Roadrunner This year has been phenomenal when it comes to rock and metal music tours, and with 2012 coming to an end, the year will surely be remembered as one defined by many spectacular achievements. We’re going to miss 2012, but Gojira , Devin Townsend and the Atlas Moth have just put together a must see tour set to pummel the year 2013. Beginning Jan. 14, three of modern music’s most progressive and genre-bending acts will team up for a month long North American tour. Hot off the heels of their ‘L’Enfant Sauvage’ album, Gojira are currently at the highest point of their career. Gojira’s latest record has opened their music up to a broader audience, creating one of the year’s greatest breakthrough accomplishments. Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier recently spoke with radio goddess Full Metal Jackie about touring with Devin Townsend and the Atlas Moth. “They’ve had an influence on us,” begins Duplantier, “the way we behave onstage, the way we play, they way we approach the whole thing, sometimes it’s purely technical like the way they plug in their gear. So we always learn something from touring with people that’s why I’m so happy to tour with Devin, he’s such an incredible singer – one of my influences actually and he’ll be opening for us [Laughs] how crazy is that? We’re all huge fans of Devin Townsend, Strapping Young Lad, it’s a great honor to have him on tour.” Devin Townsend released ‘Epicloud’ this year, displaying a more omniscient and comforting sound in contrast to his heavier past. After a solid run with Katatonia and Paradise Lost, Townsend and his band will hit North America again very soon. For those unfamiliar with the Atlas Moth, the Chicago-based sludge band have been trudging forward since 2007, releasing two full-length albums and two EPs since their inception. Keep these guys on your radar, because they’ve got the talent to create an incredibly accomplished future. Check out the tour dates for Gojira, Devin Townsend and the Atlas Moth’s 2013 tour below. Gojira, Devin Townsend + the Atlas Moth 2013 Tour Dates 1/14 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ Mill City Nights 1/15 – Winnipeg, Manitoba @ Garrick Centre 1/16 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan @ Odeon Events Centre 1/17 – Calgary, Alberta @ MacEwan Hall 1/19 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Vogue Theatre 1/20 – Seattle, Wash. @ Studio 7 1/21 – Portland, Ore. @ Hawthorne Theatre 1/23 – San Francisco, Calif. @ The Fillmore 1/24 – Sacramento, Calif. @ Ace Of Spades 1/25 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Henry Fonda Theatre 1/28 – Tempe, Ariz. @ Marquee Theatre 1/29 – Albuquerque, N.M. @ Sunshine Theatre 1/31 – Dallas, Texas @ Granada Theatre 2/1 – San Antonio, Texas @ White Rabbit 2/3 – Houston, Texas @ Warehouse Live 2/4 – St. Petersburg, Fla. @ State Theater 2/5 – Atlanta, Ga. @ The Masquerade 2/7 – Baltimore, Md. @ Rams Head Live 2/8 – New York, N.Y. @ Irving Plaza 2/9 – Millvale, Pa. @ Mr. Smalls 2/11 – Chicago, Ill. @ House Of Blues 2/13 – Toronto, Ontario @ Phoenix Concert Theatre 2/14 – Montreal, Quebec City @ Le National 2/15 – Worcester, Mass. @ The Palladium 2/16 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Theatre Of Living Arts [button href=”http://loudwire.com/gojira-joe-duplantier-talks-upcoming-north-american-tour-randy-blythe-explosia-video/” title=”Next: Gojira’s Joe Duplantier Talks to Full Metal Jackie” align=”center”]
OzzfestJapan.com Any band will tell you that it’s always a treat to tour Japan. The Japanese metal music fans are among the most passionate on the planet and are always rabid to see their favorite acts. Surely with the fans in mind, it has been officially announced that the famous Ozzfest will be making its first trip to Japan in May 2013. Ozzfest will be hitting Japan on May 11 & 12, 2013. No bands have been confirmed as of this posting, but the official Ozzfest Japan website has been launched, which features a video announcement straight from Sharon Osbourne , the festival organizer wife of Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne . “Ozzy and I want to tell you that [in] May 2013, we’ll be bringing Ozzfest to Japan for the first time ever,” begins Sharon. “We are so excited. Please be there because we love you, Japan.” In other intercontinental metal news, Sharon also recently told Australian radio station Triple M that Black Sabbath will be headed down under in 2013. “They are going to be touring here in the spring of next year, definitely.” Could that mean Sabbath are headlining Ozzfest Japan, as well? Stay tuned for more Ozzfest Japan news as details are unveiled. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/oderus-urungus-vs-ozzy-osbourne-president-of-heavy-metal-election-round-1/” title=”Next: Ozzy Competes for President of Heavy Metal” align=”center”]
Facebook: Black Veil Brides Good things come to those who wait, and 2013 is looking especially good for Black Veil Brides fans. In addition to their recent announcement that their new album would be arriving in January, the group has also revealed their first extended tour in support of the album. The band will hit the road for what they’re calling “The Church of the Wild Ones Tour” beginning Jan. 4 in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Café. The North American trek will be broken up into two legs, with the entire month of January filling the first leg and the second leg running Feb. 17-March 8. The group will announce their special opening act on Dec. 8, and info about the group’s ticketing and VIP packages will be announced shortly via their websites and social networking pages. Black Veil Brides recently announced that their latest effort, ‘ Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones ,’ would arrive in stores in January. Pre-orders for the album are expected to start around Halloween. In addition to their 2013 touring, the band has booked an appearance at the California Metalfest in San Bernardino on Nov. 24. Black Veil Brides “The Church of the Wild Ones” 2013 Tour: 1/4 — Las Vegas, Nev. — Hard Rock Café 1/5 — Phoenix, Ariz. — Nile Theatre 1/7 — Denver, Colo. — Ogden Theatre 1/9 — Odessa, Texas — Dos Amigos 1/10 — Dallas, Texas — The Palladium 1/11 — San Antonio, Texas — Backstage Live 1/12 — Houston, Texas — House of Blues 1/14 — Tampa, Fla. — State Theatre 1/15 — Jacksonville, Fla. — The Edge 1/16 — Atlanta, Ga. — The Masquerade 1/18 — Baltimore, Md. — Rams Head Live 1/19 — Philadelphia, Pa. — The Trocadero 1/20 — Sayreville, N.J. — Starland Ballroom 1/22 — Cleveland, Ohio — Peabody’s 1/23 — Buffalo, N.Y. — Infinity 1/25 — New York, N.Y. — Best Buy Theatre 1/26 — Worcester, Mass. — The Palladium 1/27 — Manchester, N.H. — Armory 1/29 — Pittsburgh, Pa. — Alter Bar 1/30 — Toronto, Ontario — Opera House 2/17 — Allentown, Pa. — Crocodile Rock 2/19 — Louisville, Ky. — Headliners 2/21 — Chicago, Ill. — House of Blues 2/22 — Detroit, Mich — Crofoot Ballroom 2/23 — Mexico City, Mexico — El Plaza Condesa 2/27 — Salt Lake City, Utah — In the Venue 2/28 — Boise, Idaho — Knitting Factory 3/1 — Seattle, Wash. — Studio Seven 3/2 — Spokane, Wash. — Knitting Factory 3/4 — Chico, Calif. — Senator Theatre 3/5 — Reno, Nev. — Knitting Factory 3/6 — Sacramento, Calif. — Ace of Spades 3/8 — San Francisco, Calif. — Regency Ballroom [button href=”http://loudwire.com/bert-mccracken-of-the-used-joins-black-veil-brides-in-the-studio/” title=”Next: The Used’s Bert McCracken Joins Black Veil Brides in the Studio” align=”center”]
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Even though their tour stopped in New York City a couple of weeks shy of Halloween, the ‘Twins of Evil’ made fans feel like it was indeed All Hallow’s Eve. Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson put together two blistering sets at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom on Wednesday, Oct. 17. With Manson taking the stage first, the entire venue was buzzing about the recent feud between the evil twins. Throughout a set that included brand new songs like ‘No Reflection’ and ‘Slo-Mo-Tion,’ and fan favorites like ‘The Dope Show,’ ‘mOBSCENE’ and ‘The Beautiful People,’ Manson never mentioned his touring partner or the beef between them. Manson and his band performed for a solid 80 minutes with no complaints. With half of the show complete, fans still weren’t convinced the feud was over. But much like Manson’s set, Zombie never took any swipes. In fact, at one point, Zombie referred to Manson and his band as his “touring friends.” Zombie opened the night with ‘Jesus Frankenstein’ and followed it with blow-after-blow, including ‘Meet the Creeper,’ ‘Scum of the Earth,’ ‘Sick Bubblegum’ and a short cover of Alice Cooper’s ‘School’s Out.’ With or without a quarrel, the twins delivered a memorable show. From Manson’s huge light set-up that at one time flashed the word ‘DRUGS’ to Zombie’s gigantic devil that rocked out to John 5′s signature guitar solo, fans in New York City were given an early Halloween treat last night. Both frontmen seemed to be giving 110% during their sets, running around onstage and interacting with the audience. As fans walked out of the venue, there was no question that they just enjoyed one of the best Halloween celebrations of their lives, even if it was a couple of weeks early. The evening was opened up by DJ Starscream (aka Sid Wilson of Slipknot), who got the crowd ready for a night of mayhem. He even used portions of some Slipknot tracks in a few of his mixes. Check out our exclusive photo gallery of the show below: Rob Zombie Photos: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Marilyn Manson Photos: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire DJ Starscream Photos: Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire ? Liz Ramanand, Loudwire
Kevin Winter, Getty Images On the heels of learning that Metallica will be taking over Green Day ‘s headlining gig at the 2012 Voodoo Music + Arts Experience in New Orleans, Loudwire had the chance to catch up with ‘Tallica axeman Kirk Hammett . This will be Metallica’s first concert in New Orleans since 2008, so needless to say there is a lot of excitement around the announcement . With Green Day pulling out of the festival due to lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong ‘s entrance into rehab, Hammett looks at the concert as more than just filling an open slot. “I’m very honored that we’re able to help our friends in Green Day,” he says. “I wish Billie Joe the best of luck, we’ll do anything to help them out. It’s great to be able to help him out.” What can fans expect from the show? “It’s such a recent development, so we haven’t really discussed what we’re going to do yet,” Hammett explains honestly. “New Orleans during Halloween, I’m really excited about that. I love New Orleans, I love the voodoo folklore, I love the vampire folklore. It should be pretty interesting.” With the recent release of Hammett’s book that chronicles his horror movie memorabilia collection, ‘ Too Much Horror Business ,’ there’s no doubt that fans are in for a treat on Halloween weekend in New Orleans. The 14th annual Voodoo Music + Arts Experience kicks off on Oct. 26 and runs through Oct. 28. Metallica will be headlining the Oct. 27 date. [button href=”http://ultimatemetallica.com/” title=”Get All the Latest Metallica News Here” align=”center”]
Metallica.com After pop-punk legends Green Day chose to withdraw as headliners of the 2012 ‘Voodoo Music + Arts Experience’ due to frontman Billie Joe Armstrong entering rehab for substance abuse, the band’s replacement has just been named. The replacement headliners just happen to be the most commercially successful metal band in history, Metallica . Now that Green Day have pulled out of the festival, this will mark Metallica’s first New Orleans performance since 2008, and Metallica now join Neil Young, Jack White , Die Antwoord, Skrillex and many more artists at the ‘Voodoo’ festival. Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming festival date. “We are excited to be part of our first ever Voodoo Music + Arts Experience,” says Ulrich. “Our good friends and fellow Bay Area residents Green Day had to unfortunately cancel their plans to be there, so we are more than happy to fill in for them in our own unique way. We’re hoping we can fill those very large shoes and do them proud.” Founder and producer of ‘Voodoo,’ Stephen Rehage also shared his excitement, along with relief in a new press statement. “After a hectic few days – and sleepless nights – having Metallica, one of the world’s greatest bands agree to perform at Voodoo in the place of Green Day, only two weeks before the festival, feels pretty surreal at the moment – like being part of rock & roll history in the making… something you will tell your grandkids about years from now,” says Rehage. “We are incredibly grateful to Metallica and their management team for supporting us in this unprecedented manner. I am sure Metallica’s performance at Voodoo will be remembered for many years to come.” The 2012 ‘Voodoo Music + Arts Experience’ will mark the 14th anniversary of the outing, and will be held on Oct. 26-28, with Metallica playing the Oct. 27 date. [button href=”http://ultimatemetallica.com” title=”Get All the Latest Metallica News Here” align=”center”]
Donald Kravitz, Getty Images When we arrived at Bader Field the day before Metallica ‘s Orion Music + More festival, we were greeted with the band rocking out to one of our favorite tunes, ‘Creeping Death.’ It turned out that they were performing their usual pre-show soundcheck, working out all the kinks before they kicked off their first ever two-day fest. For those who weren’t lucky enough to be in Atlantic City to experience Orion, the band released both nights’ performances as downloads via LiveMetallica.com . While those cost money to download, Metallica has now released that Friday soundcheck as a free download . The soundcheck includes the aforementioned ‘Creeping Death,’ ‘Hell and Back’ from the ‘Beyond Magnetic’ EP and the instrumental ‘The Call of Ktulu.’ With this being a soundcheck, the band was not playing as serious as they would during an actual live performance. This is obvious when frontman James Hetfield, while jamming on ‘Creeping Death,’ decides to skip out on singing the first verse. This looseness provides a unique listening experience for ‘Tallica fans, making this a download you won’t want to miss. Orion Music + More was held at Bader Field in Atlantic City on June 23 and 24, 2012. It was Metallica’s first music festival that they created and the band has promised to turn it into an annual tradition. Download Metallica’s Orion Music + More Soundcheck here. [button href=”http://ultimatemetallica.com” target=”_blank” title=”Click Here For Complete Metallica Coverage” align=”center”]