Grayson Minney, lead singer and guitarist for Columbia Fields, died in an early morning car crash. (Nick Caito)

A Columbia Fields and Echo & Drake show set for this Saturday at Main Pub in Manchester will go on as scheduled, as a tribute to the life of Grayson Minney.

Minney, lead singer for Columbia Fields, was killed in a car crash early Sunday when he apparently lost control of his car on Route 85 in Hebron just south of Route 94. He was 28.Saturday night’s show at the Main Pub in Manchester starts at 9 p.m. Brian Jarvis, Kevin Howard, Brian Verderosa, and several more local musicians will perform guest vocals for Columbia Fields. A portion of money from the door will go to the Minney family.

Click here for more information on the Facebook event page.

The Minney family has also set an official Celebration of Life Ceremony this Sunday from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Rham High School, 85 Wall Street in Hebron. The event is open to the public and a large crowd is expected. A private memorial service was held Friday morning.

A charitable foundation is being set up in Grayson Minney’s name. Donations can be made to Frederick Minney, care of First Niagara Bank, 31 Main Street, Hebron, CT 06248.

Since Minney’s death there has been an outpouring of mourning, memories, and support from area musicians. Grayson Minney and Columbia Fields were stalwart fixtures in the close-knit Connecticut music scene for the last decade.

Unfortunately, there are some who would choose to make the legend a reality, to their own detriment.

The Courant reports that Dr. Steven Wolf, chairman of the emergency department at St. Francis Hospital, said at a press conference yesterday that the issue of binge drinking at concerts has risen to the level of a public health issue.

In what seems to be a perennial concern, concerts at the Comcast Theatre in Hartford and tailgating that happens for hours before a concert even begins are what city officials called a focus of the issue.

“We want people to be there and have a good time, and tailgating is certainly a part of that, but we want people to act responsibly,” responded John Huff, general manager for the Comcast Theatre.  “You don’t need to be out there for five hours to have a good time.”

Click here to read the full story.

Fourteen years ago, a Dave Matthews Band concert at the Hartford Meadows (as it was called back then) resulted in a full blown riot as intoxicated crowd members became unruly.

While nothing at that level has happened since, it is true that intoxicated concert goers are a real problem for themselves and for others trying to enjoy the concert.

From personal experience on a smaller scale, it’s horrible to try and enjoy a band while someone spills a beer down your back without any remorse. On a bigger scale, having a drunken brawl cause a band to stop a show ruins the night for everyone.

But it’s also true that often the legend outweighs the reality. The vast majority of people at any given concert are sober, or at least responsible. What is it about the very idea of a concert that would make some want to go overboard?

It’s safe to assume most of you readers are concert goers… do you think drinking or smoking is a real big problem at concerts, or is it just part of the experience? Is this restricted to only one genre of music, like country, or metal?

And most important of all, how do you keep people safe while ensuring everyone has a good time?

Black Francis played a sold out show at the Spaceland Ballroom on May 15. (Nick Caito)

Black Francis took the stage at Spaceland Ballroom rather simply. All he did was walk on, wave, and put his cream colored Fender Jaguar over his sleeveless shoulders.

It was that relaxed vibe that encompassed most of his set. Black Francis (aka Charles Kittridge Thompson aka Frank Black) was alone with his guitar on stage and jamming out, it just happened that a few hundred people were watching.
“Uh I’m sorry, I forgot how this song ends.” Francis said, bringing an abrupt halt to a seemingly never ending final chorus of “Bad News,” only his second song of the night. “That one is a little depressing for the second song of a set.”

That was his only real musical foible for the roughly two hour solo performance. Black Francis deftly played through his songs with a natural ease, spouting forth the dynamic alternation between warbly singing and bat-like screech that he’s known for. With just an electric guitar and two effects pedals, Black Francis brought out surprisingly full sounding melodies despite the lack of any backing musicians.

Black Francis played a sold out show at the Spaceland Ballroom on May 15. (Nick Caito)

Francis went through a huge catalogue of songs, encompassing Frank Black material (I Heard Ramona Sing, [I Want To Live on an] Abstract Plain), Frank Black And The Catholics (Six Sixty Six), and Black Francis (You Can’t Break a Heart and Have It).

Of course there were quite a few tracks from The Pixies, which still proves to be Francis’ most popular project. He performed three tracks from 1989′s “Doolittle,” including “Wave of Mutilation” as the set opener. The biggest crowd reaction was likely to “Where Is My Mind?,” which instantly drew falsetto backing vocals from the audience.

Black Francis is joined by Reid Paley on stage at the Spaceland Ballroom. (Nick Caito)

A few of his regular cover performances were thrown in, playing Flying Burrito Brothers’ “Wheels” and lending his trademark yelling to Tom Waits’ “The Black Rider.”

After closing his set with “Los Angeles,” opener Reid Pailey was brought up on stage for another few tracks off their collaborative record, 2011′s “Paley & Francis.”

The Rascals, a soul group from the 60′s, have reunited for a ‘bioconcert’ produced by Steve Van Zandt. (Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images)

Mohegan Sun will be telling the tale of The Rascals on Aug. 30, through the eyes of Steven Van Zandt.

“The Rascals: Once Upon A Dream,” produced by Van Zandt, is billed as a “bioconcert,” part Broadway show and part concert featuring the original band members. The event at the Mohegan Arena goes on sale Friday at 10 a.m. for $45 through Ticketmaster.

Ke$ha is returning to the Mohegan Sun Arena on Aug. 23. (Nick Caito)

Sometimes Ke$ha can be a little cringeworthy. But on the plus side, since she last performed at Mohegan Sun the pop star has collaborated with Iggy Pop and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips. She returns now on Aug. 23. Tickets are $49, and on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

MGM Grand is hosting the “TGT Tour,” featuring Tyrese, Ginuwine, and Tank. The concert is July 14, with tickets on sale now for $20 and $35 at foxwoods.com.

Cheap Trick are at the Pequot casino Aug. 28. There should be a surcharge if you’ve tried singing “I Want You To Want Me” at karaoke, but there’s not. Tickets are $37.50 and on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through foxwoods.com.

Bronze Radio Return have a new record coming out, and celebrate with a release show the week before, on June 15 at the Great Hall at Union Station in Hartford. Tickets are $13 at ticketfly.com, or $15 at the door.

Barenaked Ladies are at Infinity Hall on June 5 for an Infinity Hall Live taping. Tickets are on sale now at infinityhall.com for $95 or $135 for the mezzanine, which includes a meet and greet with the band.

Deer Tick plays Infinity Hall on July 7, with tickets at $39 and $59. Billy Cox, former Jimi Hendrix’ Experience bassist, plays with The Band Of Gypsys Experience on June 20 for $34 and $49. Those shows go on sale Thursday, May 16, at 6 a.m. at infinityhall.com.

Bosnian Rainbows will be at Spaceland Ballroom this fall. (Handout)

Bosnian Rainbows, the new project from Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of At The Drive In and The Mars Volta, is at Spaceland Ballroom on July 16 for $15.  Pinback plays Sept. 12 for $18, and The Feelies are there on Sept. 28 for $20. Those shows go on sale Friday at noon at manicproductions.org.

Relient K plays Toad’s Place on July 14. Tickets are $17 in advance or $20 at the door, and on sale Friday at noon through toadsplace.com. Beres Hammond is there on Aug. 14 for $30, on sale now.

The Caravan of Thieves show at Iron Horse was moved from last Friday to Sept. 21. Kristy Lee is at the venue on July 10, and Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion play Sept. 14. Those shows are all $12.50 and on sale now at iheg.com.

Coming Up This Week:

Friday night has Soundgarden playing the Oakdale Theatre. Conversely, get your party on with Jay Sean at the Shrine Nightclub.

Saturday is a big night, with Brad Paisley at the Comcast Theatre and Motley Crue at Mohegan Sun. New Found Glory is at Toad’s Place, playing “Sticks And Stones” in its entirety for a 10 year anniversary tour. Don’t you feel old, Generation Y?

Speaking of Generation Y punk, Alkaline Trio is at Toad’s Place on Sunday. There’s also a great rock show down the street at Cafe Nine, with Coliseum, California X, and 2 Ton Bug.

James McCartney is at Cafe Nine on Tuesday night, and New Haven garage rockers Estrogen Highs play BAR next Wednesday.

Flaming Lips’s Wayne Coyne rolls out into the crowd at Mountain Park in 2010 in a giant hampster ball. (Brian Lee)

Brace yourselves… The Flaming Lips and Spiritualized are playing Connecticut this July in one of the can’t miss concerts of the summer.

The Oklahoma natives’ show at Summerwind in Windsor is their only show in the Northeast this summer, according to promoter Mark Nussbaum of Manic Productions, other than a few shows in New York this May. The next closest is in Pittsburg on July 16.  This is also only one of two shows The Flaming Lips have booked with Spiritualized so far this year.

Spiritualized will be playing with Flaming Lips on July 15 at SummerWind in Windsor. (Handout)

The July 15 show is on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. through ticketmaster.com, manicproductions.org, or 800-745-3000. Tickets are $43 for the front covered tent area, and $33 for general admission at the outdoor venue.

Premier Concerts, The Bushnell, and Manic Productions all collaborated to bring the concert to Connecticut. It was originally planned for the Simsbury Meadows, but was moved to Windsor’s SummerWind last week.

“We’re all really excited, this is definitely going to be the biggest show we’ve ever done,” said Nussbaum. “It’s got potential to be the biggest and the best.”

Back in 2002 The Flaming Lips were put on Q Magazine’s list of “50 Bands to See Before You Die.” Their last area concert, at Mountain Park in 2010, seemed to prove the judgement remains accurate. Click here to see more ridiculous photos from that show

Spiritualized alone are worth the price of admission. Last year saw Spiritualized’s first new album since 2008 with the release of Sweet Heart Sweet Light. The group’s psychoactive source, Jason Pierce, underwent a series of treatments for liver disease in the months before its release. The album is a solid endeavor that hints at a little Velvet Underground style psych garage, but keeps the band’s airy minimalistic space dreams.

Last month The Flaming Lips dropped the intensely creepy record “The Terror,” perhaps the first time they’ve accurately described an album in its title. While not flush with abject horror, it’s certainly a departure from the band’s usual style by being completely creepy as hell. It makes for a great soundtrack to a silent movie from the 20′s (no seriously, try it sometime with the lights off).

Watch a video of The Flaming Lips performing the track “Do You Realize??” at Mountain Park in 2010:

Col. Chris Hadfield, commander of the International Space Station and a David Bowie fan (at least one would assume), stars in the music video. He’s also the first Canadian commander of the ISS.

According to the CBC, Col. Hadfield has generated more than 22 million youtube hits from his various videos. His twitter feed and Facebook page are also filled with incredible shots of the earth from space.

The CBC reports Hadfield will be on his way back to earth tonight on a Russian Soyuz space capsule. Sadly that means there probably isn’t enough time for a video to Spiritualized’s “Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space.”

Grayson Minney, lead singer and guitarist for Columbia Fields, died in an early morning car crash. (Nick Caito)

Grayson Minney, the lead singer and guitarist for the group Columbia Fields, was killed in a car crash early Saturday morning, State Police said. Minney was 28 years old.

According to police, Minney was on Route 85 in Hebron just south of Route 94 around 3:40 a.m. when he apparently lost control of his car. The car struck a guardrail, went airborne, and crashed into two large trees, police said.

Columbia Fields, and Grayson Minney, have long been fixtures on the Connecticut music scene. According to the group’s bio, they were formed in 2002 by Minney and keyboardist Eric Heath. Over the years they’ve played just about everywhere from big venues like The Webster and Toad’s Place to bars like Main Pub and Black Eyed Sally’s.

“He was full of energy. A really well liked guy, had a lot of friends. He just brought a life to the party,” Heath told Fox CT’s Crystal Hall in an interview Saturday night. “It still hasn’t hit me. I don’t really feel it’s happened yet. I don’t think it’s going to hit me for a while, it’s really hard to process.”

Grayson Minney, left, plays on stage at the Mohegan Sun Arena in 2010, when Columbia Fields opened for Bon Jovi. (Nick Caito)

In 2010 the group won a competition to open for Bon Jovi at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Columbia Fields also won the Hartford Advocate’s “Best Indie Band” award in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

More recently, Grayson Minney was involved with the “Downtown Rocks For Newtown” benefit. Minney played an acoustic set with keyboardist Heath and drummer Bryan Kelly.

“Grayson and Columbia Fields are one of the best local and regional bands who represent Hartford, they always were,” said Cory Sims, one of the organizers of the benefit. “Grayson was one of the nicest, and talented too, guys in the local scene.”

That sentiment is echoed by Brian Verderosa, a fellow musician, as well as friend and fan of Minney. “On stage and off the stage, he just beamed with confidence and love,” said Verderosa, who played immediately before Columbia Fields at the “Downtown Rocks For Newtown” benefit. “He knew the commodity of playing music out was rare, and having people who love it as much as you do is rare, and he never took that for granted.”

The two developed a friendship at Columbia Fields’ shows, and Verderosa helped him out with gear while working at Guitar Center. “He played [his guitar] so hard that he had blood residue in the sound hole of the guitar. His blood is literally in the instrument,” Verderosa said. “That’s the passion he has for music and what he brought to it.”

By midday Saturday, posts on the group’s Facebook page paid tribute to Grayson.

“Their fans loved them, not in a fleeting boy band kind of way but in an eternal way. I watched them play and I thought, ‘This is the kind of impact I want my band to have,’” posted Trent Gerbers, of the band Addison Station.

“We’ve played many shows together and I was honored to share the stage with him. God’s choir gets an incredibly talented musician but I wish we could have had his gift here on earth a little longer.”

Watch Crystal Hall’s report on Fox CT below:

Charlottesville’s local CBS / ABC / Fox affiliate did a story recently with a look at the stage and light system, which is being constructed in the Virginia city.

Dave Matthews Band has two dates, June 7 and 8, set for Hartford’s Comcast Theatre. Tickets range from $40.50 to $75 and are on sale through Ticketmaster.com.

Watch the clip below:

Joey Batts performing with Bronze Radio Return at Black Eyed Sally’s in 2010. (Nick Caito)

Congratulations go out to Hartford area rock / rapper Joey Batts, aka Joe Battaglia aka “Mr. B.”

Battaglia was named a finalist for Hartford’s 2013 Teacher Of The Year for his work at Opportunity High School, where he uses music like Tupac to reach kids that others may have given up on. Click here to read the full write up from the Courant’s Vanessa De La Torre.

Joey Batts is your best friend.

You may recognize Joey’s face from his regular performances in the area fronting his group “Joey Batts and Them,” or the Shepard Fairey style stickers everywhere that declare your friendship in no uncertain terms.

The group’s next show is Saturday night, May 11, at The Hartford Room on Ann Uccello Street in downtown. Click here for more shows and info on the group.

Check out the video for his track ’860′ below:

KISS are returning to Mohegan Sun this August. (Nick Caito)

KISS will be blasting their way into the Mohegan Sun Arena in a couple months, no doubt with plenty of theatrics and pyrotechnics.

The group performs on Aug. 10 for $76 and $96. Tickets are on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Hard rock fans will also be pumped for Megadeth’s 2013 ‘Gigantour,’ with fellow Metallica alumn Newsted, plus Black Label Society and Hellyeah. Tickets for the July 5 stop are also on sale Friday at 10 a.m., for $35 a pop.

Dropkick Murphys have two area dates, both at big outdoor venues. The first is at Mountain Park in Holyoke on Aug. 16 for $31 (on sale Friday through iheg.com), then on Aug. 22 at Ives Concert Park for $30 (on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster)

Aretha Franklin’s concert at MGM Grand at Foxwoods on May 26 has been cancelled, apparently due to doctor’s orders. Tickets are refundable at their point of purchase.

TobyMac is returning to the Webster Bank Arena late this year. (Nick Caito)

Christian rock titan Tobymac is returning to the Webster Bank Arena on Dec. 6 along with American Idol’s Mandisa and a slew of other artists. Tickets are $48 and on sale Thursday, May 9, at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Ani DiFranco booked a second area date this fall, this one at Infinity Hall on Nov. 11. Tickets are $80 and $100. The Norfolk venus has Ten Years After on Aug. 20 ($69, $94), Tom Rush on Sept. 12 ($40 and $60), and John Scofield on Sept. 13 ($45 and $65). Those shows go on sale to the public Thursday, May 9 at infinityhall.com.

Chicago is coming back around to the Toyota Oakdale Theatre on Aug. 20, with tickets from $39 to $76. R&B singer Jill Scott is there June 28, with seats from $39.50 to $95. Rapper Mac Miller plays next door at The Dome at Oakdale on July 17, along with Earl Sweatshirt of the Odd Future crew. Those tickets are $28. All those shows are on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Capital Cities will be at Toad’s Place on Aug. 1. Tickets are $12.50 through toadsplace.com, or $15 at the door.

Todd Rundgren played Infinity Hall this past week, and makes a return to the area with a concert at the Calvin Theatre on Aug. 16. Tickets are $25 to $45, and on sale Friday at iheg.com.

Electronica duo Capital Cities will be at Toad’s Place in New Haven. (Handout)

Iron Horse has Chic Gamine on June 26 for $12, Eli Catlin with Alex Snydman on June 27 for $10, and Roomful of Blues on Nov. 30 for $22.50. Those shows are on sale at iheg.com.

Night Moves play at New Haven’s Cafe Nine on July 25 for $10. Tickets are on sale Friday at noon through manicproductions.org.

Stage One at Fairfield Theatre Company has Zach Deputy playing June 30 for $25, and Nick Lowe on Aug. 23 for $65. Deputy is on sale now at fairfieldtheatre.org, and Lowe’s concert goes on sale Sunday at noon.

Coming Up this Week:

Jose Ritter and Royal City Band play with The Felice Brothers at the Calvin Thursday night. Mary Chapin Carpenter is there the following night.

Friday is a big night, with Ghosface Killah at Toad’s, Caravan of Thieves at the Iron Horse, Lady Lamb The Beekeeper at Cafe Nine. All else fails, ICP is at the Webster.

Sunday has Coco Montoya at Manchester’s Hungry Tiger. VIP seats are still available.

Wednesday has Pixies frontman Black Francis at Spaceland Ballroom.

It’s time for the 4th annual Whalie Awards, put on by WailingCity.com. (Handout)

Voting is open and running for the fourth annual New London-centric Whalie Awards.

The awards are put on by WailingCity.com, a site dedicated to the esoteric, somewhat insular, but insanely vibrant music scene in New London.

Categories range across all genres, from Best Indie Pop to Best Roots Rock, Best Hip Hop, and Best Solo Singer / Songwriter. All the nominees are New London area acts.

New this year is write-in voting for Best DJ in the New London area. Voters can write in their nominees until May 10, after which the top vote getters become official nominees.

Voting for the People’s Choice awards is open until May 25. Click Here for a full list of categories and nominees, and Click Here to vote.

Further awards are chosen for the Whalies by a group of judges outside the New London area, including Album Of The Year categories, Best Song categories, and more.

It all culminates with an official red carpet and awards show at Hygenic Art Park on May 25.

Diana Ross will be coming to Hartford’s Bushnell Theatre. (Getty Images)

Soul singer supreme Diana Ross will be performing at the Bushnell Theatre this fall.

Her Aug. 13 concert goes on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through bushnell.org or at 860-987-5900. Tickets range from $49.50 to $109.50, or $179.50 for limited ‘gold circle’ seats.

Ozzy Osbourne may have fallen off the wagon recently, but that hasn’t stopped Black Sabbath from announcing a fall tour. Original members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler will be in the mix when the band play Mohegan Sun on Aug. 8. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster for $69, $99, and $139.

The Beach Boys have a date booked at the Mohegan Arena for July 28 as part of the REACH Foundation and Ahmad Rashad Celebrity Classic. The concert is on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster for $30, $55, and $75. The group also lists a Sept. 29 date at the Big E on their website, though no ticketing information was immediately available about that concert.

Peter Frampton has a show booked at the Simsbury Meadows on Aug. 7. The concert is on sale Friday at 10 through Ticketmaster, and goes for $43 to $78.

MGM Grand has OneRepublic playing on Aug. 2, with tickets at $30 and $45. Counting Crows and The Wallflowers perform on June 21 for $60 and $75, Lynyrd Skynyrd plays July 28 for $35 to $65, and Steely Dan is there on Sept. 28 for $55 to $80. Those shows are on sale now at foxwoods.com.

Toby Keith announced a show at the Comcast Theatre on Aug. 25. Tickets are on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster, and go for $49, $69 ,or $29.25 on the lawn. Jackson Browne is playing a solo acoustic set at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre, with tickets from $49 to $59. That’s also on sale Friday through Ticketmaster.

Blake Schwarzenbach of the essential groups Jawbreaker and Jets to Brazil is playing at Lilly’s Pad on June 28. Tickets are $10. Low and Mike Doughty are coming to Spaceland Ballroom on June 20 for a seated performance. Tickets are $25. Both of those are on sale Friday at noon through manicproductions.org.

Low will be playing at Spaceland Ballroom in June. (Handout)

Mother Falcon performs their sweepingly epic melodies at the Iron Horse on June 13. June 15 has Ivan & Alyosha at the Northampton venue. Both shows are on sale Friday at iheg.com for $10, or $13 at the door. Ivan & Alyosha also play Cafe Nine on June 16 for $10.

Cyndi Lauper plays the MGM Grand Theatre July 13, with tickets at $40. Huey Lewis and The News are there Aug. 29 for $50 per person. Both those concerts go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through foxwoods.com.

Mohegan also has Styx and REO Speedwagon playing on Aug. 24 for $35 a head. Tickets are on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Everlast performs for free at the Wolf Den on July 29.

Infinity Hall has Joshua Payne on June 16 for $20 and $30. Robert Randolph and The Family Band play July 28 for $63 and $83, Leon Redbone Aug. 25 for $35 and $50, and Vienna Teng on Oct. 2 for $30 and $45. Those shows all go on sale Thursday through infinityhall.com.

Coming Up This Week:

Urban Outfitters on Broadway in New Haven is hosting a free show Thursday with The Guru, High Pop, and furnsss. The show is at 4 p.m.

Owen plays The Space Friday. Next Wednesday’s Youth Lagoon show has been moved from Spaceland Ballroom next door to The Space and is now all ages.

Bob Seger is at Mohegan on Saturday night, and Foreigner plays MGM on Sunday.

Blues Traveler, Steve Kimock and Bernie Worrell, Jason Crosby Band, Twiddle, and von Grey have all been added to the Bridgeport festival. The festival also kicked off their annual “Road To The Vibes” contest, where Facebook fans can vote for an unsung act to play Thursday. More than 60 acts are already listed, including some local and regional acts.

As far as the schedule goes, Saturday is the big night. The Roots, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and a yet-to-be-announced major headliner perform. Late night has a lot going on, with the Rob Garza, Papadosio, and James Murphy.

Phil Lesh and Friends play both Friday and Saturday, and Friday also features Tedeschi Trucks Band, Deep Banana Blackout, and Jimkata. Sunday has the Black Crowes headlining, along with Fishbone, Max Creek, and Blues Traveler.

Click here to see the daily schedules or go to www.govibes.com.

Any thoughts on who might headline Saturday night?

Brad Paisley: Hartford’s Comcast Theatre is always a big summer stop for country acts, and Brad Paisley is one of the top performers to come around every year. His upbeat and infections songs will fill the amphitheater May 18. Paisley’s latest, “Wheelhouse,” just premiered at number 2 on the Billboard Top 200. No word on whether the concert will feature an appearance by LL Cool J for the ridiculous track “Accidental Racist” (probably not). Information: www.livenation.com

Hot Jam 2013: One of two major annual concerts put on by hip hop station 93.7, the summertime Hot Jam always brings some of the biggest acts de jour to the area. This year has Kendrick Lamar headlining, a return appearance by J. Cole (who was on last year’s bill), plus Ace Hood, Kat Dahlia, and many more. This year’s concert moves indoors to the XL Center on May 31. Information: 860-249-6333 or www.xlcenter.com.

Ariel Pink: There are two distinct camps when it comes to Ariel Pink. Either you believe the artist is part of the eclectic wave that broke down musical concepts and ushered in a new generation of haunting lo-fi and psych-sampling music, or you think it’s a dude acting weird and pushing buttons in front of kids wearing American Apparel scarves and sweaters in the summer. Either way, Ariel Pink is at the Pearl Street Clubroom on June 8. Information: www.iheg.com.

The Eagles: Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, and Timothy Schmit are coming to Mohegan Sun on their “History Of The Eagles” Tour. A documentary seems like a weird thing to tour in support of, even if it was at Sundance. But whatever. It’s the Eagles, they can do what they want. The Uncasville concert on July 18 is only one of 11 announced tour dates for the band. Information: 860-862-7163 or www.mohegansun.com.

AmericanaramA Festival: Bob Dylan, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket have all performed in the Connecticut area at some point over the last year. However this one tour brings together all three titans of folk, roots, and, well, rock. Ryan Bingham also plays the new festival when it comes to the Ball Park at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport on July 19. This is the baseball venue’s first live music in a long time, and who wouldn’t want to see a concert outside at a ball park? Information: 203-210-2583 or www.bridgeportbluefish.com

Gathering of the Vibes: The biggest attractions at Vibes are always the remaining Grateful Dead side projects, this year including Phil Lesh, John Medeski, and Joe Russo. Of course it’s not all hemp and hacky sacks, as this year features Black Crowes, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Roots, and a DJ set by James Murphy of LCD Sound System. All kinds of weekend and camping passes are still available for the festival July 25-28 at Bridgeport’s Seaside Park. Information: www.gatheringofthevibes.com.

Lil’ Wayne: After a serious health scare last month launched rumors of the rapper on his death bed, Lil Wayne seems to have made a recovery. Weezy attributes the scare, as well as his frequent seizures, to epilepsy. He hits the road on tour again in July and comes to Hartford’s Comcast Theatre July 31. Hopefully this time around his backup dancers stay out of trouble if they decide to go to P.F. Chang’s. Information: www.livenation.com.

Beyonce: As one-half of the most powerful music couple in the world, there is no question that Beyonce’s world tour will be one of the biggest, intricately choreographed concerts of the season. She did perform at the last Super Bowl, after all. Conspiracy theorists will want to keep an eye out for subtle flashes of Illuminati symbols when Beyonce performs at Mohegan Sun on Aug. 2. Information: 860-862-7163 or www.mohegansun.com

John Mayer: It’s been a rough couple of years for John Mayer. Just before last year’s the release of “Born And Raised,” The Fairfield native had serious vocal issues that required surgery and regular Botox injections. Making a full recovery, Mayer is finally touring in support of his 2012 album. His Aug. 16 concert at the Comcast Theatre in Hartford also features American Idol winner Phillip Phillips opening. Information: www.livenation.com.

When no one was looking, Fake Babies made it sexy night at the indie club.

The New Haven area group just dropped a video for the track “Talk Like My Baby” off their recent self-titled EP. According to a posting by the group’s label, New London based Telegraph Records, it was shot on location at the group’s DIY space.

The video is a hazed out dance party of twinkling lights, interspersed with VHS clips of hip kids dancing (kinda creepy, though tempered a little by the moustaches and chunky glasses).

Beefy witch house synths anchor the track while singer Justin Roberts practices a seductive stare under the influence of double vision.

It’s a good match up for Fake Babies, who practice a slick electronica that toes that line between moody and danceable.

For more from the band and to download the EP, check out their snazzy website www.fakebabiesmusic.com.

WRTC will be playing a six hour marathon of Stax Records artists live from Memphis. (Click to enlarge photo)

This Saturday, WRTC radio’s Chris Cowles will be celebrating an anniversary in the smoothest way possible: with nothing but Stax, live from Memphis.

Cowles, who hosts the weekly “Greasy Tracks” program on the Trinity College based 89.3 FM, has made an annual tradition of playing six hours of music from the legendary Stax record label. Stax was one of the major labels for soul music from the late 50′s through the 70′s, and their legacy lives on through numerous hip hop samples.

This year’s broadcast happens to coincide with the 10th birthday of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and Cowles will be broadcasting directly from the museum in Memphis.

It will be nothing but Stax Records music from noon to 6 p.m. this Saturday, April 27, on 89.3 FM.

“We’re really honored to be invited to the museum to do this program,” Cowles said through a press release. “There will be many Stax alums there that weekend, so it’ll be a unique and tremendous opportunity to have them on the air with us in the city where it all happened. I have no doubt there will be some real surprises when it comes to interviews.”

Whether they realize it or not, millions of people have come into contact with Stax Records artists. Standing atop the pantheon of acts influenced by Stax Records is the Wu Tang Clan. The clan’s master RZA just released a collection called “Shaolin Soul Selection: Vol. 1.”

On it are songs like “I’m Afraid the Masquerade Is Over” by David Porter that was sampled for GZA’s “Duel of the Iron Mike”, and “As Long As I’ve Got You” by The Emotions (originally by The Charmels), which provides the ubiquitous hook to Wu Tang’s “C.R.E.A.M.”

Click here for more on the Stax Records marathon broadcast and to listen live online.

Listen to the RZA’s collection below on Spotify or click here to order it off Bandcamp.

Bob Dylan (shown), Wilco, and My Morning Jacket will share the stage at the Ball Park at Harbor Yard. (Olivia Harris / Getty)

Bob Dylan, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket have all performed in the Connecticut area at some point over the last year. Now they all perform together, and at a ball park no less.

The AmericanaramA Festival features the three acts, with more expected to be announced, performing at the Ball Park at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport on July 19. Tickets go on sale May 4 for $68 at www.bridgeportbluefish.com. My Morning Jacket’s Jim James is also playing the Calvin Theatre in Northampton on June 21. Those tickets are $31 and on sale Friday at iheg.com.

Robert Plant is touring with his new band, The Sensational Space Shifters, which features members of Massive Attack, Portishead, and Sinead O’Connor’s group. They play at the Mohegan Sun Arena on July 24 for $45. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Robert Plant will bring his new band, ‘The Sensational Shape Shifters,’ to Mohegan Sun. (Nick Caito)

Four big summer concerts at the Comcast Theatre were announced and go on sale this week. First up is the “Under The Influence of Music Tour” on Aug. 8, with Wiz Khalifa (assuming he doesn’t cancel on Connecticut for the third time), A$AP Rocky, and more. Tickets are $35.50 to $75.50, the lawn is $25. It goes on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. through ticketmaster.com.

Next is Rockstar Energy’s Uproar Festival on Aug. 10, with Alice in Chains, Jane’s Addiction, Coheed and Cambria, Circa Survive, and more. The lawn is $19, and seats are $29 to $79. Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 25, at noon through Ticketmaster.

The Allman Brothers Band play the Comcast with Steve Winwood on Aug. 24, with prices from $27.50 to $75. Blake Shelton is at the amphitheater with Easton Corbin on Sept. 6 for $29.75 to $59.50. Both those concerts go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Lyle Lovett is at the Ridgefield Playhouse on July 8 for the venue’s Summer Gala. Tickets are $150 at ridgefieldplayhouse.org, and include a dinner, open bar, plus silent and live auctions.

The American Idol Live tour has two dates in the area, first at Mohegan Sun (Aug. 17 for $61 and $71), then the Webster Bank Arena (Aug. 23 for $33.50 to $66). Tickets to both are on sale May 3 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Melvins are celebrating their 30th anniversary and the release of “Everybody Loves Sausages” with a tour that’s coming to Arch Street Tavern on July 30 for $20. Jon Spencer Blues Explosion will play Spaceland Ballroom on July 17 for $12. Both those shows are on sale Friday at noon through manicproductions.org.

Always controversial and sure to stir something up, especially in Connecticut, Ted Nugent is at Toad’s Place this fall, Aug. 6. Tickets are $30 and on sale Friday at noon at toadsplace.com.

The Joy Formidable have a lush yet heavy rock sound. They’re coming to Toad’s Place. (Handout)

Joy Formidable’s lush and layered rock will fill Toad’s Place on June 17. Tickets are $13 and on sale at noon via toadsplace.com.

Infinity Hall is bringing out 80′s gems Psychedelic Furs the same day, June 17 for either $50 or $70. Assembly of Dust is there June 21 for $30 and $45, and Albert Lee on Aug. 24 for $35 and $55. All those shows are on sale Thursday, April 25 at infinityhall.com.

Coming Up This Week:

New Haven’s The Proud Flesh are having an album release show at Cafe Nine on Friday night.

Country star Reba is at Mohegan Sun on Saturday night.

Dillinger Escape Plan will tear it up at Toad’s Place on Sunday night. If math rock isn’t your thing, check out Titus Andronicus at The Space. If that’s not your thing, American Idol’s Kris Allen is at the Iron Horse in Northampton.

Connecticut’s Mark Mulcahy has been generating buzz since he started playing out again. He headlines the Daffodil Festival Saturday night. (Hantout)

Now in its 35th year, the Meriden Daffodil Festival has become just as much about Connecticut music as the ubiquitous yellow blossoms that will bring an estimated 100,000 people to the Silver City next weekend.

Robert DeRosa, tasked with organizing the festival’s musical lineup, says the live entertainment is part of the festival’s history.

Since DeRosa took the reins 14 years ago, the festival’s lineup has grown to encompass 36 acts across three stages in two days. With such a huge crowd at the free event at Hubbard Park, performing at Daffodil Festival is a feather in the cap of Connecticut bands and a mecca for local music buffs.

“It’s exciting when people feel that way about our festival,” says DeRosa. “It’s like the local Glastonbury [British Music Festival], people feel it’s worth running around stage to stage. Even if you can only catch a half hour of each act, you’re seeing a lot of music over two days.”

DeRosa says his driving force in crafting the line up is simply trying to one-up the previous year.

“Every year at the end of it I think ‘Well I can’t do any better than that, I’ll have to settle for a tie,’” DeRosa quipped. “Then every year I somehow pull something out to make it exciting again.”

River City Slim and the Zydeco Hogs are a recurring act at the Daffodil Festival. (Handout)

This year’s ace in the hole is Mark Mulcahy, a Connecticut native and Daffodil Festival veteran. First gaining recognition as frontman of Miracle Legion, Mulcahy had a successful solo career before taking a hiatus to deal with a personal tragedy, the 2008 death of his wife, Melissa Rich, leaving Mulcahy to raise their young twin daughters.

Mulcahy recently released his first new solo material in years, started playing out again, and will headline on The Welcome Stage the first night of this year’s festival.

“He was one of the people I repeated a lot, because people would ask all year long ‘you having Mulcahy back, is Mulcahy back?’” said DeRosa. “It was one of his only Connecticut gigs each year, and people would come from all over the place.”

DeRosa says he tries to bring in new acts every year, though some performers return by popular demand. River City Slim And The Zydeco Hogs are recurring faces, and The Reducers were regulars before bassist Steve Kaika died last year. Frank Critelli has played the festival for more than a decade, and says he’s seen the event grow over the years.

The Guru should be on the short list of acts to catch at this year’s Daffodil Festival. (Kevin Keane Photography)

“As I’ve observed the whole thing over 14 years I think its gotten increasingly better,” Critelli said. “When they went to all Connecticut acts, that just made it even cooler in my eyes. Every year I feel like it gets bigger and better.”

Buzz-worthy acts worth seeing at this year’s festival include raucous The Guru, lo-fi melodies from Elison Jackson, the film noir drenched Daphne Lee Martin, and singer-songwriters Hannah Fair as well as Becky Kessler & Floyd Kellogg. More guitar rock includes blues rock sounds from The Manchurians, epic prog jams of 1974, and pop punkers Hostage Calm.

This year’s lineup includes a big nod to families at the festival, with PBS star Steve Roslonek who performs his SteveSongs! show Sunday. “He’s an award-winning kids music star on PBS, and it’s a free show of him which normally is $20 or more.” says DeRosa. Sunday also features wrist bands for unlimited carnival rides, or as DeRosa says “all you can ride, right until you puke.”

Hostage Calm will bring more of a pop punk sound to the Daffodil Fest for 2013. (Handout)

Frank Critelli, a Meriden resident, says the diversity of the Daffodil Festival acts is great for fellow musicians and helps to put his town on the map.

“Sometimes there’s nothing really happening here… it’s not someplace you would really think of as a destination. But I feel like the Daffodil Festival makes it a Connecticut destination for a weekend, and that always feels really good.”

THE MERIDEN DAFFODIL FESTIVAL is at Hubbard Park, 999 Main St., on Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, April 28, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Admission is free. For more information on festival parking, shuttles to the park, and more festival information visit www.daffodilfest.com.

Lil Wayne is not a human being, and just announced a date at Hartford’s Comcast Theatre (Gustavo Caballero, Getty)

Lil Wayne appears to be recovered from his health scare last month, and has announced a tour on his latest album. The rapper performs at the Comcast Theatre on July 31 with T.I. and Future. Seats are $53.75 to $169.75, with lawn tickets at $23.75. Tickets are on sale April 19 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Last time Weezy performed in Hartford, two of his backup dancers were arrested for allegedly assaulting a waitress. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen again.

Bieber ex Selena Gomez is launching a world tour that brings her to Mohegan Sun on Saturday, Oct. 19. Tickets are $31 to $66, and go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Selena Gomez will be at Mohegan Sun on Oct. 19. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty)

Ticketing information has been released for the Zac Brown Band concert at the Comcast on Sept. 1. Seats are $61.50, $41.50, and lawn tickets are $31.50. The concert is on sale Saturday April 20 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Kenny Wayne Shepard plays a free show at the Mohegan Sun Wolf Den on Saturday, July 20. Alt rockers Candlebox are there on May 31.

Hollywood Undead is at the Dome at Oakdale in Wallingford on July 12. General admission tickets are $25, and on sale Friday at 10 a.m. from Ticketmaster.

Friday night’s show by The Machine at Union Station has been cancelled, however Obie Trice plays there tonight, April 18, for $25, and Mighty Mystic plays a reggae jam on Saturday, April 20 for $10. Tickets are available at ticketfly.com.

Connecticut’s own Mates Of State are currently on a tour that has them opening a few times for The Postal Service. The duo has their own show coming up at Spaceland Ballroom on June 15. Tickets are $15, and on sale Friday at noon from manicproductions.org.

Coco Montoya is playing The Hungry Tiger on May 12. Tickets are $16 general admission, or $20 in advance for VIP seating.

Infinity Hall has The Wood Brothers performing on June 6, with tickets at $30 and $45. Littlewolf is at the venue on June 16 for $20 and $30, and Robert Cray performs June 26 for $75 and $100. Those shows go on sale Thursday, April 18, at infinityhall.com.

Heather Maloney has a CD release show at Bridge Street Live in Collinsville. (Handout)

Roomful Of Blues is playing Black Eyed Sally’s in Hartford on May 11. Tickets are $22, and on sale now at blackeyedsallys.com.

Leon Russell returns to the Iron Horse in Northampton on July 12. Tickets are $55 at the door, or $50 in advance at iheg.com.

Blues family Trampled Under Foot performing on May 7. Tickets are $10 in advance at iheg.com. Matt Schofield is there on July 21 for $15, and

Singer songwriter Heather Maloney has a CD release show at Bridge Street Live in Collinsville on April 25. Tickets are $12, with more information available at www.41bridgestreet.com.

Coming Up This Week:

Andrew W.K. gets the party started at Arch Street Tavern on Friday night.

Psych drone overlords Acid Mothers Temple are at Cafe Nine Saturday night. On a different note, Marc Anthony is at MGM Grand and Fleetwood Mac are at Mohegan Sun.

Rapper Trinidad James is at Toad’s Place next Wednesday, April 24.

10,000 Maniacs are at Infinity Hall on Friday night, and Ana Popovic is at the Norfolk venue Sunday night.

Fiscal concerns prompted the festival, an East Hartford institution for 16 years, to pull up roots and move to Dodd Stadium in Norwich last year. Scheduling was the cause of this year’s cancellation.

“The Town of Norwich and Dodd Stadium location looked promising and provided a good venue for the 2012 festival with the potential to develop into a long term home for Podunk.” read a statement posted on the festival’s Facebook page early Sunday. “Unfortunately, there was a conflict with home baseball games for the 2013 festival dates and neither the Tigers’ nor Podunk schedules could be adjusted.”

The statement continues: “After months of effort, the board has not found a clear, long-lasting solution for Podunk’s home. In order to provide artists enough time to make alternate plans, the board believes it necessary to cancel the festival at this time for 2013, and devote our time and effort to the 2014 festival.”

According to the statement, those who have already purchased advanced tickets can choose to either receive a full refund, or allow the festival to keep the money as a donation toward the festival’s 2014 costs.

Those who purchased tickets can contact festival organizers via email to rogercrpa@yahoo.com, or snail mail at 80 Brandegee Lane, Berlin, CT 06037.

In 2012 the festival was moved out of East Hartford when mayor Marcia Leclerc determined the town couldn’t continue to provide the roughly $44,000 it took to put on the annual festival. At that time organizer Roger Moss said holding the event at Dodd Stadium in Norwich would defer many of those costs.

“It’s a great move for the festival,” Moss told the Courant. “We’re excited to be here in Norwich and to continue to offer the festival.”

The festival’s statement said a number of issues ruled out other potential sites, from a change in festival format to lack of camping space.

“The desire is to find a home for Podunk and develop the financial backing necessary to bring back a strong world-class festival in 2014 that can vie for Festival of the Year [from the International Bluegrass Music Association], just as Podunk was named in 2010.”

For more information visit the Podunk Bluegrass Festival website, or the festival’s Facebook Page.

This Saturday marks the day many LP lovers have been waiting for: Record Store Day.

The event, now in its fifth year, is a huge promotional event for stores that often features live in-store music performances, giveaways, and sales.

While the day celebrates independent purveyors of the preferred analog music medium, it has acquired some critics over the years.  Reissues, alternate packaging, and not-so special editions raise the ire of some who say the event is exploited by record companies looking to make a fast buck (sure, reissues of Relationship Of Command, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, and The Midnight Organ Fight on vinyl would look great on my shelf, but do i *need* them?).

On the other hand, there’s plenty reason to get excited for something like Earth Crisis’ Firestorm 12″, some Rocket From The Crypt, or Biggie’s Ready To Die

In other words, plenty of good stuff no matter how you feel.

Below is a list of some area stores, and what they have planned for Record Store Day. Click here to see an interactive map of record stores across Connecticut.

Click here for a list of participating record stores in Connecticut, and click here for a list of the available releases (bear in mind not everything will be available at every outlet).

Gerosa Records
246 Federal Road, Brookfield
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Click here for more info

Performing in store beginning at 3 p.m.:
Shawn Persinger
Richie Scarlet with Russ Wilson
Malcolm Tent
The Shoutbacks

Johnny’s Records
45 Tokeneke Road, Darien
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Click here for more info

P.J. Pacifico performs in store noon.

Redscroll Records
24 North Colony Road, Wallingford
Click here for more info
9 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Food from the G-Monkey and Hardcore Cupcake trucks, and 15% off everything in the store.

The Telegraph
19 Golden St., New London
Click here for more info
10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Telegraph Records is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with live music all day.2pm: Sam Perduta (of Elison Jackson)
3pm: Goodnight Blue Moon
4pm: Isaac Young Duo
5pm: John Fries & Corina Malbaurn
6pm: Sidewalk Dave
7pm: Horns of Ormus
8pm: Fatal Film
9pm: Bedroom Rehab Corporation

Tumbleweeds Music Store
345 Main Street, Niantic
9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Click here for more info

Willimantic Records
744 Main St., Willimantic
Click here for more info
9 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Live music throughout the afternoon and evening, including George Hakkila,One Hundred Year Ocean, and The World Is A Beautiful Place…

Time to get nutty on some sweet LP’s.

Redscroll Records in Wallingford just marked 6 years of being open, and to celebrate they’re hosting a week long sale on everything.

The store is offering 15% off everything, plus $1 used CD’s. Prices on $3 used vinyl has been dropped to a buck as well.

The sale starts today, April 15, and continues through next Sunday, April 21. This includes Saturday’s Record Store Day, though the discounts can’t be combined with any other offer.

Like many record stores around the state, Redscroll is opening early on Saturday. Click here for more info on their special offerings and setup on Saturday, or check out the awesome Purple Rain style flyer below.

Click here for a full list of stores participating in Record Store Day, and Click Here for a list of Saturday’s special releases (availability will vary from store to store).

Redscroll Records is offering a big anniversary sale all week, including Saturday’s Record Store Day (Click to enlarge).

Courtney Love arrives at the opening reception of her exhibit at the Lyman Allyn Museum in New London. (Nick Caito)

Courtney Love was in Connecticut Friday evening for the opening of her new art exhibit at the Lyman Allyn Museum in New London.

The images were all intensely visceral, with frantic lines and images of women crying both tears and blood. Love said there was a very specific theme.

“It was a lot about a romance, it was a lot about a particular heartbreak,” she said. “It was like one dude, basically… I got a lot of art out of it, I’m way over it. Like, we’re cool and shit.”

Courtney Love talks about some of her work with Lyman Allyn Museum Director Nancy Stula. (Nick Caito)

Love would only talk about her artistic work during the event, but did divulge that she’s recorded a new single and is planning for a May release.

As the former Hole frontwoman moved amid a crushing throng of fans, she pointed out several images. One included what she said was a suicidal vision of Mick Jagger turning into Shiva. She was in a continuous state of posing for photos and talking with fans.

“I had to seize the moment, this is the moment of my lifetime right now,” said Kathleen Layton, of North Kingston, RI after posing for a photo with the rock star. “I’ve loved Hole since I’ve been about 16 years old. I’ve seen her repeatedly, i’ve read every morsel that I could about her.”

Courtney Love takes a photo with Kathleen Layton of North Kingston, RI. (Nick Caito)

Courtney Love’s exhibit runs at the Lyman Allyn Museum until August 10. For more information visit www.lymanallyn.org.

But now  Courtney Love is is trying her hand at another kind of art.

The Lyman Allyn Art Museum, at 625 Williams St. in New London, is hosting a reception and exhibit of Love’s artwork. Love will be present at the event tonight, Friday April 12, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $10.

However before making the trek down to New London, call 860-443-3545 to find out if tickets are still available.

According to the gallery’s site, Love was mentored by artist and photographer David LaChapelle. Love’s art includes numerous portraits done in pastel, watercolor, charcoal, and other media.

If you miss meeting Love tonight at the opening, the art will remain on display until August 10.

For more information, visit www.lymanallyn.org.

For the last two decades Courtney Love has never been too far from our social consciousness. Most recently she had a few Twitter spats, including one with her and Kurt Cobain’s daughter Francis Bean, though the two appeared to make up (somewhat) around the holidays.

Last Friday was also the 19 year anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s suicide.

Meanwhile, let’s all reminisce on the Courtney Love of the early 90′s. A simpler time:

All the tickets for his new tour, which includes a July 12 stop at the Comcast Theatre in Hartford, will be priced at $20. In addition, the first two rows at each venue will be taped off for upgrades for ticketholders hand-selected during the concert. Kid Rock is also promoting paperless ticketing, a measure that helps prevent high-priced ticket resales. T-shirts at the concerts will cost $20, and even the ridiculous cost of a beer will be slashed to $4.

A thousand so-called “Platinum Tickets,” some of the best seats in the house, are normally bought by ticket resalers and sold for higher than face value. In a press release, Kid Rock said his tour is effectively buying these tickets, then ‘scalping’ them back to the public at the $20 rate.

“Everyone knows the economy is still hurting people across the country, but I didn’t want that to be a reason why everyone couldn’t get out and enjoy themselves on a summer night,” Kid Rock said in the press release.

The elaborate move will likely please a lot of music fans, many of whom continue to gripe about the astronomical cost to see a concert, yet continue filling up venues.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Kid Rock says he worked with Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino to come up with the money saving deal for fans.

“I said to them, ‘Look, I’ll go in as your partner. Don’t guarantee me a dime; if nobody shows up, I’ll lose money.’” Rock told Rolling Stone. “‘Let’s put the money in a pot at the end of the night and figure out, based on the numbers, what I’ll get paid.’ Even if it sells out, I’ll take a pay cut. Fortunately, I’m able to do that.”

In other words for all the effort and all the price cuts, Kid Rock the artist is the one with a thinner profit margin.

“The face value of the ticket, that’s primarily what the artist gets,” said Jacqueline Peterson, Senior Vice President for Corporate Communication at Ticketmaster, in an interview Thursday afternoon. “That’s something that the artists and their management teams set and that’s what they make.”

Recently it hasn’t been all that uncommon to see ticket prices exceed $100, not even including processing fees through Ticketmaster or other ticket sellers.

Recent examples: Tickets for Eric Clapton at Mohegan this past weekend went for $135 and $185. The best tickets for P!nk on March 27 went for $110. Good seats at Rihanna’s concert at the XL Center on March 15 cost $125, as will the recently announced Hot Jam with Kendrick Lamar on May 31. Kelly Clarkson and Maroon 5 tickets at the Comcast top out at $93.50, and seats for Tony Bennett at Ives Concert Park will cost you $86. Those numbers do not include ticket processing fees.

Peterson says that as far as Ticketmaster and their fees are concerned, business concerts and the web of players involved restrict what can be done to lower the service fees charged to buy a ticket.

“Ticketmaster can’t just make the decision to do all-in pricing or change that, because there’s so many stakeholders in the industry that we can’t unilaterally make that decision,” she said, citing costs that trickle down to everything from Ticketmaster customer service agents, computer servers, and the employees at a venue. “But we’ve tried to do what we can to present the price that [consumers] would pay as soon as we can in the purchasing process.”

Fan Freedom, an advocacy group funded by online ticket seller StubHub, that claims to push for fairer ticket prices to concerts and sporting events,** had a mixed response to Kid Rock’s tour.

“It’s refreshing to see an artist admit to doing what everyone else in the industry is doing, and that’s scalping their own tickets,” said communications director Chris Grimm in a statement. “But Kid Rock is still far from fan-friendly. While we applaud him for being transparent and honest with fans about scalping his own tickets, we wish he wouldn’t treat his fans like scalpers by using restricted tickets.”

Will something like this become more of a trend than a one-off tour stunt?

“I think that answer will likely depend on what happens with this tour,” Peterson said. “Kid Rock is an innovator, and this is a great idea. But he and everyone else has admitted this is a risk. It will either be an awesome summer, or it might be a bit of a long summer.”

We’ll see. If successful the tour would be a fantastic precedent and great for music fans everywhere. However by reasonable estimates, the concept likely won’t be catching fire.

Conflicts over ticket prices seem to happen with regular frequency, though little has changed. Who could forget Pearl Jam’s (unsuccessful) battle with Ticketmaster? Even Bruce Springsteen, the working class hero with his pushes for paperless ticketing and lower prices, still performed at the XL Center last year for either $68 or $101 per ticket plus fees.

There was a pretty big outcry late last year over the astronomically expensive cost to see the Rolling Stones ($754 as a base ticket), yet those concerts sold out easily.

Ultimately, does anyone really believe that ticket prices will come down any time soon when consumers are still willing to fill a 10,000 person venue at $150 a seat? Every Connecticut concert mentioned above was sold out, and the ones which haven’t happened yet will likely do the same.

Because despite all the complaining, consumer whining, and ‘too expensive’ refrains, this is still a business of supply and demand.

Any thoughts on the topic? Have you ever missed a concert you wanted to go to because prices were too damn high? Comment below…

** An earlier version of this article did not acknowledge the relationship between the Fan Freedom advocacy group and ticket auction site StubHub