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| basement tapes | concert reviews | cd reviews | interviews | ticket swap | music news |
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By Tony Bonyata Livewire file photos |
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Alpine Valley Music Theatre kicks off it's 32nd season this weekend
June 11, 2009 Even though there isn't one independent music retailer in the area (sorry but Big Boxes like Wal-Mart and Best Buy don't cut it in my book), Walworth County music lovers have a lot to be thankful for - if only for the fact that one of the nation's largest premier outdoor amphitheaters, Alpine Valley Music Theatre, is situated rather inconspicuously in the middle of farm fields in East Troy. The list of performers that have graced this stage since Boz Scaggs headlined the venue's first gig back in June of '77 is staggering - The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Radiohead, Rage Against The Machine, The Grateful Dead, Frank Sinatra, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rush, Guns N' Roses, Pearl Jam, Stevie Ray Vaughn (who performed his last show here before his helicopter crashed into one of Alpine Valley's ski hills on August 26, 1990), along with literally hundreds of other great bands. This year's line-up features many acts that have become synonymous with the summer season in southeast Wisconsin and will surely please fans of hard & classic rock, British arena rock and patchouli-soaked jam-banders alike. Here's a run-through of this season's performers... AEROSMITH / 3 DOORS DOWN - Saturday, June 13 at 7:30pm This will mark The Bad Boys from Boston's 13th appearance at Alpine since they first performed here for the venue's inaugural 1977 opening season. While they haven't released a new album since their decidedly rawer album of blues covers Honkin' On Bobo in 2004, the popularity of their music video game Guitar Hero: Aerosmith that they released last summer should insure that many younger kids will be accompanying Mom and Dad on their nostalgic trip back to the hard rocking '70s. Ticket prices range from $206 (Level 1), $135.50 (Level 2), $95.50 (Level 3), $55.50 (Level 4) and $41.00 (Lawn) To purchase tickets online go to: http://www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/406966 PHISH - Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21 at 7:00pm Even if The Dead  won't be gracing the hills of East Troy this year, hippies and fans of jam-band music can rejoice in the fact that Phish will be, as part of their official reunion tour after their 2004 break-up. Fans should expect a long night of favorites such as "Character Zero" and "Sample in a Jar" along with interesting covers (they're renowned for covering deep cuts from Talking Heads, The Beatles, The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd, among others). Even more exciting for die-hards is the fact that they'll be previewing songs from their forthcoming studio album Party Time (scheduled for a July 28th release). Party time, indeed, Phishheads. Tickets are sold-out for both days. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND - Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, June 19 at 7:00pm Yet another  perennial favorite here, the Dave Matthews Band have long regarding Alpine Valley as one of their favorite venues to play. This year should prove an eye-opener for long-time fans as Mathews & Co. will be performing a good number of songs from their newly released, and critically acclaimed, studio effort Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King.Ticket prices are $75 (Reserved) and $40.00 (Lawn) To purchase tickets online go to: http://www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/405195 COLDPLAY - Saturday, July 25 at 7:00pm This marks Coldplay's second appearance at Alpine Valley  (the first was back in 2005 as part of their X & Y tour). Judging from the massive success of their 2008 double platinum album Viva la Vida or Death and All his Friends (which spawned the four singles "Violet Hill," "Viva la Vida," Lovers in Japan" and "Lost!") this will no doubt pack the grassy hill for the Ticket prices range from $97.50 (Level 1 & General Admission Pit), $79.50 (Level 2), $35.00 (Lawn) To purchase tickets online go to: http://www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/403913 JIMMY BUFFETT - Saturday, July 29 at 8:00pm Jimmy Buffett is another artist  performing this year that also played at Alpine Valley during their opening 1977 season, and, with the exception of 2005, has graced it's stage every year since 1995. Despite not releasing a new studio album since 2006's Take The Weather With You, as long as the Margaritas are flowing (and you can bet they will be), and Buffett and The Coral Reefer Band deliver fan favorites like "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "Fins," "Changes In Latitude, Changes in Attitude" and "Margaritaville," then Parrotheads will be in their own virtual island paradise - if only for a few hours.Ticket prices are $133.00 (Reserved) and $33.00 (Lawn) To purchase tickets online go to: http://www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/404304 For more info on these Alpine Valley Music Theatre shows call: (262) 642-4400 or log onto: http://www.livenation.com/venue/alpine-valley-music-theatre-tickets |
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