Tim McGraw returns to San Manuel Amphitheater in June. Photo: Michael Loccisano, Getty Images
• Country Megaticket: Got a spare $600 and planning on seeing country stars galore this year? Your deal of deals just dropped via this four-show package, enabling you to buy ahead of each event’s general on-sale date.
What do you get? Two shows at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Luke Bryan on Aug. 10 and Rascal Flatts on Sept. 14, as well as two more at San Manuel Amphitheater: Tim McGraw on June 8 (his 12th album Two Lanes of Freedom arrives next week) and Brad Paisley on Aug. 24 (his 9th, Wheelhouse, spins in April).
Six bills too steep? How about lawn for $125? Parking is included in either assortment. Country Megatickets become available Friday at 10 a.m., though pre-sales for Citi members and more start Wednesday.
• The Hollywood Bowl: Initial details of the venerable venue’s 92nd season were revealed Tuesday morning, and as always there are several gems in the schedule, this time including …
- M83 with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Phantogram on Sept. 22
- Rodrigo y Gabriela with DeVotchKA and one more to be announced, July 14
- Three shows from Josh Groban over Fourth of July weekend, July 2-4
- A one-off appearance from Tony Bennett, Aug. 2
- Props to Pops: Dr. John’s Tribute to Louis Armstrong, also featuring the Blind Boys of Alabama, Terrence Blanchard, Nicholas Payton and more, July 31
- A terrific triple-bill of Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and distinctive singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux, Aug. 7
- Recent Kennedy Center honoree Buddy Guy with the Funky Meters, Aug. 21
Then there’s She & Him, the duo of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, who issue Volume 3 on May 7 and play the Bowl on June 23, along with Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell (whose collaboration Old Yellow Moon arrives next month), plus one more act still to be named. Also see S&H at San Diego State’s significantly smaller Open Air Theatre on June 21 or at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on June 19.
More in the Bowl’s mix: Reggae Night XII, featuring Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Stephen Marley, June 30; Queen Latifah and Roy Ayers, July 10; Sergio Mendes with Herb Alpert & Lani Hall, July 17; Pink Martini, July 19-21; the Sun Ra Arkestra with Oliver Mtukudzi, Aug. 4; Willie Nelson & Family, Aug. 9-10; Natalie Cole, Aug. 14; Blue Man Group, Sept. 6-7; George Benson’s tribute to Nat King Cole, also with Dianne Reeves, Sept. 11; and Earth, Wind & Fire, Sept. 13-15. Subscriptions are on sale now; individual shows become available in May.
• Reminders: Two Staples Center dates announced last week go on sale this week, including a third Southern California show from Fleetwood Mac on July 3, $49.50-$149.50, Friday at 10 a.m.; and New Kids on the Block’s Package Tour with 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men on July 5, $29.50-$99.50, Saturday at 10 a.m. (Also see that bill at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on July 6, $59.50-$125, on sale same time.)
• The Specials: The influential English 2Tone ska outfit, one of the standouts of Coachella 2010, has extended its reunion and will make two more Southern California appearances, March 18 at Club Nokia in the L.A. Live complex ($35-$45) and March 20 at the Fox Theater in Pomona ($28.50-$42.50). Both are on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Yes, vocalist Terry Hall is still in the band. Neville Staple, however, has been sidelined by illness.
• Michael Bolton: Last June the singer, who turns 60 next month, issued Gems, a set of duets including partners like Seal, Rascal Flatts, Orianthi, Chris Botti and A.R. Rahman. Something tells me none of those people will turn up when Bolton headlines Aug. 15 at City National Grove of Anaheim, $45-$75, on sale Friday at noon.
• Victoria Justice: The teen star of Victorious, who turns 20 next month (uh-oh, time to leave Nickelodeon), is back for another big summer show after packing Pacific Amphitheatre last July. She performs June 19 at Nokia Theatre, $39.50-$59.50, on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.
Also new at the L.A. Live venue are two Spaniards: pop/rock star Alejandro Sanz, May 1, $29.50-$149.50; and vocal legend Raphael, May 26, $59.50-$119.50. Both of those appearances go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
• Vicente Fernández: The Mexican folk hero, already expected at Staples Center on March 24, quickly returns for three more shows, April 26-28, at Gibson Amphitheatre, $87-$257, on sale Friday at 1 p.m.
• Lianne La Havas: The fast-rising folk-soul star has added a second show at El Rey Theatre, March 19, $22. Meanwhile, two groups that recently announced O.C. gigs logically also stop at the L.A. venue: country greats the Mavericks turn up March 26, $30, and Cloud Cult plays May 11, $17. All are on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
• The Coach House: Bob Schneider, March 20, $20; Jerry Garcia Band, March 21, $20; the English Beat, April 13, $25; Eric Burdon, April 19, $39.50; and Beatles-vs.-Stones tribute battle pitting Abbey Road against Jumping Jack Flash, June 1, $15; and the Marshall Tucker Band, June 22, $35.
• House of Blues Anaheim: Two tribute bands acts have added gigs, including Badfish (a Sublime salute) on April 6, $18, and Doors reincarnation Wild Child on April 19, $23.50. Both are on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
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Country Megaticket bundles McGraw, Paisley, more is a post from: Soundcheck
