths: buoyant, unforgettable melodies, sleek, stylish grooves, charged lyrics about turbulent relationships, and crisp, dynamic performances.
Adam Levine, the band's lyricist, began writing the songs that appear on Hands All Over after winding down from a world tour in support of It Won't Be Soon Before Long. A few months later, Maroon 5 received a phone call from veteran studio wizard Robert John "Mutt" Lange (AC/DC, Foreigner, The Cars), who had heard that Maroon 5 were beginning to write a new album and expressed an interest in producing it. "We didn't even talk to anyone else," Levine says. "Mutt is undeniably one of the most successful producers who's ever lived."
Levine's first performing experience — in fact the event that ignited his desire to become a singer and musician — actually involves Lange. The story goes like this: 20 years ago, when Levine was 10, he attended a friend's birthday party "at one of those places in the San Fernando Valley where the kids dress up in rock'n'roll gear and lip-sync their favorite songs," he says. Levine chose the Def Leppard classic "Pour Some Sugar On Me." "I knew I could sing because my music teacher told me I had a voice, but I had never really performed before. I grabbed the mic and just went for it. Afterwards I knew that I've got to do this for the rest of my life. That's what got the whole ball rolling for me." The classic anthem "Pour Some Sugar On Me" was, of course, famously produced by Lange. "If that's not a full 360, I don't know what is," Levine says. "It doesn't get more circular than that."
In July 2009, the members of Maroon 5 — Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bassist Mickey Madden, guitarist James Valentine, and drummer Matt Flynn — decamped to Lange's studio in Vevey, Switzerland, on the north shore of Lake Geneva where they worked distraction-free with the Swiss Alps looming in the distance. "Just being near those majestic mountains and lakes was so inspiring," says Jesse Carmichael. "Waking up and seeing these giant snow-capped peaks, it set the tone for the record and made the whole thing feel like some sort of magical summer camp experience." Adds Carmichael: "Mutt really helped us play to the best of our ability. And it drove us to be bigger and better than ever. Everything he does is huge."
"Huge" is a good way to describe Hands All Over, starting with the hard-rocking title track that is heavier than anything Maroon 5 has ever done. Says Valentine: "It doesn't sound like anything we've done so far." Another stylistic departure is "Out of Goodbyes," a stunning country ballad that features musical and vocal contributions from Nashville chart-toppers Lady Antebellum. "We've always loved country music," Levine says, "and they brought that necessary twang to it with the lap steels, ambient guitar, and Hillary Scott's pretty country voice." Other highlights include the deeply groovy "Don't Know Much About That," the propulsive "Stutter" ("a great showcase for Adam's voice," Valentine says) and "Misery," which will thrill long-time Maroon 5 fans with its funky guitars and high-stepping melody.
Maroon 5 first hit it big in 2002 with Songs About Jane, which went quadruple platinum and spawned four hit singles: the blockbuster Top 40 No. 1 "This Love," the Top 5 "She Will Be Loved," as well as "Harder to Breathe" and "Sunday Morning." Its success cemented their status as a world-class rock band and led to a 2005 Grammy Award win for "Best New Artist." They followed up Songs About Jane with Acoustic (2004), a collection of unplugged songs, and Live — Friday the 13th (2005), which earned them a second Grammy for "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal" for the 2006 live recording of "This Love."
In May 2007, Maroon 5 released It Won't Be Soon Before Long, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart, selling nearly half a million copies its first week of release. The Grammy-nominated album featured several hits, including "If I Never See Your Face Again" and "Makes Me Wonder," which earned Maroon 5 their third Grammy, once again for "Best Pop Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocals." In 2009, they released Call & Response: The Remix Album, an 18-track "mixtape" that featured Pharrell Williams, Mark Ronson, Swizz Beatz, Paul Oakenfold, and many others, putting a new twist on the band's biggest hits. Maroon 5 also collaborated with Rihanna on a Grammy-nominated new version of "If I Never See Your Face Again," which appeared on the re-release of the Barbados-born pop star's 2007 album Good Girl Gone Bad. (Levine has also collaborated with Ying Yang Twins, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Natasha Bedingfield, and K'naan.)
Along the way, Maroon 5 toured the world, including a sold-out headlining tour of the U.S., during which they partnered with environmental action organization Reverb to reduce their carbon footprint. Known for their commitment to the environment, Maroon 5 also became members of the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) and were honored at the 2006 Environmental Media Awards and have pledged both time and energy toward Global Cool, an initiative launched to fight global warming by motivating a billion people worldwide to reduce their personal energy use.
It won't be any different in 2010 when Maroon 5 release Hands All Over, which is as accessible and broadly appealing as anything the band has ever done, including their breakthrough smash Songs About Jane. "Every record should be like our first, that's the way we think about it," Levine says. "We don't ever want to rest on our laurels or get too cozy. We always want to keep aspiring to do our best — and this album captures that."

PNC Bank Arts Center, $35.50-$125.50, All Ages

John Mayer: Born & Raised Tour 2013 - 08/21/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

John Mayer: Born & Raised Tour 2013 - Wednesday, August 21, @ 07:00 PM

"With any trilogy," says John Mayer, "the third in the series blows it open."
On CONTINUUM the singer/songwriter/guitar slinger meets that challenge head-on. Mayer's third studio album follows the multi-platinum ROOM FOR SQUARES (2001) and HEAVIER THINGS (2003) and marks his first turn as producer. It is his most soulful, cohesive collection yet and he says it's no accident that this project is where all of his efforts, his potential, and his disparate influences fully come together.
"The night I was recognized for ‘Daughters' at the Grammys was the night this record started," he says. "I knew I had bought the time to learn everything I needed before I started this one. CONTINUUM is not a shot in the dark, it's not a guesstimation. This is the first endeavor in my entire life, music or otherwise, that I did not cop out for a second on."
The last few years have seen Mayer maintaining a frantic pace. In addition to his own writing, recording, and touring, he has collaborated with icons and contemporaries alike - Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Herbie Hancock, as well as Kanye West, the Dixie Chicks, and Alicia Keys. In doing so, Mayer says his own interests have grown and his perspectives expanded.
Mayer also credits his collaboration with Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino (collectively known as the John Mayer Trio) and the intimate-venue tour that produced the 2005 live album TRY! with helping to recalibrate his musical priorities. "As a songwriter, the Trio helped me focus on being more raw," he says. "As a guitar player, it helped me get a lot out of my system. If it wasn't for the Trio, CONTINUUM would have been less accessible. It let me settle up with my needs as a musician, and get to a point somewhere between the Trio record and ROOM FOR SQUARES - and that's a really good place to be."

While the Trio tour showcased Mayer's blazing fretwork, he says he learned lessons from those shows about restraint. "When I made my first record, there was no trust in space because it was all me, everything was just on those six strings," he says. "With Steve and Pino, it was all about space, using a whole different palette. When your tone is good on the guitar you need, like, four notes. The more concise and right you have it, the less you need around it." One listen to such spare, carefully crafted songs as "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" or "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)" instantly reveals this new approach.

Mayer points to one song in particular as the turning point for CONTINUUM. "I wrote ‘Gravity' last summer, and it changed everything," he says. "You talk less when you trust that people understand you. ‘Gravity' had to be sparse. And when I listened to it - for the first time, holding back - then it was a whole new game. That might be the most important song I ever wrote."

Armed with this outlook, Mayer knew CONTINUUM would tackle larger ideas than those that defined his previous albums. "A big challenge was writing about big themes," he says. "I'm not a better writer in terms of sitting down in front of a pad, but I'm better in terms of receiving inspiration and converting it into something ‘real' quicker. I'm better equipped to deal with those moments."

The hard-hitting "Belief," tackles an infinitely complex subject. Over a slinky, hypnotic guitar groove, he sings "We're never gonna win the world, we're never gonna stop the war/We're never gonna beat this if belief is what we're fighting for," questioning the power and the limitations of faith and convictions. "It's an intellectual landmine - how do you write a song about what people believe without impugning their beliefs?," he asks. "I wanted to get right next to people's belief and look at it without threatening it. It's tricky. You only get x number of syllables and you have to write something you can defend."

With "Waiting on the World to Change, Mayer shot for something even more ambitious - something like an attempt to explain his generation's attitudes about politics. "It's meant to shed a little light on inactivity and inaction," he says, "because I don't believe that inaction is disinterest, I think inaction is preservation - nobody wants to get involved in a debate in which the rules and the facts will change so that they'll lose. So we end up with this other option, which is, I guess we'll just have to wait for things to get better.

CONTINUUM also includes the first cover Mayer has put on an album, his version of "Bold As Love" by the incomparable Jimi Hendrix. "To me, it's the quintessential Jimi Hendrix song," says Mayer. "The sensitivity, the imagery, the power. I also think the third record is the time when you challenge everybody. It's your throwdown. I like inviting the challenge of, should this guy even touch Hendrix's music? To which I answer, well, everybody should. Why not?"
Having just announced a co-headlining tour with Sheryl Crow to help launch CONTINUUM, Mayer is raring to start playing his new material for an audience. "This record is infinitely playable," he says. "I built so many corners into these songs I cannot wait to play them live - I've been imagining myself on stage playing ‘Slow Dancing in a Burning Room' for the last six months."
Ultimately, CONTINUUM represents maturity, both musically and thematically, for John Mayer - a concept that he wasn't comfortable with until now. "A lot of these songs are about coming to terms with getting older," he says. "My generation was never told we were going to get older. We thought we were going to hear our names on ‘Romper Room' for the rest of our lives. For a long time, I was really upset about getting older, worried that things were just going to level out.
"But then I realized that everyone around me was all getting older at the same time. We're all fighting it together, and we're always going to be those kids, the first really emotionally aware generation. When I realized that, I could relax about it a little bit. And I thought that maybe I can be the guy to sing about it."
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PNC Bank Arts Center, $36.00-$79.50, All Ages

Depeche Mode - 09/06/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Depeche Mode - Friday, September 6, @ 07:30 PM

Depeche Mode, one of modern music's most influential groups with album sales in excess of 100 million, will bring THE DELTA MACHINE WORLD TOUR to North America this summer. As pioneers of the post-punk era and the most popular electronic band of all-time, they continue to draw legions of loyal fans to arenas and stadiums around the world to experience their once-in-a-lifetime performances.

Barclays Center, $49.50-$129.50, All Ages

Selena Gomez - 10/16/2013

WMGQFM — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:38:45 GMT

Selena Gomez - Wednesday, October 16, @ 07:00 PM

Before releasing her debut album in 2009, Selena Gomez began her career as a child actress. Born in 1992, she grew up in Texas and got her first break as a cast member on the kids TV show Barney and Friends. Gomez landed minor roles in several other TV programs, but it was her affiliation with the Disney Channel -- who discovered her during a nation0-wide talent search in 2004 -- that officially jumpstarted her acting career. Guest appearances on The Suite Life of Zach and Cody and Hannah Montana paved the way for Gomez's own show,The Wizards of Waverly Place, which premiered in October 2007 and quickly became one of the network's most popular programs. Dubbed "the next Miley Cyrus," Gomez began juggling her commitment to The Wizards of Waverly Placewith additional projects, including movie roles and a burgeoning singing career.

Gomez began branching out into pop music by recording songs for her own Disney projects. She sang the theme song for Wizards of Waverly Place, recorded several other tunes for the the show's soundtrack, and performed on the soundtrack of the family film Another Cinderella Story. By 2009, she'd also assembled her own teen pop band, Selena Gomez & the Scene, and signed a contract with Hollywood Records. The band's full-length debut, Kiss & Tell, was released that year and went gold, as did its 2010 follow-up, A Year Without Rain. Gomez continued filming The Wizards of Waverly Place and made her theatrical debut in the 2010 film adaptation of Ramona and Beezus, but her music gathered just as much attention, as did a highly publicized relationship with fellow teen idol Justin Bieber. When Wizards of Waverly Place started airing its final season in November 2010, Gomez shifted her attention back to her band, whose third album -- When the Sun Goes Down -- was recorded in early 2011 and released later that year. ~ Matt Collar & Andrew Leahey, Rovi

Barclays Center, $30.50-$70.50, All Ages