While it is hard to believe any band or artist who says they are retiring, I thought Slayer were really calling it quits when they wrapped things up five years ago on their Farewell Tour. At the time, frontman Tom Araya was suffering from health issues, and Slayer would not be Slayer without him.
Well, it seems he has gotten better and the touring bug has bitten him again as Slayer have announced they will reunite to play five festival dates, including Riot Fest in Chicago on Sept. 22.
“Nothing compares to the 90 minutes when we’re on stage playing live, sharing that intense energy with our fans,” Araya said in a press release. “And, to be honest, we have missed that.”
Expect a full-blown tour to be announced shortly.
Primus, Coheed on same bill
It’s going to get a little weird this summer as Primus and Coheed and Cambria team up for a unique music experience.
Kicking off July 12, the fun comes to our region on July 30 as the pair of eclectic acts invade The Andrew J. Brady Music Center in Cincinnati with special guests Too Many Zooz. Other shows include Everwise Amphitheater in Indianapolis on Aug. 1, Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, on Aug. 5, and Kemba Live! in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 6.
The pairing is a natural one, according to Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez, since “the music of Primus has had a creative influence on me,” he said in a press release. “It is a huge honor to get to share the stage with them.”
Sanchez also announced that his latest comic book series from the acclaimed The Amory Wars saga, No World for Tomorrow, will release issue No. 1 to comic shops on May 8.
If Coheed and Cambria is your style but Primus is not, the former will also be co-headlining with Incubus on Aug. 23 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and Aug. 24 at Allstate Arena in Chicago.
Doobie Brothers return
Rock & Roll Hall of Famers The Doobie Brothers will play 38 cities across the United States this summer on the heels of last year’s 50th anniversary tour which reunited Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons, and John McFee for the first time in a quarter-century.
Beginning June 15 in Seattle, the tour reaches our region Aug. 15 at Pine Knob Music Theatre outside Detroit. The tour then makes its way to Ruoff Music Center outside Indianapolis on Aug. 17, followed by Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati on Aug. 18, Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, on Aug. 22, and Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Chicago on Aug. 25.
Steve Winwood will open the shows.
Comedy in Motown
The rebirth of a great Motown comedy and variety staple comes when the Detroit Comedy Jam is presented at the new Cambria Hotel in downtown Detroit on March 8-9.
Headliners include John Stamos, Mike Binder, and the incomparable Howie Mandel, with Heather Jay hosting.
Jelly Roll swings into region
Rising country star Jelly Roll has upgraded to arenas for his next tour, taking Alexandra Kay and Warren Zeiders with him on The Beautifully Broken Tour.
The two-month trek stops at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 9 and Chicago’s United Center on Oct 11.
Jelly Roll has been on a … roll … since the release of his seventh studio album, Whitsitt Chapel, which helped him win Best New Artist at the CMAs and garnered a 2024 Grammy nomination in the same category, which was won by Victoria Monét.
Road Notes covers concerts within driving distance of Northeast Indiana. Send your news items to info@whatzup.com.
